Canada & USA, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Our most beloved Śrīla Prabhupāda,
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāminn iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
Please accept our respectful obeisances with the highest gratitude for creating the most powerful, loving family of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. All glories to your divine mercy on humanity.
At Devasadan Mandir we are celebrating the Golden Jubilee celebration of the installation of Śrī Śrī Gaura-Nitāi you performed on your last visit to Detroit. By your divine stay at the Devasadan Mandir, it became a holy tīrtha. Now everyone who visits and enters your room gets the opportunity to receive the blessings of the dust from your lotus feet. It was here that you instructed His Grace Ambarīṣa Prabhu to build the glorious TOVP project, which he is doing with the highest dedication, just to please you, and which is due to open on November 1, 2027.
By your causeless mercy, we are able to continue serving the most merciful Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kuñjabihārījī. O ever well-wisher, we beg you to give us the good fortune to continue to participate in the loving service of your lotus feet and our most merciful Deities Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kuñjabihārījī until we are no longer in these bodies. Please hold our hands tight, because we have the tendency to run away from you.
Begging for forgiveness for our unlimited offenses to the Vaiṣṇavas,
Your humble servants at the Devasadan Mandir,
(written by Jagad-Guru Dāsa)
Canada & USA, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāminn iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
Devotees at ISKCON Fredericton, in New Brunswick, Canada offer our most sincere and humble obeisances at the lotus feet of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda on his 2026 Vyāsa-pūjā day.
It is impossible for us to find the appropriate words to thank you properly for what you taught us, the example you set for us, and the wonderful ISKCON organization you created for us. We can only try, in our humble ways, to honor you and attempt to follow your perfect example of sharing Kṛṣṇa consciousness with those we meet.
As Canadians, we are fond of reading accounts of your visits to our country, particularly during the summer of 1968, when you spent several weeks in Montreal. You celebrated ISKCON’s second Janmāṣṭamī festival there, and it is a glorious memory, not only for those who were in Montreal at the time, but for those of us who have read accounts of that wonderful event.
Our 2025 Ratha-yātrā festival was a historic milestone for New Brunswick, drawing a record-breaking crowd of over 600 participants. While celebrating this success, we felt a deep calling to cultivate more committed practitioners. This inspired the launch of Spiritual Sparks, a dedicated youth preaching initiative. To provide a solid foundation, we have implemented a disciplined daily sādhana that includes:
- Morning: 30 minutes of japa followed by 15 minutes reading your books together.
- Evening: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam class.
- Weekly: In-depth Bhagavad-gītā study sessions.
Additionally, our Kirtan Concert was a grand success, attracting 250 people and serving as a powerful outreach tool. This event allowed many new souls to chant the holy names for the first time and significantly broadened our community footprint.
The Gopal Krishna Children’s School has undergone a professional transformation to become more interactive and structured. We currently have 23 enthusiastic children enrolled, all eager to learn the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Our curriculum now integrates multimedia storytelling and hands-on Vaiṣṇava arts, ensuring that the philosophy is accessible and engaging. We have also introduced a merit-based system to encourage memorization of verses and the development of devotional character.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, our vision for the coming year is bold. We are currently working to move our Ratha-yātrā downtown, bringing the Lord of the universe to the very heart of Fredericton’s public eye. We also continue to draw immense inspiration from your disciple, Bhaktimārga Swami and the steady support of our sister temples in Halifax, Montreal, and Toronto.
We beg for your blessings and empowerment so that we may remain sincere in our efforts to expand this movement and bring the peace of Kṛṣṇa consciousness to every town and village in New Brunswick.
But it is you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, who continue to be the driving force that allows ISKCON Fredericton to grow and succeed. Devotees here and around the world are inspired by your books, your recorded lectures, and the legacy you have gifted everyone in the movement you created. Your love of Kṛṣṇa and unbelievable achievements inspire us to do our best to expand your movement. It is our wish that in some small way we can continue to be servants of the servants of the servants of you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and of Kṛṣṇa!
On September 1, 1896, you arrived on Kṛṣṇa’s earthly planet. Well over a hundred years later, your disciples and devotees are honored to continue building on the foundation you created and serve you as best we can in your mission to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness to every town and village.
