Be satisfied with whatever comes to you

30 January, 1972

śrī śrī guru-gaurāṅgau jayataḥ

All glories to Śrī Guru and Śrī Gaurāṅga

Śrī Caitanya Gauḍīya Maṭha, Gwālapāḍā

Dear recipient of my affection,

[redacted], yesterday I received your letter, dated 23 January, 1972. Since I do not know your new address, I am mailing this letter to your Bolapura address.

We will always engage our abilities in the service of Śrī Hari, guru and Vaiṣṇavas and thereby attempt to make our lives worthwhile. Whether the object of service accepts your service or not depends on His gracious will. As servants, our service is our natural, unchangeable duty (dharma), our [spiritual] self interest and our supreme purpose.

It sounds like your fundraising in the Bolapura area went well. If you invest your hopes in receiving too much from others and do not receive it, it is possible you may become angry with them. To combat such anger, you can keep in mind the instruction Śrīla Prabhupāda gave me one day: “Why do you desire so much? Why do you suffer so much?*

“Yadṛcchālābhe santuṣṭa—Be satisfied with whatever comes to you.” This intelligent approach is the characteristic of a sober heart. Know that I am bestowing my affectionate blessings upon you all.

In this way, I conclude—

nitya-śubhākāṅkṣī

Your eternal well-wisher,

Śrī Bhakti Dayita Mādhava