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
choṭa baḍa bhakta-gaṇa, vandoṅ sabāra śrī-caraṇa,
sabe more karaha santoṣa
I worship herewith the lotus feet of all kinds of devotees, both advanced and neophyte. I
request all of them to be satisfied with me. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 2.93)
Śrīla Prabhupāda, your dear first generation of dīkṣā disciples is gradually fading away, like stars
being covered by a cloud. You are like the brilliant Pole Star shining next to the moon of Śrī Cai-
tanya Mahāprabhu and our guru-varga. I believe these early followers were directly sent by Śrī
Caitanya Mahāprabhu to assist you in establishing your personal preaching mission, the Inter-
national Society for Krishna Consciousness. This mission is your personal contribution to our
Gauḍīya sampradāya.
Everything is going on by the inconceivable śakti of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That which was
impossible has now become possible by the aghaṭa-ghaṭana-patīyasī sakti of the Lord (Caitanya-
caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 17.304). How else could we, your followers, continue to cooperate in this dark
age of confusion, misinformation, and mistrust? An important part of our bhakti includes the
ability to cooperate with one another. In other words, it is a yoga of cooperation.
After Śriīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura departed from this world, the preaching contin-
ued but some potency had been lost. Śrīla Prabhupāda, you write, “Amongst Vaiṣṇavas there may
be some difference of opinion due to everyone’s personal identity, but despite all personal differ-
ences, the cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness must go on.” (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.28.31, purport)
Fifty-years ago, on October 5, 1975, you placed your divine lotus feet on the land of South
Africa. Arriving from Mauritius, you came with your secretary, Harikeśa Prabhu, and our own
GBC representative, Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja. Apartheid South Africa immediately became blessed
by your presence. This is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.13.10:
bhavad-vidhā bhāgavatās
tīrtha-bhūtāḥ svayaṁ vibho
tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni
svāntaḥ-sthena gadābhṛtā
My lord, devotees like your good self are verily holy places personified. Because you
carry the Personality of Godhead within your heart, you turn all places into places of
pilgrimage.
This year, the South African yātrā is celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of your visit here. Your
Divine Grace stayed in South Africa for nineteen days and was the esteemed guest at seven large
hall programs in Durban, Pietermaritzburg, and Johannesburg. At that time, we (about ten dis-
ciples) had a rented house in Yeoville, which was a “Jewish suburb” in Johannesburg. I was des-
ignated the pūjārī, gardener, handyman, and book distributor – a jack of all trades but master of
none. Though I saw myself as a fool, my godbrothers kindly tolerated me.
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura said, “Why do I always forget that I am the most
insignificant and meanest of all living beings?” Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu states in the Caitanya-
caritāmṛta (Ādi 7.77), “My Guru Mahārāja said I am a fool, therefore, I should just chant Hare
Kṛṣṇa.”
Now, fifty years later, even though I am a sannyāsī and dīksā-guru, I still feel foolish.
ISKCON South Africa now has twenty temples and preaching centers, with over two thou-
sand initiated granddisciples. The yātrā hosts eleven Ratha-yātrās, has twenty-eight Food-for-Life
branches, and five Govinda’s restaurants. Most importantly, we are distributing fifty to sixty thou-
sand of your transcendental books annually.
The obvious question is, how is this happening in the Age of Kali? The answer is: by your
desire. You have invoked the aghaṭa-ghaṭana-patīyasī sakti, which means that special śakti of Śrī
Caitanya Mahāprabhu that allows the impossible to become possible. Since your divine departure,
we have not only maintained your mission but increased it. Your beloved first generation of direct
disciples are gradually fading, and our original South African congregational members from the
1970s and 1980s are also gradually leaving their bodies.
Many of your senior disciples have already “shuffled off their mortal coil.” (Hamlet, William
Shakespeare). You referred to this old age when you visited Jagannātha Purī with your disciples:
“I came to Jagannātha Purī after appearing for my BA exam. And because I was jubilant, I was
jumping. When the waves came, I was jumping, but now I am walking with a stick. The body
changes but I remain the same.” (Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta, volume 6, p. 240)
Forty-eight years after Your Divine Grace’s departure, we, as an institution, are still cooperating.
