Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our humble obeisances. As we glorify you, we pray to please you on your appear-
ance day and every day.
Out of your kindness, you eased our material suffering and bestowed us with so many wonder-
ful spiritual gifts.
You filled our ears with sweet kīrtana and bhajanas and taught us to accompany them with
robust mṛdaṅgas, rhythmic karatālas, and melodious harmoniums.
You filled our material eyes with the incredibly beautiful arcā-vigraha forms of Lord Kṛṣṇa and
engaged us in Their service.
You fed us samosas, kachoris, rice, dal, sabjis, chapatis, ladoos, kheer, and Simply Wonderfuls.
You invited us into the eternal and liberating pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
As Kṛṣṇa’s representative, you opened our minds to the reality of Kṛṣṇa through your
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
You gave us so much more joy than we imagined possible. You gave us adventure, challenge,
and purpose. We don’t know where we would be without your kindness.
Most of all, you gave us the holy name, which made everything else possible. All you asked is
that we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy.
The wisdom Lord Kṛṣṇa has taught us,
a treasure that never shall end,
the ecstasy bhakti has brought us,
the service, prasādam, and friends,
the many long roads we have traveled,
the many digressions we made,
a tapestry coming unraveled,
exposing an empty charade,
the pains and the pleasures of living,
the bodies we soon shall not need,
all fall to the side as we’re giving
our hearts to the very next bead.
At any moment, that which we see as so important in this world will become irrelevant. However,
your gift of the holy name will always stay with us. Śrīla Prabhupāda, may we remain eternally
connected to you by chanting with attention and without offense.
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma,
Hare Hare.
Your servants at ISKCON Gainesville (Krishna House)
(Written by Kalakaṇṭha Dāsa)