I have most probably given many people troubles in...

3

I have most probably given many people troubles in the

mind. Some of them might have thought about me that

I am their enemy because I was obliged to speak the

plain truth for service and devotion towards the

Absolute Godhead. I have given them all those troubles

only for the reason that they may turn their face

towards the Personality of Godhead without any desire

for gain and with unalloyed devotion. I hope some day

or other they may understand me rightly."

- His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura

Prabhupada -

"

Dearest Srila Prabhupada

This year, the ISKCON Pandava Sena present

a Tribute Book at Your Lotus Feet on the 8th December 2012.

It contains a combination of literary, visual and poetic compositions

by the aspiring devotees, describing their gratitude and love for what

You have so mercifully bestowed upon us. During the latter part of

Your visit to this planet, You instructed that the expression of our

love for You will be shown by how well we cooperate with one another.

In this spirit, the Pandava Sena have worked together in

to launch a number of projects. Our university preaching, which was

very dear to You, has soared in numbers. Through this year’s Freshers

preaching alone, we have had 525 vibrant and enthusiastic

students who have attended our Kcsoc events and continue to weekly.

Your causeless mercy knows no bounds. We are eternally grateful to You

for allowing us to know Krishna and allowing us to give this

knowledge to the world. Our lives would be nothing without You.

We incessantly pray with all attempts of humility at Your Lotus Feet to keep us

close to You and Your mission and we hope that our actions and attempts

will put a beaming smile on Your Face and the Acharyas of our parampara.

With love and deep gratitude,

Your Servants at Pandava Sena

6

- Srila Prabhupada Tribute Book -

ContentsSri Mangalacharan………………………………………………………….….9-11

Nectar…………………………………………………………………...……..12-13

Branch Offerings:

-Aston University.……………………………………………………….………..17

-Birmingham University………………………………………………………17-18

-Cardiff University…………………………………………………………....18-19

-DeMonfort University..…..……………………………………………………..19

-East London Jammin……………………………………………………………20

-Harrow Jammin’…………………………………………………………………21

-Imperia University..…………………………………………………………..21-22

-Launchpad……………………………………………………………………22-23

-Leicester University………………………………………………………….23-24

-Nottingham University…………………………………………………….……24

-Pandava Sena…………………………………………...........….…………..24-25

-Pstudios…………………………………………………………………………..25

-Queen Mary’s University………………………………………………………..26

Devotee Offerings:

-Abhishek Joshi……………………………………………………………….29-30

-Akash Thakrar………………………………………………………………..30-31

-Arjun Belaid………………………………………………………………………31

-Avnish Popat………………….….………………………………………………32

-Beatrice Baiden………………………………………………………………32-33

-Bhaktin Mitali…………………………………………………………………33-34

-Bhavik Patel………………………………………………………………………34

7

-Bhumi Agravat….………………………………………………….…………………..35

-Braja Vadhu devi dasi…………………………………….………………………..35-36

-Brijesh Vadhvania………………………………………….…………………………..36

-Chandrika Coyle…………………………………………….…………………………36

-Deenal Patel……………………………………..……………………………………..37

-Devanshi….……………………………………..…………………………………..37-38

-Dhani…………………………………………………………..……………..…………38

-Dharmaraj Das……………………………..…………………………………………..38

-Dharmesh Nayee….…………………………….…………………………………38-39

-Dhiren Patel…………………………….………………………………………………39

-Dilan……………………………………….…….……………………………………...40

-Ekadashi Ryan……………………………..………………………………………..40-41

-Geena…………………………………….…….……………………………….………41

-Henal……………………………………..……………………………………….…41-42

-Jahnvi Raniga…………………………….…….………………………………………42

-Janaki Desai…………………………….…….…..……………………………………43

-Jay Krishna…………………………………….……………………………………43-44

-Karishma Paun………………………………..………………………………………..44

-Karunamoya Das…………………………….……………………………………..44-45

-Kasturi Manjari devi dasi……………………..…………………………………....45-46

-Khush Chaudasama………………………….………………………………………..46

-Kinjal Jhutani………………………………….……………………………………46-47

-Kishan Paun.……………………………….……..……….…………………..……47-48

-Komal Parekh…………….….……………………..…………………………………..48

-Krishna Dattani………………………………….……………………………………..49

-Krsna Kirtan Das…………………………………..……………….…………….…50-51

-Lakhan and Hasita………………………………..…………………..……………51-53

-Lalita Sakhi Devi Dasi………………………………..…………………………….53-54

-Madhurananda Das…………………………………..……………………………54-55

-Madhvi……………………………………………………………………………..55-56

8


-Micheal…………………………………………………….………….….…..…56-57

-Mihir Kara…………………………………………………………….…………57-58

-Meera Gajj…………………………………………………………………………59

-Mohini Mistry………………………………………………………………………60

-Murlidhara Priya Das………………………………………………………………61

-Neha………………………………………………………………………………...62

-Nikhil Padiar………………………………………………………………………..62

-Nilee Joshi………………………………………………………………………62-63

-Palika…………………………………………………………………………….63-64

-Prayag Thakrar……………………………………………………………………..64

-Priya Ghelani…………………………………………………………………….…65

-Raaj Raniga…………………………………………………………………………65

-Radha Vinode………………………………………………………………………66

-Radhika Joshi………………………………………………………………………67

-Rahul Popat………………………………………………………………………...68

-Rangadevi devi dasi………………………………………………………………69

-Ravi Pattni……………………………………………………………………….69-70

-Ravi Talsania………………………………………………………………….…70-72

-Sahil Agarwal………………………………………………………………………72

-Sejal…………………………………………………………………………………72

-Shankar……………………………………………………………………………..73

-Shiv………………………………………………………………………………73-74

-Shyam Dattani……………………………………………………………………...75

-Sona……………………………………………………………………………..75-76

-Sunil…………………………………………………………………………………76

-Umeeka……………………………………………………………………….…76-77

-Vedant………………………………………………………………………………77

-Vishal popat………………………………………………………………………...77

-Vrinda Kishori Dasi……………………………………………………………..77-78

9

-Vrindavan Bihari………………………………………………………………..78-79

-Yaajan Govindia……………………………………………………………………79

-Yash Karia………………………………………………………….……………79-80

-Your incompetent servant…………………………………………………………80

8


9

Sri Mangalacaran

Om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-shalakaya

chakshur unmilitam yena tasmai shri-guruve namaha

I was born in the darkest of ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my

eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.

shri-chaitanya-mano 'bhishtam sthapitam yena bhu-tale

svayam rupah kada mahyam dadati sva-padantikam

When will Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada, who has established within this

material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Chaitanya, give me

shelter under his lotus feet?

vande 'ham shri-guroh shri-yuta-pada-kamalam shri-gurun vaishnavams cha

shri-rupam sagrajatam saha-gana-raghunathanvitam tam sa-jivam

sadvaitam savadhutam parijana-sahitam krishna-chaitanya-devam

shri-radha-krishna-padan saha-gana-lalita-shri-vishakhanvitamsh cha

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master

and unto the feet of all Vaishnavas. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the

lotus feet of Srila Rupa Gosvami along with his elder brother Sanatana

Gosvami, as well as Raghunatha Dasa and Raghunatha Bhatta, Gopala

Bhatta, and Srila Jiva Gosvami.

10

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Krishna Chaitanya and Lord

Nityananda, along with Advaita Acharya, Gadadhara, Srivasa, and

other associates. I offer my respectful obeisances to Srimati

Radharani, and Sri Krishna along with Their associates, Sri Lalita and

Vishakha.

he krishna karuna-sindho dina bandho jagat pate

gopesha gopika-kanta radha-kanta namo 'stu te

O my dear Krishna, You are the friend of the distressed and the

source of creation. You are the master of the gopis and the lover of

Radharani. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.

tapta-kanchana-gaurangi radhe vrindavaneshvari

vrishabhanu-sute devi pranamami hari-priye

I offer my respects to Radharani whose bodily complexion is like

molten gold and who is the Queen of Vrindavana. You are the

daughter of King Vrishabhanu, and You are very dear to Lord

Krishna.

11

vancha-kalpa tarubhyash cha kripa-sindhubhya eva cha

patitanam pavanebhyo vaishnavebhyo namo namaha

I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaishnava devotees

of the Lord who can fulfil the desires of everyone, just like desire

trees, and who are full of compassion for the fallen souls.

shri krishna chaitanya prabhu nityananda

shri advaita gadadhara shrivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda

I offer my obeisances to Shri Krishna Chaitanya, Prabhu

Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhara, Shrivasa and all others in

the line of devotion.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

12


“The qualities in Srila Prabhupada that stand out in my mind are

assuredness, certainly and conviction. Prabhupada didn't hypothesize or

theorize. He spoke the truth with such conviction that you could

understand that what he said was true. His purity came through with his

message arid his message could not be argued. 1 was convinced by Srila

Prabhupada's conviction and purity. When he said something with that

conviction and that purity, there was nothing else to say.

You were convinced.”

- HH Candramauli Swami -

13

“Brahmananda said that when Prabhupada asked him to go to Macmillan to

give them the Bhagavad-gita manuscript, he was hesitant. Brahmananda

thought, "Macmillan's a big company, how Will they be interested in this?"

But when Brahmananda—or any of us—submitted to Prabhupada's direction,

combined with the chanting and the philosophy and the entire process or the

treatment, as Prabhupada sometimes called it, then awesome things

happened. As Prabhupada said, "The pure devotee doesn't do anything

extraordinary, but extraordinary things take place all around him."

- Hamsadutta Das -

"In my room I have a mridanga so I play it for a while.

When I get tired of that, I do some translation. When

I finish with that, I sing a song on the harmonium.

