Europe & Russia, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, every day I try to read one or two offerings from your Vyāsa-pūjā book. So many books being distributed, so many temples opening, so many farming projects starting, so many educational courses being studied, so many new fresh souls stepping forward and helping to serve the mission.
Also, we see how some devotees see the challenges that lie ahead for your ISKCON Society. One of your disciples, Anuttama Prabhu, in his Vyāsa-pūjā offering to you, fears the growing demise of your disciples could lead to ISKCON also losing your mood and the Kṛṣṇa conscious standards you set. He also foresees the potential problem of growing prestige as ISKCON emerges as a world-renowned spiritual institution.
Another disciple, His Holiness Bhakti Vikāsa Swami, highlights his concerns that devotees may be losing sight of your mood and mission in his most recent three-volume book.
Another disciple, His Holiness Śivarāma Swami, in his book, Śuddha Bhakti Cintāmaṇi, lists all sorts of things that go on in ISKCON now that were never heard of when you were with us. His concern is that looser standards and the introduction of so many new things will threaten ISKCON’s ability to fulfill the prophesies of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He concludes, however, like a lot of ISKCON devotees, that if your priceless books are always present at an ever-increasing volume, then all inauspiciousness and deviation in this age of quarrel can be counteracted and triumphed over. Not only distribution of your books, but distribution combined with serious study, assimilation, application, and realization of your teachings will safeguard ISKCON against mission drift and relaxation of our core vows and values.
Here in the UK, there is a strong drive to increase book distribution, and the results are reflecting a strong and pure leadership in pursuance of this goal. You once said, “We are a society of goṣṭhyānandīs, not bhajanānandīs,” which means when we see deviation, untruth, or unscrupulous behavior, we have to stand up for what we know to be right. Turning a blind eye whilst trying to quietly go back to Godhead will not safeguard the future of this dynamic preaching movement. By being conversant with the literature you gave us, rich in memorization of key verses and strict in the practices of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we can follow in your footsteps and be fearless and articulate in defending the faith and spreading the message of Kṛṣṇa.
Here in Scotland, we have faced some major challenges over the last few years. We have experienced firsthand how difficult it can be to continue in the face of adversity, and yet how important it is to keep faith in our very capable leaders – and that by doing so, Kṛṣṇa vindicates the faithful.
As we move into the middle of 2026, we look at what our strategy will be for increasing book distribution and bringing new devotees in to carry this yātrā into the next ten thousand years under the auspicious gaze of our worshipful Lordships, Śrī Śrī Khoḍa Nitāi-Māyāpur-śaśi.
Everything is underpinned by our ability to cooperate and chant the holy name purely. As our yātrā emerges from a fire of purification, we place our heads at the feet of your true followers, both disciples and granddisciples, so that we may enthusiastically serve and assist them and thus please Your Divine Grace.
Certainly, we are very blessed to have the shelter and fine example of your genuine followers. May you be pleased with us all, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and may all devotees learn to see the true intentions to please you and show all love and respects to one another.
Your insignificant servants at the Scottish yātrā
Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2025
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
Please accept our most humble obeisances unto your lotus feet. All glories to you, Śrīla
Prabhupāda.
O jagad-guru Śrīla Prabhupāda, we would like to begin our offering with gratitude. Because of
the great sacrifice you made for us, we have become eligible to receive bhakti, which is so rarely
attained. We are eternally indebted to you for this.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, you visited Seattle, Washington, for the first time on September 21, 1968,
and blessed the northwest part of America. The very next day, after staying in the city, having
brief interactions during your morning walk, and meeting the devotees and residents, you wrote
a prediction about the Seattle yātrā: “This Seattle city is understood to be very big in area, and
appears to be very peaceful also, because the population is less, and they are little responsive also.
