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‘There was great jubilation all over Vrndavan due to Krishna’s birth. Everyone was overwhelmed with joy. Therefore the King of Vraja, Maharaja Nanda, wanted to perform the birth ceremony for his child, and this he did. During this great festival, Nanda Maharaja gave in charity to all present whatever they desired.’ (Taken from Srimad Bhagavatam, 10^th canto, chapter 5)

On the auspicious day of Nandotsava in the year 1896, Srila Prabhupada appeared in Calcutta, born to devoted and loving Vaisnava devotees of Sri Sri Radha Krishna. Today in ISKCON we are greatly fortunate and privileged to be able to celebrate Srila Prabhupada’s appearance day every year.

Here in Ujjain His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami is so immersed in the mood of Srila Prabhupada, and is always making sure that all the devotees understand the position of Srila Prabhupada and realise that it is only through his mercy that we are able to render devotional service. To this end, his offering to Srila Prabhupada demonstrates his dedication to his spiritual master and also reflects his endeavour to engage all devotees in the loving service of Srila Prabhupada.

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

Please accept my most humble obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet.

On the occasion of your divine appearance day, the devotees here are making

so many sincere arrangements to express their love and appreciation for you.

It gives me great pleasure to see how they have recognized your greatness

and feeling indebted to you. I feel that my most important responsibility as

their guide and teacher is to make them understand that you are their

greatest well wisher and benefactor. It is because of your divine mercy that

the knowledge of the spiritual world has become so easily accessible to

everyone. You have to take all of them back to the spiritual world.

When I see how these devotees are acting with this understanding in a

natural, spontaneous way, I feel that they are truly blessed. They are

receiving your mercy. Their lives are becoming perfect - they are situated

on the spiritual platform and they have received the shelter of your lotus

feet.

When I hear them speak about you and glorify you, it becomes obvious that

they understood your greatness and recognized your glory. Please bless me

that I can rise above the role of a teacher and become a student again and

learn from them how to appreciate your causeless mercy and express my

heartfelt gratitude by offering all the love of my heart to your divine

grace.

 Your humble servant eternally,

Bhakti Charu Swami

After reading his offering Guru Maharaja gave everyone the chance to read their own offerings. All the devotees were visibly moved recounting their own heartfelt realisations.

His Grace Ajamila prabhu, a senior and beloved Godbrother of Guru Maharaja, and special guest here in Ujjain, performed guru puja to Srila Prabhupada while Gurudeva movingly sang Sri guru-vandana. Pushpanjali followed with devotees and numerous guests enthusiastically offering flowers to Srila Prabhupada’s lotus feet. An enormous, beautifully decorated cake with delicate white sugar roses was offered to Srila Prabhupada and afterwards cut by HG Ajamila prabhu. It was relished by hundreds of people during the scrumptuous and opulent feast.

Dear Srila Prabhupada, thank you for all the mercy you so selflessly bestow upon us.