This spiritual cooperation is preparing us for birth in prakaṭa GolokaVrindavan. The Lord’s eternal
pastimes are going on in some brahmāṇḍa at this very moment. In Lord Kṛṣṇa’s prakaṭa-līlā and
aprakaṭa-līlā, all the residents of Vrindavan are serving one another in a mood of anugatya-bhava. I
pray that someday I can also become one of those followers.
It is stated in the Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi (4.1), “Rādhā and Candrāvalī are the best among the leaders.
Their groups contain ten million gopīs each. The scriptures say that the rāsa dance took place on
the bank of the Yamunā River with one billion gopīs.”
My dear spiritual master, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you are kindly giving your sincere followers
entrance into this sublime līlā. I hope that one day in the future, walking behind Your Divine
Grace and behind my godbrothers, godsisters, and our guru-varga, I can also be counted as one of
those ten million.
I would like to offer my humble obeisances, koṭi koṭi times, to all the Vaiṣṇavas throughout the
world, whether advanced or neophyte.
I remain,
Your servant eternally,
Pārtha Sārathi Dāsa Goswami
My dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ
Please accept my humble obeisances in the dust of your lotuslike feet. All glories to Your Divine
Grace, who saved the whole world by spreading sanātana-dharma and the holy name, Hare Kṛṣṇa
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare / Hare Rāma Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, all over
the world.
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
Your Divine Grace appeared on this planet to fulfill the prophecy of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya
Mahāprabhu that His name will be chanted in every town and village on this earth planet. You are
empowered (a śaktyāveśa-avatāra) by the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and you showed by example
worldwide how to make the lowest among the lowest creatures remember Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name
and chant in ecstasy. So Your Divine Grace established the yuga-dharma. You are the embodiment
of Lord Caitanya’s teachings.
I, your insignificant servant, beg on this day of your appearance that you please bless me with
a drop of your mercy so that I become a strict follower of your nectarlike teachings and become
instrumental in your mission to save humanity and the entire world from the effects of Kali-yuga.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, you are my everything. Please give me the shade of your lotus feet.
yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo
yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ’pi
dhyāyan stuvaṁs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyaṁ
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
“By the mercy of the spiritual master, one receives the benediction of Kṛṣṇa. Without the grace
of the spiritual master, one cannot make advancement. Therefore I should continually remember
and praise the spiritual master [you, Śrīla Prabhupāda]. At least three times a day, I should offer
my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master,” Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Please give me the strength to bear all troubles and fulfill your order. All glories to Śrīla
Prabhupāda. All glories to Śrī Śrī Gaura-Nitāi. All glories to Śrī Śrī Gaura Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.
Your insignificant servant,
Nava Yogendra Swami
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace!
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
Recently, your disciple Swarup Dāsa, posted on social media that he often asks himself how it’s
possible to express and show his gratitude for what you have given him. He wrote that you’ve
“taken me from the darkness of ignorance to the light of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, from suffering,
misery, and hopelessness to a life of joy and happiness, from bondage to freedom.” His words
struck a chord in my heart, as he had eloquently expressed exactly what I was thinking.
Swarup Prabhu goes on to say that he found his answer in your purport to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
4.22.47: “A joker’s activities simply arouse laughter, and a person who tries to repay the spiritual
master or teacher of the transcendental message of Kṛṣṇa becomes a laughingstock just like a
joker because it is not possible to repay such a debt. The best friend and benefactor of all people
is one who awakens humanity to its original Kṛṣṇa consciousness.”
Indeed! You, Śrīla Prabhupāda, are certainly that “best friend and benefactor” saving suffering
humanity. Though humanity in general has not yet understood that, and despite various attempts
of the demons to impede Lord Caitanya’s mission, your teachings continue to spread like wildfire,
and huge numbers of sincere souls continue to join!
