Homages Other Sources, VP2026
Dearest and most worshipable founder-ācārya, 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 this most auspicious occasion of Your Divine Grace’s Vyāsa-pūjā, we, the insignificant servants of the ISKCON Padayātrā Ministry, offer our humble obeisances unto your lotus feet again and again.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, whatever we witness today in the form of the padayātrās movement is a direct manifestation of your heartfelt instruction that the holy name of Kṛṣṇa be heard in every town and village. You personally entrusted this sacred order to His Holiness Lokanath Swami, and he has dedicated his entire life to carrying it out with unwavering determination and deep dependence on the holy name. Through his tireless padayātrās and exemplary renunciation, he continues to guide and inspire all of us to serve as humble instruments in fulfilling your divine desire. By his tireless padayātrās across the world, he has shown us what it truly means to depend on the holy name, to tolerate all difficulties, and to compassionately reach every soul. We are simply trying to follow in that path. This year is especially significant as we celebrate sixty years of ISKCON. Inspired by this historic moment, the ISKCON Padayātrā Ministry is striving to expand this movement by organizing:
- 60 Vaiṣṇavī padayātrās
- Padayātrās in 60+ temples across India
- 60 international padayātrās
Our humble endeavor is to bring harināma to as many villages, towns, and hearts as possible. By your mercy, many padayātrās are currently traveling and expanding. Some of them include:
- All India Padayātrā
- Maharashtra Padayātrā
- Punjab Haryana Padayātrā
- Produtar Padayātrā
- Prayagraj Padayātrā
- Tamil Nadu Padayātrā
- Uttar Pradesh Padayātrā
- Bengal Padayātrā
- Utkal Padayātrā
- Nepal Padayātrā
And recently, by your mercy, a new padayātrā has been inaugurated – the Sisupalgarh Padayātrā, further expanding this preaching mission.
On this sacred Vyāsa Pūjā occasion, we are also launching the Padayātrā magazine to spread the glories, realizations, and preaching impact of padayātrā. Understanding the need of the times, we are actively engaging in digital preaching. Many devotees are serving as “online padayātrīs,” engaged in:
- Creating and editing padayātrā reels
- Studying Padayātrā Worldwide and compiling insights
- Listening to lectures and transforming them into digital content
- Creating AI-based animated videos to present padayātrā in engaging ways
We are also running “ISKCON Padayātrā News,” a weekly update platform sharing where the padayātrās are traveling and where they will be reaching next so that nearby people can participate and receive the mercy of harināma.
Additionally, we are conducting monthly padayātrā sessions, sharing stories and realizations to inspire devotees. For the youth, we are developing experiential learning programs, allowing them to join padayātrās and gain practical devotional experience through structured, certified courses.
With folded hands, we also humbly hope that the spirit of padayātrā may be embraced more deeply across all ashrams. We pray that even sannyāsī devotees may increasingly experience and learn from padayātrā preaching and its unique potency.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, by your boundless mercy and the sincere execution of your instructions by His Holiness Lokanath Swami, this padayātrā movement has even been recognized on a global platform. It has been honored in the World Book of Records, London, acknowledging decades of continuous spiritual padayātrā – spreading devotion, promoting harmony, and walking thousands of kilometers in service to humanity. This recognition is not merely an achievement, but a testament to the power of your vision and the unwavering dedication of your disciple, who has carried your mission to the roads, villages, and hearts of countless souls.
All these efforts are taking place under the guidance of senior Vaiṣṇavas, including His Holiness Sri Krishna Chaitanya Swami (Padayātrā Minister), Her Grace Jayabhadra Mātājī (Padayātrā PR Head), His Grace Stoka Kṛṣṇa Gopu Prabhu (Padayātrā Managing Director), along with many other followers of Your Divine Grace.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, this padayātrā movement is your vision in action. Kindly bless us that we may remain humble instruments in fulfilling your desire to spread the holy name to every town and village.
Your insignificant servants at the ISKCON Padayātrā Ministry
Homages Other Sources, VP2026
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace.
Looking at the world around us, it seems there is darkness everywhere. There are fights, conflicts, and wars going on in Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Iran, the US, and many other places. There seems to be conflict among the devotees in ISKCON as well.
