Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace.
Rūpa Gosvāmī writes in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.239): “My dear friend, if you are indeed attached to your worldly friends, do not look at the smiling face of Lord Govinda as He stands on the bank of the Yamunā at Keśī-ghāṭa. Casting sidelong glances, He places His flute to His lips, which seem like newly blossomed twigs. His transcendental body, bending in three places, appears very bright in the moonlight.”
With His incomparable beauty, Lord Kṛṣṇa conquers the hearts of all living entities. Among His six opulences, His beauty stands supreme. And you, His pure devotee, are the divine messenger of that beauty.
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, you transformed our dull and dry lives by adorning them with priceless spiritual jewels whose true value we can scarcely comprehend.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.1.8):
vettha tvaṁ saumya tat sarvaṁ tattvatas tad-anugrahāt
brūyuḥ snigdhasya śiṣyasya guravo guhyam apy uta
The secret of success in spiritual life lies in satisfying the spiritual master and receiving his sincere blessings.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura confirms: “Only by the satisfaction of the spiritual master can one please the Supreme Lord, and without his satisfaction, there is only devastation on the path of spiritual life.”
On this auspicious occasion of the 130th appearance day of Your Divine Grace, although we feel completely unqualified, we humbly take this opportunity, for our own purification, to express our heartfelt gratitude for the society you have mercifully given us.
We offer our deepest appreciation for your unparalleled contribution in spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness throughout the world, thus fulfilling the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu with unwavering determination.
At the age of sixty-nine, you undertook an unprecedented journey to the West, carrying within your heart the order of your Guru Mahārāja, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. Despite immense hardships, you single-handedly ignited a spiritual revolution and established ISKCON as a global beacon of kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Your mission was not merely to construct temples but to transform hearts through the distribution of the holy name.
You gifted humanity the Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and Caitanya-caritāmṛta, among many other transcendental scriptures – not merely as books, but as eternal guiding lights. Your transcendental literature continues to nourish and sustain ISKCON, its devotees, followers, and well-wishers, keeping them spiritually vibrant and ever fresh.
You described festivals as the “mothers of devotion.” Following this instruction, we continue to celebrate major festivals with great enthusiasm, enriching the experience of visitors and strengthening the devotional community.
By your mercy:
- During Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī, approximately 1.5 lakh pilgrims took darshan of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Dāmodara. Around 10,000 full prasādam plates and more than 30,000 drona prasādam were distributed.
- On Utthāna Ekādaśī (November 2), we celebrated the fourth Brahmotsava over three days (October 31 through November 2), in the presence of His Holiness Bhaktirasamita Swami, during which approximately 5,000 plates of prasādam were distributed.
- We organized a mega youth festival, UTSAV – A Festival of Joy and Happiness – attended by 1,500 students from 14–15 colleges, along with an enlightening seminar entitled Artificial Intelligence to Spiritual Intelligence. Approximately 200 transcendental books were distributed.
- On Bhādra Pūrṇimā, we distributed 253 sets of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, securing the second position in India in the small temples category.
- During Gītā Jayantī, approximately 28,300 books were distributed.
By your mercy, we are now placing greater emphasis on youth engagement and congregational preaching in an effort to further expand Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mission.
Additionally, by your blessings, construction has begun on a new guest house, Sant Nivas, with accommodation for seven rooms, expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, we are deeply indebted to you. You have not only given us knowledge, but have completely transformed our lives. You created this society through immense sacrifice, and we can never repay that debt.
You desired nothing other than to please Kṛṣṇa, and in return, Kṛṣṇa fully empowered you to spread His holy name throughout the world for generations to come.
When sincere seekers begin searching for truth, they ultimately meet you – the founder-ācārya of ISKCON – and through your teachings, they discover the path out of material existence.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.31) states:
svayaṁ samuttīrya sudustaraṁ dyuman
bhavārṇavaṁ bhīmam adabhra-sauhṛdāḥ
bhavat-padāmbhoruha-nāvam atra te
nidhāya yātāḥ sad-anugraho bhavān
O Lord, just as the sun dissipates darkness, Your devotees cross the ocean of nescience and leave behind the boat of Your lotus feet for others to follow.
You have mercifully left this divine process for us. By following it, we too may cross this ocean of material existence. For this eternal gift, we remain forever grateful.
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, please bless us so that in this rapidly changing world we may faithfully follow in your footsteps and effectively preach your message. Kindly allow us to serve your mission with sincerity, never forgetting that all success belongs solely to you.
You taught us that ISKCON is your body and that serving ISKCON means serving Your Divine Grace. We accept this as our life and soul, and we pray for the strength to serve wholeheartedly with body, mind, and words.
As we continue in this movement, we are gradually beginning to understand your vision and the responsibility that accompanies it. Please help us remain serious, avoid complacency, and rise above bodily consciousness so that we may render genuine devotional service.
Though the path ahead is long, we have complete faith in your mercy. Kindly guide us, purify us, and always engage us in your service.
You are a true Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura. Only you can give us Kṛṣṇa. We are simply trying to follow in your footsteps, crying for your mercy.
Your servants at ISKCON Solapur
(written by Krishnabhakta Dāsa)