Canada & USA, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
On this auspicious appearance day of Your Divine Grace, we wish to offer some token glorification at your lotus feet.
In your purport to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.17, it is written, “Those who are not conversant with the activities of the Lord and His transcendental realm are sometimes favored by the Lord in His adventures as incarnations, wherein He displays the eternal bliss of His association in the transcendental realm. By such activities He attracts the conditioned souls of the material world.”
We should know that when the Lord comes, He is seen directly by the public present at that time, but when He leaves, unless the pure devotees broadcast knowledge of Him, He will become unmanifest again. Such was the condition on this earth after Lord Kṛṣṇa left the planet five thousand years ago. Except for India and a few adjacent countries, He was unknown to most of the population.
But today, because of Your Divine Grace’s determination to preach, our movement is known and appreciated everywhere. There are 800 temples, 550 million books distributed, and numerous farms, schools, and restaurants spread throughout many countries. These displays are but a token of your legacy. We can call this expansion the external manifestation of your sincere efforts, but even more important is the transformation that is created in the heart of anyone who becomes your sincere follower. That experience is of a transcendental nature, and it removes our inner dissatisfaction and replaces it with the fulfillment of our innermost heart’s desires.
Only someone completely pure at heart and in personality, chosen and empowered by Kṛṣṇa, can spread His message far and wide as you did. The endeavor to please you is the key to spiritual success. Here at Śaraṇāgati, by giving Kṛṣṇa conscious education to our children, protecting cows, offering the Sunday feast experience to the public, and observing all the Kṛṣṇa conscious festivals and living a simple lifestyle, we are trying to do just that.
On this auspicious day, we again beg for the shelter of your lotus feet, as remembrance of you is our only solace in this condition of separation.
Your servant,
Ghosh Ṭhākura Dāsa
on behalf of the residents of Śaraṇāgati Dhāma
Canada & USA, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Hare Kṛṣṇa, dearest and beloved Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept my most humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace, who out of unlimited compassion descended to deliver the fallen souls of this age.
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
Śrīla Prabhupāda, when I try to write this offering, my heart feels overwhelmed with gratitude. What am I without your mercy? In a distant land, far away from the holy dhāma and strong devotee association, I’ve often wondered how my spiritual life will survive.
Three years ago, when I moved from Mumbai to Saskatoon, there was uncertainty and quiet fear within me. Mumbai was filled with your presence – temples, devotees, kirtans, festivals – your mercy flowed everywhere. Coming here felt like stepping into a vast spiritual emptiness.
But Śrīla Prabhupāda, you did not abandon me. By your invisible and divine arrangement, you gently guided me to your devotees here. Discovering the congregation in Saskatoon felt like a thirsty traveler finding water in a desert. In that moment, I realized deeply that you are always present wherever your sincere followers gather: tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada: “O Nārada, I reside wherever My devotees chant My glories.”
You also reside wherever your devotees chant your glories, and I experienced this truth personally. By your mercy, our congregation gathers regularly every Sunday. These weekly programs are filled with the chanting of the holy names, soulful kirtans, enlightening discussions on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, and the joyful honoring of prasādam. These gatherings provide us with spiritual nourishment and strength to continue our journey in Kṛṣṇa consciousness amidst the challenges of daily life.
In addition to the weekly programs, we also come together to celebrate important Vaiṣṇava festivals with devotion and enthusiasm. These occasions bring great joy and unity among the devotees and also serve as an opportunity to introduce newcomers to the beauty of devotional service. Though our congregation may be small, the sincerity, dedication, and cooperative spirit among the devotees are truly inspiring.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, by your inspiration, there are also ongoing preaching efforts in this region. Devotees are trying in their own humble capacities to share Kṛṣṇa consciousness with others, whether by organizing programs, inviting new people, distributing prasādam, or sharing your teachings. In this connection, your instruction always inspires us:
bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakāra
One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India [Bhārata-varṣa] should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.
