Canada & USA, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Dearest 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 obeisances. Your ardent followers who are serving at New Goloka Dhāma humbly beg your mercy and thank you for your unlimited kindness by allowing us to take the saffron dust particles of your lotus feet through your glorious and ever-present vapuḥ.
We have understood that our great fortune on this material plane is to receive the sublime message of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu through you, His dear senāpati-bhakta. You have brought us this inestimable gem of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which includes the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare / Hare Rāma Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma Hare Hare, and the science of self-realization. Had you not sacrificed so much to bring this transformative process of bhakti-yoga to the world, humankind would be lost in the pits of suffering and despair. We are saved! And we are eternally grateful that you have entrusted us with this most divine mission to help you reclaim the fallen conditioned souls. All glories to you, dearest Śrīla Prabhupāda. All glories to you!
As you have so eloquently and constantly expressed, and something that resonates strongly with us today, the world is in dire straits for lack of knowledge and understanding of the Absolute Truth. The ancient scriptures that you carefully unpacked for anyone who chooses to read them so they can understand the truth are your greatest gift to the entire world. Unfortunately, you personally showed us that although the jīvas are searching for the truth, they are very slow or even unwilling to actually accept it. However, with the current adverse socioeconomic conditions and increasing harassment by various agents of the threefold miseries, eventually, more and more searching souls will arrive at the precipice of “Truth or Die,” as did those of us who have surrendered to you. Śrīla Prabhupāda, please continue to bless us so we may spread this message of the Absolute Truth to the sincere spiritual seekers, and help us understand true compassion to imbibe the same feeling of need and urgency so we may reach out to the suffering masses more insistently.
Our hearts are very heavy, Śrīla Prabhupāda, as over this last year so many disciples, pioneers, and warriors of yours have left our association; we are now helplessly drifting through the dreaded “decade of tears.” Although we rejoice for those stalwarts in achieving their long-cherished desire to again join you in your personal service, it is difficult to dampen the profound pain of the loss. They were our mentors, gurus, guides, exemplars, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters – so much to so many, inspiring us all to serve and remember you, Śrīla Prabhupāda. That precious service was their life and soul, their main sustenance, infusing every fiber of their being … and to live here without those powerful modern mahārathas of Lord Caitanya’s army leaves us reeling. We humbly beg you to empower us so that we as the torchbearers have the strength to assume greater responsibility in your ISKCON mission so we ensure it continues flourishing on the heels of their powerful pioneering contributions.
Great news, Śrīla Prabhupāda: the steady application of your expert prescription of book distribution plus harināma plus prasādam has enabled our community to grow and flourish over the past decade or so. To support this phenomenal growth and our continued outreach efforts, we are building up the home base – both literally and figuratively. While work is underway to construct a bright, gorgeous, and more expansive temple, our primary focus is to purify our hearts and minds to best imbibe your teachings and sweetly share our beloved practice of sādhana–bhakti. Our worshipable Deities Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Golokānanda are the center of our lives, infusing us with shelter, solace, and strength. Our focus on chanting, hearing, and serving Them with purpose is very strong. As you repeatedly stressed, our spiritual advancement is a direct result of how sincerely we execute one of the nine processes of devotional service. You have kindly shared the formula of how we can truly be happy, fulfilled, and absorbed in serving Their Lordships in this very life. We are so very blessed to continue to nourish and grow this bhakti community with your loving guidance.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, you have repeatedly stressed that humbly serving in a spirit of cooperation is the most pleasing to you. ISKCON is a house in which the whole world can live, a forever home-sweet-home for those who have become attached to your mood and mission. Deepening the quality and authenticity of our association with one another through loving exchanges is the foundation of the New Goloka community. We are fixed here, living under your shelter; indeed, we clearly understand that sādhu-saṅga is the most precious jewel we can possess. As our spiritual master, guiding authority, and founder-ācārya, your pure and loving understanding that every living being is part and parcel of the Lord gives us the impetus to become more compassionate and inclusive of everyone. As you always exemplified in your personal dealings with others, we must be patient, caring, and tolerant and gently encourage everyone to be friendly toward the service of the Lord. Therefore, we must be absolutely resolute in spreading the glories of the mahā-mantra and the process of bhakti-yoga far and wide, and we must be united in that effort. It is our primary duty as your emissaries. We are committed to that role within your mission and we will not fail.
