Of Gift and Gratitude: Fifty Years of a Spiritual Relationship That Lives On
A testimony shared on the very same date and at the very same hour as the first meeting with Shrila Prabhupada, fifty years later.
There are moments when time seems to gather into a single instant, and what happened half a century earlier is reflected in the depth and beauty of all that has continued to blossom ever since.
I was blessed to experience one such moment on August 30, 2026, the concluding day of the first European Krishna West Summer Festival, held in Liznjan, Croatia. Shriman Matsya Avatar Prabhu, a guest at the event at the invitation of his dear godbrother and friend Hridayananda Goswami, presented his book Of Gift and Gratitude, dedicated to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Shrila Prabhupada.
Exactly fifty years earlier, on August 30, 1976, in Delhi, Shrila Gurudeva met for the first time the Spiritual Master who would forever transform his life and, through him, ours as well, to the extent that we have been able to receive that grace.
After offering his obeisances to Shrila Prabhupada and the Vaishnavas present, Shrila Gurudeva read a text he had prepared that very morning, drawing upon passages from his book. In it, he retraced the spiritual journey that had led him to India, driven by profound questions about the meaning of existence that were still awaiting answers. A search that, through his encounter with Shrila Prabhupada, had finally found its foundation.
"He did not ask me to destroy who I was. He showed me how to give it direction."
In these words, I recognize one of the teachings that Shrila Gurudeva continues to impart to us: spiritual life does not require us to renounce our abilities and responsibilities, but rather to transform them into instruments of service to Krishna.
Of Gift and Gratitude was born from this experience. It is not an autobiography in the conventional sense, but the testimony of a gift that continues to awaken inexhaustible gratitude and nourish the desire to dedicate one's life to the service of Shri Guru and Shri Krishna, in an effort to reciprocate, at least in some small measure, the blessings received.
"Grace received becomes responsibility."
This is the principle that has inspired and continues to animate the service of our beloved Shrila Gurudeva: from sharing the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita, a mission he at Shrila Prabhupada's encouragement, immediately after his return to Italy, to the founding of the Institute of Indo-Vedic Studies - Centro Studi Bhaktivedanta in 1995. Originally established as a cultural center, it is a Training Institution accredited by the Italian Ministry of Education and Merit (MIM).
The numerous initiatives developed over the years collectively represent a tangible model through which the culture of Bhakti can continue to spread throughout the secular society of the West.
And yet, as he reminded us, none of these accomplishments belongs to him: every achievement is the fruit of a succession of gifts that, through the Guru Parampara, reach us so that we, in turn, may share them with others.
During his account, something particularly moving occurred. As Shrila Gurudeva recalled waiting to meet Shrila Prabhupada that morning in Delhi, we suddenly realized that it was 9:05 a.m., exactly the same hour at which Shrila Prabhupada had received him fifty years earlier!
"This very same hour! Hare Krishna!"
At that moment, I felt with particular intensity how alive and present that spiritual relationship truly was. Indeed, it is a presence I witness every day: Shrila Prabhupada lives in Shrila Gurudeva's thoughts, memories, and reflections, inspiring his every act of devotional service.
Deeply touching, too, were the prayers through which Shrila Gurudeva renewed his commitment to remain faithful to the teachings he had received, together with his desire to continue making them accessible to people of every background and culture, without altering their essence.
"Fifty years ago, I entered the presence of Shrila Prabhupada with many questions. Today, one word prevails above all others: Thank you."
As I listened to him, I felt that this gratitude also belongs to us, who, through Shrila Gurudeva, have received the mercy of Shrila Prabhupada.
For me, as a disciple, this testimony invites me to reflect on how, each day, I can honor what I have received. I wish to express my profound gratitude to Shrila Prabhupada for having crossed the ocean and brought the treasure of Bhakti to the West, and to Shriman Matsya Avatar Prabhu — whose very spiritual name seems to embody the meaning of the mission to which he has dedicated his life — for faithfully preserving and sharing that gift, allowing it to reach us.
And it is precisely in Shrila Gurudeva's own words that this gratitude finds its deepest expression, while also revealing the responsibility that accompanies the gift received:
"The debt to the Guru is never extinguished: it is transformed into service."
My invitation to listen to this deeply moving testimony arises from the desire to share with you the rasa, that particular spiritual fragrance that permeated every moment of this encounter.
My heartfelt thanks go to the organizers of the Krishna West Festival for making it possible to share this precious testimony.
Watch the video on the Krishna West YouTube Channel
Yours in the spirit of devotional service,
BalaRadhya devi dasi
The book Of Gift and Gratitude is available in English through the CSB Store.