The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is an attempt to increase the number of pure devotees of the Supreme Lord more and more. It is certain that a devotee who helps in this endeavor to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes indirectly a controller of the Supreme Lord.
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine
I offer my respectful obeisances unto
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupāda, who is very dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa on
this earth, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
Our respectful obeisances are unto you,
O spiritual master, servant of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta
Sarasvatī Gosvāmī. You are kindly preaching
the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and
delivering the Western countries, which are
filled with impersonalism and voidism.
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace.
As I write to you, we are in the middle of the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of your
Krishna-Balaram temple in Vrindavan. Your disciples are now in their old age. Many have come
for the occasion, despite health challenges. Looking at their frail figures, we reflect even more
deeply on how you could possibly cross the ocean and travel extensively for eleven years in pursu-
ance of the tall order your Prabhupāda had given you.
Once again we are blessed to hear about you – endearing anecdotes filled with a wide range of
definite and precious instructions. Our consciousness is soaking in the healing tonic of remem-
brance of you as day after day we gather for the memories sessions. The more we hear, the more
you become vividly present in our minds and hearts and the more we miss you, your personal
association, your mercy and love, and your colorful nature. They say you had the softness of a
rose and the toughness of a thunderbolt. With the help of these two you nourished and enlivened,
and you protected and guided; you built the foundation of the movement we are in today. Many
among the new generations of ISKCON devotees barely know anything about you beyond your
name and position: you are ISKCON’s founder-ācārya. But when those who have lived with you
and served you speak, you become alive and so undeniably present. Hearing about you is not
an option for those who wish to be among your followers. It is a necessary sādhana that leads to
unflinching faith in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and the perfection of feeling close to you.
These disciples of yours are not ordinary either. The kind of austerities, risks, and hardships
they took on to assist you in spreading Lord Caitanya’s mission are way beyond our imagination.
Just as we worship Śrī Kṛṣṇa along with His devotees, we worship you along with your dedicated
disciples. The main lessons we learn from them are guru-niṣṭhā – total, unflinching faith in the
words emanating from the mouth of the spiritual master – and the spirit of selfless service.
At the VIHE we have made the study of your biography by His Holiness Satsvarūpa dāsa
Goswami – the Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta – a compulsory step in the training of new devotees. By
this we wish to generate appreciation for your personality and accomplishments, and to help
devotees find a personal connection with you. You are the embodiment of the twenty-six qualities
of a devotee. We can see those qualities in action while reading about your life, from childhood
to your amazing international preaching and your daily dealings with all the fortunate souls with
whom you interacted. The knowledge of the great efforts it took to found and establish the first
temples and publish your books fills the heart with profound gratitude and saves us from taking
for granted the lavish facilities we have today. You and your disciples went on relentlessly despite
seemingly insurmountable obstacles. We want to instill that dedication and determination in the
heart of all future generations.
The study of the Līlāmṛta is complemented with images, audio tracks, and videos so intel-
ligently captured by those who were there with you, along with excerpts from books written by
other of your disciples. So many have published their memoirs by now! We have a wealth of
documentation from which to absorb your mood, understand your mission, and become inspired
within to align ourselves with your heart. You once said that whatever you did was meant to
increase your disciples’ love for you. That affection and love can be attained by hearing.
The great success of your disciples lies not solely in expanding the movement, but mainly in
their remaining united in spite of the challenges posed by diversity. This achievement is the fruit
of their love for you. We pray for your blessings today to become an effective instrument in awak-
ening attachment for you in the heart of more and more devotees now and in the future so that
they may remain inseparable brothers and sisters glued together by a strong sense of belonging.
May they work cooperatively – in the disciplic lines coming from you – with the initiative gener-
ated by the study of your books to show compassion, love, and affection to those with whom they
come in touch.
All glories to you, the leader of the great army of Lord Caitanya! We offer our heartfelt grati-
tude unto you.
Praśānta Devī Dāsī and your servants at the Vrindavan Institute for Higher Education
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
On this most auspicious occasion of your Śrī Vyāsa-pūjā, we offer our humble obeisances at
your lotus feet. All glories, all glories, all glories to Your Divine Grace.
