Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace.
This year is being celebrated as the sixtieth anniversary of ISKCON, which you established in 1966. Her Grace Nārtakī Mātājī, while traveling by car across Dahisar Bridge, saw the small building-type arch and said, “Śrīla Prabhupāda built a house in which the whole world can live, while here they have built a house where no one can live.”
Śrīla Prabhupāda your vision was to establish Ram Rajya, a society rooted in dharma, peace, and spiritual prosperity. Being a pure devotee, your qualities find a divine parallel in the sixteen primary qualities of Lord Rāma, as they are described in the Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa. When sage Nārada visited the hermitage of Vālmīki Muni, the muni asked him if there was a single, perfect individual who had been bestowed with all good qualities:
konvasmin sampraaptan loke gunavaan kashch veeryavaan.
dharmagyashch krtagyashch satyavaakyon drdhavratah || 1–1–2
charitren ch ko yuktah sarvabhooteshu ko hitah.
vidvaan kah kasmaarthashch kashchaikapriyadarshanah || 1–3–3
aatmavaan ko jitakrodho dyutimaan konaasooyakah.
kasy bibhyati devaashch jaataroshasy sanyuge || 1–1–4
“Who in this world lives today endowed with excellent qualities, prowess, righteousness, gratitude, truthfulness, and firmness in his vows? Who is that one gifted with good conduct, given to the well-being of all living creatures, learned in the lore [knowledge of all things that are known], capable of doing things others cannot do, and singularly handsome? Who (among men) is self-restrained? Who has conquered anger? Who is endowed with brilliance and free from envy? Who is that when, excited to wrath, even the devatās are afraid of (let alone his foes)?”
1. Guṇavān: Lakṣmaṇācārya writes, aganita guna gana bhuSītā ram … O Rāma, Who is adorned by a collection of innumerable qualities! Lord Rāma is accessible to all without discrimination. He moved around with the tribal Guha, monkey Sugrīva. He is willing to give shelter to anyone, qualified or disqualified. Similarly, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you have innumerable qualities. You made yourself available to everyone, and to a man who did not know his father you should absolutely no discrimination.
2. Vīryavān: Courageous and valorous Lord Rāma killed Tataka, Subahu, and so many demons. In Janasthana, 14,000 soldiers came, including Khara and Dushana. Single-handedly, with one arrow, He killed them all. Similarly, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you boldly preached in communist countries and courageously started book marathons. You said one should have the courage of a British soldier and the heart of a Bengali mother. After the struggle to purchase the Juhu land, you said, “It was a good fight.”
3. Dharmajñaḥ: Lord Rāma was well-versed in dharma and spoke about dharma with accuracy. He was well-versed in the principles of righteousness. He thoroughly played the role of son, disciple, and husband. Lord Rāma played the role of a disciple by knowing the mood of sage Viśvāmitra. Similarly, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you were a first-class disciple, understanding the mood of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. You not only followed dharma but also made the Westerners follow dharma.
4. Kṛtajñaḥ: Lord Rāma was extremely grateful to Hanumān, Sugrīva, Jaṭāyu, and others. Lord Rāma appreciated the squirrel for shifting a little mud. Filled with gratitude, when Hanumān found Sītā, He embraced Hanumān and was ready to give anything to the Vanaras. Similarly, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you had an “attitude of gratitude.” You were so grateful for even the slightest service done; you appreciated every little service. In a purport in the Dhruva Mahārāja pastimes in the Bhāgavatam, you mentioned that if even one of your disciples becomes like Dhruva and goes back to Godhead, then by your connection to that disciple, you too could go back to Godhead.
5. Satyavako: Lord Rāma always keeps His word. As Lord Rāma always walked the path of satya, truth, and lived by that principle, so, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you never compromised your principles. For instance, you instructed everyone to chant sixteen rounds, but you chanted sixty-four rounds as an ācārya who practiced more than what he preached.
6. Dṛḍha-vrataḥ: Self-determined and firm in his vows. Bharata tried his best to ask Rāma to return to Ayodhya. He told Rāma that his three mothers and Vasiṣṭha Muni were calling Him back. But Lord Rāma did not budge an inch. Similarly, Śrīla Prabhupāda, even in childhood you did not take chicken soup as medicine but kept the principles of Vaiṣṇavism without compromise. In the Rāmāyaṇa Lord Rāma promises to protect anyone who surrenders. There is a famous verse in the Rāmāyaṇa quoted in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 22.34, and Śrīla Prabhupāda appreciated this verse and promised each of us that if we simply chant sixteen rounds of the mahā-mantra daily and follow the four regulative principles in association with devotees, he will take us back to Godhead. On behalf of Lord Rāma, a pure devotee can make this vow.