When you were physically with us here, you seemed to me, in your lectures and purports, to
closely identify with Prahlāda Mahārāja, who famously said that he was concerned only “for the
fools and rascals who are making elaborate plans for material happiness.” (Bhāgavatam 7.9.43)
That seems to be also your only concern, and in fact, anyone who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa cer-
tainly is an unfortunate fool or rascal. You taught us, therefore, that our duty as Vaiṣṇavas is to try
to make the unfortunate fortunate by bringing them closer to Kṛṣṇa. Without Kṛṣṇa, there’s no
consciousness, as without the sun, there’s no shining.
Though we, your disciples and followers, are the “laughingstock” you mentioned who are
trying to repay our colossal debt to you, nonetheless we try, “hope against hope,” to do something
useful to direct the misled human beings off the highway to hell and onto the path back home,
back to Godhead.
Our tremendous thanks to you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, for giving us, unqualified though we are,
this ecstatic opportunity to try to help you. All glories to you!
Your grateful servant and disciple,
Mahādyuti Swami
My dearest and beloved Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept my most humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine
Grace!
On this auspicious and momentous occasion of your 129th Vyāsa-pūjā, as I bow before your
exalted presence, I am filled with profound gratitude, awe, and reverence for the immeasurable
mercy you have bestowed upon this world. You, the divine senāpati-bhakta of Lord Caitanya
Mahāprabhu, descended into this material world to fulfill His divine mission, to awaken the souls
of the world to their eternal, loving relationship with Śrī Śrī Radha-Kṛṣṇa. As I reflect upon the
countless blessings of this past year, I am filled with immense joy and eagerness to share with
you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, the inspiring progress that we have achieved in your mission, especially in
India.
The 2024 December book marathon was historic – both in India and worldwide. Especially in
India, it has reached a new global benchmark and can be considered an unparalleled achievement
in the history of ISKCON. Together, we, your devoted followers of ISKCON in India, distributed
a staggering 6,676,509 books, setting a new global standard in sharing the transcendental knowl-
edge you so mercifully gave us. Śrīla Prabhupāda, from the very inception of ISKCON, book
distribution has been at the core of your mission. This monumental accomplishment is a direct
offering of love and devotion to you. The credit and inspiration for this year’s book distribution
goes largely to His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami Mahārāja, a lifetime trustee of the interna-
tional BBT. Mahārāja was a steadfast pillar of support and guidance, and a tireless distributor of
your books. It is a fulfillment of your instruction, “The success of your preaching will be substan-
tiated by how many books are sold. If we just depend on temple collections, that will not be very
satisfactory. We should make our program so strong that book-selling alone will maintain our
economic situation.” (Letter to Rameśvara, Los Angeles, December 9, 1974)
I vividly recall the December 10, 2018 disciple retreat at Sri Krishna Goshala, in Durban, South
Africa. There, amidst a gathering of dedicated devotees, we brainstormed new ways to enhance
our collective chanting and increase the reach of the holy name in different ways. It was in that
moment that the idea of a virtual conference platform for global chanting emerged, which ulti-
mately led to the creation of the “Zoom Temple.” What began as a simple idea with ten devotees
blossomed into a revolutionary initiative, quickly uniting more than two thousand devotees daily
from around the world. Six years later, in July 2024, the World Book of Records, London, offi-
cially recognized our “Zoom Temple” for its unprecedented contribution to spiritual outreach.
The “Zoom Temple” now connects over two thousand login locations globally, reaching more
than five thousand devotees, and inspiring one of the most innovative and far-reaching initiatives
in online spiritual engagement: chanting together and concluding with a japa talk.
When you were with us, ISKCON had under ten temples in India, and your vision of a thriving
Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in the land of Bharata (India) was still unfolding. Today, Śrīla
Prabhupāda, that vision has been realized in the most magnificent manner. ISKCON India has
expanded to over three hundred ISKCON centers, including outposts, extension centers, preach-
ing centers, and full-fledged temples. The growth is staggering.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, I remember a striking conversation we had back in 1973 at Mr. Mahadevia’s
home. You asked me how many visitors attended our evening ārati and kīrtana at Hare Kṛṣṇa
Land in Juhu. I humbly answered, “Fifty to sixty visitors, Prabhupāda.” You exclaimed with
great satisfaction, “Oh, so many!” Śrīla Prabhupāda, I knew how concerned you were when you
observed that the Indian population was slow to embrace Kṛṣṇa consciousness in those early
years. At one point you said to me, “We need more men like you.” And now full-time brahmacārīs
are filling ISKCON ashrams, and countless congregational devotees are daily visiting temples in
India. The participation of the youth and congregational members has surpassed all expectations.