Then I have correspondence to do. I have one

activity after another, all connected to Krishna".

- His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada -

14


16


17

Aston University

nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale

shrimate bhaktivedanta svamin iti namine

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracharine

nirvishesha-shunyavadi pashcatya-desha-tarine

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

On behalf of Aston University Krishna Consciousness

society, I would like to offer you our heartfelt gratitude and

thank you for giving us unqualified and fallen students access

to Krishna in the most simplest way possible... through his

Holy name. University can be a time where many students

can much too easily steer off into the wrong direction and

make countless mistakes and commit offenses that they may

not even realise the precautions of. However through the

existence of such societies all around the UK and the entire

world, you have provided hope to these lost and helplessly

wondering souls. You have given them guidance, direction

and a rare opportunity to serve the Supreme Personality of

Godhead. Through the means of this society, your books are

distributed, people in this university regardless of their

colour, caste or creed are able to chant the holy name and

spiritually progress. Prashadam is distributed on a weekly

basis and most importantly, inspiring and educational classes

are given by various speakers who make them interacting,

thought provoking and thoroughly engaging. Please bless

them with both bhakti and shakti to be able to continue

serving in such a way for many years to come.

On this auspicious day, I would like to ask for your kind

mercy and blessings to help Aston Krishna Consciousness

society to grow further and reach more students. Even if one

individual takes up Krishna Consciousness seriously, I will

consider all our efforts to be a great success. I hope and pray

that you will be there with us to guide us and point us in the

right direction whenever we deviate from our goals. Please

give us the shakti to allow us to work together, as a strong

team and without

quarrelling to serve you and help you in your mission and

maybe even send more souls back home to our beautiful blue

Lord, Shree Krishna.

Your forever indebted servants,

Aston Krishna Consciousness society :)

Birmingham City

University


Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories unto your

lotus feet!! By Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and your divine mercy, our

university preaching programs have started quite steadily this

term. We have now received 21 paid members to date and

have distributed a number of your transcendental books to

them too. Our aim this academic year is not quantity,but

quality, and of course not to be attached to any results, as we

are simply instruments trying to please you and the previous

acaryas. We are so far seeing some potential from our

members, especially from one or two local British students

who are very inquisitive and sincere souls, who are asking

many nice questions.

Our committee has learnt from the previous year that

patience is key, since making devotees is very difficult, as it is

mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita that only very few souls in

the material

18


world are interested in transcendental knowledge and

enquiring about the real meaning of life.

Sometimes it could be difficult to organise the programs as

we’d like every single week or attract numbers to our events.

This is especially the case in all western universities, whereby

the majorities of students are simply addicted to sense

enjoyment and engaged in sinful activities. Nevertheless, we

try to be positive, as we are aware that a little exposure to

Krsna Consciousness is the beginning of one’s spiritual

journey and it gives eternal spiritual benefits for any students

coming to our programs, such as our events. Finally, please

kindly bless us that we will be able to find suitable

replacements for the different committee positions for next

year, as we are currently struggling to single out any potential

candidates for all the committee positions, namely president,

treasurer and secretary.

Hare Krishna!

Your insignificant servant,

Bhakta Ian, on behalf of University of Birmingham Krishna

Consciousness Society

Committee

2012-2013

Cardiff University

Dearest Srila Prabhupada

Please accept my humble obesiances. All glories to Srila

Prabhupada.

There is such a great opportunity to meet people from all

walks of life and give an experience that is eternally

beneficial rather than the quick fixes of the normal

student life.

Cardiff Krishna Consciousness society was running

previously but stopped as no one was available to run the

society. This year the society was established once again

after several challenges and a process of nearly a year to

become affiliated to the Union!

University preaching is an exciting and dynamic

experience. This year we have high hopes for our society.

Fresher’s fair was very successful and we managed to get

190 sign ups. We have been holding weekly events and it

has been so encouraging and enlivening to see how

Krishna consciousness is inspiring the students. It has

also been so inspiring to see the mood of the Welsh

devotees and their passion and dedication for preaching.

Cardiff Krishna Consciousness Society relies on the

efforts of these devotees and the success of these

programs is a tribute to their enthusiasm for service.

One particularly memorable moment from this year was

when a girl from our society suggested using re-usable

plates, cups and spoons for prasadam. On top of this she

offered to wash up and clean the plates afterwards too! It

was so nice to be able to see someone having the

opportunity of service through a humble University

society.

There are many exciting things in store for our society.

With a new temple soon to be built in Cardiff, only a

walking distance from the University, we will be able to

provide a much more intimate and deeper experience of

Krishna consciousness and, with your blessings, engage

the students further.

19

Throughout all this our prayer as a society is that we can

continue to serve you to the best of our abilities and

present this essential philosophy in a tangible way. Please

shower us with your blessings so we can progress in this

service.

Your servants

Cardiff Krishna Consciousness society

DeMontford

University

You are part of the many few,

Who spread the word of Krishna through the west,

and now, ISKCON is one of the best.

Introduced to me since the age of the 11,

You made me realise there is far more than heaven,

That we are not this body, but we are the soul,

From this, I am able to achieve any goal.

Last year at De Montfort University,

Just as easy as making tea,

Events started of great,

But very quickly the numbers began to dilate.

Everything went downhill from here,

We almost lost something which is quite dear,

Ready to shatter just like glass,

We realised there is no point holding on to the past.

When four to five people used to come,

KC Soc did not feel like home,

But since the ten fold increase in number,

We have woken from our slumber.

A new committee was assembled,

Since then inspiration has bubbled,

The solution was simple,

And all we needed were these amazing people.

This year,

We have nothing to fear,

Sponsorships have been confirmed,

And now KC Soc is long term.

There is a vast amount of thanking to do,

To Shrila Prabhupada and the national committee too,

But words cannot simply describe,

The amount of thanks we would like to prescribe,

From the one and only, De Montfort University,

Who will spread the word for eternity.

Please give us your blessings that with the mercy of Guru

and Gauranga, we are able to sustain this beautiful service

of ours and be able to plant the seed of spirituality in all

individuals heart's.

Your servant,

De Montfort University KC Soc Team

20


East London Jammin’

Dearest Srila Prabhupada,

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories unto

you.

Dear Prabhupada, East London Jammin would like to

beg for your mercy as we go into a new year. Please be

with us as we try to do our very best in bringing Krishna

Consciousness to the youth of today. Please bless us, so

that we can share the Holy name with other souls and

bring them closer to Krishna. When finding new ways to

make jammin the best it can, your achievements clearly

shine through; you have travelled the world preaching

the holy names in the harshest conditions, your selfless

nature and un dyeing need to serve others is what keeps

us motivated and enthusiastic.

At East London Jammin, we have tried to come up with

innovative ways of preaching and have tried to create an

atmosphere where people can learn more about Krishna

consciousness and where they can associate with

devotees. Due to your mercy, Jammin is growing and we

seem to be getting more and more people interested in

Krishna Consciousness. We are so astonished at how you

had gotten thousands of people all around the world to

follow Krishna consciousness and how you have

established so many temples and centres all over the

world. We struggle to get as many people coming to

jamming as we hoped, however we have adopted the

mood that jammin is successful if at least one new person

becomes closer to Krishna. We try to make jammin more

vibrant, active and inspiring as possible for the people

that attend. The results are not always what we had

hoped for. It has been hard this year for East London

Jammin, but due to your mercy we have been given so

many opportunities which will make jammin a success.

This year at East London Jammin our team was

remarkable. We had devotees making flyers and

promoting at major events such as Ilford rathayatra,

people to cultivate the new people, people to make

prashadam for jammin events every two weeks, and also

people to promote jammin in every way possible. We

couldn’t have made such advancement without the

endeavour of each team member. Each member of the

team puts in so much effort with the service that they

have been given and always seem to surprise us; they each

possess unique and wonderful skills which they use

within their service to help spread Krishna Consciousness

and bring people closer to Krishna. Each and every

member of the team makes east London jammin a

success and we couldn’t have done this without your

guidance.

We have now another year ahead, you are the reason why

East London Jammin is growing and the reason why it

has made such advancement. We sincerely are asking for

your blessings as you are the inspiration that keeps us

going, you are our teacher and guide. All of your amazing

and aspiring achievements are what keeps us enthusiastic

and full of new ideas. You are clearly the driving force

that pushes East London Jammin to new and great

things. We beg for your mercy and blessings as we

continue to try to fulfil your mission. We thank you so

much for everything that you have done for us.

Your servant,

East London Jammin

21

Harrow Jammin’


Please accept our humble obeciences, all glories unto you.

In the past year Prabhupada, our Jammin sessions have

been really amazing. This year alone, we have had an

average turnout of over 70 people, some of which are

already taking up to devotional service very

enthusiastically! We understand that this is simply

insignificant to the number of people you preached to

and brought into the movement, but we humbly beg for

your mercy Prabhupada to allow us to try and make as

many devotees as we can. It’s because of you Prabhupada,

and your teaching on the importance of prashadam, that

so many people make food for your devotees without a

second thought! It just goes to show how much you have

inspired everyone of all ages. Through your mercy

Prabhupada, the biggest and by far the most amazing

event was “The Show Off”. Your devotees have so much

amazing talent and were even put in the local newspaper

for this! We hope this will attract even more people to

come to these sessions and gain some insight into higher

thinking.

Prabhupada, what we really have to thank you for this

year, is the most amazing team you have given us. Each

and every soul serves with so much enthusiasm and so

much determination to please Krsna, that it simply

motivates everyone else to do the same. So we beg that

you continue to give us your mercy and allow us to carry

on serving You and your devotees, and through them, we

will ultimately serve Krsna. The New Year is soon to be

upon us and we sincerely ask for your blessings because

we know we will achieve nothing unless you are pleased.