The Vaiṣṇavī Ministry here in South Africa has had wonderful opportunities within the past
year. Being part of the delegation representing ISKCON at the United Nations Commission for
the Status of Women in 2024, there was a wonderful opportunity to meet and connect with other
Vaiṣṇavī leaders from across the world. This association gave rise to a renewed focus of strategy
and pillars that are now being established within the yātrā.
We have also made an in-depth study and analysis of your instructions on how to care for and
protect Vaiṣṇavīs. Something that has been endearing and insightful is the sharing of pastimes
and experiences from the female devotees who have taken direct shelter of you, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
When they share their experience of being in close service to and association with Your Divine
Grace, it is clear that their minds and hearts are fixed upon you. Although you departed from this
material world forty-eight years ago, your disciples exhibit such warmth and fondness when they
speak of their association with you, and their emotion is deep and real. This, Śrīla Prabhupāda,
shows their sense of attachment to you and also the inclusivity that you created for Vaiṣṇavīs to
feel safe and protected when you were physically present.
As part of our strategic approach to the Vaiṣṇavī Ministry office in South Africa, we took an
in-depth look at the opportunities presented here. This leads us to discuss our history and the
depth of the apartheid regime, where women found themselves oppressed by apartheid laws. It
was a group of brave women who marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria on August 9, 1976,
to protest against such oppression based not only on race but on sex as well. Women have always
been left out, segregated, and the girl child looked down upon. Opportunities for the female
gender were never equal, especially in a country riddled with a history of division, yet you, Śrīla
Prabhupāda, came forth with a hope and vision for shared togetherness when you visited South
Africa fifty years ago.
This year, on the anniversary of your milestone visit to South Africa, we seek your blessings
to be of valued service to the Vaiṣṇavīs in our yātrā. There is so much to do to create sisterhood,
support, and scope for training and inclusivity in leadership within ISKCON. Our focus, Śrīla
Prabhupāda, is to create a safe space for Vaiṣṇavīs to grow in their service and establish a place for
saṅga and support.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, what is also noteworthy is that the Vaiṣṇavī Ministry SA embraces a fresh
perspective on inclusivity, focusing on empowering young girls who are confronted with unique
challenges in today’s world. Unlike the older generation of women, who navigated different
societal landscapes, these young girls face a rapidly evolving world with its own set of complexi-
ties. The Ministry is dedicated to addressing these distinct challenges and providing the support,
guidance, and resources needed to help these girls thrive in an increasingly dynamic environment.
Again, your instructions on protection and purpose are timeless – although the generations are
rapidly changing, the wisdom that you have selflessly shared with us remains our foundation of
hope. It is with this mood that we wish to create a space for mentorship by senior Vaiṣṇavīs who
are able to guide the younger girls through their challenges in their daily lives. Your instructions
are clear, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and your books provide a clear definition on character building and
living a life that is free from the burdens of the material realm.
South Africa celebrates you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, with pomp and grandeur, showing the world
that our great hero visited our shores fifty years ago. Your Divine Grace was a powerhouse, visit-
ing City Hall in Durban and other significant venues that were only used for approved events. Yet
you walked tall and spoke with such eloquence, clarity, and authority, and were not intimidated
by the land of apartheid. Śrīla Prabhupāda, you embraced everyone, regardless of background or
status, and your words touched the hearts of all who met you.
Today, fifty years on, we are so grateful for your visit to South Africa, and it is with pride and
joy that the Vaiṣṇavīs celebrate our founder-ācārya. Śrīla Prabhupāda, you have always been
inclusive and showed care and protection. We pray that you will guide us in this service so that we
are able to make a difference in the lives of our young girls and Vaiṣṇavīs. We reach out, hanging
onto your words, instructions, and love alike, so that our mood of service will be embraced and
supported throughout the yātrā.
We beg for your shelter and beg for your unlimited love. All glories, all glories, all glories to
Your Divine Grace on your fiftieth anniversary landmark visit to our shores.
Your servant,
Kṛśāṅgi Rādhe Devī Dāsī
Vaiṣṇavī Minister for South Africa
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
I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupāda, who is very dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.
Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Bhaktisiddhānta
Sarasvatī Gosvāmī. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanya and deliv-
ering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, our beloved spiritual guide and master,
We make this humble offering to you on this most auspicious day of your appearance. You
are ISKCON’s founder-ācārya, Your Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, and
you appeared on the day after Janmāṣṭamī in 1896, 129 years ago. You are Kṛṣṇa’s senāpati bhakta,
and the greatest blessing we have received in our lives. Out of endless mercy and compassion you
came to the West and gave us the gift of bhakti and the holy name. Please kindly accept our most
humble gratitude for that.