Thousands of young men and women are embracing Kṛṣṇa consciousness with fervor, dedicat-
ing themselves to chanting, studying your books, distributing literature, serving in temples, and
joining padayātrā, especially the one-day padayātrās. ISKCON’s youth groups, Bhakti-vriksha
programs, and nāma-haṭṭa initiatives are flourishing, with millions participating in congregational
activities all over India. I feel a deep sense of reassurance that the Lord is fulfilling your wish
and sending sincere souls who are eager to serve in your mission. This exponential growth is
proof to the causeless mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and the power of your divine mission:
paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. India has awoken, Śrīla Prabhupāda! Your Kṛṣṇa conscious-
ness movement has taken deep root in its homeland, and the wave of devotion continues to rise,
unstoppable and ever-expanding. Good will continues to grow, and our relationship with the
government has reached new heights – evident from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s participa-
tion in the recent inauguration of the Navi Mumbai temple.
As I reflect on the most recently concluded Māyāpur festival, a moment of great significance
comes to mind. During the flag-hoisting ceremony, I was reminded of your words in New York
when, as you were passing by the United Nations, you asked, “If the United Nations truly stands
for unity, why are there so many separate flags?” But in Māyāpur, the transcendental headquarters
of your movement, we witnessed true unity. Devotees from over fifty nations stood together under
one spiritual flag, united not by artificial borders but by the shared mission of love and devotion
to Lord Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Prabhupāda, your words resonate so powerfully: “We are creating the real
United Nations on the basis of spiritual understanding.” In Māyāpur, that vision is being realized.
We raise the flag of Lord Caitanya’s mercy, the flag of His saṅkīrtana movement. That flag, soaring
high, has become the symbol of your vision. Devotees from fifty nations celebrated the festival
together, chanted and danced together in ecstatic joy, walked side by side on the Navadvīpa
maṇḍala parikrama. We honored prasādam together, sharing love, laughter, and spiritual camara-
derie like a true united family. In the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (One world, One family),
we stood together as servants of the Lord, bound by the eternal bonds of bhakti.
This year, on April 6, we celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma temple. It
is not just a milestone, Śrīla Prabhupāda, but also a testament to the unbeatable strength and
endurance of your divine mission. In the sacred land of Vrindavan, you inaugurated a magnificent
temple. For half a century this temple has been a lighthouse of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This temple
is your heart. On that auspicious day of Rāma-navamī, you personally offered the very first ārati
to Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma, inaugurating Their glorious temple. The temple was overflowing with devo-
tees. I found myself standing right at the altar’s edge, witnessing this historic moment, meditating
on Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma and Your Divine Grace. I distinctly remember the divine smile on your face
as you offered ārati. It was an expression of pure devotion, fulfillment, and boundless joy. That
moment remains etched in my memory forever. It is this memory that reminds me of December 6,
1975, in the very same Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma courtyard, that you awarded Śrīdhara Swami, Pṛthu-putra
Swami and myself sannyāsa, instructing us to become traveling preachers. This year is also my fif-
tieth sannyāsa anniversary. You emphasized the importance of spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness far
and wide, reminding us of the paramparā tradition of great traveling preachers: “A sannyāsī’s duty
is to travel and preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He should never remain stagnant, but must move
from place to place, distributing the mercy of Lord Caitanya.”
Little did I know that this instruction would lead me to many years of traveling by bullock cart
padayātrā, bringing Lord Caitanya’s movement to every town and village. One year after receiving
sannyāsa, in the autumn of 1976, again in Vrindavan, you inaugurated our first padayātrā bull-
ock cart traveling party, which would cover the pioneer route from Vrindavan to Māyāpur. You
instructed: “The basic principle is this: induce them to chant and take prasada. You’ll be success-
ful … Yes, go village to village. It is a very noble attempt.” You further instructed me in a letter
dated December 23, 1976: “Prasada distribution and chanting and book distribution is sufficient
for your program.”
