Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāminn iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
Please accept our most humble obeisances at the dust of your divine lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace.
On this most auspicious occasion of your Vyāsa-pūjā, we, the servants at the Kirtan Ministry, offer our heartfelt gratitude for your unparalleled gift to the world – the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, your divine vision was clear and powerful: that the holy name of Kṛṣṇa would be heard in every town and village. By your causeless mercy, we are now witnessing this prophecy unfold. Inspired by your instructions, our humble endeavor has been to support and strengthen this saṅkīrtana movement through organized kirtan culture and education.
With your blessings, we have developed ISKCON kirtan guidelines, presented in simple and accessible formats. These are based on your teachings, instructions, lectures, and conversations with your disciples. We are distributing them to many temples, helping devotees understand and practice kirtan in a mood that pleases you and the previous ācāryas.
By your inspiration, we have conducted kirtan seminars in India and Australia, guiding devotees in both the technical and devotional aspects of leading kirtan. In this way, we are trying to preserve the purity and spirit of congregational chanting that you so carefully established.
To further your mission of spreading the holy name, we have been promoting harināma-saṅkīrtana through the World Holy Name Festival, now observed by more than eighty centers worldwide. Seeing devotees come together to chant in unity offers a glimpse of your vision of a spiritually awakened world.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, we have also attempted to reach broader audiences through podcasts on harināma, sharing realizations, experiences, and encouragement for devotees to seriously take up chanting. Understanding the need for devotional creativity, we have established LOK Studio in Pandharpur, where soul-stirring kirtans are recorded and shared, so that your movement may continue to inspire hearts through transcendental sound.
Recognizing your emphasis on philosophy as the foundation, the ministry has also developed an education department. Through the Bhagavad-gītā and other scriptures, many young people are being attracted to the deeper understanding of Kṛṣṇa consciousness that you so mercifully gave and are becoming inspired to chant and share the holy name.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, whatever little service we have done is simply an attempt to assist your mission. You are the original source of all inspiration. Without you, there would be no kirtan movement as we know it today.
mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
You taught us that chanting the holy name is the yuga-dharma, and you personally demonstrated how to chant, dance, and engage the whole world in saṅkīrtana. If there is any success in our efforts, it is only a reflection of your mercy.
On this sacred day, we pray at your lotus feet: May we always remain instruments in spreading the holy name. May we preserve the purity of kirtan as you gave it. May we inspire others to chant with sincerity and enthusiasm. May the sound of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra resound throughout the world, fulfilling your deepest desire.
Your insignificant servants from the ISKCON Kirtan Ministry