While we are all nicely assembled here together – worshiping and chanting, reading and hearing, singing and dancing, praying and feasting, serving and caring – we realize bhakti-yoga isn’t easy. You told us that, and you also told us that the process of bhakti-yoga is simple and sublime. Both are obviously true, and given the overwhelming evidence to take up this completely transformative process, we are delighted and relieved to receive this opportunity to surrender to you. When you were lecturing on the Sixth Canto, chapter 1, text 50 of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in Detroit on 3 August 1975, you famously stated:
So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is very kind that without considering whether he is a siddha or viddha or anything else – “Let them take kṛṣṇa-prema.” Therefore, Rūpa Gosvāmī prayed to Caitanya Mahāprabhu (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 19.53):
namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te
kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ
He understood, “Here is Kṛṣṇa, but He has come now in the most liberal way. Everyone He is giving kṛṣṇa-prema.” How? “Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, dance, and become a lover of Kṛṣṇa.” So nice. Simply by chanting and dancing, one is becoming … Practical it is. All these boys and girls, four or five years ago they did not know who is Kṛṣṇa. That is surprising to everyone. The whole world is praising this movement because they see practically that how these European-American boys and girls are so much absorbed in the thought of Kṛṣṇa. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s gift. Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te, kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne. So very simple thing. Don’t think I have played something wonder. No, it is not my wonder. The process is wonderful, the process itself. You have to simply accept; then your life will be successful. It is not that “Bhaktivedanta Swami has brought this.” They say. They give me the credit. That is my good fortune also. But actually, I am just like a peon. I have brought, but I am delivering it without any adulteration. That may be my credit. And if you take it without any adulteration and practice it, then your life is successful. This is the secret of success. Chant, dance, take prasādam, live very happily, and look very brilliant, and next life go to home, back to Godhead. So kindly … I am very pleased that you are doing nicely. But don’t be proud. Always remain humble, meek, that “I am nothing. I cannot …” That will be nice. And if you think, “Now I have become liberated. I can chant and dance,” no, don’t think like that. Just like even Caitanya-caritāmṛta author, he says, purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha: “I am lower than the worm in the stool.” Jagāi mādhāi haite muñi se pāpiṣṭha: “I am more sinner than Jagāi-Mādhāi.” In this way … That is not artificial. A Vaiṣṇava must think like that, that “I am rotten. I have no value.” Don’t be proud. Then the things will go on nicely. And as soon as you become proud, then māyā – “Yes, you are God. Come on. I will kick you on your face. Come on.” (laughter) These rascals become God, and then māyā kicks on the face, and they think that they have become God. Don’t become like that. Always remain humble servant and you will be happy. Thank you very much.
In that mood of simplicity and sincerity, humility and inclusivity, determination and compassion, and with an attitude of gratitude for a brilliant life steeped in devotion, your servants at New Goloka Dhāma aspire to continue pushing forward this divine saṅkīrtana mission. We beg you to continue showering your mercy and compassion upon our humble endeavors.
His Divine Loving Grace Abhaya Caraṇāravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda kī jaya!
Your eternal servant,
Līlāśakti Devī Dāsī
On behalf of the devotees at New Gokula
Canada & USA, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Our dearest and most beloved spiritual master, Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet, the shelter of all fallen and conditioned souls. All glories to Your Divine Grace for beginning Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s saṅkīrtana movement and carrying it throughout the world. We are eternally grateful for your example of humility, tolerance, sacrifice, and unwavering determination in Kṛṣṇa’s service.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, without your mercy and blessings we would have no strength to continue our devotional services. Whatever we have been able to do in our temple activities is only by your kindness and the inspiration of your instructions. We pray to remain steady year after year and to assist, in our small way, in spreading the glories of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as you envisioned.
Forty-nine years ago, your dear disciples incorporated ISKCON of Houston and began the work of bringing spiritual life to this city. We are grateful to share a few glimpses of how your mercy continues to manifest here. Forty years ago, Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Nīlamādhava made the Houston temple Their home, and this year we will celebrate Their anniversary along with Janmāṣṭamī and a kirtan festival that draws thousands of guests.