Last year on Rādhāṣṭamī, in Jagannātha Purī, we joyfully celebrated forty glorious years of
the All-India Padayātrā – the mother of all padayātrās, which commenced in 1984. Traversing the
length and breadth of India nearly six times, it has brought Kṛṣṇa consciousness to countless vil-
lages, towns, and cities. The All-India Padayātrā, and padayātrās in one hundred countries, includ-
ing the one-day padayātrās and so many other occasional walking festivals – put together we have
covered an astonishing 300,000+ kilometers – the equivalent of circling the earth close to eight
times.
You said, “Kumbha Mela is the largest spiritual gathering in the world, and we must be there
to preach Krishna consciousness. This is the duty of ISKCON devotees, to bring the message
of Lord Caitanya to the seekers who come searching for spiritual truth.” ISKCON has a steady
presence at every Kumbha Mela, distributing prasādam, books, and the holy names. Initially, we
were not recognized. We had no official place and no standing. Despite these challenges, your
disciples endured the harsh conditions to distribute your books and spread the holy names
among the millions of pilgrims attending this momentous gathering. However, everything has
changed. Your ISKCON has been formally recognized and honored with a prestigious position
within the Kumbha Mela setup. ISKCON has now been officially acknowledged as a legitimate
and respected spiritual organization within the vast network of traditional akhaḍas and religious
groups. Śrīla Prabhupāda, on February 10, 2025, during the Maha Kumbha Mela in Prayagraj,
the Akhila Bharatiya Akhara Parishad bestowed the prestigious Vishwa Guru title on Your Divine
Grace, marking the first and only time this recognition has been bestowed upon anyone in history
(India Currents, February 18, 2025). ISKCON is now inseparable from the great spiritual traditions
of India. They are embracing ISKCON and honoring your legacy. This is the ultimate victory, a
truly glorious moment Śrīla Prabhupāda!
Close to ISKCON Pandharpur we have established a Prabhupāda Ghata on the banks of the
Chandrabhaga River. It has become a major attraction, drawing hundreds of thousands of pil-
grims. It stands as a spiritual landmark in Pandharpur Dhāma, glorifying Your Divine Grace.
The new Bhūvaikuṇṭha temple project is progressing steadily, guided by your vision, instruc-
tion, and desire.
In your letter to me, dated July 30, 1977, you wrote: “The whole of India, and specifically your
Maharashtra, are enthused with Krishna. Now you have to revive their Krishna consciousness.
This is Tukaram’s country, but now they are becoming bad politicians. So revive them by the pro-
cess of the sankirtana movement. I am very glad that you are preaching village to village and will
cover all of Maharashtra. You should train one farmer from your native village so that he can actu-
ally become an ISKCON representative there. I am especially pleased to see how you are pushing
forward the book distribution … Now you are also doing this all over India. Organize very solidly
and thus increase the number of books distributed, the number of devotees made, and develop
centers of Krishna consciousness everywhere.”
Inspired by this instruction, we continue to revive Kṛṣṇa consciousness through the process of
devotional service. The Bhūvaikuṇṭha project, conceived under this vision, is making remarkable
progress. With construction advancing steadily, it stands as a significant step in fulfilling this mis-
sion, providing a sacred space where people can awaken their devotion.
Alongside all this progress, there is also one observation of concern. As I reflect on the eter-
nal glory of your ISKCON and your instructions about unity, we must remain vigilant against
internal discord (infighting, groupism, politicking). I remember a particularly distressing inci-
dent from the early days at Hare Kṛṣṇa Land, when a devotee in a moment of intense agitation
pursued the temple president with a tree branch, determined to strike him. The scene was deeply
unsettling, and I found myself overwhelmed with sorrow as I sat before your vyāsāsana. With tears
in my eyes I was mentally appealing to you. Where have you brought me? Is this the Vaikuṇṭha
world? This was the last thing I was expecting to happen in your spiritual movement. So, now I
lovingly appeal that differences be amicably resolved to keep your institution together. We must
remember your instructions more than ever and address disputes with humility and love, remem-
bering your call for unity in diversity. You wrote to Kīrtanānanda on October 18, 1973: “The
materialist without being able to adjust the varieties and the disagreements makes everything zero.
