Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo
yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ’pi
By the mercy of the spiritual master one is benedicted by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Without
the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement.
On this most auspicious occasion of your Śrī Vyāsa-pūjā, we, your humble servants at the
ISKCON Cebu yātrā, offer our humble obeisances unto your divine lotus feet. It is by your mercy
alone that we have come in contact with this most rare and precious gift: Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, you are our jagad-guru, the savior of the fallen, the expert and merciful
captain who has guided the fallen souls of this world across the ocean of material existence. You
have fulfilled the prophecy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra would
be heard in every town and village. By your divine grace, even in this distant land of Cebu, the
glorious saṅkīrtana movement has taken root. Your mercy is unfathomable, and our debt to you is
beyond measure.
When you set foot in the Philippines in the 1970s, you planted the seeds of bhakti that have
flourished slowly but never dissipated. It is evident that the influence of Kali-yuga is very strong
in our region. However, your disciples, imbued with your spirit of compassion and unwavering
dedication, have tirelessly carried your mission forward. Through their service, we – unworthy
and fallen as we are – have found our connection to the guru-paramparā and been given the
opportunity to serve in Lord Caitanya’s saṅkīrtana mission. It is only by your divine mercy that a
region such as ours, a land of mlecchas, could receive such immense great fortune.
As I reflect on my childhood, having been born and raised at ISKCON Philippines I have seen
the struggles, growth, and development of our yātrā. The Cebu yātrā is where ISKCON was first
established by your disciples after meeting two locals. One of these was my mother, Jayaśrī Devī
Dāsī. Having witnessed the Philippine yātrā’s history, I am extremely humbled and grateful for
having been given the opportunity to grow up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Through four decades of
trying to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I have fallen countless times and gone astray. But by the
mercy of your faithful disciples and other local senior Vaiṣṇavas, your loving society has contin-
ued to give me and many similar individuals at the Cebu yātrā countless chances to rectify and
continue to serve you and ISKCON. Through these years I have developed such a deep respect
and appreciation for what you have established for our yātrā and feel eternally indebted, like so
many individuals in our region.
Despite the challenges of establishing Kṛṣṇa consciousness in a land steeped in material
struggle, your mercy is a ray of hope that helps us to persevere, helped by your beloved disciples,
who reflect your expertise and training and who faithfully execute your instructions. The path to
perfection is not easy. The forces of māyā constantly test our resolve, and the burden of low birth
and past conditioning weighs heavily upon us. But through your divine guidance, and by the
strength of your instructions, we take shelter in guru, sādhu, and śāstra, finding solace and cour-
age to continue this sacred spiritual journey. Your books are our eternal lighthouse, illuminating
the darkness of ignorance and guiding us toward the ultimate goal of life: pure devotional service
to Kṛṣṇa.
As we offer this homage, we reflect on the unimaginable grace you bestowed upon us. Who
could have thought that Kṛṣṇa consciousness would reach a place like Cebu? That temples,
nāmahaṭṭa groups, and devotee communities would emerge here, enabling so many souls to chant
the holy names of the Lord? This is your miracle, Śrīla Prabhupāda. And we, as your children,
pray that we may remain forever engaged in serving your ISKCON family, never faltering in our
determination to advance in spiritual life and follow your instructions.
On this auspicious occasion of your Vyāsa-pūjā, we humbly beg for your continued bless-
ings and offer two humble projects. The first, is the acquisition of a 7,600-sqare-meter property
donated by Ācārya Dāsa, a disciple of Tamal Krishna Goswami, to develop a Kṛṣṇa conscious
farm community in Bogo, Northern Cebu Province, where we worship our former padayātrā Dei-
ties, Śrī Śrī Gaura-Nitāi. The second is a newly established preaching center in Mandaue City,
Cebu, where devotees and guests worship newly installed twelve-inch brass Deities of Śrī Śrī
Gaura-Nitāi.
We have also established harināmas and bhajanas two or three times a week at the Plaza Inde-
pendencia Park and Fort San Pedro, with the official support of the local authorities and the inter-
faith organization of Cebu City, inspired by the most glorious story of how you began to preach
Kṛṣṇa consciousness in Tompkins Square Park in New York City. We are humbled to see how
much sacrifice you underwent just to save all of us. Please give us the same strength, inspiration,
and impetus to bear all trials and tribulations that come with practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness and
developing these projects. Please allow us to remain steadfast in our sādhana, unwavering in our
faith, fearless in spreading the glories of the holy name, and confident in distributing your books,
for without your mercy and guidance we cannot succeed due to our very unfortunate material
conditioning.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, we are forever indebted to you. From the depths of our hearts we offer you
our sincerest gratitude, our most heartfelt and humble obeisances, and our unwavering pledge
to serve your divine mission. We beg you to use us as instruments in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s
saṅkīrtana movement.