You are the inspiration Prabhupada, for each and every

one of us. If we are ever short of ideas, we think of what

you would have done to preach to the masses. Therefore

we will try to follow in your footsteps Prabhupada, by

preaching to any and every one about the glories of Lord

Hari, but we humbly beg for your mercy in doing so as

we realise that we cannot do anything if it were not for

you. We are just so grateful of what you have done for us,

and we hope that we can please you in return. Thank you

Prabhupada.

Your fallen servants at Harrow Jammin.

Imperial College London


Hare Krishna,

All Glories to Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila

Prabhupada

Please Accept My Humble obeisances.

I cannot express how much Imperial College London is

indebted to you right now. We have been having Gita

Sutras sessions here since last few years but the turn out

had been really low. This year we started off by

advertising the event more and we had a significant turn-

out. We cannot thank Sachi Kishore prabhu enough,

who has been leading the sessions and has been blessing

us with his mercy.

We would like to thank you all from the depths of our

hearts for starting the preaching of Krishna

Consciousness in universities. This has led us students to

22


practice our Krishna Consciousness even in a busy

university life. It gave us the path to make new Krishna

Conscious friends who would help us to keep our

devotion improving and not getting deviated by Maya.

These sessions have been really useful for us in

developing our knowledge and learning more about

Krishna Consciousness. We would like to have a KCSoc

in Imperial College London which doesn't yet exist and

would need a lot of your blessings and mercy to be able

to start one. Something which we are trying to focus on

this year is get a more diverse community for the sessions

because till now we have been having more of the Indian

population attending the events.

Please shower Imperial College London with your mercy

so we could get more people to be involved in Krishna

Consciousness and make them know more about the real

goal of the life which is to serve Krishna. We need your

blessing in order to not get involved in Maya and keep

our Krishna Consciousness developing while in a student

life. Please endow Imperial with mercy from your lotus

feet so we can start a KCSoc this year.

Your aspiring servants,

Imperial College London Devotees

Launchpad Team

Dear Srila Prabhupada

Please accept our most respectful obeisances again and

again. All glories to you and your wonderful service to

your beloved Guru Maharaja, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati

Thakur.

In the Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Sri Krishna, He who is the

source of all spiritual and material worlds, explains that

out of millions of people, only one will want to search for

a deeper meaning, and out of those millions who want to

search for a deeper meaning, only one will come to know

Him in full knowledge.

Srila Prabhupada, if you so desire, by your compassion

and mercy, please allow all the souls of Launchpad a

chance to know Krishna in full. There is no doubt in our

minds that by your mercy you can allow all those souls,

each and every individual one of them, to take shelter of

the Lotus Feet of their Lordships Sri Sri Radha

Shyamsundar.

By your mercy, you can come through to help them to

enthusiastically take to the path of Bhakti-Yoga, and to

perform wonderful loving devotional service to Lord

Hari, the one who takes away all distress and miseries.

By your mercy, you have given millions of people the

experience of pure love for Krishna.

By your mercy, you can come through to help each soul

to be like 1-in-a-million's.

We kindly ask you to be our speech.

We kindly ask you to be our intellect.

We kindly ask you to act as our will

We kindly ask you to say everything you wish through

us.

We kindly ask you to say whatever you desire, in

however way you desire for it to be said.

We kindly ask you to engage us as an instrument only of

your instructions, your compassion, your inspiration,

your influence and your love.

23

We kindly ask you to play the part of the violinist, as we

so desperately try to play the part of the violin

For this seminar, we no longer desire to be an instrument

of our own thoughts, whims, and wills. We've made so

many external arrangements thinking them to be perfect

but without your presence, nothing is perfect. So we

kindly ask you to come through as we try to assist you in

inspiring everybody to again make contact with the

Supersoul within, and as we somehow attempt to serve in

the mission of the most magnanimous Sri Sri Gaura-

Nitai.

Your aspiring servants,

Launchpad team

University of Leicester


srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine

namas te saraswate deve gaura-vani-pracarine

nirvishesha-shunyavadi-pashchatya-desha-tarine

To our Dearest Srila Prabhupada,

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories unto

You.

We would like to thank you for giving us this

opportunity to come together each week. Fun, games and

delicious prasadam is what we try to offer and by Your

Grace, ultimately the attendees may receive some

spiritual transformation. Tuesday nights

wouldn’t be the same for so many if You hadn’t stepped

foot onto the Jaladuta and fought Your way through

hardship, to bring the wonderful gift of Krishna

Consciousness into our lives. In fulfilling Your Guru-

Maharaj’s instruction, You said: ‘I am eighty years old, so

travelling is not a very good job for me but still I do it –

just to encourage them.’ This encouragement is not only

wide spanning but has directly made us somewhat

‘Krishna confident’.

If it weren’t for Your tireless, unwavering efforts in

translating books, giving lectures and singing the glories

of the Lord, then the darkness of ignorance would be

greatly present in all of our lives. The unfortunate

situation lies that we are unable to replicate Your

enthusiasm for pleasing the Lord. We, alone, cannot give

Krishna to the people directly; it is only by Your mercy

and staunch example which gives us some encouragement

- else we are alone.

Thank You for giving us what we need to try and spread

this unique experience of Krishna Consciousness to

students.

We beg for Your blessings so that we may attempt to

fulfil Your mission and guide as many souls back home,

back to Godhead. We hope that in our small endeavour,

we will bring a smile to Your face.

Let us always remain in Your service and forever be

attached at Your lotus feet.

Your ever-grateful servants,

The Krishna Consciousness Society, University of

Leicester

24


University of Nottingham


Please accept my humble obeisances on this most

auspicious day of Vyasa Puja. All glories to Your Divine

Grace.

Through your teachings and dedication, Krishna

Consciousness Societies across many UK Universities are

successfully running and spreading Krishna consciousness

to hundreds of students. It is truly wonderful to

experience and share the teachings of Krishna here

in Nottingham by the blessings of Your Grace as well as

being able to observe the devotion to Krishna

consciousness by all the other Krishna Consciousness

Societies around the UK. Thank you for your guidance

and books which have opened our eyes to the purpose of

life which we are gratefully able to share with students

through interactive discussions at university. Please bless

us so that we can continue to serve you and spread

Krishna consciousness to even more people.

Thank you!

Pandava Sena


Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to you.

By your mercy many things have happened in your

ISKCON Pandavasena since last year. IPS, started and

maintained by many amazing and intelligent devotees of

yours has been a place where many young people can

come and get connected to the culture of devotion, and

your ISKCON. Young people from temple goers, to

university students, to people shopping in the streets

have been touched by the philosophy and science of

Krishna Consciousness that you shared with the western

world. Many people are connecting to IPS and beginning

their journey in re-establishing their forgotten

relationship with Krishna because of the hard work done

by devotees over 18 years ago, when setting up this youth

group.

Over the last few years, we have been very fortunate to

have many blessings from your dear servants and in

particular HH Sacinandana Swami who has invested a lot

of time into IPS. We understand this to be your mercy

and are very grateful for such undeserving mercy.

We are taking guidance from your dear disciples such as

HH Bhakti Caru Swami and HH Sacinandana Swami in

order to try and develop and grow from the foundation

that has been laid by the devotees who began, and

maintained IPS for almost 2 decades.

Srila Prabhupada, your ISKCON movement and

presentation of the science of Krishna Consciousness is so

wonderful, that it allows people from every background,

with any interest to be connected to Krishna in some way

or another.

In that spirit we are trying to connect people to Krishna

and yourself through aspects of life they resonate with.

We are trying to engage people according to what they

enjoy, so they will be happy in Krishna Consciousness

and hopefully move closer and closer to coming back to

you. Please give us your blessings that we may be able to

25

extend ourselves to the innocent souls who are looking

for Krishna but haven't found Him yet in this lifetime.

Please also give us your blessings that the devotees

engaged in service can be well supported, enjoy their

service and move closer towards remembering our

forgotten relationship with Krishna.

We are really trying to establish a mood of love and care

amongst the devotees, and an environment where every

devotee feels happily engaged, cared for and supported in

their Krishna Consciousness. Please Prabhupada, guide

us and bless us to serve your movement in a way that will

please you.

Thank you Srila Prabhupada for saving us.

Your insignificant servants,

ISKCON Pandava Sena

Pstudios


This year we've began a project called PStudios which

acts as a creative media division of sena. Sena projects

always need posters/video's so we hope to be able to help

them represent sena in a creative and dynamic way, but

mainly create videos, photos, music, and interactive

games from a creative subtle/bridge preaching angle.

We have a skilled team who can really push the

boundries and are very enthusiastic for the project.

Krishna Caitanya who wants to create interactive media

which sena have never done before.

Nandu who is a photoshop genius and is concentrating

on helping KC socs with quality posters.

Kavi who is our out-of-the-box thinkiner, is working on

designing logo’s for different areas of sena.

Arjun’s musical talent will come into use for video’s we

create and also music production.

Rahul is taking time out from his studies to make things

easier for the team such as creating a request form on the

website, he’s silently working away at creating a web

space for all our work to be shown.

Daya is our animation expert and has made Krishna

pastimes in the past and is helping with ideas and

animations for kc concepts on a generic level for anyone

to grasp the understanding.

Brooke works with special effects and video editing.

She is our go-to person if we ever need ideas and

feedback, and helps anywhere we need it.

Jigna is managing the project, distributing the projects

and bring all the ideas together as well as being

responsible for all of Senagetaway's media needs.

As well as all their talents, each person brings a different

flavour of their own passion and drive to create ‘less

ordinary’ material for Pandavasena.