They cannot come into agreement with varieties, but if we keep Krsna in the center, then there will
be agreement in varieties. This is called unity in diversity.”
My godbrothers and godsisters are leaving us behind to join Your Divine Grace and Gaurāṅga.
It is your gain and our loss. I miss them all deeply. I especially wish to remember Gopal Krishna
Goswami Mahārāja, your “right-hand man,” who recently departed. His departure weighs on my
mind. I was fortunate to be with him during his final moments. His dedication to you and his
guidance were a constant source of inspiration and support for me. This year would also have
marked fifty years of us serving shoulder to shoulder in your mission. Now I once again turn to
you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and to the memory of His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami Mahārāja,
seeking your divine strength and blessings. May I continue my service to you with the same reso-
lute dedication that he so tirelessly exemplified throughout his life.
Whatever I have done and continue to do is simply a manifestation of your will. I again offer
everything – my body, mind, and soul – at your divine lotus feet on this most sacred day of your
appearance. May I continue to serve you with sincerity and dedication. May I carry forward your
mission with the same relentless spirit of perseverance and devotion that you instilled in us all.
The legacy you bestowed upon us is not just for today but for countless generations to come.
You are my eternal master, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and I will always remain your eternal servant.
Your insignificant servant,
Lokanath Swami
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
I take this occasion of again celebrating your blessed appearance in our midst as an opportu-
nity to offer prostrated, heartfelt obeisance to your lotuslike feet.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, of your countless wonderful qualities, one stands out for me in my present
reflection on your glories, namely, that you always put forward a grand vision of Kṛṣṇa conscious-
ness for the whole world, a vision full of hope. You always radiated confidence that this vision
would become a reality. In this spirit, you anticipated a historiography that would acknowledge
the realization of your vision when you wrote in a letter to Jayaśrī (November 13, 1969),
Our movement is the greatest gift to the human race. They may not immediately appreci-
ate it, but time will come and history will give evidence that this movement saved the
human society from being fallen into barbarianism.
Thus, you anticipated a radical change in civilizational direction, from a steady decline into “bar-
barianism” to an elevation toward widespread engagement in devotional service. In a Caitanya-
caritāmṛta purport (Madhya-līlā 25.121) you further envisioned that “[e]veryone has an equal
right to execute devotional service. That is the platform of oneness and the basis for a classless
society.” In referring to “equal rights” in relation to devotional service as the “platform of oneness”
that becomes “the basis for a classless society,” you hinted at the practical enactment of how the
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is “meant for bringing about a revolution in the impious life of a misdirected
civilization” (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, preface). By hearing, reading, reflecting on, and sharing the
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, our minds and hearts can be incrementally transformed. This transformation
is inclusive: Recognizing all human beings as having “equal rights” means that everyone should
have the opportunity to hear the message of Śrīmad-Bhaāgavatam. This was always your firm
conviction.
Reflecting on the notion of “revolution” as the expected result of engagement with the
Bhāgavatam, I like to think of reading and sharing it as a subversive act. In a quiet, nonconfronta-
tional manner, everyone has the right to participate in the slow and steady erosion of materialistic
consumerism, replacing it with humble acts of devotion that nourish the soul, honoring all living
beings as sparks of divinity.
In a further reflection on your anticipation of “history giving evidence” that this Kṛṣṇa con-
sciousness movement is to be credited with turning the tide toward a favorably directed – rather
than a misdirected – civilization, I was inspired this last February to give a presentation at the
ISKCON Leaders’ Saṅga in Māyāpur titled “‘History Will Give Evidence’: Writing Our His-
tory to Prepare ISKCON’s Future.” After raising questions about the nature, process of gather-
ing, archiving, accessing, and presenting of historical “evidence,” and pointing out some efforts
already being done in this direction, I and my co-presenter Lokarāma Prabhu urged devotees to
develop oral history projects that would document the experiences of individual devotees and
groups of devotees.