I think gradually this center will also grow very nicely.” (Letter to Kīrtanānanda Dāsa, September
22, 1968)
Your Divine Grace, as you blessed the Seattle yātrā to grow very nicely, our 2024 homage com-
prehensively described how we grew from a small center with a few devotees to a large congrega-
tion with two temples, multiple farms for cow protection, profuse prasādam distribution (within
the temples as well as through two food trucks), the organization of large outdoor festivals, and
at-scale preaching among various communities in the greater Seattle area.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, during your thirty-two-day visit to Seattle, in that fall of 1968, you intro-
duced the Gaura-ārati song for the first time in our ISKCON movement, to be sung during the
evening ārati ceremony (Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta, vol. 2).
The success of the Seattle yātrā would not have been possible without your auspicious mercy,
bestowed upon your dedicated disciples and followers, who worked very hard to expand the
movement and were the recipients of your causeless mercy.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: An Ocean of Mercy, and the
Embodiment of Transcendental Love and Compassion
Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu has been described as an ocean of mercy (Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta,
Madhya-līlā 10.119). Śrīla Prabhupāda, you are the senāpati-bhakta in the army of Śrī Caitanya
Mahāprabhu. You inherited the mercy of Lord Caitanya in our guru-paramparā and came to
deliver the fallen, conditioned souls of Kali-yuga. On this auspicious occasion of your Vyāsa-pūjā,
we offer this humble homage, reflecting on the unfathomable ocean of your mercy that continues
to inundate this world even in your physical absence. Though we are separated from your vapuḥ,
your divine mercy remains powerfully with us through your vāṇī – your lectures and teachings
(which attract), your harināma japa and kīrtana (which sustain), your books (which advance), and
the institution you so lovingly established (which grants attainment). Śrīla Prabhupāda, you have
been an ocean of unlimited compassion and causeless mercy, and in this year’s homage, we seek
your permission to glorify you as the most magnanimous Vaiṣṇava ācārya who has distributed his
causeless mercy to the fallen, conditioned souls.
Your vāṇī attracts the conditioned souls to bhakti
Śrīla Prabhupāda, your boundless mercy manifests powerfully through the medium of hari-kathā,
transcendental discourses on Lord Kṛṣṇa and His incarnations and devotees. Even without your
direct physical presence your classes possess an extraordinary potency to attract the jīvas of Kali-
yuga to the path of bhakti. The pure and potent presentation of Vedic knowledge, emanating
from your unalloyed devotion, effortlessly pierces the layers of materialistic conditioning and cuts
the illusion arising from false bodily identification.
In this present Kali-yuga, an age of quarrel and hypocrisy, where minds are disturbed and
spiritual understanding is obscured, the systematic and clear exposition of the scriptures in
your classes, echoing the spotless philosophy taught by Lord Caitanya, has an inherent abil-
ity to diminish the deeply ingrained materialistic desires that bind us to this temporary world.
Through hearing your authentic hari-kathā, the seed of bhakti – the eternal longing of the soul
for its loving relationship with Kṛṣṇa – is gently yet firmly sprouted within the heart, as stated in
Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 22.107:
nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya
Pure love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the hearts of living entities. It is not
something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing
and chanting, the living entity naturally awakens.
Even those who were once engrossed in animalistic propensities find themselves drawn toward
a higher purpose. The spiritual nourishment derived from your teachings solaces ordinary souls
and reforms their hearts. By your sheer potency and profound teachings, the seed of bhakti, the
very essence of our eternal nature, begins to sprout within us, as confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
10.7.1–2.
Your gift of harināma is sustaining the devotees in bhakti
Śrīla Prabhupāda, your unparalleled mercy also resounds vibrantly through the chanting of
harināma japa and kīrtana, the individual and congregational chanting of the holy names of the
Lord. You gave us the invaluable treasure of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. You are truly the
global ambassador of the holy name, traveling tirelessly and preaching the glories of the Hare
Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra until your very last breath. This most merciful form of the Lord is readily
accessible to all, and its constant chanting, as you so diligently taught us, invokes and brings
forth an atmosphere of profound auspiciousness, as stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.3.31:
tasmāt saṅkīrtanaṁ viṣṇor
jagan-maṅgalam aṁhasām
mahatām api kauravya
viddhy aikāntika-niṣkṛtam
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear king, the chanting of the holy name of the
Lord is able to uproot even the reactions of the greatest sins. Therefore, the chanting of
the saṅkīrtana movement is the most auspicious activity in the entire universe. Please
try to understand this so that others will take it seriously.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, you began the movement by personally chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa – the
Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra – often alone in places like Tompkins Square Park, which gradually
attracted young people, who were purified by hearing your chanting. Your presence in the tem-
ples can be clearly experienced when your kīrtanas and bhajanas are played on the altars.
