Caitanya Purushottam das
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
Kindly accept my prostrated obeisances unto your holy lotus feet.
All glories unto Srila Prabhupada, Sri Guru, and Sri Gauranga.
I would be a fool if I glorify you since how can a glowworm even begin to understand the glories of Sun. And I would be a fool, if I do not glorify you since it is like that glowworm who thinks that he is the source of light, yet is in ignorance that day will appear soon. But today I would prefer to be the former one.
In the Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya Lila 22.78-80, Srila Krsnadas Kaviraj Goswami describes 26 characteristics of Krsna's pure devotee as follows :
kṛpālu, akṛta-droha, satya-sāra sama
nidoṣa, vadānya, mṛdu, śuci, akiñcana
sarvopakāraka, śānta, kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇa
akāma, anīha, sthira, vijita-ṣaḍ-guṇa
mita-bhuk, apramatta, mānada, amānī
gambhīra, karuṇa, maitra, kavi, dakṣa, maunī
"Devotees are always merciful, humble, truthful, equal to all, faultless, magnanimous, mild and clean. They are without material possessions, and they perform welfare work for everyone. They are peaceful, surrendered to Kṛṣṇa and desireless. They are indifferent to material acquisitions and are fixed in devotional service. They completely control the six bad qualities — lust, anger, greed and so forth. They eat only as much as required, and they are not inebriated. They are respectful, grave, compassionate and without false prestige. They are friendly, poetic, expert and silent."
It is my great fortune that I was given a glimpse of some of these qualities in you in a brief time's association with you.
You have been very very merciful unto me during my downtimes in Krsna Consciousness. You gave me your invaluable time to change my heart and become sincere in the practices of Bhakti. It is not an exaggeration when Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur said that it takes a ton of blood to make a soul into a devotee. You do that day in and day out. The sastras explain that the most pleasing service one can render to Sri Krsna is to bring back the conditioned souls back to Him. And your each and every activity is very much undoubtedly done with this purpose. I have also heard that real preaching starts after the lecture, meaning how much time we give to a person after the lecture for his/her spiritual benefit. And you seem to have all the time in the world for anyone who approaches you with little faith also. Indeed selflessness is your first nature.
One time in Mayapur, in Prabhupada Samadhi, I had the good fortune of being with you during japa time...We started doing the parikrama of the altar and at times, you would stop and say something to me either about the nature of the material world or spiritual world. I was the only one with you and I felt greatly fortunate for being given this opportunity to be with a great devotee, which is very rarely given to a soul.
Prabhuji, I am so conditioned to many sense gratificatory pursuits that I really have no hope for me save and except service of great devotees like you. The Srimad Bhagavatam clearly explains that taste for hearing comes by serving great mahatmas.
Today, on the most auspicious holy day of your appearance, I humbly beg unto you to kindly shower your blessings and mercy upon me so that I may be of some insignificant use by serving properly, devotionally and intelligently you and your servants.
Servant of your servant,
Caitanya Purushottam das