Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace.
In your purport to Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 25.20, it is written: “We have been spreading this saṅkīrtana movement in the Western countries, and in our recent tour of European cities like Rome, Geneva, Paris, and Frankfurt. Many learned Christian scholars, priests, philosophers, and yogīs came to see us, and by the grace of Kṛṣṇa they agreed that the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, the bhakti cult, offers the topmost conclusion. Following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we are trying to convince everyone that the devotional service of the Lord is enjoined in every scripture.… It is not a question of being Christian, Muslim, or Hindu. One should be purely religious and freed from all these material designations. In this way one can learn the art of devotional service. This argument appeals to all intelligent men, and consequently the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is gaining ground throughout the world. Due to our solid logic and scientific presentation, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s prediction that Kṛṣṇa consciousness will spread to every town and village throughout the world is gradually being realized.”
Śrīla Prabhupāda, you arrived in the West more than sixty years ago, entering an America that was blooming economically but dying morally. You came to a land of religious conflict, hypocrisy, and atheism – a place where people were cheated and even killed in the name of God. You personally explained to the people the difference between religion and atheism. Into this world of empty ritualism and impersonalism, you brought the purest gift: unconditional devotional service to the Lord. Many sincere souls embraced these teachings, finding them to be the only authentic truth in a world of materialistic superficiality.
Thanks to your sacrifice, countless people heard for the first time of the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu – the most compassionate incarnations of divine love, who opened the path of chanting the holy name to the entire world. Through you, we received the chance to touch a spiritual reality where love for God awakens and the true meaning of human life is revealed.
Your movement and teachings brought a peace that no political leader could ever achieve. A powerful symbol of this was the Durban Ratha-yātrā, one of the first events where black- and white-skinned citizens danced together in spiritual unity, proving that Kṛṣṇa consciousness breaks all racial barriers. Your personality brought together people who would otherwise never speak; under your loving guidance, even communists and capitalists cooperated in service.
Now, sixty years later, the material world has not improved. Wars continue, nations compete, and large corporations dominate to the point that even pure food and milk are becoming increasingly scarce, just as you foretold. In these times, your followers are the ones maintaining your mission, spreading the desperately needed knowledge of the soul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and our eternal relationship with Him.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, in your commentary quoted at the beginning of this offering, you state that this universal message appeals to all intelligent men, so the movement gained traction and your words became reality. The potency and mercy you spread carry on as sincere souls continue to join your mission. In every town and village, “hippies” are being transformed into “happies,” and your divine books and legacy are more relevant than ever.
Your compassion has reached Bucharest, Romania, through your qualified and faithful disciples. Through their boundless dedication and your generous mercy, a living connection with the guru-paramparā has become possible for us as well.
Please accept our humble but sincere attempts to please Your Divine Grace and the guru-paramparā. Our humble results from this past year include:
- Public preaching: Over 50 programs conducted with more than 190 new guests.
- Prasādam distribution: Over 1,500 portions of premium-quality prasādam distributed.
- Book distribution: More than 1,000 of your transcendental books placed in the hands of the public.
- Festivals: Active participation in city festivals with kirtan and Vedic philosophy.
- Sādhu-saṅga: Hosted the annual Romanian Sādhu-saṅga festival, with over 100 international participants.
- Expansion: Established a new strategic presence in the city of Brasov.
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, your mission of spreading the saṅkīrtana movement continues even today. It is our greatest fortune to be connected to this inexhaustible stream of blessings. Our hearts are filled with eternal gratitude for the rarest gift: a connection to the guru-paramparā and the opportunity to serve.
We beg at your lotus feet to be used as instruments in Lord Caitanya’s mission. Please let us inherit your solid logic and scientific presentation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Please make us dance, make us speak, and empower us to distribute this message fearlessly. We pray to please you and the guru-paramparā by expanding across Romania to bring the art of devotional service to others.
Your insignificant servants,
The devotees of ISKCON Bucharest