In these difficult times, we seek the shelter of your ISKCON movement, of your faithful and mature ISKCON devotees, and especially of your vāṇī.
In your purport to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.20.18 you write: “Both King Indra and Mahārāja Pṛthu were envious and angry with each other, but since both were Vaiṣṇavas, or servants of Lord Viṣṇu, it was their duty to adjust the cause of their envy. This is also a first-class example of cooperative behavior between Vaiṣṇavas.” [Emphasis added]
While we celebrate ISKCON’s sixtieth anniversary, we meditate on your words spoken in 1966 in New York: “‘Yes, I will act according to Your desire.’ That is bhakti. This is the difference between bhakti and karma. Karma means to fulfill my desires, and bhakti means to fulfill Kṛṣṇa’s desires. That is the difference. Now you make your choice as to whether you want to fulfill your own desires or Kṛṣṇa’s. If you decide to fulfill Kṛṣṇa’s desire, then your life is successful. That is our Kṛṣṇa conscious life. ‘Kṛṣṇa wants it; I must do it. I will not do anything for me.’ That is Vrindavan. All the inhabitants of Vrindavan are trying to fulfill Kṛṣṇa’s desire. The cowherd boys, the calves, the cows, the trees, the flowers, the water, the gopīs, the elderly inhabitants, Mother Yaśodā, Nanda are all engaged in fulfilling Kṛṣṇa’s desire. That is Vrindavan. So you can turn this material world into Vrindavan provided you agree to fulfill the desires of Kṛṣṇa. (Lecture, Bhagavad-gītā 16.4, Honolulu, 1975)
Please bless us that we can make your desires, which are Kṛṣṇa’s desires, our life and soul and thus become instruments to transform this world into Vrindavan.
We hope that we can show our love for you by cooperating with one another, and inspiring others to cooperate with one another, to keep your desires at the forefront of our consciousness and actions.
By your mercy, ISKCONResolve is gradually becoming more active and better organized around the world. We wish that it becomes something you are proud of.
Please bless us that we can be your willing instruments in creating better understanding and cooperation among devotees. We are unqualified, so please empower us to serve you, your movement, and your devotees in a way that is pleasing to you.
Thanking you,
Your servant,
Ācāryaratna Dāsa, on behalf of the global ISKCONResolve team
Homages Other Sources, 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 my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace!
In your commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.5.12, you reveal a fundamental principle for establishing a divine society: that everyone is eligible to serve the Supreme Lord.
Everyone should be allowed to render service to the Lord to the best of his ability, and everyone should appreciate the service of others. Such are the activities of Vaikuṇṭha [the spiritual world]. Since everyone is a servant, everyone is on the same platform and is allowed to serve the Lord according to his ability.
You teach us that Vaikuṇṭha is not a distant, abstract realm, but a state of consciousness where the service of every soul is valued. The spiritual platform is the great equalizer. In a world obsessed with hierarchy and competition, you remind us that, as servants of the same master, we are all fundamentally unified. You have shown us that the secret to spiritual harmony is twofold: the freedom to offer our unique talents to Kṛṣṇa, and the humility to sincerely appreciate the offerings of others.
As our movement grows, we sometimes struggle to accept one another’s differences, but you teach us that the individual nature of the soul is eternal. Rejecting the heresy of impersonalism, you give us a vision of unity in diversity. As personalists, we understand that unity is not forced upon us by conformity. Spiritual unity can only be accomplished by cooperation between different natures and by our appreciation of each other’s unique contributions.
We are part of a worldwide family. Please help us to see every devotee’s effort as a precious contribution to your mission. Please help us to cultivate this Vaikuṇṭha atmosphere here on earth, making ISKCON a place where everyone feels empowered to serve and truly valued for their devotion. Please give us the inspiration to increase our own service and enough humility and compassion to empower others around us to do the same.
Your servant,
Rādhā Devī Dāsī, for the ISKCON Vaiṣṇavī Ministry
Homages Other Sources, 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 humble and respectful obeisances at your divine lotus feet. We adore those lotus feet with the heartfelt desire to only serve them eternally.
The tremendous power of time forcefully keeps turning the blades of the churning mixer that is this material cosmic creation. Anything coming into existence immediately starts to deteriorate with the sun’s inevitable dawns and settings till it becomes nil.