All glories to Your Divine Grace! All glories to the eternal servant of Śrī Guru and Śrī
Gaurāṅga!
Aspiring to always be in your service,
Gopāl Kṛṣṇa Dāsa
Cebu, Philippines
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
We wish to offer our most humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet, which traversed this
land of New Tālavana on August 1, 1975. All glories to Your Divine Grace!
As this year marks the fiftieth anniversary of your visit to New Tālavana, we reflect on our
great fortune in having your recorded words from that day still extant – both from the Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam class you gave and from the walk you took around the farm – along with many
photos, including the iconic one of you spontaneously cooking a simple lunch with the few
garden vegetables that were available. You gave us directions for farming and varṇāśrama-
dharma – instructions we’re still trying to implement.
In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam class that morning (on 6.1.49), you said:
So they are simply interested in the present body: does not care what is going to
happen, and has no knowledge what he was before.… Pramattaḥ, just like madman.…
So this civilization, modern civilization, is just like madman civilization. They have no
knowledge of past life, neither they are interested in the future life. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ
kurute vikarma. And fully engaged in sinful activities, because they have no knowledge
of the past life.… So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to raise a person from
ignorance to knowledge.… By the association of devotee we awaken our inquisitive-
ness about God.… Therefore those who have got enlightenment, they should try to
raise these rascals who are in ignorance. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mission.… So
take this knowledge seriously and at least distribute this knowledge properly for the
benefit of your people. Otherwise the world is in very, very precarious condition, and
although the human form of life is obtained for the success of life, they are being kept
purposefully or ignorantly in darkness.… So those who are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, they
should take charge, that “These rascals are suffering. Let them have some idea about
Kṛṣṇa.” That is wanted. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.… Now, this place
I see, although I have not seen all, is a nice place. And the gṛhasthas may come here,
have some small cottage, and grow your own food grains, vegetables, and have your
cow’s milk. Get nice foodstuff, save time.… Stick to this spot and grow your own food,
your own cloth, and live peacefully, save time, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Very nice program.
This is actual life.… So if you show practical example that how you are living simple
life and how you are advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then people will learn from
you. You American people, if you show example, people will try to follow you, and
they will be happy. So I am very glad to see this farm. Develop it nicely, live peacefully
and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Although we are an understaffed (and aged) group, we have faith in your instruction to “stick
to this spot and … show practical example that how you are living simple life and how you are
advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then … people will try to follow you.”
We cannot claim to be advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but we sincerely pray to be your loyal
servants, even birth after birth, to bring your vision for New Tālavana into the focal point of the
public. Then your unlimited mercy and compassion can be known to all as they discover that your
teachings are the only solution for a madman civilization which is increasingly in a very precari-
ous condition.
Thank you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, for your causeless mercy upon us, despite our shortcomings and
inadequacies.
Your aspiring servants at your New Tālavana farm community
Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda! Dear father, only refuge of fallen souls,
Your divine appearance is a new hope, a great wave in the flood of gaura-prema that will cover
the entire universe.
O ocean of mercy, thanks to you we have met Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Nityānanda Prabhu, and all
Their associates. It is thanks to you that we have met Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.
You have come from the divine land of Vrindavan to these Western countries to fulfill the wish
of your divine spiritual master. You dazzled us with your absolute and beautiful devotion to his
instructions, uniting each of your breaths with Lord Caitanya’s relief mission to the fallen souls.
Please hear our prayer and forgive our offenses. Lead us to purely chant the holy name of
the Lord. Your Divine Grace is like a drop of nectar upon our dry hearts, a lightning bolt that
illuminates our dark consciousness, a balm upon our wounds. You accept our insignificant and
unworthy offerings and bring them to the feet of the Lord. Purify our hearts so that we may be
better instruments in your mission. Grant that we may serve you birth after birth. Turn your gaze
upon us and accept the humble offering of those of us who aspire to be your eternal servants at
the Caracas mandira.
Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. Your fame extends throughout the three worlds.
Your servants in Caracas
Hare Kṛṣṇa, dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
On behalf of all Calgary devotees, please accept our humble obeisances at the dust of your
lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace!
As we gather on this sacred day of your divine appearance beneath the same stars that wit-
nessed your arrival in this world 129 years ago, our hearts overflow with gratitude. In the harsh
Canadian winters, where temperatures plunge to -30°C, your teachings burn like a spiritual fire
that warms our souls and illuminates our path back to Kṛṣṇa – our eternal home.