This team has just begun and we hope to go forth with

many project through the year and hopefully present

some innovative ideas surrounding Krishna Conscious

values that you will be pleased with. Please guide the

group in the right direction to create powerful media and

enjoyable experiences from serving in your army.

Thank you for giving us everything we have.

26


Queen Mary’s University


Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,

Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,

Hare Rama, Hare Rama,

Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Please accept our humble obeisances. We would

like to grasp this opportunity to say thank you very

much for introducing the Krishna Consciousness

movement to us which you began so many years

ago. By your mercy we hope to become a little

more Krishna conscious and Krishna confident.

At Queen Mary University, we have attracted a

small but dedicated group of students who have

shown much interest in the society. We sincerely

hope and pray we are able to continue to inspire

such individuals.

Lastly, thank you for allowing us to serve you and

lead this wonderful society. Please provide us with

the strength and intelligence to be able to perform

our own spiritual practises with sincerity and

enthusiasm. Our objective is to assist you in

spreading good words about Krishna and assisting

others to become Krishna confident.

Your servants,

Queen Mary Krishna Consciousness Team.

27

In the early days at 26 Second Avenue, Kirtanananda tried to

impose austerities on everyone. Every Sunday there'd be a lot

of sweetballs left over from the feast and for Monday's

breakfast we'd drop those sweetballs in our hot farina cereal.

It was a delightful breakfast. But Kirtanananda insisted that

we couldn't have more than two sweetballs each and that

became an issue we haggled over at istagosthi. We couldn't

resolve it, so it came to Prabhupada's attention. Everybody

assembled. The problem was laid out before Prabhupada and

Prabhupada said, "So everyone can have as many sweetballs

as they like. But Kirtanananda can only have two."

That was Prabhupada's sense of humor.

“

”

28


29

Abhishek Joshi


Please accept my humble obeisances! All glories unto

you!

Spending time with my peers, on a sincere Krsna

conscious level, with the motive to genuinely advance in

spiritual life is called real association. The mistake I have

always made in my life is that I have never appreciated

my peers. Appreciating them, respecting them and

honouring them is called real association. My false ego

doesn't allow me to actually want to learn from them.

Becoming a student in every interaction I have with

people is called real association. I create so many offences

in both my mind and in person because I constantly try

to find faults in others Glorifying them from the heart,

and realising the amount of faults I have myself is called

real association. So therefore Srila Prabhupada, please in

order to learn and apply real association, give me your

blessings. I beg for your shelter, I beg for your mercy.

I have never really been able to pray in my life with a

clear conscience, The whole idea of chanting the Hare

Krsna maha-mantra is to be constantly praying. I can't

even think of Krsna properly when I chant, so what hope

is there for me?

Opening my heart and mind out fully to Krsna is known

as real prayer. Opening my heart and mind out fully to

some of my seniors is also known as real prayer. Reading

the Acharya’s prayers and trying to understand their

mood, without imitating their exhaulted actions is real

prayer. Understanding that ultimately everything is upto

Krsna is real prayer. The only prayer I am qualified to

make is to pray to Krsna to give me strength and

empowerment, so that I am able to carry out the

instructions of my spiritual master; so that I can follow

your instructions.

So therefore Srila Prabhupada, please in order to learn

and apply real prayer, give me your blessings. I beg for

your shelter, I beg for your mercy. I get so caught up in

the world around me, and everything happening in even

Krsna consciousness, that I don't get time to even reflect,

which is one of the most under-rated aspects of spiritual

life.

Bhaktivinoda Thakur said as a minimum to reflect every

ekadashi, and I can't even reflect truly every year. Krsna

wanted me to understand this, and so he put me through

so much pain that I was physically not able to do

anything. He gave me this time to reflect and introspect,

to take time out, slow down, and make me realise all my

problems and faults in Krsna Consciousness. Seeing

every chastisement, obstacle and problem as an

opportunity to advance is known as real introspection

Thinking about others more and of myself less is known

as real introspection. Seeing myself as the root cause of a

problem before blaming someone else is known as real

introspection.

Respecting the advice I get from ANYONE and applying

it to my life is known as real introspection. So therefore

Srila Prabhupada, please in order to learn and apply real

introspection, give me your blessings. I beg for your

shelter, I beg for your mercy.

I have always wondered why there is so much emphasis

in waking up early, and doing things in

regulation. Regulation is so important, that such small

30


details when adjusted, can lead to an improvement in

spiritual life. I have a tendency to always think I can chant

my rounds later rather than now, when the whole idea

should be that I should have already planned when to chant

my rounds, so that these questions don't even come into my

head - that is the power of regulation. Understanding

hearing, reading and chanting play an integral for my

spiritual advancement, and prioritising them to be done at

the beginning of the day is called real regulation. Putting

aside time, and doing every activity in a Krsna Conscious

mindset systematically is known as real regulation.

So therefore Srila Prabhupada, please in order to learn and

apply real regulation, give me your blessings. I beg for your

shelter, I beg for your mercy.

Every service I do, I always have a selfish desire of either

gaining name, or fame or prestige, or even attention from

others. The idea of devotional service is to selflessly give your

time in order to please the devotees and ultimately Krsna.

The mentality should solely be, 'What can I do to please the

devotees?', because I understand that by pleasing the

devotees, Krsna is pleased.

I have such a long way to go to get to that stage, as I am fake,

selfish hypocrite that only does a service if he wants to.

Sacrificing my life for the movement like you did is known

as real devotional service. Seeing any service that comes my

way as an opportunity to advance rather than an opportunity

to achieve recognition is known as real devotional service.

Understanding that ISKCON is a family and that You are

the head of that family and serving in that mood is known as

real devotional service. Wanting to receive no credit or glory

for anything I do, and only wanting the credit to go to you is

known as real devotional service.

So therefore Srila Prabhupada, please in order to learn and

apply real devotional service, give me your blessings.

I beg for your shelter, I beg for your mercy. Srila

Prabhupada, although I never met you, I can always feel your

presence over my shoulder. I want to always pray to Krsna

only for help to follow your instructions, and the instructions

of your devotees. It's about time I admitted to myself that I

am not taking Krsna Consciousness seriously. There have

been many moments in my life where I have pretended to be

a devotee, and expected Krsna to care for me. I am a fool for

even trying to doubt the philosophy. In fact, I have not right

to make judgements on the process or even on other devotees

who are all trying to hard to follow the process. This is

because I haven't even started to follow the process and your

instructions to heart properly. I often start criticising others

for what they are doing, but I am not in a position to think

like this.

So therefore Srila Prabhupada, please look after me, and help

me to try and start taking Krsna Consciousness seriously. I

beg for your shelter, I beg for your mercy, and I beg to

always stay near your lotus feet.

your unqualified beggar,

Abhishek

Akash Thakrar

nama on visnu padaya krsna presthaya bhu-tale

srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine

nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

---

om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya

cakshur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah

---

mukam karoti vachalam

pangum langhayate girim

yat-kripa tam aham vande

shri-gurum dina-taranam

---


31

Please accept my humble obeisances at your divine lotus

feet. All glories to you on this most auspicious

appearance day of your divine grace.

At the most unexpected intervals throughout my week, I

catch glimpses of the reasons why I have a sense of

gratitude and appreciation for you. Even though I never

have had the opportunity to be in your physical presence

I feel intimately connected with you via video footage I

have seen of you, lectures you have given and most

importantly your books you have written to save the

fallen souls ,of Kali.

By teaching us by personal example, Prabhupada, you

truly make the world’s ideal acharya. Despite being

empowered by Lord Caitanya to spread the holy name of

Krishna throughout the world, you perform your

devotional service strictly following the instructions of

your spiritual master, His Divine Grace Srila

Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura. By your personal

example you teach us to accept all austerities to carry out

the order of the spiritual master. Furthermore, by your

tapasya, you have given the incredible gift of this Krishna

Consciousness movement to the whole world. You have

produced not just one successor, but many. I am seeing

you shine through more and more in your sincerest

followers. You have a number of disciples who have been

strictly following your instructions for over forty years

now and clearly are empowered souls. They are touching

the hearts of thousands of people all over the world. This

is another proof of you being the empowered Acharya for

this age. Last week I was thinking the process you have

prescribed for the path of self-realisation is so simple and

systematic. It is not a process that even requires an

individual to speculate. In the approach to your Tribute

Festival, I have been contemplating what my relationship

is with you and what exactly it is I have to be grateful for.

Is it your appearance? Is it the incredibly amazing work

you did and service you rendered on this planet despite

the age of quarrel and hypocrisy we live in?

The temples you set up? The devotees you created,

nurtured and nourished?

The fact is Prabhupada, from this I came to the simple

conclusion that, you have given me everything that is

worth having in my life.

I pray to you, Prabhupada, to always keep me in the

loving association of your devotees across the world and

help me to flourish in Krishna Consciousness and

hopefully inspire others to become devotees of the Lord.

With endless love and gratitude from your ever aspiring

& undeserving servant,

Akash Thakrar

Arjun Belaid

All Glories To Srila Prabhupada Ki Jai, Srila Prabhupad,

thank you so much for bringing this beautiful movement

to the western world and opening everybody's eyes to the

eternal truth within Krishna Consciousness, this

movement has changed the life of thousands thanks to

you, despite having three heart attacks on your journey to

the west you kept on fighting and opened the first

ISKCON temple in America, ever since then our

movement has been growing,

So thank you Prabhupada, Hare Krsna! All Glories To

Srila Prabhupada!

32


Avnish Popat


Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to you!

This is my first offering I have written in many years to

you and this is partly down to my inability to put into

words how indebted I am to you. You have rescued

thousands of vaishnavas from this ocean of material

suffering and I hope one day this poor ignorant fool will

also be rescued.