In a place where awareness of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is still growing, every small effort feels significant and meaningful. It is only by your empowerment that such preaching can take place and remind us of our real purpose.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.17) states:
śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām
Through hearing and chanting, you continue to cleanse our hearts, even from afar.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, one of the most beautiful manifestations of your mercy here is the Kṛṣṇa Club for children. It is deeply touching to see young hearts being gently guided toward Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Through simple teachings, kirtans, stories, and activities, children are learning about Kṛṣṇa and devotional life. What is even more wonderful is that their parents also come, participate, and gradually become connected. In this way, your movement is quietly and steadily touching entire families. Seeds of devotion are being planted in young hearts – seeds that will one day grow into strong trees of bhakti. This, Śrīla Prabhupāda, is your miracle.
Another glorious occasion when your mercy shines brightly is the Ratha-yātrā festival. Even here in Saskatoon, this festival becomes a grand mahā-yātrā, drawing thousands of people. As Lord Jagannātha, Baladeva, and Subhadrā Devī ride on Their chariot, and devotees pull the ropes with joy, the entire atmosphere transforms. The streets echo with the holy names:
harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
In those moments, it feels as though the spiritual world descends upon this place. Strangers become participants, hearts become softened, and your mercy flows freely to all. We are also deeply fortunate to receive the association and blessings of the “Walking Monk,” His Holiness Bhaktimārga Swami, during such events. His presence strengthens our faith and inspires us to serve your mission with greater sincerity.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, when we as a congregation see all this, we cannot help but marvel at your inconceivable vision. You came alone, with nothing material but with complete faith in Kṛṣṇa, and today, even in a small city like Saskatoon, your movement is alive, breathing, and growing.
Your books are our constant shelter. In moments of confusion, they guide us. In moments of weakness, they uplift us. Through your words, you are still speaking, still teaching, still transforming lives.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.18) states:
naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā
bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī
Personally, I feel deeply unqualified and insignificant. Yet somehow, by your mercy, I have been allowed to remain connected to this path. Whatever little devotion I have is simply your gift. Śrīla Prabhupāda, please forgive my countless shortcomings, my lack of sincerity, and my many offenses. I have no qualification, but I have hope – hope in your mercy.
tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor, yet is always prepared to give all respect to others, can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, please bless the Saskatoon devotees that we may develop even a drop of this humility, so that we may chant sincerely and learn to serve without pride. Please engage us all, in whatever small way, in your mission. Let us remain always connected to the association of all devotees. Let us never forget your instructions.
I also pray for the continued growth and unity of this Saskatoon congregation. May we remain instruments in your hands, working together in harmony to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, you have given us everything – Kṛṣṇa, the holy name, the path, and the purpose. We have nothing to offer in return except this small prayer: Please never let us forget you. Please keep us always under your shelter.
Your insignificant servant,
Vijayalaxmi Priya Devī Dāsī
on behalf of the Saskatoon yātrā
Canada & USA, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept my most sincere humble obeisances. All glories unto you. By the inconceivable mercy and grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, I somehow found the way to your lotus feet. You have inspired all of us, both individually and collectively, to find ways to serve your ISKCON mission.
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, when we see where we came from spiritually and where we are today, it is all because of your mercy, passed on to us by your ambassadors and followers. Our sincere, humble, and heartfelt desire is to pass on the same love, care, and protection that we and our families have received from you through the preaching activities at ISKCON Muskoka. It is a great credit to your teaching that we are able to perform a service through preaching under the shelter of ISKCON Muskoka.
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, as far as the preaching is concerned, we are performing a number of activities to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness through your teachings and the teachings of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu – activities such as celebrating a Sunday feast program, holding yoga programs, celebrating all the festivals, including Ratha-yātrā, Gaura-Pūrṇimā, Janmāṣṭamī, Rādhāṣṭamī, Govardhana-pūjā, and many more. We preach, hold kirtans, cook prasādam, perform dhāma-sevā, and educate our next generation in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, you are my life and soul. Please allow us to serve your lotus feet, and keep us in the service of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Muskoka Īśvara.
Your insignificant servant,
Vyāsa Āchārya Dāsa
and the devotees of ISKCON Muskoka
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
Śrīla Prabhupāda, on this auspicious day of your appearance, we meditate on your unusual achievement of establishing Kṛṣṇa consciousness on such a wide scale to such a wide spectrum of individuals.