I concluded the short presentation by noting three benefits of gathering and writing our his-
tory. First, it can help foster a sense of mission continuity for Vaiṣṇava communities over multiple
generations. Second, it can inspire present and future generations of devotees to enthusiastically
preserve and spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And third, it can positively direct our
future, enabling your prediction to come true, namely, that “history will give evidence that this
movement saved the human society from being fallen into barbarianism.” Responses to our pre-
sentation were very positive.
With your kind blessings, Śrīla Prabhupāda, as your follower and humble student, I will con-
tinue to be a small instrument to encourage everyone to pursue and persist in the subversive act
of hearing, reading, and sharing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and to encourage your followers to record
the history of how this “revolution in the impious life of a misdirected civilization” is becoming a
reality.
Always your servant,
Krishna Kshetra Swami
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
My obeisances again and again at your lotus feet.
This is the fiftieth anniversary year of your setting foot in New Mayapura, France on August 11, 1975. In December this year we also have the fiftieth anniversary of the installation of Gaura-Nitāi at New Mayapura – on the tirobhāva of your own Guru Mahārāja.
One of your instructions was to “at least maintain what I have given you.” After so many years I feel sad that we are a long way short of that, or of fulfilling your vision for New Mayapura.
Still, dedicated efforts are being made by the devotees at New Mayapura – trying to fix the buildings as per your desire and construct new ones using as much local material as they can. They are also, albeit somewhat reduced, maintaining the worship of the Deities, Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govinda Mādhava, Śrī Śrī Gaura-Nitāi, and Śrī Śrī Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma (installed by you in 1976). Over the past few years, the goshala has been resurrected – we now have two young sets of bullocks learning to plough and work. Milk is provided, at least for Their Lordships’ offerings, and the excess goes to the devotees. Slowly, efforts to produce more food from the land are underway. A restaurant was opened a few years back in the nearby city, and this year one young Vaiṣṇavī, who joined at New Mayapura just a few years back, has started a weekly preaching program there. It is already attracting dozens of youngsters. Hundreds of young volunteers from all over the world stay annually at New Mayapura.
Festivals have been revitalized, attracting devotees and guests from all over Europe, including many from the local area. The young managers are heart-and-soul dedicated to you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and will do whatever you want. I pray that you guide them and protect them.
Young French devotees are now working alongside the elders on completing the translations and commentaries of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam into French. After all these years, it has never been finished. The book distribution has been slowly growing over the past eight years, with young and old devotees working together.
A year or so back, after much effort, the movement in France was finally accepted as a religious nonprofit, tax-exempt association. Efforts are underway to again establish a school for the devotee children and also to provide facilities to serve the elderly devotees in their final journeys or when in dire need.
On another front, in Paris there is daily harināma and book distribution going on in the city center. Undermanned we are, but again, the dedicated young devotees there are doing all they can to please you. We pray that as soon as possible your beloved Rādhā-Parisīśvara can be housed in a wonderful facility suitable for Their worship and pleasing to you. Many Indians are also coming to the temple, and programs are underway to guide them to your lotus feet.
I hope this little report brings a glimmer of happiness to you in this far distant place.
From my side I wish to offer you my obeisances in a practical way. I pray you kindly accept them. From your 1961 Vyāsa-pūjā offering, Vaiśiṣṭyāṣṭakam:
But simply a festival of flowers and fruits does not constitute worship.
The one who serves the message of the guru really worships him.
The service of the message is the real meaning of the Vedas.
Neophyte that I am, I am still attached to do what I want to do and have still not surrendered to your essential message of surrendering to Kṛṣṇa’s will. You are so mercifully accepting the efforts of egotistic followers like myself. I pray that my heart will somehow transform and truly follow your path.
My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, You are so kind upon this useless soul, but I do not know why You have brought me here. Now You can do whatever You like with me.
O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands. So, if You have brought me here to dance, then make me dance, make me dance, O Lord, make me dance as You like. (Mārkine Bhāgavata-dharma)
Somehow you have placed me in France to serve your mission. I pray that I can live by your words and dedicate this good-for-nothing body and mind in your service, to dedicate this lifetime and future ones, if need be, to fulfilling your desires. It seems this is the real way to offer obeisances (the dictionary definition of obeisance being the “act of obeying” or something you do that expresses that).