By the blessings of the Deities and your guidance, our Deity worship department strives to maintain and steadily improve standards, while training a new generation to serve. In recent years, many devotees have taken up this service, and we are encouraged to see their sincere growth in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
In keeping with your desire that Kṛṣṇa consciousness be shared with everyone regardless of background or qualification, the Bhakti Urban Farm program welcomes many new seekers each Sunday to hear hari-kathā and chant the holy names. Similarly, following your instruction to prepare future leaders, the Goswami Academy school has been serving for over a decade, with more than twenty full-time students and five full-time teachers dedicated to nurturing our children in devotional life and strong character. Our Sunday School is also vibrant, with over 180 students attending each week for age-appropriate classes on the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, japa and kirtan, arts and crafts, and interactive activities that help them learn Vaiṣṇava etiquette, prayers, and practical devotional habits. In line with your desire to establish higher education programs in devotional service, such as the Bhakti Śāstrī, Bhakti Vaibhava, and beyond, over the last twenty-five years more than 350 students have gone through our śāstric education.
Your book distribution and harināma-saṅkīrtana are especially dear to your heart. By your mercy, devotees go out daily to distribute your books throughout the city, and weekly harināma is held, along with prasādam distribution. You came to teach what we have forgotten – our eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa – and imbibing that same mood, we are trying to remind the public of Kṛṣṇa through the holy name, prasādam distribution, and your transcendental books. By your causeless mercy, overall book distribution increased by 25 percent in 2025 over 2024. This year, by your grace, Lord Jagannātha’s mercy was carried widely through our participation in the Art Car Parade caravan – wholeheartedly welcomed by the citizens of Houston, just as a thirsty person feels satisfied after drinking water. We reached thousands in person and many more through media coverage. We pray that this receptive spirit may awaken many hearts to the chanting of the holy name, and that your books and Lord Jagannātha’s mercy may enter every home.
Because you emphasized the importance of prasādam distribution for purification of the heart, Govinda’s restaurant has been serving the Houston community for the past decade – offering prasādam and introducing many local residents to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In addition, many other services continue throughout the year, including bhakti-vṛkṣa programs, university and college preaching, and numerous festivals. Sunday feasts, which Your Divine Grace started in the early years of establishing the movement, are now attended by a mix of approximately 800 visitors and devotees – an encouraging sign of your movement’s continued growth and outreach to the locals. These efforts are carried out by devotees who try to serve sincerely under your shelter.
This year, ISKCON of Houston is observing the 60th anniversary of your movement by organizing a gala to reflect on your mercy and to highlight what has been accomplished – from small beginnings to a dedicated community and many ongoing service efforts – while keeping Kṛṣṇa in the center. We pray that the program will please you, and that whatever good comes from it may be offered at your feet.
“And if we take up the process sincerely, with love, then Lord within will give you dictation: ‘You come this way, come this way, come this way.’ Otherwise, not. The first condition is: teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām. Therefore, we are trying to engage all our disciples to be engaged twenty-four hours in devotional service. Then his life will be successful. That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.” (Morning walk, April 20, 1973, Los Angeles)
As you expressed on that morning walk, we are trying according to our capacity to remain engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service throughout the year in various ways. We aspire to make your instructions our life and soul. Still, we know that without your blessings we cannot go very far. On your divine appearance day, we therefore beg for your causeless mercy so we may continue to serve your mission with sincerity and help carry it forward for the benefit of others.
“The temple management very nicely means to render service to Kṛṣṇa.” (Lecture on Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 20.395, given in Hyderabad on August 17, 1976)
Śrīla Prabhupāda, please bless us that we may always remember your instruction that temple management means to render service to Kṛṣṇa. Kindly grant us the intelligence to keep Kṛṣṇa in the center of all our services, and the humility to cooperate as your servants in unity. Please engage us in whatever way will most please Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Nīlamādhava and further the saṅkīrtana mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, so that your books, your instructions, and the holy name may be carried to every heart. We offer this report and all that we are at your lotus feet.
Your servants,
The devotees at ISKCON Houston
Canada & USA, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Our dear eternal spiritual master, our dear father, Your Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda,
Please accept our most humble obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace.