You have so carefully nurtured within our movement the daily practice of chanting japa and
participating in kīrtana, which has become the very lifeblood sustaining devotees on their spiri-
tual journey. Endowed with the compassion and mercy of Lord Caitanya, you appeared in this
world to spread this life-giving message to every town and village. The congregational chanting of
the Lord’s holy names, propagated so widely by you, is the yuga-dharma established by Caitanya
Mahāprabhu.
In a letter to your disciple Dvārakeśa Dāsa, dated September 29, 1976, you wrote: “Yes, kirtana
and prasadam will appeal to even the uneducated. We have means to preach to both the educated
and uneducated, the sinful and the pious – dhiradhira-jana-priyau.”
The nectarean prasādam, the remnants of food offered to Lord Kṛṣṇa, distributed alongside the
saṅkīrtana, day by day conquers new hearts and awakens new and renewed hopes for unlimited
happiness. By your divine grace, in Seattle, every week as part of saṅkīrtana, we profusely distrib-
ute prasādam to those who might be hearing the holy names on the street for the very first time in
the human form.
It is only by your mercy, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that the resounding vibrations of hari-nāma japa
and saṅkīrtana invoke auspiciousness and sustain our devotional lives.
Your books advance us in Kṛṣṇa consciousness
Śrīla Prabhupāda, your deep and profound mercy is enduringly inscribed in the pages of your
transcendental books, which serve as inexhaustible sources of enlightenment and advancement
in devotional life. You are the embodiment of all Vedic literature, presenting the profound truths
of the scriptures in a way that even the most bewildered and misguided souls can comprehend.
Your Bhaktivedanta purports are not mere intellectual explanations; they are infused with
your realization and deep devotion, opening our eyes to the essence of the spotless philosophy
taught by Lord Caitanya. Without your merciful purports, there is no hope of our gaining any
understanding of the śāstra and advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You have systematically pre-
sented the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness through over eighty books, filled with your insightful
commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
At a very advanced age, you sacrificed your sleep to dedicate ample time to writing books
and purports. Sleeping only a few hours, you worked on translating Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and
Caitanya-caritāmṛta for several hours while the world slept. This dedication, even in your advanced
age, demonstrates your profound compassion and determination to share Vedic wisdom. You
accomplished the translation and commentary of the seventeen volumes of Caitanya-caritāmṛta in
a remarkably short period of eighteen months, demonstrating the utmost urgency you felt to pres-
ent this essential work on Lord Caitanya’s life and teachings to the world.
Your books are so potent that even after your departure, devotees approach your mūrti with
questions and receive answers on the very same day from your authorized books or in the spon-
taneous words of other devotees – a clear manifestation of your unlimited, loving mercy. By
diligently studying your books, devotees gain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the
science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, learning about Lord Kṛṣṇa, our relationship with Him, and the
process of devotional service. Your books represent your greatest works, your gift to humanity –
especially to our society – and the solid foundation for the continued worldwide propagation
of Kṛṣṇa consciousness for the next ten thousand years. Unless one reads your books, one will
not fully understand your greatness. Śrīla Prabhupāda, your unparalleled mercy enlightens and
absorbs the devotees in our society with a clear scriptural understanding and advances them in
their bhakti practices.
In Seattle, your dear disciple, His Grace Harivilāsa Prabhu, is always absorbed in reading your
books and enlightening the whole congregation with morning and evening discourses on Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, based on your purports to the verses.