If it wasn’t for yourself, bringing this eastern philosophy

to the west, acting on your spiritual master’s orders, I

would be wasting my life indulging myself in maya. For

this, and many other reasons, I am eternally grateful. I

just wish that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s prediction

comes true very soon and the Hare Krishna mantra can

be heard every town and village.

The Warwick Krishna Consciousness society is going

very well this year. We have been getting more diverse

crowds and hope to make a few western devotees by the

end of the year. Please give us your blessings, so the

society continues to blossom and we can welcome more

people to join our ISKCON family.

One thing that upset me is the fact I never had your

association. However, after reading Prabhupada Nectar, I

feel I know you on a personal level. I hope to read more

of your books soon to get to know you even better.

Your eternal servant,

Avnish Popat

Beatrice Baiden


Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Sri

Guru and Sri Gauranga.

Anything I can scrape together to make an offering is

woefully short in terms of really acknowledging

everything you have done for me. I was in the mire of

material life, sinking fast in that swollen ocean of material

desire. You lifted me out with your books and guiding

hand. Your presentation of the siddhanta cuts through

my material attachments in a sharp yet sweet and loving

way.

Lately I have been watching the 'Following Srila

Prabhupada' film series your dear most disciples

Yadubara prabhu and Visakha devi dasi created. I feel

that through seeing the appreciation of your disciples I

can achieve some semblance of appreciating your glories.

Through the series and the many recollections your

disciples presented, I gained a sense that like Krishna you

interact with the individual according to their level of

realisation, according to their advancement of

consciousness. At the same time you retain such a distinct

personality. And all these moods are simply external

manifestations of your deep love for Krishna and His

devotees. You are love in action. Sometimes you would

convey this love with one glance at your disciple. Just as

one glance of Krishna's impregnates the material world

with living entities, one glance from you would plant a

deep seed of bhakti within your devotees hearts.

Now I am trying to hear from you. I am trying to read

your books daily. Please bless me so that I may continue

33

this offering and follow the three step process of vijnana,

realisation. That I may read your books, genuinely

contemplate the message and apply your teaching to my

life. I pray that I may serve you in any way pleasing to

you and Krishna. Thank you very much.

Your aspiring servant,

Beatrice

Bhaktin Milati


Please accept my humble obeisances at your divine Lotus

Feet! All glories unto your divine grace!

In desiring to write something to glorify you on this

wonderful occasion in celebrating your Vyasa Puja, one

of the key things that comes to mind is firstly your

undivided compassion to save the fallen conditioned

souls and secondly unconditional first class devotion to

the Supreme Lord.

The question that i often fathom upon is "how could one

ever unreservedly love and simultaneously distribute it to

everyone in abundance?"Deeper and deeper i try to

contemplate on the nature of this love, i find the answer

lies in your nectarian words which are beyond the

understanding of many layers of this material creation.

That is, the pure absolute love that everyone is truly

hankering after is contained within the Lord Himself,

after all He is the fountainhead of all spiritual love!

However, by the grace of Guru and Krsna, when the seed

of devotion gets planted in the heart and is watered

carefully with the process of bhakti, one gradually

develops that love. As they go on unconditionally serving

the Lord in the mood of pleasing Him, then one is able

to relish ecstatic love for Krsna. And whilst unable to

restrain it from within, it overflows from the core of their

heart inundating anyone who comes in contact with it

even for a fraction of a second.

When i think of the above statement, i think of you only

dear Srila Prabhupada! You had such faith in your Guru

Maharaj that upon hearing on his instruction to preach

worldwide on your first meeting, you completely

surrendered your body, mind, words and actions just to

make his vision your mission. Since 1922, with that

vision engraved in your heart for the decades to come

upon, you worked towards it with great

determination, enthusiasm and patience not once

deviating from the goal no matter how many difficulties

you had to endure. At the end when you had ultimately

found your happiness and serenity at the abode of Sri

Radha Damodara temple, you decided to even leave

those comforts behind and embarked onto a new journey

that you had been longing for just to save us all from the

darkness of ignorance forged over countless of lifetimes.

And in so doing this you bestowed us with the crest jewel

of Lord Caitanya's one of many ripened fruits - param

vijayate sri-Krsna-sankirtanam! You had envisioned

magnificent Radha Krsna temples, transcendental books

in various languages, devotees singing, dancing and

distributing this fruit to others worldwide but at that

point mentioned that only time separated us! How great

was your vision, how great was your love and sacrifice for

us, how great was your faith in Krsna and the result is the

manifestation of ISKCON. All this could only be

possible by the mercy of Guru and Krsna through your

complete surrender and dependence on the Lord.

34


Due to my many shortcomings and anarthas i have no

appreciation and gratitude for what you have given us.

Therefore, my humble attempt lies in making the focus

of my life into a reality which is to be fully absorbed in

the instructions of your books, always chanting the

glories of the holyname and receiving Krsna’s darshana.

Reflecting on how i could execute this, i think of the

following verse from Srimad Bhagavatam:

sa uttamaśloka mahan-mukha-cyuto

bhavat-padāmbhoja-sudhā kan ānilah

smrtim punar vismrta-tattva-vartmanām

kuyoginām no vitaraty alam varaih

"My dear Lord, You are glorified by the selected verses

uttered by great personalities. Such glorification of Your

lotus feet is just like saffron particles. When the

transcendental vibration from the mouths of great

devotees carries the aroma of the saffron dust of Your

lotus feet, the forgetful living entity gradually remembers

his eternal relationship with You. Devotees thus

gradually come to the right conclusion about the value of

life. My dear Lord, I therefore do not need any other

benediction but the opportunity to hear from the mouth

of Your pure devotee." (SB

4.20.25)

Srila Prabhupada, this explains why your words are so

potent, and to access this mercy one must sincerely take

shelter of them through the association of Vaishnavas. As

your grandchild who is lost in the nescience of this

material existence, I humbly beg to you at your Lotus

feet to please empower me to be an instrument of your

compassion by continually inspiring and guiding me in

helping to understand how i can responsibly

distribute these fruits of love. Unfortunately, i do not

possess an ounce of love and devotion but through your

causeless mercy I can be qualified to receive the

intelligence and bhakti to assist my Guru in his mission

who whole heartedly has given his entire lifetime in

Krsna’s service, a desire which i know will never fade if i

always take your shelter! I humbly request you to kick me

when i lose my focus and deviate from the path of

bhakti, for all i ask is to make an insignificant servant like

me to be perpetually engaged in being a servant of the

servant of the servant in your loving service to Krsna!

This is the only way i can one day hopefully develop

some love for my Guru and Krsna! Although i could

never repay the debt of your mercy in full, please at least

let me be a speck of dust at your Lotus feet, birth after

birth.

Your most insignificant servant,

Bhaktin Mitali

Bhavik Patel

Thank you Prabhupada for this life you have given. When I

am at the manor, I meet lovely people all helping and serving

one another. This is why it attracts me again and again.

Listening to Kirtan helps to solve all problems and also

enlightens and energizes me. I can't thank you enough and

just hope you bless us all with happiness and prosperity.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

Haribol,

Bhavik Patel

35

Bhumi Agravat

Dear Srila Prabhupad,

What can i say?

Please accept my most humble obeisances at your lotus

feet. Every year when its time to send an offering I

remain speechless. You have inspired me to take up

Krishna Consciousness, I feel so much more happier and

I find myself a lot more at peace.

You have made me understand what the real purpose of

life is, and have made me want to become a better

devotee and always try to improve myself. You have

cleared all the questions and doubts I've ever had and

made me want push myself to the limit to attain spiritual

happiness.

I pray to Krsna that He gives me the strength to keep on

serving devotees with your blessings.

Ys

Braja Vadhu DD

nama om vishnu-padaya

krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale

shrimate bhaktivedanta-

svamin iti namine

namas te sarasvate deve

gaura-vani-pracharine

nirvishesha-shunyavadi-

pashcatya-desha-tarine


Please accept my most humble obeisances at the dust of

your lotus feet.

On this auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja, I sit here and

reflect upon the last year. Once again, I am reminded

that time waits for no one, and you of course knew this.

You wasted not a single moment, treating time like a

precious jewel, always aware of the urgency to fulfill the

order of your Guru Maharaja. Not only did you achieve

so much with your time, but you also made time to build

such personal relationships with your disciples, each of

them feeling cared for and nurtured.

This year, I was fortunate enough to visit Sri Vrindavana

dham, and Sri Dham Mayapura. I fell in love with the

pastimes, their Lordships, and the mood of pure bhakti

and service that overflows here. I found peace in your

Samadhi, and pictured you here, reading, writing and

connecting with our beautiful blue Lord. It is from this

room in The Radha Damodar Temple in Vrindavan that

you developed the strategy for ISKCON, and today we

see a worldwide movement with temples, restaurants,

cow sanctuaries, preaching centres, out reach initiatives

and many devotees! Never have I heard of such a

personality that has achieved so much in their life, what

to speak of the profound influence on thousands of

people decades after your physical

disappearance.

Just as a father takes pride in seeing his children grow,

you take great pleasure in seeing us, your children and

grandchildren, grow in spiritual life. To grow in my

spiritual life I need to be free from selfish and material

desires, for this I beg for your mercy. Please help me to

clean out the dirt from my heart, only then can I become

a valuable instrument in your cherished service of

preaching the glories of your beloved Lord. Only by

serving this mood of yours here in the world of matter

36


will I become eligible for the compassion you have

unlimitedly showered on this useless soul.

Your ever indebted grand daughter

Braja Vadhu devi dasi

Brijesh Vadhvania


Please accept my humble obeisences. All glories to you!

Recently I have been working on a service that requires

faith and long term vision which often brings me to

remembering what you achieved and what this has

provided for us.

