The Touchstone

Offering to Srila Prabhupada on his 129th Appearance Day

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

Placing my head at your lotus feet again and again, please accept these humble words of gratitude.

The Touchstone

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur explains that the ultimate confirmation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s divinity lies in the transcendental love that He exuded and was able to awaken within others. The Lord, and those empowered by Him, have unfathomable transformative power. They turn people’s lives downside-up, shift their paradigms by quantum leaps and awaken qualities within them they never knew they had. When asked what miracle you could show, you pointed at all your disciples and beamed “they are my miracle!”

Vaisnavas are more valuable than gold. They are the touchstones which turn everything into gold. Perhaps they are even more valuable; special touchstones that transform others into touchstones. I was touched by you, touched by your example, touched by your vision and continue to be touched by your glorious movement.

Your teachings have touched my life. Every day, they bring a shy, introverted, and reserved personality to life. I never envisaged being a public speaker, but your teachings are so powerful that even a quiet individual who lacks confidence finds the drive and desire to share this wisdom with the world. I’m ready to go anywhere, enter any arena and speak to anyone. Nobody can argue with these teachings, even when delivered by an imperfect instrument. Just too good.

Your mission has touched my life. I was heading for the monotonous, run-of-the-mill, humdrum existence, where fitting in and finding comfort is the gold standard of success. Who dares to veer away from the prevailing narrative? When I heard of your sacrifice, your willingness to shed gallons of blood for the upliftment of others, it awakened me to a life of transcendental adventure and excitement. You activated me in this electrifying movement. It wakes me up every morning – purpose is the best alarm clock in the world.

Your gift of book distribution has touched my life. Being on the street, up and down the country, every town and village, rain or shine, meeting people from practically every walk of life, dealing with disappointment and rejection, and simultaneously seeing the miracles and magic before our eyes, changed my life. This simple adventure, what I call the ‘school of life,’ turned an impractical person into someone who learnt deep lessons about commitment, communication and kindness. Sometimes I close my eyes, think of mystical moments on book distribution and become emotional. This activity has softened my heart like none other.

Your followers have touched my life. I was so impressed when I saw them, working hard day and night, ready to go the extra mile with no time to waste. These were individuals who believed in something! Finally… someone who really believes in what they do! They were bold but also humble, smart but also simple, charismatic but also deep, transcendental but also completely down-to-earth. These saintly individuals had been touched by you, and they touched me by their dedication. They instilled within me a desire to touch the hearts of others. Bhakti awakens bhakti, heart to heart.

Your kirtan touched my life. I still remember that mystical, deep, resonant voice, magically descending from another dimension of reality. This wasn’t music, but more like a cry of love. That melody, the one everyone sings, emanating from underneath the tree at Tompkins Square Park, continues to reverberate around the world, reaching the most remote places. The eternal vibration echoes through your sincere followers, and their kirtan makes me dance. That’s a miracle – I was never one for dancing! The holy name touches our hearts and takes us beyond our mind.

Srila Prabhupada, you turn crows into swans. You’re a spiritual disruptor, a game-changer and a transcendental magician of the highest calibre. I’ll consider my life a success if I can touch many people’s hearts, just as you have touched my heart. May I always be in touch with you, the transcendental touchstone whose spiritual status is untouchable and incomparable.

Your servant,
S.B. Keshava Swami