Attaining love of Godhead is made possible within the established institution (ISKCON)
Śrīla Prabhupāda, your supreme act of compassion is your establishment of the International
Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), a spiritual institution that makes attaining the
seemingly impossible – pure love of Godhead – a tangible reality. The opportunity to engage
in selfless devotional service at ISKCON temples and centers allows us to practically apply the
teachings found in your books. Śrīla Prabhupāda, your ISKCON temples are specifically struc-
tured to facilitate practicing the nine limbs of devotion (nava-vidhā bhakti), which are the primary
means for devotees to cultivate love of Godhead. With your guidance, the entire environment of
an ISKCON temple is designed to facilitate remembrance (smaraṇa) of Lord Kṛṣṇa. The presence
of the Deities constantly reminds devotees of the Lord’s beautiful forms and pastimes. Seeing the
Deities, participating in Their worship, and hearing about Their significance encourage continu-
ous remembrance. Śrīla Prabhupāda, as you established 108 temples in a short period and set a
high standard for Deity worship (arcana), you gave us specific instructions on how the Deities
should be cared for, including bathing, dressing, decorating Them, and offering opulent worship
while maintaining high standards of cleanliness. Śrīla Prabhupāda, the institution that you estab-
lished serves as a transcendental boat by which we can cross the ocean of material existence. By
taking shelter of ISKCON as your extended body and sincerely following your instructions and
representatives, practicing devotees receive the necessary empowerment and blessings to over-
come obstacles and make progress toward attaining kṛṣṇa-prema, pure love of Kṛṣṇa.
Here in Seattle, most of the congregation members are gṛhasthas, as in other ISKCON con-
gregations, but the most distinguishing aspect of Seattle is that the temples and farms are in the
midst of communities where most devotees live. So the temple activities and services form an
integral part of the congregation members’ engagements. In a letter to Harivilāsa Dāsa dated
September 21, 1970, you wrote: “Everyone should be kept fully engaged one hundred percent of
the time in Krishna’s service without a vacant moment so that Maya will never have a chance to
act.” By your divine instructions, most of the devotees here in ISKCON Seattle are fully engaged
in various services to Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Nīlamādhava according to each devotee’s capacity.
A prayer for your mercy
Śrīla Prabhupāda, you came at a time when the whole world was being devoured by atheistic
science and the false propaganda of material happiness. You took great risks, faced countless
difficulties, overcame all kinds of obstacles, and embarked on an unprecedented odyssey carry-
ing your infinite mercy and love. You made hippies into happies, transforming countless lives
and giving them a taste of real joy. At the Rādhā-Dāmodara temple, you earnestly prayed for
the mercy of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and cried for the previous ācāryas’ mercy to descend on all the
fallen souls of this world. Your prayers and tears clear all obstacles from our path to bhakti. Your
glories are unlimited; all we can do is taste a drop of the nectar from that ocean of transcendental
qualities.
On this auspicious day, our only prayer to you, my dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, is that you please
shower your unlimited mercy on us so that we can remain steady and strong on the path of kṛṣṇa-
bhakti until we reach the topmost goal of pure kṛṣṇa-prema. Please continue to bless us to make
more and more devotees, to distribute your divine books more and more, to do more and more
prasādam distribution, to conduct all the Vaiṣṇava festivals with great pomp, joy, and devotion,
and to spread the glories of the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa to countless people. O Śrīla Prabhupāda,
ocean of mercy, we beg you for your blessings and grace.
Though separated by time, your loving presence and transcendental mercy continue to illumi-
nate our lives through hari-kathā, harināma, your books, and the institution of ISKCON. Grant us
the strength and wisdom to continue serving at your lotus feet, ever grateful for the opportunity
to be part of your divine mission.
Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda! All glories to your compassionate and merciful nature!