We draw on the knowledge in your books in all aspects

of our service; you worked night after night translating

scripture and writing illuminating purports. We can call

upon senior devotees for their guidance and support; you

nurtured and inspired these individuals personally and

made them dedicated to Krishna’s service.

We feed people Krishna prashad; you set the example of

cooking for Krishna and emphasized the importance of

eating only prashad.

We draw strength from our temples and use them as

spiritual sanctuaries where we can recharge before we go

out and preach and as places to take newcomers to give

insight into Krishna Consciousness; you were the

visionary that opened so many temples in such a short

time for us. Srila Prabhupada, it seems to me that you

worked so tirelessly to lay the foundation that enables us

to spread Krishna Consciousness all over the world in so

many different ways, that we have no reason to not take

this challenge and make you smile in the spiritual sky.

Please allow me to remember this every morning and

every night and offer my life to you.

Thank you so much.

Your servant,

Brij

Chandrika Coyle


Thank you for teaching me that with enough

determination and faith, anything is possible. You

touched thousands and thousands of lives with your love

for Krsna, I feel so incredibly blessed to be one of those

lives.

At a time now, when Maya's pull is stronger than ever, my

only desire is to follow in your footsteps wholeheartedly. I

long for the strength to concentrate my mind and body on

their Lordships, as you did. Your good qualities are

countless, you are the perfect example of what it means to

have faith. You are such an inspiration me. To gain even a

tiny fraction of the wonderful dedication you have for the

Krsna Consciousness movement would make my material

existence worthwhile.

All I wish is take shelter of your lotus feet. With your words

and your boundless mercy, I hope one day I will have that

good fortune.

Your fallen servant,

Chandrika

37

Deenal Patel

om ajnana-timirandhasya

jnananjana-salakaya

caksur unmilitam yena

tasmai sri-gurave namah

“I was born in the darkness of ignorance, and my

spiritual master opened my eyes with the torchlight of

knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him.”


Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Your Divine Grace.

For the past few weeks now, I have been trying to write

my very first offering to you. As I sit here trying yet

again, I have realised that there aren't enough words in

my dictionary to describe such a great soul like yourself.

I'm not a talented writer so all I wish to say is: Thank

You, Srila Prabhupada. Through your books, recorded

lectures and kirtan, you have brought your divine

presence into my life. Life itself would have no meaning

if it weren't for You.

Thank You, Srila Prabhupada. Thank You.

The unworthy servant of your servants,

Deenal

Devanshi Pancholi

Please accept my humble obeisance!

All GLORIES TO SRILA PRABHUPADA

Dearest His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedant Swami Srila

Prabhupada,

Three years ago I was just a naive, ambitious and

extremely adventurous rebel who was set on a challenge

to change the world with the help of so called ‘scientific

discoveries’. In 2010, with blessings of yours and Sri Sri

Gaura-Nitai’s mercy I got introduced to Senagetaway-

Kirtan fiesta trip to spain that

changed my life for GOOD!

I have no idea whether I’m following the instructions in

the right manner but always try to make humble

attempts to chant attentively and read now and then.

Trying to unfold mystic SCIENCE OF SELF

REALISATIONS. LOVE KIRTANS,chanting, reading

Your books, listening to Your lectures that are filled with

straight examples would make perfect sense in my tiny

brain and associating with great devotees from such a

wonderful family of yours who are willing to offer any

kind of help to make an individual grow in his/her

spiritual practice.

When I attend mangal aarti feel happier and content

than ever.

My trivial prayers to YOUR LOTUS FEET PLEASE

ALWAYS help me to stay engaged in yours and Their

Lordship’s services without any doubts or a pinch of ego

and grow in this Krishna conscious movement with pure

mind, body and soul so that I can share the nectar in

appropriate manner to serve the others.

Please forgive me for any of my naïve offences and I beg

for your causeless mercy.

38


All my love to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta

Swami Srila Prabhupada

Yours aspiring servant,

Devanshi

Dhani

Please accept my Humble Obeisences all Glories to Guru

and Gauranga


There are a lot of idiots hanging around and everytime I

see them I point the finger back at myself, clearly I have

not progressed and am in good company; trying to move

forward from Kanista status please accept our endeavours

to serve your mission.

And yes I like prasadam because it helps me think clearly

may I move closer back to Godhead with each mouthful,

especially when made at home.

Your Aspiring Servant

Dhani

Hope your day is filled with peace and bliss

Dharmaraja Das

Dear Srila Prabhupada.

Please accept my humble obsciences & all glories to your

Divine Grace.

Every year in Krishna Consciousness I realise more and

more the importance of your exalted & important

position in our lives. How you arrived in USA from

India with hardly any money or assistants yet with

resolute determination spread the teachings of Krishna

Consciousness for our benefit. You made it absolutely

clear that all Devotees most read your books daily which

you worked tirelessly on to clear the confusion in our

minds and hearts. I have no qualification yet somehow

by your mercy I am serving in your ISKCON, and have

received initiation from your disciple HH Sivarama

Swami in the Brahma Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya. I

feel so fortunate & grateful that I have access to your

books, classes, your disciples, devotees and society. For

without them I would be lost in material illusion.

The best way I can replay this debt is to remain a servant

in your movement, trying my best to preach to others

about Krishna. This is the legacy you have passed on to

us and it is our most important duty & service.

I pray for your blessings always.

Your Servant

Dharmaraja Dasa

Dharmesh Nayee


Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to your

lotus feet.

Thank you for blessing me with the gem of Krsna

Consciousness. There are approximately 7 billion people

on this planet. Out of this 7 billion only a small

percentage knows about Krishna Consciousness. I

39

consider myself very fortunate to be one of the few who

has received this gift from you, but at the same time I

know I don’t deserve it. It is simply your causeless mercy

by which I have been given this opportunity. You have

reached out to me through the medium of your books

and the medium of all the devotees who guide and take

care of me. Although I have been given this rare gem of

Krishna Consciousness I do not know the value of it,

because if I did, for sure I wouldn’t let it out of my sight.

I would always protect it within the core of my heart.

Prabhupada, please give me the faith by which I will be

able to understand this golden opportunity I have in this

life, please don’t let me waste it. May I ask for your

blessings to always give me shelter at you lotus feet.

Please give me the enthusiasm to read your books daily

and chant attentively.

Please make me your instrument to give others the gem

of Krishna Consciousness on your behalf. I want to be

the devotee that you intend me to be, please help me

become that.

Your undeserving servant,

Dharmesh Nayee

Dhiren Patel


Hare Krsna.

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.

All glories to your Divine Grace.

On this most blessed occasion of your Vyasa Puja, I

would like to submit a small offering to you.

Thank you for being so benevolent and selfless Srila

Prabhupada. Out of some unknown good fortune I came

in contact with your teachings which changed the way I

perceive and think. However, being the neophyte that I

am, I neglect to reflect on those teachings from time to

time, but nevertheless I am forever grateful to have been

given access to such transcendental knowledge. Thank

you for coming into my life Srila Prabhupada and thank

you for being there, in whatever shape or form, during

the ups and downs of my life as well.

Through trials and tribulations I am beginning to realise

just how saturated with misery this material world is. Yet

I foolishly still strive for some possibility of happiness

knowing full well that all attempts are futile. Such is the

strength of Maya’s influence. But, knowing that Krsna is

the strongest, and that you show us to be in His shelter

rather than the shelter of Maya, I feel some sense of

reassurance. But only when I learn to take full shelter will

I experience complete and proper reassurance. I

pray for your mercy in allowing me to see that day.

Srila Prabhupada, please kindly grant me the courage and

strength I need to keep me going in life and please kindly

give me the intelligence to reinforce my faith in Krsna in

times of tests. Please kindly forgive me for my countless

shortcomings.

Begging to remain in your service,

Your lowly servant,

Dhiren Patel

40


Dilan Halai


Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to You!

I would first of all like to apologies for my offering made

last year. I feel it did not reflect my mind last year and

would like to reinstate the statements that I made then.

The chanting has improved as I try and do it in your

association by seeing your pictures and hearing you

chant.

Now that I can see the instructions that you present, I

take guidance from the devotees on which I can adhere

to at the present moment and which ones will take a

little more time. I would like to thank you for starting

this International Society, I am eternally indebted to you.

I would never have found such saintly people to associate

with, to converse with and to learn from.

I have seen that I ‘begged for the blessing that I never

leave the transcendental abode of the spiritual master or

the inspiring devotees’ last year. I can now see my

ignorance manifested in writing. I have no vision to see

your transcendental qualities, but I know you have them,

so all I want to do is serve you so I can one day have the

vision to see beyond the material energy.

Please Master! Humble me! I can’t alone pour water on

my burning ego, please extinguish it!

I stated last year that the most I could do for you are to

spread the holy name, and glorify you, the eternal

spiritual master. I have made progress on this by

preaching and repeat the knowledge you have passed

down. I have tried to glorify you,

whenever I do an activity; I end it by saying, Jai

Prabhupada!

Your insignificant servant,

Dilan

Ekadashi Ryan


Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories at your

lotus feet. If you hadn't come to the western world, if

you hadn't brought krsna consciousness out of India, the

lives of all the devotees worldwide would be completely

different today:

there would be no rathayatras

we wouldn't have Kirtan

no blissful dancing

and no harinama,

we wouln't have prasadam

or any paneer

we wouldn't have tasted halava,

or even any keer,

there would have been no temples

or any deities

we wouldn't all be chanting

or having mangal arti

there would be no maharajas

giving morning class

there'd be no caranamrita

41

and no Ekadasi fast

no vaisnava association

or psena getaways

no kirtana fiestas

on our holidays

there would be no Gaura Purnima

or Krsna Janmastami

and no Govardhana puja

or celebrating Radhastami

we wouldn't know of Krsna's pastimes

His killing of Putana,

His dancing with the Gopi's

or Rama's killing of Ravana

The list of things is endless, I have only named a few,

and for this I offer my deepest gratitude and my most

humble obeisances on to you.

