Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
On this most auspicious day of your Vyāsa-pūjā, we, your followers in Moscow, Russia, offer our most humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace.
Today we celebrate the sacred day of your appearance in this world. For us, this day holds a special, historical significance, as this year marks a double jubilee – the fifty-fifth anniversary of your arrival in Moscow and the fifty-fifth year of the formation of the Vaiṣṇava community in Russia and the CIS countries.
In 1971, you visited Moscow for a few days – a journey that was both risky and incredibly difficult. Upon learning of your plans, some devotees tried to dissuade you, suggesting a vacation in Hawaii to engage in book translations. They sent messages that the mango season was beginning. Śrīla Prabhupāda, your reply was immortal: “Preaching in the snows of Russia is far sweeter than any mangoes!”
Fifty-five years ago, fulfilling the order of your spiritual master, you fearlessly stepped onto Moscow’s soil. At a time when spiritual inquiry was forbidden, you brought here the greatest treasure – bhakti, pure devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. You planted a seed of faith that, against all obstacles, has sprouted and grown into a mighty saṅkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya, its branches now spread throughout Russia.
By your mercy and the tireless efforts of your disciples and followers, that seed has grown into a thriving Vaiṣṇava community. We gratefully remember your visit to Moscow and look with sincere gratitude at every available picture from your time here. Today, the Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and all your books are easily accessible throughout Russia. We are proud that during the last visit of the President of Russia to India, he was gifted a copy of Bhagavad-gītā As It Is in Russian language by the Prime Minister of India. The picture of Mr. Modi presenting the Gītā to President Putin was shared worldwide.
Because of your purity, you were able to attract thousands of conditioned souls to the path of pure devotional service. You were always humble and gentle in dealing with others. You gave the medicine by which suffering humanity can be cured – the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.
You gave us not just a philosophy, but a practical path to spiritual life based on chanting the holy names:
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.
Today we proudly witness the fruits of your preaching. Throughout Russia – from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok – ISKCON temples and centers stand where thousands of devotees gather to glorify the Lord. Millions of your books in Russian have found their readers, igniting the fire of knowledge and love of God in people’s hearts. Your teachings have become an integral part of our country’s spiritual culture.
You often stated that as long as book distribution goes on, you would live forever. Through your Bhaktivedanta purports, you continue to preach to the conditioned souls. Like Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, you have converted so many atheists and impersonalists to the path of devotional service. As Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura stated, a Vaiṣṇava is recognized by his preaching work. Your books will continue to preach for the next ten thousand years.
We pray for a drop of your mercy. Please engage us in pure devotional service without any tinge of karma or jñāna. Allow us to become humbler than a blade of grass and more tolerant than a tree.
On this auspicious day, we pray for your causeless mercy so that we may always remain fixed in executing your divine instructions and helping to propagate Lord Caitanya’s saṅkīrtana movement.
Your servant,
Sādhu-priya Dāsa, Regional Secretary and temple president
On behalf of the devotees at ISKCON Moscow