Your insignificant servants at ISKCON Fredericton
Canada & USA, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
What a privilege to serve you in this life. Whenever we please you, our hearts fill with joy and satisfaction. Your precious and potent gifts, the “techniques of spiritual life,” always uplift our hearts and minds. Reading your books, chanting japa, discussing Kṛṣṇa with your followers, honoring prasādam – anyone, anywhere, now and for all time, can learn these simple practices and transform their lives. As your service to your spiritual master, you gave these miraculous gifts so freely, and at so much personal sacrifice.
As you have given these gifts to us, we pray to share them with others on your behalf. Doing so, we please you and enrich our lives with Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over again.
In his song, Vaiṣṇava Vijñapti, Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura wonderfully expresses our appreciation for you.
(1) Dear merciful Vaiṣṇav master, be kind to us, please.
Other than you, who can wash out our impurities?
(2) To simply be in your presence, all sins go away.
Where could we find someone else with mercy you display?
(3) To bathe in the Gaṅgā’s waters cleanses over time,
yet simply to see you, one is instantly refined.
(4) Offenses to Kṛṣṇa better chanting will resolve.
Offenses to you cannot be washed away at all.
(5) In your sacred heart Govinda endlessly resides.
Govinda declares, “Vaiṣṇavas are My very life.”
(6) Birth after birth, we shall beg for the dust from your feet.
Please think of your Gainesville servants as your property.
Your servants at ISKCON Gainesville, Florida, USA
Canada & USA, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Dearest, beloved founder-ācārya, Your Divine Grace Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our most humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace. On this most auspicious occasion of your Vyāsa-pūjā, the devotees at ISKCON Durham gather with grateful hearts to offer our prayers, reflections, and deep appreciation for your causeless mercy.
Just as water is essential for sustaining life, your teachings are the very life and soul of our spiritual existence. We are reminded of the essential role of the spiritual master through this sacred verse:
yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo
yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ’pi
dhyāyaṁs stuvaṁs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyaṁ
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam
By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the mercy of Kṛṣṇa; without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and glorify my spiritual master, offering my respectful obeisances unto his lotus feet.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, this verse perfectly reflects our dependence on your mercy. Whatever little service we are able to perform is only by your blessings. Over the past year, ISKCON Durham has continued to grow as a center of devotional service, and we know with full conviction that this is entirely your arrangement.
By your blessings, we have been able to celebrate all the major Vaiṣṇava festivals, bringing together devotees and newcomers alike. Some festivals were observed on a particularly larger scale, allowing us to extend your mission of outreach even further. During Śrī Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī, more than 2,000 attendees came to take darshan, honor prasādam, and hear about Kṛṣṇa. Our Ratha-yātrā festival welcomed over 1,500 participants, giving many the rare opportunity to pull Lord Jagannātha’s chariot and receive His mercy. Similarly, Rāma-navamī was celebrated with over 1,500 attendees, filling the atmosphere with devotion and remembrance of Lord Rāmacandra.
We continue to hold regular Saturday feast programs, and by your grace, a steady and sincere congregation gathers weekly to hear hari-kathā, chant, and honor prasādam. This consistent engagement has helped strengthen the devotional community and create a welcoming environment for new guests.
One of the most inspiring developments this year has been the growth of our Krishna Fun School for children. With approximately fifty students currently registered, we are witnessing the next generation of devotees being nurtured in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Their enthusiastic participation and beautiful performances during festivals have inspired many other children and families to become involved. Alongside in-person sessions, we have also begun virtual classes focused on śloka recitation, helping children remain connected and steadily progress in their spiritual practices.
By your mercy, within the span of just over a year, two devotees from our congregation received their first initiation (hari-nāma dīkṣā), and another sincere devotee is aspiring for first initiation soon. These developments remind us that your mission is alive and actively transforming hearts.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, we understand that none of this is our doing. We are simply trying, in our very small and imperfect ways, to serve as instruments in your hands. You have given us everything – your books, instructions, society, and the holy name. Whatever success we see is only a reflection of your unlimited compassion.
We pray for your continued guidance and blessings so that ISKCON Durham can remain fixed in serving your mission of spreading the teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Please help us remain humble, cooperative, and sincere in our efforts. Kindly empower us to overcome our shortcomings and engage more deeply in devotional service.
We beg for the strength to always remember that we are your servants, meant to assist in fulfilling your divine desire – to bring Kṛṣṇa consciousness to every town and village.
Thank you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, for giving us purpose, direction, and hope. Please continue to engage us in your service birth after birth.