But Your Divine Grace’s glories do not deteriorate. Not at all! On the contrary, your glories increase and increase more and more – exponentially at every tick-tock of time’s clock.
You reside in Kṛṣṇa’s heart. Thus, you are merged in that transcendental anxiety felt by Śrī Kṛṣṇa for the condition of the fallen soul, His part and parcel. Forgetting how much He loves us, we uselessly suffer, loitering here and there within the material atmosphere. You feel Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental compassion toward the fallen soul. Unlike the material compassion that only mourns the suffering of the mortal creatures, Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental compassion is manifest in His longing to bring His part and parcel back home to rejoin Him in His eternal, blissful pastimes.
O dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, you actually “are” the personification of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s intense transcendental compassion – so much so that you infuse that compassion in whomever comes in contact with Your Divine Grace. Please allow us to be your servants in satisfying that longing of the Lord.
*
“Alas!” – cries out the sinful soul –
“Why am I in this hell?
I’m swallowed by this dark black hole,
Where cries as echoes dwell.”
Making her way through countless forms
To fill this human frame,
The fallen soul perceives the thorns
Of this material game.
She reaches into empty air
To find a solid hand;
But finds a vacuum of despair
Where ghosts of shadows stand.
Now questions from millions of years
Filling the outer shell,
A tiny spark of thought appears
That could those doubts dispel.
But world’s cacophony rings loud;
Allured, she turns astray,
And blinded by the mortal shroud,
Again she falls as prey.
Thus, sinking back in the dark frost
Through endless forms of grief,
Once more that human chance is lost
To find the soul’s relief.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa sees the soul depart,
Forgetful of her place;
His sweet eternal, loving part,
Now lost in time and space.
But Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s deep connection,
Makes Him feel the soul’s strain.
As with a finger’s infection,
The whole body feels pain.
That Arjuna’s felt compassion,
The one Śrī Kṛṣṇa scorned,
In the world’s religious fashion,
Those who suffer are mourned.
It may nourish worldly sattva;
It’s not for Kṛṣṇa’s sake,
Nor for transcendental tattva.
The soul does not awake.
The Lord wants us with Him so much,
Much more than we can think.
Sends “you” to break the Māyā’s clutch
And thus restore the link.
O dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
You’re that Kṛṣṇa’s longing;
You’re the death of Māyāvada,
Our sense of belonging.
O Prabhupāda, our dear Lord,
If we could but reflect
That true compassion you have poured;
Even a tiny speck.
So many truly need saving!
Make us become your rays,
To sate Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s craving
For souls to join His plays.
Just as a cintāmaṇi stone,
Turns iron into gold,
You turn our feeling, sad and lone,
To longing for His fold.
You’re here to change our rebel mood
That as a painful dart,
When māyā holds the soul subdued,
Keeps piercing Kṛṣṇa’s heart.
You are the Lord’s compassion’s form,
So powerful! So strong!
You drag lost souls just like a storm
To where they do belong.
You’re making every soul aware
Of how Śrī Kṛṣṇa feels,
Since you, yourself, are Kṛṣṇa’s share
That He Himself reveals.
Without Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s presence,
Gaurāṅga sees all void.
Nonetheless, feeling that absence,
He’s purely overjoyed.
We feel that separation too,
We miss your “face to face”;
Yet we shall always be with you,
Craving “Your Divine Grace.”
*
Holding very dear that intensely unifying feeling of separation, we pray to the most magnanimous Śrī Śrī Gaura-Nitāi to never let us forget your divine instructions and to kindly let us be eternally engaged in serving your divine lotus feet so that, even if we miss you so much, we shall still always be with Your Divine Grace.
Your humble respectful servants at Radio Krishna Centrale, Terni, Italy
(written by Narakantaka Dāsa)
Homages Other Sources, VP2026
Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace!
You have saved our lives.
You gave us festivals.
You gave us prasāda.
You gave us Gaura-Nitāi.
You gave us Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the Bhagavad-gītā.
You gave us the holy name.
You gave us harināma at the Plaza.
You gave us devotee association.
You gave us a perfect path.
You have saved our lives.