Your eternal servants,
Vraja Ramaṇa Dāsa (secretary to the board)
on behalf of the devotees of ISKCON Seattle
Canada & USA, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
On this sacred occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of ISKCON, we offer our most humble and heartfelt obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet. You have made immeasurable sacrifices for the upliftment of all conditioned souls, and through your boundless mercy, you have given the entire world the priceless gift of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Whatever śāstras we study – Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam – the true inspiration comes alive through the shining example of great ācāryas like you. Your life proves that the teachings of the śāstras are not mere philosophy but living truths that can be practiced in every circumstance. Through your divine example, you have given us unshakable faith. No matter how difficult the situation, you have shown us how to remain fixed on the ultimate goal and live with deep spiritual understanding. You have revealed that it is possible to live free from anxiety and to progress toward an eternal, spiritual existence. You taught the whole world that even a simple life, centered on devotion, can lead to the highest consciousness. From an apparently ordinary family life, you rose to an extraordinary position of spiritual strength and universal influence. With unwavering faith in your spiritual master, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, you dedicated your entire life to service, and with great compassion, you passed that same faith into our hearts. You are truly a great ācārya for the whole world – a genuine mahātmā.
Your childhood itself stands as a divine arrangement. By the grace of your exalted father, the great Vaiṣṇava Gour Mohan De, your life was carefully molded in Kṛṣṇa consciousness from the very beginning. He nurtured your every spiritual inclination, valuing even your smallest devotional sentiments. With deep vision, he raised you not just materially, but spiritually, ensuring you received both a material and transcendental education. Like a sculptor who sees the deity within stone, he saw your future greatness and shaped you into a dhīra – steady, wise, and spiritually awakened. You recognized him as a pure devotee and understood the invaluable importance of his association. Through his guidance, you demonstrated to the world the true responsibility of a parent: to guide a child toward the ultimate goal of life – service to guru and Kṛṣṇa.
Because of this perfect upbringing, when you met your spiritual master, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, you immediately recognized his true position as the representative of sādhu and śāstra. Your doubts were dispelled, and you deeply realized the urgent need for every jīva to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. From your very first meeting, when you were instructed to spread Lord Caitanya’s message in English, you accepted that order within your heart as your life and soul. Your only question thereafter was, “How shall I serve you?” – a perfect expression of surrender, faith, and eternal connection with your guru. Through this mood, you established the highest example of the guru-disciple relationship and dedicated your life fully to fulfilling his instruction.
Despite living as a householder, working, and managing responsibilities, you were always absorbed in how to serve and spread the message of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Though you faced many challenges – within family, society, and materially – you never deviated from your mission. Even when support was withdrawn, when your business failed, and when you faced opposition even at home, you saw everything as Kṛṣṇa’s arrangement and mercy. Your transcendental faith never wavered.
You endured deep loneliness after the departure of your father and spiritual master, yet you remained grateful, holding tightly to their final instructions. While publishing Back to Godhead, you tolerated neglect and insult. Even when your Bhagavad-gītā manuscript was stolen – twice – you did not lose heart; you simply wrote it again with greater determination. For nearly forty years, you patiently waited and struggled to fulfill your spiritual master’s desire. No rejection, disrespect, or hardship could stop you, because you were firmly situated in the truth given by your guru.
Finally, in 1966, by your causeless mercy, you established ISKCON with the clear mission of giving bhakti to the entire world and awakening pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness in every heart.
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, you carried Kṛṣṇa consciousness across oceans and offered it freely to all humanity. You shaped your life completely according to the desire of the Lord, dedicating yourself to uplifting conditioned souls. You did not merely teach philosophy – you established a living path for all of us to follow. You emphasized that true spiritual life is not just about rules and regulations but about reviving our lost spirit of devotion. You taught us to take shelter of guru, sādhu, and śāstra, and through their association, to reconnect with genuine Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Traveling to the Western countries at an advanced age, you endured unimaginable hardships, yet your determination never weakened. Your life stands as a radiant example of surrender, selflessness, gratitude, and unwavering faith. You have shown that when one fully depends on the spiritual master and acts with sincerity, Kṛṣṇa provides all guidance and support.
Now, by your mercy, it is our responsibility to follow the path you have so compassionately given – to cultivate humility, service attitude, and surrender to guru, and to share this message for the benefit of all living beings with cooperation.
