On this most auspicious day of Nityānanda Trayodaśī, it brings me great joy to share that the English audiobook A Heart Full of Gratitude, authored by Guruseva Devi Dasi and lovingly narrated by my dear granddaughter Madhurika, is now available.
May this offering draw our hearts closer to Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, whose mission was the sharing of mercy.
Listen to it on SoundCloud.
With loving remembrance, I honor His Holiness Sacinandana Swami, who appeared on this sacred day—the transcendental appearance day of Lord Nityānanda. He embodies the essence of Guru-tattva and reflects the boundless mercy of Nityānanda Prabhu.
Lord Nityānanda Prabhu came to teach something wonderfully simple—and radically compassionate.
In essence, He came to teach mercy.
More fully:
* Unconditional mercy (audārya)
Nityānanda Prabhu showed that no one is disqualified. Even the fallen, the violent, the drunkards, the indifferent—everyone is eligible for love of God. His mercy does not calculate.
* Chanting of the Holy Names
He taught that harināma—
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare—
is the yuga-dharma, the spiritual process for this age.
* Approaching Kṛṣṇa through compassion
As the embodiment of guru-tattva, Nityānanda Prabhu showed that one reaches Kṛṣṇa through service, humility, and mercy toward others.
* Breaking pride and false prestige
He taught by example—tolerating insults, violence, even rejection—while continuing to give love. His message: soften the heart, don’t harden it.
* Serving Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mission
His joy was to bring souls to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, teaching that love of God is meant to be shared, not hoarded. A line often remembered captures His mood beautifully:
“Just say ‘Gaurāṅga’ once—and your life will be successful.”
In short:
Nityānanda Prabhu came to teach that mercy comes first—and through that mercy, love of
Kṛṣṇa awakens.
Jai Nitāi!
A Glimpse into the Book—and the Audiobook
A Heart Full of Gratitude tells the story of a young couple who, disturbed by the chaos of modern civilization, set out on a journey around the world with no intention of returning until they discovered a better way of life and its deeper meaning. As their travels unfold, so does a profound transformation of their desires, sparked by the wisdom found in the books of an Indian saint with a long name—His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda—books they seemed to discover again and again, almost miraculously, during two years on the road.
The book weaves together two dimensions: a captivating life story and the path of bhakti-yoga, revealing the spiritual force that reshaped their lives. Some readers will simply enjoy the absorbing narrative; others may uncover valuable insights and tools for their own spiritual journey.
I would like to take this opportunity to humbly ask: if you feel inspired by what you’ve read or listened above, please share it with as many people as possible.
The world, in many ways, is on fire. Let’s give relieve to each other. We all love stories—but finding time to read is not always easy. Now, however, there is a chance to listen.
—The author