You transformed what seemed impossible into divine reality – bringing Caitanya
Mahāprabhu’s teachings from the ancient streets of Vrindavan to the modern skylines of cities
worldwide. When you arrived at Boston Harbor in 1965 with only forty rupees and your unwav-
ering faith, who could have imagined that your movement would one day flourish even in the
remote western provinces of Canada? Yet here we stand, living proof of your spiritual vision mani-
fested against all material odds.
Learning about your struggles, including rejection, multiple setbacks, and suffering heart
attacks provides us with immeasurable strength. When we face challenges in our spiritual
practices amid the distractions of modern Calgary, we remember how you typed or dictated your
manuscripts through the night despite all obstacles, and our resolve is renewed.
An ancient Sanskrit verse perfectly describes your divine compassion:
mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ
paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande
paramānanda-mādhavam
By the mercy of the guru, the dumb can speak eloquently and the lame can cross mountains. Just
as you transformed hippies into happies, you continue to transform ordinary Calgarians from
diverse backgrounds – engineers in the oil industry, students at the universities, families in the
suburbs – into devotees seeking Kṛṣṇa’s love.
On this auspicious occasion marking your appearance in this world, ISKCON Calgary humbly
presents our annual offerings at your lotus feet:
The bitter cold of Alberta winters does not deter our book distributors, who have increased
their distribution by 10 percent each year. Your transcendental literature is now distributed in
corporate towers and rural communities alike. We’ve placed your books in unique locations,
including major hospitals, provincial correctional facilities, senior care facilities, and university
campuses.
Following your explicit instruction that “books are the basis,” we have established many new
study circles focused on systematic reading. During the darkest winter nights, when the sun sets
before 5 p.m., devotees gather in homes across the city to illuminate their consciousness with your
words, creating islands of spiritual light in the snow.
As promised during last year’s Vyāsa-pūjā celebration, ISKCON management has secured a
spectacular property for our new temple of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava and Śrīnāthjī. We are happy
to report that we have seen overwhelmingly positive response from the local congregation and
received support from local organizations. There is still a long way to go, but we are confident
that through your boundless mercy, we will succeed in this most important project that will
ensure that ISKCON Calgary’s vision is realized and we will continue to nourish the souls of
countless current and future generations.
The Calgary Vedic Academy has become recognized for excellence even among nondevotee
educators. Our six concurrent programs now serve devotees from toddlerhood through adult-
hood, with specialized curricula for each age group. The 130 current students represent various
nationalities, reflecting your vision of a spiritual movement transcending all material designations.
Our outreach has expanded to include weekly saṅkīrtana parties, where hundreds witness the
Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra resounding among the downtown skyscrapers – creating scenes reminiscent of
your first public kīrtana at Tompkins Square Park.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam classes now regularly attract many attendees weekly, with online viewers
occasionally joining from across the globe. We’ve welcomed distinguished speakers, including
senior disciples who share memories of you, creating a living connection between generations of
devotees.
Our Janmāṣṭamī festivities last year drew over 5,000 attendees, many of whom were experienc-
ing Kṛṣṇa consciousness for the first time. The annual twenty-four-hour and monthly six-hour
kīrtanas have continued without pause, with devotees participating with utmost enthusiasm and
devotion to maintain the unbroken chain of divine sound vibration – a testament to the dedica-
tion you inspired.
As taught in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.27), “Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer
or give away, and whatever austerities you perform – do that, O son of Kuntī, as an offering to
Me.” In this spirit, ISKCON Calgary remains steadfastly dedicated to offering all our activities in
service to your divine mission.
tvaṁ gopikā vṛṣaraves tanayāntike ’si
sevādhikāriṇi guro nija-pāda-padme
dāsyaṁ pradāya kuru māṁ vraja-kānane śrī-
rādhāṅghri-sevana-rase sukhinīṁ sukhābdhau
O beloved spiritual master, ever present with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, daughter of King
Vṛṣabhānu, please grant us service at your lotus feet, the bestowers of devotional
service. Place us in the ocean of transcendental joy through the nectar of serving Śrī
Rādhā in the groves of Vraja-dhāma. (Guru-stuti)
Śrīla Prabhupāda, when the first snowfall blankets our city each year, transforming it into a glis-
tening white landscape, we are reminded of your pure devotion, which transforms hearts. Like
those snowflakes – each unique, yet part of a beautifully unified display – we are individual souls
united in your service.