Just as Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī is honored as śrī-gaura-karuṇa-vigraha, “the personified energy of Sri Caitanya’s mercy,” you have inherited that divine quality, which rescues fallen souls from the great dream of being independent enjoyers in this world. When they become attracted by your loving compassion, they awaken their eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa.
Guru means heavy. You are carrying the heaviest manifestation of the Lord’s internal potency, comprised of love and compassion. This gaura-śakti, which propelled you in your mission, was quite evident by your great determination to distribute the holy names to whomever you met. And because your chanting of the holy names was imbued with prema, it penetrated the hearts of all listeners, making you immediately successful.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, we have a dire need for your mercy that we may also be recipients of this gaura-karuṇa-śakti and thus enabled to distribute the holy name and teachings of Lord Caitanya to the conditioned souls. Most importantly, we need your mercy in order to be able to show sincere love and respect for our fellow devotees. Land, buildings, corporate organization, philosophy, and even beautiful Deities are not enough to unite a group of diverse personalities into a community or society of loving devotees. Without such an example of loving devotees, how can we attract others to the sublime culture of Kṛṣṇa consciousness?
You are our source for this divine mercy which eradicates all contamination in the heart and establishes transcendental love of God.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, we bow down at your lotus feet with all the humility and sincerity at our command, ready to serve you and please you in any way.
Your humble servants at New Tālavana farm, in southern Mississippi
(written by Pṛthuśravā Dāsa)
Canada & USA, Homages ISKCON Centers, VP2026
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace.
To fulfill the order of your spiritual master, sixty years ago you came to America to teach the ancient science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and to share the message of Lord Caitanya through the harināma-saṅkīrtana movement.
I offer my prostrated obeisances unto you as your servant and disciple.
Upon departing this mortal world, you graciously left us your transcendental presence to carry on your mission – your example of a life of devotion, the ISKCON movement you established, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and all your books, initiation into our Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava lineage, your many instructions, and the association of your dedicated followers.
These gifts flow from your mercy, compassion, wisdom, and sacrifice. You are our only qualification. You are the wealth we have to give.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, we happily and gratefully distribute your gifts.
Touched by your compassion for all conditioned souls, our hearts awaken with the desire to love Kṛṣṇa. In that awakening, our darkness is dispelled, and we naturally want to share this gift with others.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, you have touched so many hearts, and with gratitude we offer this service.
To live in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we cultivate a service attitude for Kṛṣṇa. You have taught us to become strong and empowered through bhakti-yoga – a process by which we develop a loving relationship with God. When love arises from the spiritual platform, it transcends all material considerations. In this way, bhakti connects the heart and soul, unified by the grace of Kṛṣṇa.
You have instructed us to ground our devotional life in sādhana, the daily practices of bhakti-yoga. We seek Kṛṣṇa while trying to please Your Divine Grace – chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and your other books, participating in kirtan, taking darshan of the Deities, preparing and honoring prasādam, and serving with devotees. By maintaining these practices, by your grace, we become strengthened in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, we pray for the focus and association needed to cultivate the desire to please you.
From your example we have learned that Kṛṣṇa always helps the sincere. Whoever we are, wherever we come from, whatever we have done or not done, Kṛṣṇa responds to sincerity. As we approach Him, “He preserves what we have and carries what we lack.” Even when His help comes in unexpected ways, we trust it as an opportunity for purification and growth in bhakti.
We pray to receive Kṛṣṇa’s mercy and to help share the message that He always protects His devotees.
Through your books, we understand that Kṛṣṇa resides within the heart, even if we cannot yet perceive him. By following your instructions – serving the servants of your devotees and chanting Kṛṣṇa’s holy names – His beauty, grace, and mercy awaken within us. He removes our anarthas and grants liberation even in this life.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, you blessed the world by coming to the forests of West Virginia to establish the sacred New Vrindaban pilgrimage project. After naming this place New Vrindaban Dhāma, you returned many times to sanctify it as a community rooted in simple living and high thinking. You instructed us to recite Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam daily, care for the land, protect the cows, and welcome pilgrims who come for association and darshan of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Vṛndāvana Candra. For this, we remain deeply grateful.