Your insignificant servants,
Shyama Mohini Devī Dāsī, Council Head
And the devotees at ISKCON Durham
Canada & USA, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to you, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
By reading the books and letters you wrote, we are amazed at how you still had time to visit your different centers and deal with the local devotees wherever you happened to be in the world. You gave classes wherever you went, you helped manage each temple you visited, you answered numerous questions, and taught how to keep Kṛṣṇa in the center, how to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, and how to depend on Kṛṣṇa for everything. You simultaneously managed the rest of the world centers by writing letters to devotees in managerial positions as well as to rank and file devotees who just had some personal questions. Many of your managers were inexperienced and made mistakes, some of which were serious mistakes that caused you anxiety, but you wrote to them and explained what they should do, while depending on Kṛṣṇa and never letting the problems discourage you from pushing on this movement. You had full faith and confidence in guru and Kṛṣṇa. You had the patience of a saint because you are a saint. You never gave up; you set the perfect example for your disciples and for future devotees as well.
There is no way any person, other than someone empowered directly by Kṛṣṇa, could do what you did day in and day out. In order to do it you had to sacrifice your sleep, and therefore you slept only a few hours a night, yet devotees who lived with you admitted that you never really slept; you were always conscious.
You would meet with dignitaries, the press, scholars, parents, religious leaders, and others at the many temples you traveled to. You also found time to do outside programs at universities, churches, pandals, or anywhere devotees made arrangements for you to speak.
With such a busy schedule, you also always found time to translate and write purports to the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other Vedic literature. Even though you have physically departed, we can still have your association because you are present in your books. This helps us to keep you in our hearts and love and serve you with our body, mind, and words. As you said about your Guru Mahārāja, “He lives forever by his divine instructions, and the follower lives with him.” You were living in the present and simultaneously thinking of the future as you left behind a way for others to go back home, back to Godhead through your transcendental books. Thank you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, for all your sacrifices.
There aren’t enough words to glorify you sufficiently, but we are hoping to satisfy you in some small way.
Aspiring to follow in your divine footsteps,
Your servants at ISKCON East Hartford
(written by Pyāri Mohan Dāsa)
Canada & USA, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāminn iti nāmine
namas te sārasvate deve gaura-vāṇī-pracāriṇe
nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi-pāścātya-deśa-tāriṇe
Please accept our most humble and respectful obeisances at your most revered lotus feet. All glories to you!
On this day, we consider ourselves very fortunate to write a few lines to glorify you. We are extremely fortunate to offer our humble homage at your most revered lotus feet on the occasion of your Vyāsa-pūjā. You are the empowered ācārya who carried the message of Lord Caitanya to the entire world. At an age when most people would like to take rest, you crossed the ocean alone, with no money and no support, simply carrying your faith in Kṛṣṇa along with the order of your spiritual master.
Through your compassion, purity, and unwavering dedication, you gave us Kṛṣṇa consciousness in its original, unbroken form. Your books are not ordinary books – they are living guides that continue to awaken devotion in millions of hearts.
We are eternally indebted to you for granting us the holy name, devotional service, and a clear path back to Kṛṣṇa. On this day, we pray for the intelligence and sincerity to follow your instructions and serve your mission with humility and gratitude.
With extraordinary determination, unwavering faith, and deep compassion, you introduced pure devotional service to every part of the society. Despite immense challenges, you remained fully dependent on Kṛṣṇa, translating and presenting the Vedic scriptures with clarity, authority, and devotion. Your literary contributions stand as an enduring testament to your realization and unlimited mercy.
Through your personal example and divine instructions, you have given humanity the priceless gift of the holy name and a clear path to spiritual life. We remain eternally indebted to you and pray for the sincerity, humility, and strength required to faithfully serve your mission and follow your teachings.
The scriptures declare that the spiritual master is the transparent representative of the Supreme Lord: ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān navamanyeta karhicit, na martya-buddhyāsūyeta sarva-deva-mayo guruḥ (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.17.27 – “One should know the ācārya as Myself and never disrespect him in any way. One should not envy him, thinking him an ordinary man, for he is the representative of all the demigods.”
In the purport to the above śloka, where it is quoted in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi 1.46) – a verse spoken by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Uddhava– you write, “Only out of His immense compassion does the Personality of Godhead reveal Himself as the spiritual master. Therefore, in the dealings of an ācārya there are no activities but those of transcendental loving service to the Lord. He is the Supreme Personality of Servitor Godhead. It is worthwhile to take shelter of such a steady devotee, who is called āśraya-vigraha, or the manifestation or form of the Lord of whom one must take shelter.”
