Dearest and most worshipable founder-ācārya, 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
On this most auspicious occasion of Your Divine Grace’s Vyāsa-pūjā, we, the insignificant servants of the ISKCON Padayātrā Ministry, offer our humble obeisances unto your lotus feet again and again.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, whatever we witness today in the form of the padayātrās movement is a direct manifestation of your heartfelt instruction that the holy name of Kṛṣṇa be heard in every town and village. You personally entrusted this sacred order to His Holiness Lokanath Swami, and he has dedicated his entire life to carrying it out with unwavering determination and deep dependence on the holy name. Through his tireless padayātrās and exemplary renunciation, he continues to guide and inspire all of us to serve as humble instruments in fulfilling your divine desire. By his tireless padayātrās across the world, he has shown us what it truly means to depend on the holy name, to tolerate all difficulties, and to compassionately reach every soul. We are simply trying to follow in that path. This year is especially significant as we celebrate sixty years of ISKCON. Inspired by this historic moment, the ISKCON Padayātrā Ministry is striving to expand this movement by organizing:
- 60 Vaiṣṇavī padayātrās
- Padayātrās in 60+ temples across India
- 60 international padayātrās
Our humble endeavor is to bring harināma to as many villages, towns, and hearts as possible. By your mercy, many padayātrās are currently traveling and expanding. Some of them include:
- All India Padayātrā
- Maharashtra Padayātrā
- Punjab Haryana Padayātrā
- Produtar Padayātrā
- Prayagraj Padayātrā
- Tamil Nadu Padayātrā
- Uttar Pradesh Padayātrā
- Bengal Padayātrā
- Utkal Padayātrā
- Nepal Padayātrā
And recently, by your mercy, a new padayātrā has been inaugurated – the Sisupalgarh Padayātrā, further expanding this preaching mission.
On this sacred Vyāsa Pūjā occasion, we are also launching the Padayātrā magazine to spread the glories, realizations, and preaching impact of padayātrā. Understanding the need of the times, we are actively engaging in digital preaching. Many devotees are serving as “online padayātrīs,” engaged in:
- Creating and editing padayātrā reels
- Studying Padayātrā Worldwide and compiling insights
- Listening to lectures and transforming them into digital content
- Creating AI-based animated videos to present padayātrā in engaging ways
We are also running “ISKCON Padayātrā News,” a weekly update platform sharing where the padayātrās are traveling and where they will be reaching next so that nearby people can participate and receive the mercy of harināma.
Additionally, we are conducting monthly padayātrā sessions, sharing stories and realizations to inspire devotees. For the youth, we are developing experiential learning programs, allowing them to join padayātrās and gain practical devotional experience through structured, certified courses.
With folded hands, we also humbly hope that the spirit of padayātrā may be embraced more deeply across all ashrams. We pray that even sannyāsī devotees may increasingly experience and learn from padayātrā preaching and its unique potency.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, by your boundless mercy and the sincere execution of your instructions by His Holiness Lokanath Swami, this padayātrā movement has even been recognized on a global platform. It has been honored in the World Book of Records, London, acknowledging decades of continuous spiritual padayātrā – spreading devotion, promoting harmony, and walking thousands of kilometers in service to humanity. This recognition is not merely an achievement, but a testament to the power of your vision and the unwavering dedication of your disciple, who has carried your mission to the roads, villages, and hearts of countless souls.
All these efforts are taking place under the guidance of senior Vaiṣṇavas, including His Holiness Sri Krishna Chaitanya Swami (Padayātrā Minister), Her Grace Jayabhadra Mātājī (Padayātrā PR Head), His Grace Stoka Kṛṣṇa Gopu Prabhu (Padayātrā Managing Director), along with many other followers of Your Divine Grace.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, this padayātrā movement is your vision in action. Kindly bless us that we may remain humble instruments in fulfilling your desire to spread the holy name to every town and village.
Your insignificant servants at the ISKCON Padayātrā Ministry