If one has the association of a pure Vaiṣṇava in life, it is more valuable than anything else in this world. Your own life stands as the perfect proof of this truth. By your causeless mercy, you gave this priceless opportunity to your disciples, and through them it continues to flow – from one to another – spreading that same divine mercy to all.
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, we remain eternally indebted to your sacrifice, your compassion, and your boundless mercy. Your insignificant servants, offering our humble obeisances again and again.
Your humble servant
Śrīdhara Gopāla Dāsa and the devotees of ISKCON Seattle
Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2025
Dearest Śrīla Prabhupāda!
Please accept our most humble obeisances. All glories to you!
On your Vyāsa-pūjā, we would like to follow the principle: glorify first, then report. So before
sharing news from your Serbian yātrā, please accept this poem, offered in gratitude.
O Śrīla Prabhupāda, our teacher divine,
Our spiritual guide and savior sublime.
Without you, lost we all would be,
Just fragments in dark Kali’s sea.
In the material world reigned the gloom of ignorance,
Yet you unveiled the light of knowledge hence,
Kṛṣṇa’s grace and hope in our strife,
You showed us the path to bliss and eternal life.
Across the vast and deepest sea you sailed,
The ancient wisdom of the Vedas unveiled.
Your heart burned for people in every land,
Your devotion illumined hearts by your stand.
You showed the pathway leading us to God,
Gave meaning to this life we have trod,
Revealed bhakti’s road of pure devotion,
Without which we’d wander without direction.
In shadows we groped, on a path unclear,
We spoke of life’s cycles, but prayer held no cheer.
One truth would remain forever concealed,
“You belong to Acyuta-gotra” – you revealed.
How can we thank you for the path you showed,
Where Kṛṣṇa’s wisdom, sweet devotion flowed?
Indebted deeply by the mercy showed;
How can we clear what even Kṛṣṇa can’t unload?
Spiritual debt can never be fully repaid,
All we can do is be grateful, unafraid.
To serve the devotees and in their company stay,
You are our hero, Prabhupāda, we pray.
For everything you’ve done, our thanks we give,
Help us, dear master, faithfully to live.
At this festival to you we humbly pray,
That devotion to you may grow each day.
“In the spiritual world, we all shall meet,”
You told us this, astounding and so sweet.
“Have faith you are mine,” your words so true,
We pray to be yours in all that we do.
O Prabhupāda, devotion beyond measure,
Your faithful love for Kṛṣṇa, timeless treasure.
Within your books, we found illumination,
A gift for devotees and every nation.
Thank you for mercy that never did cease,
Books, temples, and grace bringing inner peace.
May all devotees praise you for all time,
Please wake within our hearts devotion sublime.
And now, dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, here is the report of how the devotees in Serbia are striving to
carry on your divine mission:
The devotees of the Serbian yātrā would first like to thank you for coming to the West to save
us, to give us the most precious and highest knowledge, to tell us who we are, to whom we belong,
and what our main duty in life is. You came to give us your guidance, mercy, a wonderful life, and
even direct support through your loving sons and daughters, your surrendered disciples.
When our yātrā was first established, you showered so many blessings upon us that Kṛṣṇa
consciousness flourished in our country. We experienced what the mercy of a spiritual master, a
spiritual guide, means. Later, because we were immature, we made many mistakes, the greatest
of which was the one neither you nor Lord Kṛṣṇa can tolerate: we became proud and committed
many offenses to the precious devotees who took shelter of your lotus feet and had begun their
Kṛṣṇa conscious journey. We didn’t know then how precious each devotee is, and we didn’t appre-
ciate devotees as we should, with a humble heart.
Then we obtained a greater mercy from our Lord. Many devotees fell down, our yātrā fell apart,
our temple was literally half-burned down, and a long period came when we didn’t have any spiri-
tual programs or any association with devotees. But you and our Lord didn’t abandon us. Every-
one continued to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness as much as one can in one’s own home, and also
maintained association with a few devotees and yourself, as you have been our greatest shelter at
all times.
