Dearest Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our most humble prostrations at the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace.
On this auspicious day of your Vyāsa-pūjā, we, the devotees at ISKCON Vallabh Vidyanagar, gather with hearts full of gratitude and awe. As we look at the state of the world today – marked by rising conflicts, unrest, and the dark shadows of war – your words resonate with a clarity that is both sobering and deeply comforting.
You warned us decades ago that a civilization without Kṛṣṇa at its center is a “civilization of polished animals,” destined for strife. We see your predictions unfolding before our eyes, yet in the midst of this global chaos, we see your ultimate victory. You have won, Śrīla Prabhupāda, because you gave us the only weapon capable of ending all wars: the mahā-mantra and the sublime philosophy of the Bhagavad-gītā.
While the world struggles with borders and divisions, you have created a global family that transcends nationality, race, and creed. You have built a “house in which the whole world can live.” Here in Vallabh Vidyanagar, we feel the shelter of that house every single day.
Our humble vows to you:
To take refuge in your books. We recognize that your purports are the “lawbooks for the next ten thousand years.” We pledge to study them deeply and remain steady amidst the world’s turbulence.
To perform saṅkīrtana: We vow to push forward the distribution of the holy name, knowing it is the only true formula for peace.
To remain united in service: Following your instruction to show our love for you by how we cooperate, we commit to serving together in harmony in order to expand the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, thank you for not leaving us in the dark. Thank you for giving us Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Peacemaker. We are eternally indebted to you for pulling us out of the fire of material existence and giving us a purposeful life in service to Guru and Gaurāṅga.
May we always remain tiny servants at your divine lotus feet.
Your eternally grateful servants,
The devotees at ISKCON Vallabh Vidyanagar