With this spirit, we strive to embrace your teachings. Please bless us to reflect even a small measure of the urgency with which you traveled the world, sharing compassion for all conditioned souls and setting the example for us to follow.
Although I am unqualified to be part of your mission, you have accepted me nonetheless. I pray for your mercy to pass the tests required to serve and assist you.
Your servant,
Sudhanu Dāsa
On behalf of the New Vrindaban community
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 my humble obeisance unto your lotus feet. All glories to you on this auspicious day of your Vyāsa-pūjā.
Regardless of our situation, we are protected by the power of the divine name, which, by your great efforts and mercy, has grown to fill more than eight hundred centers worldwide and will keep on increasing. ISKCON Niagara is one of these centers. Though I lack the knowledge and ability to properly glorify you, still, by your unconditional mercy, you have blessed us beyond what we deserve.
oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ
As you stated, you are still dissipating the darkness of ignorance in the world of māyā through your books. If not for these words that are available to us via the technological medium, those of us who have not seen you physically would not have an opportunity to hear and chant with you.
We at Niagara present the knowledge through your books to all the new devotees visiting our center for the first time. Our book distribution team has been placing smart boxes in various retail outlets in order to pass out the transcendental treasure of knowledge to all.
Inspired by your childhood Ratha-yātrā, we at Niagara, as a growing center, by your mercy have taken steps to organize a children’s Ratha-yātrā. It was a great event, by your blessings. This year we intend to perform it again so that kids get connected to the Lord with a smile. In the future, we aspire to hold a massive Ratha-yātrā along Niagara Falls.
Our Sunday school teachers are making sure that our little devotees grow up to be happy, intelligent, self-disciplined, and absorbed in a spirit of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Prabhupāda, you taught us how childhood education determines the future of both the individual and the society. Please bless us so that we may train the children properly. We want that they become the strongest hope for a spiritually progressive society.
Our cultural team has been delivering the pastimes of the Supreme through dramas and classical dance performances. In this way they reach those who neither read nor hear about the Supreme and His love for His devotees.
What would have happened if you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, had not come? This line holds so true in our lives. If you had not been there, then the life of fallen souls like us would have been wasted without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You have truly been a senāpati-bhakta, as mentioned by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You have saved so many souls and are still doing so by training them to fight against māyā by handing them the word of hari-nāma, especially for jīvas like us, who are far away from the holy dhāma.
yadi pāpi chāḍi dharma dūre deśe yāya
mora senāpati-bhakta yāibe tathāya
(Śrī Caitanya-maṅgala)
We have been organizing our annual retreats, where we visit other ISKCON centers. These visits have been loved by the devotees, as they get a chance to glorify the Lord with other devotees and even improve their sādhana while they are away from their regular duties.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, you established ISKCON by engaging the youth. We at ISKCON Niagara have been working on our youth by involving them in various services. An exclusive bhakti-vṛkṣa is being conducted for them so they can be trained in the line of devotional service. It gives me immense pleasure to share with you that the youth of Niagara are leading kirtans, doing book distribution, performing saṅkīrtana, and decorating for festivals.
Our prasādam team has been serving everyone enthusiastically during the regular programs, festivals, and events. Our team firmly believes consuming prasādam becomes a vehicle for the soul’s purification and a way of receiving Kṛṣṇa’s mercy.
The merciful month of Dāmodara is celebrated with great enthusiasm at Niagara by reaching out to new families and organizing deepdan at their homes. By your blessings, we have reached out to many new souls.
Not to forget our Vaiṣṇavi Saṅga, where our mātājīs get together to share and learn about gṛhastha rules and upbringing of our little bhaktas into great devotees. Various arts and crafts activities are conducted, which are used for service at our center.
How fortunate are we to have you as our eternal father! Let us, as your spiritual children, boldly prove to the world that you are truly the Lord’s senāpati, a merciful rain cloud who came to extinguish the blazing fire of birth and death that engulfs the material world. Please let the desire to set an example and serve your mission awaken deeply in our hearts. Bless us to learn and follow the time management skills so we execute our spiritual duties efficiently and build a beautiful temple at Niagara that will serve the society on both sides of the river.
Your aspiring fallen servant,
Rajeshwari Devī Dāsī
On behalf of ISKCON Niagara
