Before coming to India and with the trip already scheduled many times, I saw myself invaded by a load of anxiety for I was somewhat afraid concerning the austerities I might be experiencing there. Would it all be right? But such fear shrunk before the expectation to get to know the fountainhead of the entire path of devotion I so much appreciate.

As a conditioned soul, I confess I was afraid of not having the proper mood to be in a holy dham, in the same place Srila Govinda Maharaj would be, and where everything is special and sweet. Here, even the dust is transcendental and the souls are great, insightful and brilliant.

Once in Nabadwip, I would soon get the opportunity to be at Srila Gurudev’s lotus feet -- an experience I sincerely feel very much unqualified to understand. I have heard in several classes given by the sannyasis that we should indeed place ourselves as objects before the Deity, that is, to pray that the Deity be merciful to us and continue to rescue us as objects of service in the plane of the Absolute.

We did not come here to enjoy the vision of the Deity, to satisfy our curiosity or to take some advantage to benefit our material life -- even if it gets some benefit due to our trying to sincerely follow some principles and norms that make us into more dignified human beings.

Arriving here at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, on many mornings we heard His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj talking in his cozy veranda. He is sweet and deep, has a refined sense of humor and is always poetic.

I could feel how he is very happy with the presence of disciples from all over the world who in their turn are performing service, no matter what it may be, with so much affection and sense of responsibility. Sometimes they are even facing several difficulties, and such service makes still more valuable the precious jewel he is giving to us. But I believe that, in spite of our limitations, it is important to continue moving ahead with sincerity in the heart and affinity with the spiritual path, since, as Srila Govinda Maharaj said himself in one of his darshans, the path has many flavors just as a good nurturing plate of food must have, but sweetness always reveals itself as soon as we are dealing with something authentic, and that is very rare in our days.

I am so happy to meet with so many of our spiritual family from all over the world who have joined together here in Nabadwip at the lotus feet of Srila Gurudev for this year's Sri Gaura-Purnima Festivals. United in service, nourished by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj the fountainhead of devotion in this world, this is surely the greatest of treasures in our journey of life.

With my repeated obeisances,
~Madhavi Devi Dasi
on pilgrimage from Brazil