Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to your lotus feet! All glories to your extraor-
dinary mission of spreading Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy across the globe!
On this most sacred occasion of your Vyāsa-pūjā, we at ISKCON of New Jersey, offer this
humble homage at your lotus feet. Today, as we stand on the threshold of completing our new
temple, after sixteen long and blessed years, our hearts overflow with gratitude. Every stone that
has been laid, every permit secured, every kīrtana held in the dusty fields and unfinished halls –
all of it has been under your divine direction. You are the real builder. You are the visionary. You
are our guiding light.
Sixteen years ago, when we first acquired the land for this temple, we could not have imagined
the journey ahead. Zoning challenges, legal complexities, design revisions, fundraising efforts –
all stood like Goliaths before us. And yet we pressed on. Why? Because your life showed us how
to face impossible odds with unwavering faith in Kṛṣṇa. You endured far more than we ever
could – journeying to America at sixty-nine with only forty rupees, sleeping in storefronts, endur-
ing two heart attacks while aboard the Jaladuta – all to fulfill the order of your spiritual master
and bring bhakti to the West.
That same courage flows through ISKCON today, and it has brought us to this moment. This
temple in Parsippany is not our offering – it is yours. We are merely placing our sweat, time, and
service into your hands, praying it may please you.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, you once said that building temples is not about real estate – it’s about
heart. A temple is a place where people come in contact with Kṛṣṇa, with His devotees, and with
spiritual wisdom that can uplift their entire lives. In your own words: “A temple means people
should come, take darshan, and be purified.” You taught us that a temple is not merely for rituals;
it’s a dynamic center of transformation for both the individual and for society. And that’s what
we’re striving for here in Parsippany: not just to finish construction, but to open the doors of a
spiritual home where the holy name resounds, prasādam nourishes the soul, and everyone feels
welcomed by Kṛṣṇa’s love.
Your example continues to guide us. In Juhu you fought legal battles, faced hostility, and even
personally lived onsite to oversee progress. Your determination, despite physical difficulty and
opposition, is our blueprint. In Māyāpur you stood in muddy fields, envisioning a temple that
would touch the stars. In America, you started with a humble storefront on New York’s Second
Avenue and inspired palatial temples on multiple continents. You didn’t build buildings – you
built hope. You built culture. You built communities centered on Kṛṣṇa.
Our own journey in Parsippany has mirrored your example in small but meaningful ways.
From the day the land was purchased, you were present in every decision. As plans were drawn,
approvals sought, and foundations laid, we remembered how you engaged directly in architec-
tural discussions, city negotiations, and community outreach.
We remember how you personally met with contractors, engineers, and city officials for the
Bombay temple. You weren’t just a spiritual master – you were a master organizer, fully engaged
in every aspect of temple building. Inspired by your holistic example, we too have sought to com-
bine spiritual vision with practical effort.
Many times along the way, obstacles arose that seemed too daunting. Delays discouraged us.
Finances tested our faith. But you taught us that perseverance is a limb of devotion. You said,
“Impossible is a word in a fool’s dictionary.” And so we pushed on – because we knew that this
project was not for our satisfaction but for your pleasure.
Now, with the final walls rising, the marble soon to be polished, and the altar being prepared,
we feel your presence stronger than ever. It is not we who are building this temple – it is you, Śrīla
Prabhupāda, acting through your servants, drawing hearts together in service.
You once told your disciples that your love for them would be shown by how they cooperate
together. This instruction has echoed throughout our community. For sixteen years, our families,
youth, elders, and children have come together – working not as individuals but as a united
offering to you. In this way, the Parsippany temple is more than concrete and carvings. It is the
embodiment of our collective desire to serve you. And as we draw close to its completion, we
recommit ourselves to what this temple must represent:
• A place of loving Deity worship that brings the Lord into people’s lives.
• A center for kīrtana that uplifts and transforms hearts.
• A school of Bhāgavatam where wisdom flows from the lips of devotees.
• A kitchen of compassion where prasādam feeds body and soul.
• A vibrant saṅga where newcomers feel welcomed and seen.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, please allow this temple to be a genuine offering of love. We know it can never
repay what you’ve given us, but if even one soul is awakened here, if even one child takes shelter
of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet in this house – you will be pleased. And that is our greatest success.
You once said, “I will never die. I will live forever in my books and instructions.” That is true.
You live in your words, your songs, your temples, and the sincere hearts of your followers.
Many of us never met you in person. Yet we know you. When we hear you chant Jaya Rādhā-
Mādhava, it feels like you’re sitting with us. When we read your purports, we hear your voice cor-
recting, encouraging, uplifting. When we see your mūrti, we feel your presence as real as sunlight.
You are the founder-ācārya of ISKCON – not just in name, but in spirit. You built a movement
to last ten thousand years. And this temple is a small stone in the fortress of bhakti you began
laying in 1965.
It is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that the ācārya is the living representative of the Lord. You
exemplified that fully. In your purity, your clarity, your compassion, and your conviction we see
Kṛṣṇa. You are our access point to the paramparā. Without you we would be lost. With you we
have everything.
As we prepare for the grand opening of our Parsippany temple, we pray for one thing above
all else: to remain your servants. Temples may come and go, buildings may rise and fall, but the
service to your lotus feet must continue eternally.
Please empower us to fill this temple not only with beauty but with devotion. Let it not just be
structurally complete but spiritually alive. Let your books be distributed here, your kīrtana ring
through these halls, and your message of love for Kṛṣṇa reach every guest who walks through the
door.
Please protect us from pride, distraction, and complacency. Let us always remember that this
temple is not “ours” but belongs to you. We are only caretakers. It is your offering to your spiri-
tual master, and we are simply praying to assist.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, on this day of Vyāsa-pūjā, we bow down again and again at your lotus feet.
We pray to you to see through to a quick completion of the remaining last stretch of this project.
Without your mercy this will not be possible. You are the blazing sun that has dispelled the dark-
ness of Kali-yuga. You are the captain of the ship, and we are passengers who depend completely
on your mercy.
This temple is our humble garland to offer to you. It is imperfect. But it is made with sincerity
and hope. May it be a place where your glories are sung every day. May you always reside here.
And may we serve you here and forever, life after life.
Your eternal servants,
The devotees at ISKCON of New Jersey

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