7. Lord Rāma had high moral values. He asked Kaikeyī, “Why are you disturbing Daśaratha? You could have informed me of his vow.” Similarly, Śrīla Prabhupāda, like a gosvāmī, all your senses were controlled and you never got agitated.
8. Rāma was the well-wisher of all: Up until his last arrow, Lord Rāma intended not to kill Rāvaṇa. Rather, He wanted to give Rāvaṇa every chance to change his heart and surrender. Similarly, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you loved everyone. Once, a person blasphemed you in public, and a few days later you asked about his whereabouts.
9. Rāma knew everything: Rāma was expert at everything, including the scriptures, warfare, governance, and so many other things. He valued the love of every devotee. Similarly, because of your strong hold on the six philosophical systems, no one could defeat you.
10. Rāma was competent in doing things that could not be done by others: Lord Rāma gave Sugrīva confidence by felling seven trees with one arrow. Similarly, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you fulfilled Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s mission that none of his other disciples could even dare to accomplish.
11. Rāma’s appearance is eternally pleasing. Even an enemy would be pleased when seeing Śrī Rāma. Mārīcha was stunned the first time he saw Lord Rāma. Similarly, Śrīla Prabhupāda, your appearance is celebrated for its spiritual potency.
12. Lord Rāma had control of His desires and senses and conquered His mind: Lord Rāma was undisturbed when He heard He had to go to forest for fourteen years and smilingly accepted the two boons Daśaratha had given to Kaikeyī. Similarly, when goons came to attack you in India, you began reciting the Brahma-saṁhitā.
13. Rāma conquered anger: Anger did not dominate Lord Rāma. Rather, He used His anger when He needed it, such as when Samudra did not respond. Similarly, Śrīla Prabhupāda, even when ISKCON was defamed in German newspapers and your book godown was burned down, you did not get angry.
14. Rāma had a special splendor emanating from His body: The demons were afraid and the devotees felt protected by Lord Rāma’s radiance. Swati Tirunaal compares the halo around Lord Rāma to one hundred suns rising simultaneously. Similarly, Śrīla Prabhupāda, your body is divine. Her Grace Yamunā Devī shared that when you walked, there were no footprints. You were effulgent. You attracted everyone like a magnet with your singing, which drew people to it because it was so deeply felt.
15. Rāma was never envious: Rāma never thought that He had lost His position because of Kaikeyī. In Kishkinda and Laṅkā he put Sugrīva and Vibhīṣaṇa on the throne, respectively. Similarly, Śrīla Prabhupāda, almost all spiritual movements are named after their founder, but you popularized ISKCON not using your name but Kṛṣṇa’s name.You were happy to see others’ success.
16. The devatās approached Lord Rāma with awe and reverence, fearful due to respect. Your disciples always respected and fully depended on you
Thomas Hopkins said that you did something unprecedented and unparalleled: you preached to the hippies, who were rebels without a cause, and tried to give them Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You brought them to serve Lord Rāma.
Here is our preaching report:
- 55,000 Bhagavad-gītās distributed during the marathon
- NICE department conducted value education in schools and weekly Gītā classes at residences and schools. Also, Janmāṣṭamī celebrations and deepdhan at schools
- Bhaktivedanta College started a Bhakti-śāstrī course
- Devotee care sessions are grooming families
- The Deity department and Food for Life department have been functioning perfectly
- Govinda’s is attracting huge crowds on weekends and holidays
- We hold twelve-hour kirtans on Ekādaśīs. Harināma-saṅkīrtana goes out daily for one hour in the streets around Mira Road
- Our upāsana festival attracts numerous young boys from different areas
We pray at your lotus feet to develop the quality to appreciate everyone and everything. We pray to simply remain together and practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as you taught us. Then we can go back to Godhead and serve your lotus feet. Please allow us to develop a taste for chanting and scrutinizingly studying the scriptures you gave us. During our upcoming 50/60 celebrations, we will try to improve and increase our services in all departments, by your blessings.
Your insignificant servants at ISKCON Mira Road