You have accepted all of us as your spiritual children. In this material world, relationships may come and go, but the relationship between the spiritual master and disciple is eternal. You write in your book Elevation to Kṛṣṇa consciousness that whenever we feel separation from Kṛṣṇa or the spiritual master, we should just try to remember their words of instruction and we will no longer feel that separation. Such association with Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master should be association by sound vibration, not physical presence. It is best to remember the teachings. Similarly, you are always present in your books.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, to come closer to you by following your instructions, we at Śrī Hari Vaikuṇṭha Dhāma, ISKCON Manitoba, have started two reading circles: a fifteen-minute reading from Sunday through Friday for your small books, and a one-hour reading Mondays through Friday reading your medium books. We need your blessings to continue these readings and to understand your teachings.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, more than forty devotees last year successfully completed their Gītā for Life course and are currently attending Śrīmad Bhāgavatam Śikṣā course every Saturday.
With your blessings, another program called Spiritual Buddy is going on where devotees help one another to grow in spiritual life by following the “Each one, teach one” motto. More than sixty devotees have graduated this year from level 1, Śraddhavān, where they chant a minimum of two rounds and read one small book. Another more than twenty-five devotees have graduated from further levels, such as Kṛṣṇa Sevak and Kṛṣṇa Sādhaka, requiring that they chant at least eight rounds and complete seven or eight small books.
Like a compassionate father, you never abandon your children. We humbly pray that you never let go of our hands but kindly keep us always engaged at your lotus feet.
In your introduction to Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, you offered your obeisances to your spiritual master, expressing how he opened your eyes with the torchlight of knowledge. Similarly, we feel that we were born in the deepest darkness of ignorance, and by your mercy, that darkness is being dissipated. Our lives, which once felt directionless and full of illusion, are now gradually finding their true purpose.
On this most auspicious occasion of your Vyāsa-pūjā, we would like to make a humble request that we never give up reading your books, hearing your lectures, associating with devotees, chanting the holy name, or engaging in the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa. We pray to you for strength and guidance to remain fixed in this commitment. In the eternal spiritual realm, you are waiting to guide all fallen souls like us back to our true home. We pray that we may become worthy of your mercy and not delay that journey any further. Kindly bless us that we can become instruments in fulfilling your mission.
Your humble servants,
The family of Śrī Hari Vaikuṇṭha Dhāma in Manitoba
Canada & USA, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our humble obeisances at your lotus feet.
nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāminn iti nāmine
I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, who is very dear to Lord Krsna 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 Sarasvatī Gosvāmī. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.
Beginning in the early days of your newly established International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, you spoke in your lectures and wrote in your books about the impersonalists and the dangerous effects of impersonalism and voidism. Generally, especially in the United States, we did not understand the significance of your words. We assumed that your reference to impersonalism and voidism was some far-fetched philosophy that could only be found in India and that it was irrelevant to the Western world. Still, it seemed odd that in your second praṇām–mantra we regularly glorify you for delivering the Western world from the effects of impersonalism and voidism.
Gradually we understood that impersonalism and voidism had already infiltrated our lives in many ways, perhaps not with the presentation of the deep, misleading philosophical arguments of the Māyāvādīs, but with the general concepts that God does not exist, or that He is impersonal and that real knowledge can only be attained by man’s personal endeavor, speculation, and experimentation. In general, Western civilization had been brainwashed with the assumption that real knowledge can only be attained through the material sciences and other means of direct sensual perception, and not simply from the perfect source: God.
You preached very heavily against the materialistic, atheistic scientists. You did not preach against science per se, because the Vedas are full of science. You preached against two particular goals of science. First was the idea that life has come about as the result of material interactions. The second was the idea that the material cosmic manifestation came about accidentally and without any intelligent direction, in spite of our practical experience that there is great order in the movements of the planets, stars, and nature, and we never find order anywhere without intelligent intervention.
Why did you take the trouble to preach in this way, even though many people held the material scientists in high esteem? You preached this way because your goal was to give the world the real science. You did not criticize science, but rather you showed the world what real science is. You pointed out that what is generally taught as science in the textbooks and scientific papers is largely speculation, because many of the ideas that are presented as facts are later proven to be false. On the other hand, the Vedic science is never wrong and never changes because it comes from the Lord Himself. Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.1) “I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku.”