Your servant Ekadasi.

Geena Pattni

He is strong,

He is funny,

He's like my mummy and daddy.

He is powerful,

He is humble,

He's as soft as an apple crumble.

He knows all,

and speaks the truth,

Which is guiding me through my youth. He's a perfect

example,

Of a devotee,

And came to set us all free!

He is our protection,

He is our shelter,

He's even Krishna's little helper.

Who can it be?

No need to look further,

Its none other than Srila Prabhupada!

Srila Prabhupada ki Jai!

Your Eternal Servant Geena

Henal

Dear Prabhupada,

I would firstly like to offer my respects to you. Dandvat

pranam. I offer you a promise. I promise to serve the

mission of Lord Caitanya all my life and in every

situation

You are the most merciful devotee of the Lord because

you delivered love of God to me, a fallen soul. Your

constant effort, determination and practise of giving

Krsna consciousness to people has left me inspired. You

have transformed my life, saved me from drowning in

the ocean of material desires. You have given me Krsna. I

thank you from the depths of my heart, without you I

would have never realised the need of Krsna

consciousness in my life. You have given me knowledge

of Krsna, a way to stay connected with Krsna and how to

love Krsna. Thank you. I pray to Krsna today that may I

be able to fulfil my promise to you and I pray to you,

42


Prabhupada, to always be with me and teach me how to

serve the mission of Lord Caitanya just the way you have.

My humble respects to your lotus feet, oh eternal

spiritual master.

Hare Krsna,

Henal.

Jahnvi Raniga


shrimate bhaktivedanta svamin iti namine

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracharine

nirvishesha-shunyavadi pashcatya-desha-tarine

To My Dearest Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada,

Please allow me to pay my most humble obeisances unto

the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to Your Divine

Grace. All glories to Your service to the Sankirtana

movement of

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. By Your mercy, please allow

me to glorify you with my such ordinary words in the

form of this offering.

Over this last year leaving home and going to university

has really reinforced the power of devotee’s association

and the chanting of the holy name. Up till now I have

been

extremely privileged in always being brought up in

Krishna Consciousness with both family and friends.

However being isolated made me realise the hard way

that it is not to

be taken for granted and without your spiritual guidance

surviving in this material world is impossible. It is

unbelievably easy to be absorbed into the black hole of

maya.

As a small token of my appreciation I would like to

humbly offer to you my gratitude from the bottom of my

heart for delivering Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s

message to the western

world. I can not imagine life without the Lordships Sri

Sri Radha Gokulananda, your spiritual guidance and

instructions.

This year I have also experienced and been able to relate

to some of the greatest teachings from the Bhagavad Gita

and your instructions. I have learnt that the only way to

remain sane in this distressing material world is to realise

and accept:

avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam

param bhavam ajananto mama bhuta-mahesvaram

“Fools deride Me in My divine human form, unable to

comprehend My supreme nature as the Ultimate

Controller of all living beings”.

I cannot express in words how much I relish your

teachings and guidance as they help my lost and fallen

soul. Dearest Srila Prabhupada I would like to sincerely

thank you immensely for all you have done for the

mission with the highest humility.

Your most fallen servant,

Janhvi Raniga

43

Janaki Desai


Please accept my humble obeisances. Where do I even

begin? There is so much to say, there is so much to be

grateful for, there is so much further to go when it comes

to my spiritual journey. I would not be here if it was not

for you, and I certainly would not be the person I am if it

were not for you. I am forever indebted to you, my

spiritual master, my guider, my inspiration.

You repeatedly said, “In this age, only one yagna is

recommended: chant the Hare Krishna mantra and

dance in ecstasy, only then you shall go back to

Godhead” Krishna has given us an easy, direct route to

him. Chanting. Simply chanting. So why is it that I find

this so hard? Why is it that I still get caught up in sense

gratification and materialistic desires? Srila Prabhupada,

please please please keep me chanting in this lifetime and

continue to guide me throughout and engage me in the

service of their Lordships.

I have just started studying Medicine at university, please

do not let me stray and get too wrapped up in the desire

to become a doctor. I want Krishna to be in the centre,

always. One of my favourite things that you have said

that never fails to bring a smile to my face every time I

walk into a hospital is: “This Krishna consciousness

temple is the hospital for the diseased spirit soul. And

everyone is diseased. Come to this hospital. We shall take

care of you and cure your material disease.”

I am such a fortunate soul, to have Krishna

Consciousness is a gift like no other. Please do not let me

waste it.

Your servant forever and always,

Janaki Desai

Jay Krishna


nama om visnu-pädäya krsna-presthäya bhü-tale

srimate bhaktivedänta-sväminn iti nämine

namas te särasvate deve gaura-väni-pracärine

nirvisesa-sünyavädi-päscätya-desa-tärine

When writing an offering to you, I straight away reflect

on how you have so causelessly bestowed your divine

mercy upon me. You have so kindly helped me go deeper

in to my Krsna Consciousness, by blessing me with a

spiritual master from whose teachings, I can re-establish

my long lost relationship with Radha and Krsna.

However due to my ignorance and immaturity, I still

44


have not realised that I am in a much better position in

my life than ever before.

By going on the Sacred Street party every Saturday, I

realised that this is the prime and most important duty of

each and everyone in this movement, to give everyone

the Holy Name so that we (the fallen conditioned souls)

can go back home, back to godhead in this life. By going

out on the street, I realise that by doing this, it not only

benefits me but also others. The prime necessity is to

perform the Yuga Dharma, Harinama Sankirtana and by

going every Saturday, with the devotees who also share

and live the same thought as I do, I want to surrender

completely to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission and I

come to you to humbly beg you that you give me your

blessings and shelter that I can one day chant purely and

sincerely, with full heart.

I would like to ask for a blessing, which your beloved

disciple, HH Sacinandana Swami, also asked you in his

offering to You. “O most merciful master, please cast a

compassionate glance upon me. Please ignore my

numerous disqualifications and engage me more and

more in your’s and Sri Caitanya’s mission of spreading

the holy name. For this end I beg you to empower my

dry heart so that I can chant the holy name with love and

affection. Then my efforts will be effective and I may

please you so that you smile happily in my direction.

That’s all I want.”

This year, a lot of difficulties have come into my life, and

for some time I was struggling, but by yours and Krsna’s

mercy you have given me hope, strength and so much

love. And I know the only way I can thank you is to

surrender unto yours and Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s

mission.

Please allow me to serve you by serving my spiritual

master and please forgive me for my offenses. I am still

young and immature, but deep in my heart, I know that

you are my only shelter.

Your servant of servants,

Jay Krishna

Karishma Paun


I am eternally thankful to you for enabling me to get

involved in Krsna Consciousness. Your incredible work

in such a short time has changed my life, it has motivated

me to try my very hardest to serve you and Krishna. I

want to show you gratitude for bringing this magnificent

movement in to light and giving my existence meaning

and purpose. My time in Krsna Consciousness has been

short and at times uncertain, but you continue to inspire

me.

Yours Gratefully,

Karishma Paun

Karunamoya Krsna Das

Your Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila

Prabhupada,

Please accept my humble obeisance.

45

I am not a sentimentalist ...but you have been the single-

most inspiration and life-changing cause in my life.

And I am not the only one who can say that you have

made Lord Krishna and His teachings accessible to me.

You have single-handedly brought Krishna

Consciousness – the culmination of Vedic civilisation –

to the world platform; you alone have inspired so many

to become devotional; and you alone have changed the

fate of so many lives, despite so many challenges.

All in the space of a few years.

There is nothing like this in the recorded history of the

entire world. And it wasn’t just philosophy that you gave

us, but culture, for anyone who knows your dealings and

interactions.

I cannot imagine my life without your influence.

If there is some devotion to Krishna, it is because of you.

If there is some service rendered, it is because of you.

If a devotee befriends me or guides me, it is because of

you.

If one day Lord Krishna decides that He wants me, it will

be because of you...

In my short life that appears and disappears in the blink

of Lord Brahma’s eye, all I can do is to try to remember

how much I owe to you.

...What would I do without you?

Hare Krishna,

Karunamoya Krishna das

Kasturi Manjari DD


Please accept my humble obeicances. All glories unto

your divine lotus feet.

ohe! vaisnaba thākura, doyāra sāgara,

e dāse korunā kori'

diyā pada-chāyā, śodho he āmāya,

tomāra carana dhori

O Vaishava Thakura, Srila Prabhupada, O ocean of

mercy, be merciful to me, your servant, and purify me by

the shade of your lotus feet. Your feet I humbly hold.

Although I feel quite inadequate to express my gratitude

in words, I will attempt to say a little something.

Over the past year I feel that I have grown somewhat in

appreciating the treasures in your books. I remember

hearing that you instructed one of your disciples, that by

even understanding one word of the Krsna book, one’s

life can become perfect. O Vaishava Thakura, Srila

Prabhupada, please bless me so that I am able to develop

more depth in understanding and realisation to

confidently share and apply the knowledge you have so

kindly given.

My husband and I are continuing with our Sacred Street

Party service. I am still amazed to this day how members

of the public have a natural attraction to our outdoor

kirtan, which reminds me of the potency of the Holy

Name which you brang to the West.