Slowly we attained many realizations, the biggest of which is how difficult life without devo-
tees is. We started to gather in the houses of kind devotees and share kṛṣṇa-kathā, ecstatic bhajanas,
and prasādam. More and more devotees joined, and now we know how precious and important
devotees are in our lives. We started to cooperate and organize festivals and regular gatherings. In
one town, we hold regular harināmas. Every year we have summer camps with some of your dear
disciples. Some devotees distribute books online, and prasādam distribution is going on regularly.
We do it all, dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, for your satisfaction. There is no pressure, and everyone con-
tributes as much as they can from the heart. Of course, our hearts have to be purified more and
more to be able to advance, and the best place for purification is among the devotees who under-
stand what is going on and, therefore, can help us.
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, we are the independent and unsubmissive type of devotees, and it is
difficult for us to accept authority, especially after the disappointment we had in the beginning,
but we know that you love us as we are and that we love you too, dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, as much
as we can in our present state of consciousness. We beg you to please continue to shower us with
the special mercy you have for such fallen devotees as us. Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, we would like
to contribute, by your mercy and through our services, what we can to make sure that your glories
are proclaimed to every soul in Serbia, and we would like to be your servants eternally. Please
unite us more by engaging us all in your mission.
With love,
the devotees of the Serbian yātrā
P.S. Thank you once again for bestowing the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu upon us, which,
according to your words, follows the mood of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Religious remuneration is
devotion to the ācārya with the purpose of acquiring spiritual instruction. The ultimate message
of your commentaries is to lead us to accept this singing and chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa,
which is the meaning and goal of this movement. Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda!
Europe & Russia, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Our most beloved Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our most humble obeisances in the dust of your merciful lotus feet. All glories to you and to your divine appearance day!
As the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya forest addressed Śrīla Suta Gosvāmī, we would like to address Your Divine Grace in the same way:
tvaṁ naḥ sandarśito dhātrā dustaraṁ nistitīrṣatām
kaliṁ sattva-haraṁ puṁsāṁ karṇa-dhāra ivārṇavam
We think that we have met Your Goodness by the will of providence, just so that we may accept you as captain of the ship for those who desire to cross the difficult ocean of Kali, which deteriorates all the good qualities of human beings. (Bhāgavatam 1.1.22)
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, we are so fortunate to be on the boat where you are the captain. That boat is a shelter for all of us worldwide who have taken refuge at your lotus feet. To encourage us and to confirm that you are still personally with us, something wonderful happened in our yātrā.
Exactly thirty years ago, during your glorious centennial year in 1996, your wonderful mūrti came to our yātrā. How unimaginably merciful in the form of this wonderful mūrti you are! Although we never met you personally while you were still on our planet, we get your association through your books, audio classes, video recordings, disciples, and, since 1996, through this most beautiful mūrti.
Over the last thirty years you stayed with us during the most dangerous and challenging times of our yātrā. You never left us. When you arrived, we had a big temple in Belgrade inhabited by many devotees, and where around a hundred guests came to our wonderful Sunday feast programs. Our Nityānanda bhajana band held concerts all over Serbia, attended by many thousands of people. We had many enthusiastic book distributors, distributing around 50,000 books a year. The Deities were carefully worshiped with so much love and devotion. Prasādam was prepared with so much love and devotion as well. New people started to join.
But then, after some years, the situation changed. We lost our temple due to unfortunate circumstances, Kali-yuga influences tricked us in different ways, and our unity was decreasing. Since that time, your mūrti stayed in the homes of different devotees, in rented spaces, at summer camps, and finally at a property we got just two years ago.
Over the last thirty years, after being at our temple for only the first three years, you were traveling and staying in at least ten different places and devotee homes. You never left us, although the circumstances where we kept you were sometimes very humble. Sometimes, they were even more humble than the Bowery on the Lower East Side in New York City, where you opened your first temple in the West. But despite our limited possibilities to serve you, we were growing and maturing in your presence and in your company.