You are the Supreme Personality of Servitor Godhead, and we should all take shelter of your lotus feet.
Acting solely as a servant of your spiritual master and the disciplic succession, you carried the message of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu to every corner of the world, fulfilling the prophecy: pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma – “In every town and village of the world, My holy name will be preached.” (Caitanya-bhāgavata, Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126)
You fulfilled the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by spreading the holy name throughout this mundane world. You are the direct mercy of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ’pi, dhyāyan stuvaḿs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyaḿ 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 any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master.” (Śrī Guru Praṇāma)
Your tireless preaching, profound literary contributions, and spotless devotion demonstrate the symptom of a mahā-bhāgavata. By translating and commentating the Vedic scriptures, you fulfilled the divine injunction: yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa – “Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as they are given in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.” (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 7.128)
In the purport to the above śloka you explain: “This is the sublime mission of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Many people come and inquire whether they have to give up family life to join the Society, but that is not our mission. One can remain comfortably in his residence. We simply request everyone to chant the mahā-mantra: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.”
You are one of the most influential spiritual teachers of the twentieth century. As the founder-ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), you accomplished what many once thought impossible: you transmitted the ancient wisdom of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism beyond India and firmly established it as a global spiritual movement. Your accomplishments span religious, cultural, literary, and organizational fields, leaving a legacy that continues to shape millions of lives worldwide.
Your most visible accomplishment was the founding of ISKCON in 1966 in New York City. At the age of sixty-nine, with no financial support and little institutional backing, you began teaching the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the West. Within just eleven years, your ISKCON expanded to hundreds of centers, temples, and rural communities across six continents. This remarkable growth demonstrated not only your spiritual depth but also your organizational vision, leadership, and unwavering faith in the mission entrusted to you by your spiritual master, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.
Through ISKCON you successfully introduced devotional practices such as kirtan, Deity worship, vegetarianism, and Vedic festivals to a global audience. ISKCON provided a structured system for spiritual practice based on chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, ethical living, and devotional service.
Another monumental accomplishment was your translation and commentary on sacred Vedic texts. You translated more than sixty volumes, including Bhagavad gītā As It Is, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya caritāmṛta, and numerous other works. Unlike many academic translations, your writings preserved the devotional intent of the texts while presenting them in clear, accessible English.
These works became foundational scriptures for ISKCON and are studied by scholars, practitioners, and seekers worldwide. Your insistence on philosophical fidelity ensured that Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism was transmitted authentically rather than diluted to suit popular trends. Through these books, you ensured that ancient Vedic wisdom would be preserved for future generations.
You emphasized practical spirituality, teaching that spiritual life should transform individual behavior and society. You promoted ethical living through principles such as nonviolence, truthfulness, cleanliness, and compassion. Your encouragement of vegetarianism was grounded not merely in health or environmental concerns but in reverence for all living beings.
You also advocated for simple living and high thinking, criticizing excessive materialism and encouraging sustainable lifestyles. Through farm communities, educational initiatives, and prasādam distribution, ISKCON addressed social and humanitarian concerns while maintaining spiritual integrity.
Perhaps your greatest accomplishment was your role as a spiritual master. You personally guided thousands of disciples from diverse backgrounds, transmitting not just philosophical knowledge but a lived example of devotion, humility, discipline, and compassion. Despite your advanced age and fragile health, you traveled continuously, lectured daily, wrote extensively, and engaged personally with your followers.
Your life embodied the principle of complete surrender to divine service. By your personal example, you demonstrated that sincere devotion, guided by guru, scripture, and tradition, can transcend barriers of culture, language, and history.
Your accomplishments continue to resonate decades after your departure. ISKCON remains an active global movement, your books are translated into dozens of languages, and your teachings continue to inspire spiritual inquiry worldwide. More than institutions or texts, your enduring legacy lies in the lives transformed by your message of loving devotion to Kṛṣṇa.
In summary, your accomplishments were not limited to external achievements; they represented a successful reawakening of timeless spiritual wisdom in the modern world. Through truth, compassion, and tireless dedication, you fulfilled the mission of carrying Kṛṣṇa consciousness to every corner of the globe.
On this most sacred occasion, we humbly acknowledge our eternal debt to you and pray for the qualification to serve your mission with sincerity, obedience, and devotion. All glories to you and all glories to your ISKCON! Jaya, jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda!
Your most humble servants,
Bala Kṛṣṇa Dāsa and the devotees of ISKCON Edmonton