Please tell us, please guide us, please demand of us, please empower us to understand and execute Your order. What can we give to Your Divine Grace? What could we ever give to Your Divine Grace? How may we serve Your Divine Grace?
Your divine association is affording us the very rare opportunity to cross over the ocean of material existence.
We beg to smear the dust of your lotus feet upon ourselves. Please bless us with this opportunity again and again. Please never let us forget the unlimited ocean of mercy that is your soft heart of thunderous compassion. Please allow us to recruit and train more of your wayward associates. Please look kindly upon each and every one of us.
Your fledgling servants from the Rūpānuga Vedic College,
Kansas City, Missouri, USA
Homages Other Sources, VP2026
Dearest Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our grateful obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine Grace!
In 2018, the GBC’s Organizational Development Committee created SABHA (Spiritual Advisors Bhagavata Assembly) to strengthen unity among ISKCON’s spiritual leaders and provide checks and balances on the authority of the GBC. Your Divine Grace planted the seed for these purposes in March 1976, when you rejected several proposals the GBC had passed that greatly disturbed your Society’s temple presidents. Chastened by your action, on March 1, 1977, the GBC formally established a system of review for its decisions:
After the agenda has been completed, the Temple Presidents’ meeting will be held. If by a 2/3 majority the presidents vote any suggested amendments to the resolutions or make new resolutions, these will be referred back to the GBC, who will meet to vote on them, and that decision will be final. Śrīla Prabhupāda will then review these decisions for ultimate decision and/or approval.
As Your Divine Grace knew, your “ultimate decision and/or approval” would not be long for this world. Yet you liked the temple presidents’ review of the GBC’s resolutions and indicated that it could go on after your physical demise – which it did, until the number of ISKCON temples grew so large that it became impractical for all the presidents to meet and review the resolutions.
Inevitably, Your Divine Grace’s departure triggered many disagreements, which years before you had given the key to resolving: “If we keep Krishna in the center, then there will be agreement in varieties. This is called unity in diversity. I am therefore suggesting that all our men meet in Mayapur every year during the birth anniversary of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. With all GBC and senior men present we should discuss how to make unity in diversity.” (Letter to Kirtanananda, 18 October 1973)
To achieve unity in diversity, SABHA offers the GBC an opportunity to hear from other qualified Vaiṣṇavas and tap their collective wisdom. SABHA can also suggest issues the GBC could consider for discussion or solution. Again, there is precedent for this during Your Divine Grace’s presence. A GBC resolution dated March 7, 1977, stated: “Concerning topics to be presented each year at the GBC meeting in Mayapur, the temple presidents should submit topics to their GBC representative 45 days prior to the meeting, and the GBC representatives will present those topics 30 days before the meeting to the three GBC officers” (today called the GBC Executive Committee).
Overall, SABHA collaboratively works with the GBC by reviewing and proposing legislation and by suggesting topics for discussion with the aim of improving the quality, legitimacy, and acceptance of GBC resolutions. SABHA adds value to ISKCON’s governance by offering sound śāstric advice and expressing the will of the constituencies they represent. Hence, the sacred duty of SABHA is to, together with the GBC, act as an instrument of Your Divine Grace’s transcendental will.
As an advisory body, SABHA cannot enact or implement any legislation independently. At the same time, we have the ear of the GBC, Śrīla Prabhupāda, ISKCON’s “ultimate managing authority,” who want to better understand the needs, interests, and concerns of your Society’s members. Indeed, it is only by communicating and cooperating – your final measure of our love for you – that we can give everyone the opportunity to know and love Kṛṣṇa.
As Your Divine Grace told the Rādhā-Dāmodara Saṅkīrtana Party in Mayapur: “It is simply by cooperation we can do very big thing. ‘United we stand; divided we fall’ … There is hope in our Society, combination. There are Hindus; there are Muslims; there are Christians; there are black, white. Combine them. That looks very beautiful, just like combination of many flowers … Each and every flower take alone, it is not beautiful, but when they are combined together, it looks very beautiful. It is attractive. And that is wanted.” (Room conversation, Mayapur, March 16, 1976)
Thank you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, for guiding us and your sincere followers to find the cooperation we’ll need to please you and take Kṛṣṇa consciousness to every town and village.
Your grateful servants at SABHA