And what is the result of your confidence in us? The situation has again started to improve, slowly but surely. Over the last six years, for the first time in the history of our yātrā, we have been registered as ISKCON. For the first time in thirty years we have printed a full edition of Bhagavad-gītā As It Is in the Serbian language. For the first time in the history of our yātrā we have a permanent place, where we hope generations of Vaiṣṇavas and Vaiṣṇavīs will continue to live and serve together.
Our cooperation and our relationships are improving. We are making a conscious effort to develop more love and trust among us. Cooperation enriched with love and trust is a wonderful formula for success, and we have inherited this understanding from Your Divine Grace.
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, without your mercy and your constant presence, who knows what would have happened to us? By your mercy, our yātrā is getting stronger again – slowly, surely, with small careful steps. We are trying not to repeat the mistakes of the past and to not again fall into the traps of this fallen age. We know that our achievements are almost insignificant, especially in comparison with many developed yātrās. But those small achievements that we have, they are for us like small precious gems – our loving offering to you and our humble attempt to please you. Those gems are our wealth, and they keep the devotees together and bring new hope for the development of a bright future for our yātrā.
Please accept the members and devotees of our Serbian yātrā as the small spiders who also want to help Hanumān and the other great devotees still present all around the world. With the hope that we can steadily continue with our humble attempts to bring satisfaction to your merciful heart, we remain your grateful servants.
The devotees of the Serbian yātrā
Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2025
Our dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our most respectful and sincere obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to your
beloved spiritual master, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja. All glories to you,
Śrīla Prabhupāda.
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
On the most auspicious 129th Vyāsa-pūjā of Your Divine Grace, we would like to offer our prayers
at your lotus feet. Kindly accept them.
By your causeless mercy and the blessings of your sincere disciples, we have been serving Lord
Śrī Jagannātha at the Śrī Jagannātha Mandir, Seshadripuram, Bangalore, since 2000. For your
pleasure, our ambitious project of building a new palace temple for Their Lordships is partially
completed, and we are already serving the Lord in His new temple. We seek your blessing so that
we can complete the remaining portion and install Their Lordships on Their finished altar, on the
second floor. We are trying our best to follow your instructions on temple worship standards and
schedules as best as we can.
We have also built a residential apartment adjacent to the temple for devotees. Due to this,
many congregation devotees are able to stay in that apartment and serve the Lord from there. We
have also made facilities for visiting sannyāsīs and other senior devotees to stay. In this way we
are able to organize visits by your dedicated disciples and other senior devotees from all over the
world, and they give us association and inspire our congregational devotees to deepen their Kṛṣṇa
conscious practices.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, as per the instructions of your spiritual son His Holiness Jayapatāka Swami,
we are making all efforts to preach strongly all over Bangalore. To this end we have initiated a
concept called Bhakti Sadan, where our congregational devotees conduct regular Kṛṣṇa con-
scious programs from a dedicated place in various locations around Bangalore. What started as
a Sunday Feast program is now gradually developing into more focused preaching units, with
many serving seven evenings a week. The attendance at these Bhakti Sadans ranges from 50–200
devotees. We now have close to thirty such Bhakti Sadans functioning around Bangalore. Our
aim is to have one in every postal pincode in the area under our care in Bangalore. His Holiness
Jayapatāka Swami envisioned Bangalore becoming the first completely spiritual city in India, and
we seek your blessings to realize this vision by expanding this program and preaching to thou-
sands of new devotees in the city.
We are also taking the distribution of your transcendental books around the city and surround-
ing areas very seriously. In the December 2024 book marathon we stood twenty-fourth overall in
India and second in South India. We seek your blessings to excel at our distribution and flood
Bangalore with your spiritual ecstasies in the form of your transcendental literature.
We pray at your lotus feet that you empower our congregation to excel in all spheres of devo-
tional service and that we can serve your mission, make sincere progress, and go back home, back
to Godhead and serve Your Divine Grace eternally.
Your servant,
Anukul Keshav Dāsa and the devotees and congregation of ISKCON Seshadripuram