The disciple should not consider whether he is going back home, back to Godhead; his first business should be to execute the order of his spiritual master. Thus, a disciple should always meditate on the order of the spiritual master, and that is perfectional meditation. Not only should he meditate upon that order, but he should find out the means by which he can perfectly worship and execute it. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.15, purport)
I can only say I am trying to execute your will in at least some small way or other. Please give me the strength that I do not desist, no matter what the challenge, and become the instrument of your will.
So, I thank you very much for inviting me in your temple, and I am very much pleased there are so many young boys and girls, they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is a new thing in the history, in a city like Paris, younger generation will chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. We are making history. That’s a fact. So do it sincerely. In all circumstances, trials, do not give up. (Arrival address, August 8, 1973, Paris)
If you desire, I am willing to come back again and again. Your example of sacrifice sustains me, maintains me, and remains with me always. Reflecting on the years when you walked the streets of Delhi and New York alone distributing Kṛṣṇa conscious literature gives me the strength to soldier on.
I often have my own meditation, strange at it seems, to be in Paris – in the heart of the city, Chatelet Les Halles, the “Gates to Hell” (chatelet means “the fortified gateway,” les halles, “the hell” – my play on words). I think of being there chanting, dancing, distributing books till I drop at your lotus feet with my last breath.
“Either you put me in the hell or heaven or this or that, [it] is all the same.” Because he is always with Kṛṣṇa, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is always with him. So, where is the cause of being afraid that “This place is not good; this place is very good”? No. Wherever Kṛṣṇa is there is very good. That’s all. (Initiation lecture, August 27, 1969, Hamburg)
It doesn’t matter where it is. Even if we … We can go to the factory. Anywhere. We can go to the hell even. (Room conversation with John Papworth and Schumacher, August 4, 1973, London)
You have given the simple formula of transforming these hellish places into Vaikuṇṭha. Chant, dance, and distribute books and prasādam. The street becomes our temple, and all the conditioned souls there are coming to worship the Lord, even without their knowledge, particularly when they take the mercy in the form of your books. You have truly given us this gift of seeing Kṛṣṇa in everything and everywhere through this saṅkīrtana-yajña. We just have to do it. You have given us the most joyful austerity. This “austerity” is the means of transforming our intent from “what I like” to “what you like” – what Kṛṣṇa wants, the essence of our mission. The austerity is not the activity but the attitude in which we act. You again and again encouraged us to always chant – but to also hear the sound when we chant, to put Kṛṣṇa in the center. Such a sublime process.
In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, our recreation is dancing and chanting, and when we get tired, we take prasāda. Is dancing difficult? Is chanting difficult? (The Path of Perfection, “Yoga as Action”)
Simply our prayer should be, My dear Krishna, please remind me to always chant Your Holy Name, please do not put me into forgetfulness. You are sitting within me as Supersoul, so you can put me into forgetfulness or into remembering You. So please do not put me into forgetfulness. Please always remind me to chant, even You send me into the hell, it doesn’t matter, just so long as I can always chant Hare Krishna. (Letter to Devānanda Dāsa, November 23, 1968)
I have no other hope than this – that you please always remind me to chant, and as long as this body works, to dance. I have no qualification for anything, but out of your causeless mercy you have given me and everyone else this divine lifeline of saṅkīrtana.
May I dedicate this lifetime to serving you wherever you put me, to sacrificing everything at my disposal. To hell with personal desires for satisfying my temporal so-called needs. The only thing of value in my life is the privilege to surrender to your will. Thank you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, for this greatest gift of allowing me to associate, if only from a distance, with the topmost līlā of harināma-saṅkīrtana. This is my only sādhana, and you are my only hope.
May you cast your glance on France and make us dance. I pray you please shower your glance of mercy on us all that we can continue on the path of becoming your unalloyed servants – fulfilling your desires to preach the saṅkīrtana movement without the self-aggrandizing false ego that drives me on.
Your lowly begging servant,
Janānanda Goswami
