According to the lunar calendar, today is Gaura Purnima eve. One year ago this evening, I arrived here in the holy dham, and within forty-five minutes, Srila Gurudeva announced that he would initiate me into the renounced sannyas order of life on the day after Gaura Purnima.
That I have been able to maintain my vow for almost one year is, to me, something of a miracle. I understand that everything I have is a gracious gift from Srila Gurudeva; it is his wealth, his property. I am confident that if I try to always dependent on his mercy (guru prasada) then I shall be in a safe position. But O! — how my ego chafe at the thought!
So I am very happy to be here at the lotus feet of Srila Gurudeva, to be allowed to once again celebrate Gaura Purnima in his association, in the company of all his senior devotee from around the world, in this holiest of holy places, Sri Nabadwip Dham.
Vaishnava association is everything to us:
"This is the verdict of all the scriptures: even a single moment, properly utilized in the association of the saints, the agents of Krishna, is sufficient to solve all the problems of life."
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