Ananta-śeṣa is constantly glorifying Lord Viṣṇu, and we follow His example and try to con-
stantly glorify, in our hearts and minds and with our mouths, you and your merciful preaching
that has given all souls on this earth an equal chance to rekindle their eternal relationship with
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa. Please kindly accept our most humble grati-
tude for that.
You are an example of a true devotee in your actions and words. I pray that we are able to
understand your divine intention and make it our guidance every second and every minute of our
life. Please make us dance to your tune. Please make us dance. You’ve made us part of your danc-
ing troupe. Please kindly accept our most humble gratitude for that.
You are an embodiment of the philosophy of personalism. In your presence everyone could
feel seen and showered with your love and care. You looked right into the hearts of people and
did everything you could to give them the best that life could offer. Please kindly accept our most
humble gratitude for that.
You have given everyone this opportunity to go back to Godhead without discrimination. You
encourage every living being to engage in the process of devotional service and develop a rela-
tionship with Lord Caitanya and the holy name. Please kindly accept our most humble gratitude
for that.
Everything you have done has been with the aim of giving us the best philosophy, the best
community, the best understanding of the bhakti process, the best opportunity to serve and feel
safe in this world. Please kindly accept our most humble gratitude for that.
You have engaged everyone in service to Kṛṣṇa according to their talents and inclinations, puri-
fying and bringing them to a higher platform of consciousness and action. You are patient with
us. You are strict but loving. You see us as souls and not these bodies. Please kindly accept our
most humble gratitude for that.
You are happiest when you see how nicely devotees serve one another on the path of devotional
service. You teach us how to respect every living being. You teach us how to be the best version of
ourselves. Please kindly accept our most humble gratitude for that.
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, there are no words that can express the magnitude of what you have
done for us. Please allow us to always remember your mercy and kindness, your devotion to your
spiritual master. Let us have enough strength, love and selflessness to overcome difficulties on the
path to bhakti and follow you as our guiding star always.
Aspiring to be a servant of your servants,
Satī Devī Dāsī (BTS)
on behalf of the Vaiṣṇavī Ministry
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our most humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to your worldwide
benevolence in spreading the mission of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You are mercy personified, and
your kindness has been our guiding light for many years.
2024 has been another banner year for the TOVP under the able leadership of co-chairman
Braja Vilāsa Prabhu. In February, we witnessed the astonishing opening of the Narasiṁha wing of
the TOVP. Beautifully designed by Svāhā Devī Dāsī and Raṅgavatī Devī Dāsī, the gorgeous and
opulent new home for Narasiṁha and Prahlāda Mahārāja was opened amid great mystery and
grandeur. Many ISKCON leaders and global TOVP supporters joined in the festivities, which
were appropriate for welcoming the Lord to his new home.
Early in this year, 2025, the TOVP welcomed the opening of the Śrīla Prabhupāda Legacy
Museum. Many of your most intimate followers contributed memorabilia from your time spent
with you in the early days of ISKCON. Other displays show your most important contributions
to the world, such as your books and original Back to Godhead magazines, important historical
documents, and important memorabilia related to spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This will even-
tually become the largest museum for any single person in the history of mankind. Tours have
been going on continuously since the opening. Now whoever visits Māyāpur will see the story of
your deep love and commitment to the birthplace of Mahāprabhu.
Moving forward, construction is now focusing on the main wing and altar so that your
Lordships Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava and Pañca-tattva can be relocated into Their long-awaited new
home during a three-month-long grand opening celebration at the beginning of 2027. This will
be the climax of our endeavors to serve and fulfill your desire to “bring the people of the whole
world to Māyāpur,” although not the completion of the project, by any means.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude and love to the many
TOVP supporters from around the world, and especially those who contributed treasured posses-
sions to the Legacy Museum. Without support from the worldwide devotee community, we could
not move this project forward for Śrīla Prabhupāda’s pleasure. You are all making it happen! Śrīla
Prabhupāda is blessing you more and more.
With great affection, your servants,
Ambarīṣa Dāsa and the TOVP team