Śrīla Prabhupāda, you preached that real science never changes. It comes from the Supreme Lord, and He is not a cheater, nor does He have imperfect senses, nor is He in illusion, nor does He make mistakes. You also, as the Lord’s pure representative, do not have these imperfections, and therefore you have presented this science as it is without deviation.
It is also very significant and to your eternal credit that you had full faith in the Vedic knowledge and also that you had the determination to present the Vedic knowledge as Lord Kṛṣṇa gave it without making changes just to satisfy the local population. In other words, you were not a politician who would lie to and cheat the people to secure votes just to be elected to some public office. You always spoke the truth as it is, regardless of whether it was popular or not.
Often, the scientific community has downplayed or dismissed discoveries that challenge widely accepted theories, such as Darwin’s evolution or concepts of gradual universal development, rather than unsettling the public consensus. Your glory was that you did not come into this world to find many followers. You came to remind the people in general of what they had forgotten: their eternal relationship with the Lord.
To address the materialistic and atheistic concepts found in the material sciences, you very intelligently engaged and empowered some of your disciples who had scientific credentials in using their scientific knowledge and also their understanding of the Vedic conclusions, in preaching to the scientific community. You knew that the normal rank and file of devotees, even though they accepted the Vedic principles, would have a difficult time preaching to the material scientists without being able to relate to the scientists in their own language and with reference to their own discoveries and conclusions. Therefore, you established the Bhaktivedanta Institute which continues to present the conclusions of our teachings to the material scientific community. You always taught us that we should preach according to time, place, and the particular circumstances and audiences.
Therefore, Śrīla Prabhupāda, your life is always glorious because you have boldly preached the absolute truth without deviation.
Here at ISKCON Miami, we are also trying our best to present the same conclusions to the people in general. We do not presently have devotees who can preach to the material scientific community in their own language, but we are trying our best to find the ways and means to present Kṛṣṇa consciousness to everyone according to their means. We pray that you will continue to guide us and empower us to expertly present the eternal Vedic principles to our variegated community according to their own areas of understanding.
Your humble servants at ISKCON Miami
Canada & USA, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Hare Kṛṣṇa, dear Śrīla Prabhupāda and his devotees,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to His Divine Grace.
Today we are gathered to celebrate the auspicious Vyāsa-pūjā ceremony for Śrīla Prabhupāda, who saved the world through his compassionate preaching. At an advanced age, he traveled from Calcutta to Boston without almost any money, a single contact, no manpower, a little physical strength – driven solely by one purpose: to serve his Guru Mahārāja, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī.
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī stated:
There has not been and there will not be such benefactors of the highest merit as Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His devotees have been. The offer of other benefits is only a deception; it is rather a great harm, whereas the benefit done by Him and His followers is the truest and greatest eternal benefit. This benefit is not for one particular country, causing mischief to another; but it benefits the whole universe.
In the Bhagavad-gītā (6.29) Kṛṣṇa says of the true yogi: “A true yogi observes Me in all beings and also sees every being in Me. Indeed, the self-realized person sees Me, the same Supreme Lord, everywhere.”
In a lecture delivered in 1968 in Seattle on the disappearance day of his sannyāsa-guru, Śrīla Prabhupāda said:
I was sitting alone in Vṛndāvana, writing. My godbrother insisted to me, “Bhaktivedanta Prabhu, you must do it. Without accepting the renounced order of life, nobody can become a preacher.” So he insisted. Not he insisted; practically my spiritual master insisted. He wanted me to become a preacher, so he forced me through this godbrother: “You accept.” So, unwillingly I accepted
One of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disciples told us, “If you become conscious of Śrīla Prabhupāda, then you will surely become Kṛṣṇa conscious.” This highlights the profound truth that by following and understanding His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, one naturally develops pure devotion to Kṛṣṇa.
Śrīla Prabhupāda himself always gave full credit for all his achievements to his spiritual master, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, demonstrating perfect humility and guru-niṣṭhā (firm faith in the spiritual master).