We are mere pebbles carried by time’s current. Without you, we have no shelter, no capacity,
and would be utterly lost in this world of darkness and ignorance. Though separated by time and
space, we feel your presence guiding our community with each sunrise. Please keep us at your
lotus feet and bless us to continue serving your mission for generations to come.
Your most fallen servants,
The devotees at ISKCON Calgary
Our dearest ever well-wisher, Śrīla Prabhupāda,
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
irviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
Please accept our prostrated obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to you on this
auspicious occasion of your Vyāsa-pūjā, the 129th anniversary celebration of your appearance.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.22.35), spoken by Lord Kṛṣṇa, beautifully describes the qualities of a
tree, especially patience, tolerance, and selflessness:
aho eṣāṁ varaṁ janma
sarva -prāṇy-upajīvanam
su-janasyeva yeṣāṁ vai
vimukhā yānti nārthinaḥ
Just see how these trees are maintaining every living entity! Their birth is successful.
Their behavior is just like that of great personalities, for anyone who asks anything
from a tree never goes away disappointed.
Your Divine Grace, on this most auspicious occasion of your Vyāsa-pūjā, we submit this humble
offering in a mood of tolerance and surrender, exemplified by a tree: taror api sahiṣṇunā. The tree
is the perfect symbol of tolerance, as it provides shelter, fruit, and shade to everyone without dis-
tinction, despite being cut, pruned, or harmed. In a similar way, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you showed
the utmost tolerance in your service to Kṛṣṇa and surrendered yourself completely to His will.
The tree is a symbol of patience, tolerance, and mercy. Śrīla Prabhupāda, in the same way, you
tolerated so many hardships in spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness across the globe, never showing
any signs of anger or resentment, always focusing on the higher goal of pleasing Kṛṣṇa and guru.
You embodied the qualities of the tree in your life of service to Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, for ISKCON Burlington, we humbly submit three key challenges and
three opportunities over the course of last year:
Challenges:
1. Lack of active participation in temple activities: getting the congregation to be more involved
in planning/executing festivals, and to be more enthusiastic in giving their time, service, or
donations.
2 Not many initiated devotees, which puts more load on initiated devotees to do more frequent
āratis, classes, and kīrtanas.
3 Smaller congregation compared to most other centers – meaning more responsibility falls on
the temple council.
Opportunities:
1. New families visit each week: encourage them to become regulars.
2. Utilize social media to attract attention: a great opportunity to develop and connect through
social media.
3. Organize volunteer initiatives that involve serving the local community and attract the atten-
tion of potential devotees.
One often overlooked quality of a tree is that it always stands naked. Similarly, Śrīla Prabhupāda,
like the tree, in front of you we are “naked” – that is, we are devoid of any good qualities or quali-
fications to serve you as per your desires. As such, our main goal at ISKCON Burlington is to
imbibe the sublime mood of united cooperation in devotional service and unalloyed commitment
to your instructions.
By your grace, since writing last year’s Vyāsa-pūjā offering, ISKCON Burlington has pro-
gressed in its outreach efforts. Your center held a successful fourth Ratha-yātrā. Devotees go
out monthly on book distribution, and our book scores have increased over last year’s. Further
growth has occurred in terms of numbers of in-person and virtual Vedic classes, and in the chil-
dren’s Vedic fun school.
We humbly pray for your blessings so that we may assist you, with unwavering determination,
in fulfilling the mission of Lord Caitanya. Thank you very much for the greatest benediction: the
opportunity to serve ISKCON’s worldwide family. Hare Kṛṣṇa, our dear Śrīla Prabhupāda.
The insignificant servants of your servants,
The devotees at ISKCON Burlington
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you!
Thank you for everything you did and are doing for us, your children. By your mercy we are
growing to understand the limitless good fortune you bestowed upon us simply by your sincere
endeavor to serve your beloved spiritual master. It is due to you that we have come to understand
the real meaning of causeless mercy. It is clear that we don’t deserve anything you gave us only
because we have done some pious or spiritual activities in the past. Now we bow down at your
lotus feet and pray that we shall be able to represent you and distribute, according to our limited
capabilities, this great ocean of bliss, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
You established yourself as an actual authority for everyone. Nobody is used to submitting to
others; they submit only to their own senses and concoctions. Most people have a sense that there
is more to this world than quarrel and hypocrisy, but there is no actual proof of this. Everyone
wants to believe there is, but when you were present, the world was getting more and more diffi-
cult. That’s still happening. In these times, voices rise to declare that reality bends to personal will,
and each soul claims the throne of divinity. The name of Kṛṣṇa, once exulted, is cast aside, while
fleeting pride takes its place upon the altar. Without the grace of your divine descent into this
world, such illusions would have ensnared us, leading hearts astray into shadows of falsehood and
despair. Without your divine presence in this world, the supreme treasure – Śrī Kṛṣṇa – would
have remained hidden from our hearts. The path to liberation from the shackles of the material
realm, the escape from all that binds us to death, would have remained a distant dream.