Never Give Up
On one occasion, when Śrīla Prabhupāda was visiting one city, he remarked that the city was filled with ignorance and its people hardhearted, like stone. Hearing this, one of his disciples asked, “Śrīla Prabhupāda, should we leave this city and go somewhere else?”
Śrīla Prabhupāda firmly replied, “That does not mean we are going to leave these people. We will preach here. Just because it is difficult does not mean we give up.”
This incident reveals that Śrīla Prabhupāda was truly a fearless spiritual warrior, determined to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness even in the most challenging circumstances.
We must learn from the example of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda: when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Great devotees like Prahlāda Mahārāja and Śrīla Prabhupāda teach us that true devotees never give up. No matter how difficult the circumstances, they continue forward with determination. This unwavering perseverance is one of the defining qualities of a pure devotee.
A pure devotee is ready to tolerate any hardship – insults, difficulties, or challenges in this world – but will never abandon chanting, preaching, or striving to please Lord Kṛṣṇa. Such steadfast devotion deeply pleases the Lord. One can imagine even Kṛṣṇa marveling, “Just see, this devotee never gives up performing devotional service!”
Śrīla Prabhupāda himself faced many struggles and setbacks in the United States. Yet, this was all part of Kṛṣṇa’s divine plan. Kṛṣṇa arranged that no external support would come easily so the world could witness the depth of His devotee’s surrender.
Through all odds, Śrīla Prabhupāda persevered alone and established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness in the West. Therefore, full credit goes to him – single-handedly, with complete faith and surrender, he laid the foundation of a global spiritual movement.
The Unimaginable Struggles of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Alone in a foreign land in the bitter winter of New York City, Śrīla Prabhupāda walked with quiet determination. He had no money, no followers, no institution – no visible support of any kind. To the world, he appeared to be just another unknown elderly man moving through the crowded streets of Manhattan.
Yet within him burned something far greater. He carried the weight of a divine mission – the sacred order of his spiritual master.
Crushing Physical Hardships
The winter of 1965–66 was merciless. Snowstorms swallowed the city whole, and icy winds tore through the streets with a sharpness that seemed to pierce the body itself. Temperatures plunged below freezing, roads hardened into sheets of ice, and even the strongest struggled to keep their footing.
And there was Śrīla Prabhupāda. An elderly saint from India, clad in a simple dhoti beneath a thin coat, walking through blizzards. His face grew numb, his eyes watered from the freezing wind; there was no car to carry him, no comfort to shield him, no protection from the cold. Still, he walked. Every single day.
Pressure to Compromise His Faith
Well-wishers urged him: “Change your clothes.” “Adopt Western habits.” “Give up your strict principles.” Even respected figures like Mr. Mishra advised him that if he wished to survive in the West, he would have to adjust – perhaps even compromise – his core spiritual vows.
But Śrīla Prabhupāda stood firm. “I have not come to beg something; I have come to give something.”
He chose struggle over compromise, hardship over dilution, and refused to trade the purity of Kṛṣṇa consciousness for comfort or acceptance.
The Pain of Loneliness
No followers. No disciples. No community. Just silence. A subway conductor, Mr. Ruben, once noticed him sitting alone, like a solitary holy man with no one by his side. Yet Śrīla Prabhupāda would say, “I am not alone.” He spoke to Mr. Ruben of future temples, future devotees, as if they were already there, waiting.
Repeated Financial Rejections
Hope came, then shattered. Support that once seemed within reach suddenly vanished. Lal Bahadur Shastri, who had appreciated him and might have helped release funds, passed away unexpectedly. A door closed.
Under Indira Gandhi, the government denied permission to send money abroad. Another door closed.
Padampat Singhania initially encouraged the idea of building a temple but later stepped back, then withdrew completely. The final door closed.
Prabhupāda even approached A. M. Hartman with a humble request: to use an empty building, just temporarily, for a spiritual center. His request was refused.
Silence from His Own Circle
He wrote letter after letter to godbrothers, institutions, friends – not for himself, but for a temple for Kṛṣṇa.
But the replies did not come. Or when they did, they carried no real help. Even those who might have stood beside him remained silent. Imagine that pain!
Failure Even in His Own Country
His books – Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam – barely moved in India; only a few copies were sold. Bookstores returned stacks of them. Even in the so-called “land of religion,” there was little interest.
A Broken World Around Him
He looked at America, with its tall buildings, wealth, and advanced technology.
But inside, he saw the youth struggling with drug addiction, growing protests against the Vietnam War, and increasing social unrest and anxiety. To him, American appeared to have material success on the outside, but spiritual emptiness within.
Relentless External Failures
No funding, no buildings, no support, no recognition. Every plan blocked. Every effort resisted. Every hope tested.
Yet he never stopped. This is where glory shines the brightest.
Despite everything, he wrote and translated daily, chanted constantly, cooked and offered his food to Kṛṣṇa, and spoke philosophy to even a single listener.
The Real Victory
Externally, he looked defeated. But spiritually, he was already victorious because he never forgot Kṛṣṇa. He never gave up. He never compromised.
At that moment, in the winter of New York, no one believed in him or supported him or recognized him.
But he believed in his guru, his mission, and Kṛṣṇa.
And that was enough.
Final Reflection
The world saw a struggling old man, but history would reveal a spiritual giant. A warrior. A pure devotee who crossed oceans, faced rejection after rejection, walked through freezing storms, endured loneliness, and never gave up.
And from that struggle, a global movement was born.
I will conclude this offering with one of Prabhupāda’s most powerful final instructions: “Your love for me will be shown by how you cooperate to keep this movement alive after I am gone.”
He knew that internal conflicts could weaken the movement, so he stressed unity, cooperation, and working together in service.
Here are some beautiful lines from his purport to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.30.8: “Those who are actually engaged in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be disunited in any circumstance. This makes the Supreme Personality of Godhead very happy and willing to award all kinds of benediction to His devotees, as indicated in this verse.”
Your humble servants,
The devotees at ISKCON Milton
Canada & USA, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Dearest 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
On behalf of the Minnesota temple and our Kṛṣṇa conscious community here, we feel grateful for another year under your shelter. Your presence continues to guide us in ways we often don’t even realize until later.
One of the most meaningful moments for us this year was hosting ISKCON Minnesota’s first Ratha-yātrā. For our community, it was a deeply emotional and joyful experience. Seeing Lord Jagannātha, Baladeva, and Subhadrā Devī come out and bless the streets of Minnesota felt like a moment we had been waiting for, and it touched our hearts in a way we will never forget.
Throughout the year, we saw your teachings quietly touch people. During our weekly kirtans, new guests stayed longer than they expected, especially many college students who were curious and searching for something deeper. Their openness, their questions, and the way they connected with the chanting showed us how naturally Kṛṣṇa consciousness can reach people when it’s offered with sincerity. The children’s enthusiasm during kirtan and service also brought a warmth to the temple that lifted everyone’s spirits.
In this Age of Kali, we see how stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed people are. Many feel lost or are unsure where to turn. But when they come in contact with your teachings – even briefly – something softens in their hearts. We see it in their eyes, in their questions, and in the relief they feel during kirtan. Your message gives people hope, clarity, and a sense of direction that is hard to find in today’s world.
Our university outreach at the University of Minnesota also gave us hope. Students were open, curious, and genuinely trying to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness and your mission. Their sincerity reminded us that your teachings continue to reach new people, even in places where we might not expect it.
Inside the temple, we’ve tried to strengthen our services – festivals, Deity worship, and caring for one another. There were times when things felt challenging, but returning to your instructions on humility and cooperation helped us stay steady. Again and again, we felt guided back to what truly matters.
As a community, we feel inspired to do more. We genuinely want to serve more, to reach more people, and to share Kṛṣṇa consciousness in a way that touches hearts. There is so much more we hope to offer – through outreach, festivals, prasādam, kirtan, and simply being available for anyone who is searching. Our prayer is to grow in sincerity and dedication so we can contribute more meaningfully to your mission.
We are grateful to serve under the guidance of His Holiness Romapāda Swami, whose instructions help us stay aligned with your mood and mission. His reminders about sincerity, patience, and genuine care keep us grounded as we try to carry forward even a small part of your vision.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, we feel so blessed. Your teachings give us hope, direction, and the heart to serve the community the way you taught – with humility and care.
Your servant of the servant,
Śauri Dāsa, temple president