It is through your infinite grace that the truth of an eternal life of unending joy alongside our
most cherished friend and beloved Śrī Kṛṣṇa has been revealed. To your lotus feet, radiant with
boundless blessings, eternal gratitude and devotion flow, for they grant the highest benedictions
to all who seek shelter.
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, as we strive to continue the mission you began, we are often struck
by the magnitude of your courage and brilliance. You ventured into uncharted territory, coming
to the West in 1965 with no support, no resources, and only a typewriter, some books, and a
firm conviction in Kṛṣṇa’s mercy. The audience you faced was unfamiliar and, in many ways,
indifferent or even resistant to spiritual ideas. Yet you fearlessly spoke the eternal truths of the
Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Against all odds, you ignited hearts, transformed lives, and
established a worldwide movement that still flourishes today.
For us, in an age when spirituality seems to have gained more mainstream interest, we find a
peculiar challenge. Though there are more seekers, it feels harder to connect with them, harder to
find our public. This paradox humbles us, reminding us of your divine vision and grace. You were
not a normal person; you possessed extraordinary strength, intelligence, and compassion.
When we look at examples from your life – such as how you began the first ISKCON temple
at a small storefront on New York City’s Second Avenue, or how you turned hippies into “hap-
pies” through your loving engagement, it becomes clear that your success was not simply a matter
of human endeavor. It was your unwavering faith, your deep love for Kṛṣṇa, and your boundless
mercy toward humanity.
You are not only our spiritual master and eternal guide, but in the depths of our hearts, you are
cherished as the loving father who gave the most precious gift: the gift of purpose and true direc-
tion in life. Your unwavering compassion and dedication shine as the ultimate example, a divine
wellspring of inspiration that fills our lives with meaning.
Without the treasure of your words, spoken through your books and lectures, our existence
would be adrift, lost in the vast ocean of material delusion. The nectar that flows from your
divine lips nourishes our souls, providing solace, strength, and clarity in this world clouded by
ignorance.
Please, Śrīla Prabhupāda, grant even the faintest glimmer of your unshakable courage and
boundless wisdom, so that we may become humble instruments in fulfilling your sacred desire –
to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness to every corner of the world. To your lotus feet, the ultimate refuge,
we offer our eternal gratitude and pray for your blessings.
By observing your life and conduct, we can so easily purify ourselves from the contamination
of the modes of material nature. Every breath you brought to this world was full of inspiration
to serve the Lord and strength to learn how to love Him. What can be said about your glorious
glance, which sends Māyā very far from our hearts? We yearn to see your glance more than we
yearn for another breath!
You transformed our conditioned life from being driven by our selfish desires to being driven
by the love of Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. By your love, dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, we are now standing
straight and tall, overcoming our material desires and transforming them into sincere spiritual
feeling. You made the impossible possible. You made our original, natural state of being natural
again. We pray only to get your association more and more, life after life, and become more inti-
mately connected with Your Divine Grace.
But beyond everything you have done for us, we really love you for your personality. We
do appreciate that you were never a person who thinks small, but we are also grateful for your
simplicity, great intelligence, sense of humor, ability to create remarkable relationships not only
with spiritual people but also with ordinary people. Independent of all your realizations, I am
very happy that I have come to know that a person like you has lived in this world. A person
who simply wanted to live for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord, without selfish desire does not
come from this world. In this world, everyone is motivated to do things with a desire to satisfy
themselves, but your very life is a great example of someone whose life-breath was for pleasing his
spiritual master. For this reason, we shall forever celebrate your presence in our lives.
I shall remain forever grateful and prostrate at your wish-fulfilling lotus feet, begging for your
mercy to first and foremost bless our community in Bucharest, Romania, and the entirety of
Romania, to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness far and wide and to establish your divine mission, dear
Śrīla Prabhupāda, so that every Romanian may come to know the grandeur of your movement.
Please keep us under your divine care and gaze and bestow upon us the strength to preach natu-
rally, lovingly, and with humility. On behalf of the Bucharest yātrā in Romania, I offer my most
humble and respectful obeisances at your lotus feet.
Your humble servant,
Śyāmasundara Dāsa