O Vaishava Thakura, Srila Prabhupada, if you so desire

46


please give us the intelligence and ability to expand this

project. Please allow us to encourage more congregation

to participate, to present Krishna Consciousness in a

professional and dynamic way and to develop more long

term friendships with those that are genuinely interested.

ohe! vaisnaba thākura, doyāra sāgara,

e dāse korunā kori'

Your servant

Kasturi Manjari devi dasi

Khush Chaudasama

“There are many societies and

associations of pure devotees, and if

someone with just a little faith begins to

associate with such societies, his

advancement to pure devotional service is

rapid.” Prabhupada is the reason why

Krishna Consciousness is in the west, he

has established societies around the world

to ensure people in the west can engage

in pure devotional service and progress in

spiritual life. We must thank Srila

Prabhupada for his causeless mercy he

has bestowed upon us and gave us the

real the formula, not to work out a maths

question, but the formula to God (Krishna)

– Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna

Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare. We must thank

Him now in this life so that we can thank

Him in person in the spiritual world of

Goloka Vrindavan.

Thank you

Kinjal Jhutani


Please accept my humble obeisances,

All glories unto your lotus feet,

All glories unto you,

During this very special time of the year I want to

gratefully reflect on the incredible gifts you have given

me over the past year. I began the year with the desire

study your books through the Bhakti Shastri course,

hoping that I would be able to complete it. With the

encouragement of your devotees I began the course. With

your blessings I have almost completed it and studying

the course has been the foundation for deepening dear

spiritual friendships. Please bless me with the enthusiasm

to really take shelter of your writings.

Without any sincere endeavour of mine, you have given

me unlimited kindness this year. You have given shelter

47

to my whole family and I pray that we can increase our

dedication to you and remain steadily at your lotus feet.

I have received some clarity on how I can balance my

duties in a way that will allow me to develop my Krishna

consciousness. Please continue to guide me as my true

aspiration is to serve you. Through the blessings of your

merciful devotees I have received your blessings to

continue onwards in my journey. I pray that I can always

remember these experiences and they continue to remind

me of how much to love us.


Kinjal Juthani

Kishan Paun

Dear Srila Prabhupada. Please accept my humble obeciences

at your lotus feet. All glories unto you.

For the past year Prabhupada, I’ve been thinking what to

write to you. There is so much I would like to say but I

wouldn’t even know where to start. It just hit me whilst

writing this how amazingly fortunate I am to have even come

into contact with a devotee let alone even to having the

chance to chant the Lord’s holy name. I could have wasted

my life away doing anything, but due to your mercy

Prabhupada, you have guided me to the only way of life, and

for that I sincerely thank you.

This past year hasn’t been the easiest Prabhupada. I have felt

myself struggling in terms of the basic ABCD. But as the

year has gone on, through the mercy of you and your

devotees, it seemed to improve. Chanting has improved

significantly and I am appreciating the association of your

devotees much more.

However Prabhupada, I always think to myself: ‘What if I

was alive when you were, I would have given anything to

meet you’. But recently after speaking to a devotee, I realised

I was just limiting you to your bodily form. I realised that

you are always with us, whether through your books, your

lectures, your deities, you will always be there. I heard one of

your disciples’ say that ‘the reason that people do not

advance in Krishna Consciousness, is that they are not

reading Your books’. And after hearing this Prabhupada, I

immediately took up to reading the nectar that you left for

us in the form of your books. You have left so much

knowledge for us, something that I’ve been lazy with, but I

promise now that I will read and share as much as I can,

which is essentially what you taught us all to do.

Through your mercy Prabhupada, I have been given the

Harrow Jammin service which I absolutely love! If I have

ever not been enthusiastic about it then please forgive me,

and allow me to serve with as much enthusiasm as I can.

Even though I do not deserve to Prabhupada, Please

continue to allow me to serve you and your devotees to

ultimately please Krsna, this is all I ask from you.

Prabhupada, I’d like to end on a quote that an old man once

told his young son: “My son, there’s a battle between two

wolves inside of us. One is EVIL. It’s anger, greed, jealousy,

resentment, inferiority, lies & ego. The other is GOOD. It’s

joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness & truth.” The boy

thought about it and asked: “Grandfather, which wolf wins?”

The old man quietly replied:

“The one you feed”. So Prabhupada, I humbly beg you to

allow me to associate with all that will feed my good

side, keep me in your movement and allow me to continue

chanting the glories of Lord Hari.

Your Aspiring Servant, Kishan.

48


Komal Parekh

Please Accept My Humble Obeisance's

Dearest Srila Praphupada,

You were sent on a mission to spread Krishna

Consciousness alone, without friends or family. You

only had a few things but You still managed to spread

the Krishna Consciousness movement. I thank you very

much Srila Prabhupada, you put all your effort in just

so we all can hear and enjoy this beautiful movement;

just so that we can have a good understanding of

the Supreme Personality Of God Head.

If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have the realisation that

there's more to life than just trying to enjoy material life

and focusing how to overcome suffering. After listening

to inspirational classes and lectures, reading your books

and associating with the lovely devotees has made me

aware of what life's really about. It's about realising why

we are in this material world and who gave us

everything we have today.

Before I got introduced to Krishna Consciousness I used

to fear death and death of loved ones however I would

be upset to be detached from a close family members

because I am used to living like I'm going to live

forever. Furthermore, I now think in a different way, a

way in which I know I am going to pass on one day so I

try to live my life pleasing Krishna in everything I do. I

also want to please you and do my best to spread

Krishna Consciousness further. I've never been able to

see a relationship

between me and God, I used to always ask for things for

myself and would promise to do things in return. But

Prabhupada you have really made me see and realise

that we can have a relationship with God. By your effort

and hard work it has helped a lot. Words cannot

describe how much I am

thankful.

Hare Krishna,

Your servant,

Komal Parekh

49

Krishna Dattani

50


Krsna Kirtan Das

To my dearest ever well-wisher Srila Prabhupada,

Hare Krishna. Please accept my most humble obeisances.

All glories to your divine grace.

golokera prema dhana

harinama Sankirtana

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has descended to give us secret

treasure of Vraja bhakti, namely spontaneous loving

devotion to Sri Krishna in the mood of the residents of

Sri Vrindavan Dham. The primary activity is

congregational chanting

of the holy names of Sri Sri Radha Krishna.

namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-shaktis

tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah

etadrishi tava kripa bhagavan mamapi

durdaivam idrisham ihajani nanuragaha

O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all

benedictions to living beings, and thus You have

hundreds and millions of names like Krishna and

Govinda. In these transcendental names You have

invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not

even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my

Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach

You by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I

have no attraction for them.

Srila Prabhupada, you have extending the mercy of the

predecessor acaryas by sacrificing your personal bhajan to

display a living example of how one can attract the mercy

of the holy name. Your selfless service has humbled

thousands

of people around this world, and perhaps still today you

are attracting many more in your new place of preaching

work. I get enthusiasm to sincerely surrender to the

transcendental sound vibration of the holy names, when

I associate with your purports. I gain courage to preach

this science of Krishna Consciousness with others on the

sacred street parties, when I reminisce how much book

distribution would make you happy and smile. I find

reassurance to face my anarthas when I remember you

are my ever well wisher.

I was once told that every possible activity has the higher

spiritual taste – because everything emanates from

Krishna. We don’t need to find our taste – it is already

there. We have to simply and humbly surrender to the

activity with full devotion and then Krishna will provide

the inner joy. But we need purified senses to really attract

that pure devotional seed. I was thereafter instructed that

this purification, or anartha nivritti, comes by selfless

sacrifice to your will, Srila Prabhupada.

So today on this auspicious occasion of joyously

celebrating your appearance anniversary to deliver us all,

let me submit this for your pleasure: I have neglected

your will for so many years, but from this day on, I am

your servant. Kindly allow me to assist you in your

preaching mission by inspiring myself and

others to purely worship Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu under

the shelter of your lotus feet.

Harer Nama Harer Nama Harer Namaiva Kevalam

Kalau Nasty Eva Nasti Eva Nasti Eva Gatir Anyatha!

51

May you award me the gift of the pure holy name,

suddha nama.

Humbly I beg,

Your servant,

Krsna Kirtan Das

Lakhan & Hasita

‘An Interview About You’

K: After hearing of the moment it seems rather sensible//

Now can you tell me about its leader, was he at all

respectable?//

R: The leader of the movement or the origin of the

philosophy?// Because the Vedanta stems from the Supreme

authority// That one person from whom comes all other

personalities// And from whose form stems the basis of all

realities?//

K: Not the original creator but the propagator in the west//

Please describe him for me, do try your best//

R: Very well very well, lets not dwell on it any longer//

For what I have to say continuously makes me stronger//

It makes me convinced in my belief that what this man

began//

Will lead to the ultimate relief and perfection of all plans//

K: I’m listening I’m listening and I’ll be commissioning this

paper// For the curiosity of the public requires more than

just a flavour// You’ve set the scene// Now tell me what he

means to you// Tell me of those moments which God helped

him get through//

R: So we know that stars twinkle but what about the

people?//

In this world he came bright like the moonlight//

Torch in hand to understand the situation//

The glow of The Gita to reveal our occupation//

Amidst the darkness he walked with all clarity//

He fed the heartless with the hand of bhakti//

Slowly but surely he watched them grow//

Orange saffron now we watch them glow//

He is the source of it all everything that we know//

He taught us to hold his hand and never let go//

See life is like a show and he removed the curtain//

When you know you’re the soul you can see for certain//

Our lives are like a burden with many obligations//

On the rise to the top we dwell in dark situations//

And down we go below human civilisation//

Working like an animal for sense stimulation//

If you want to be an animal be shrewd like the fox//

Don’t chew on the chewed, find the key to the blocks//

That are tying you down to drown your life away//

It’s because of A.C.B that I’m alive today//

He opened my eyes to a life I never knew//

And now I’m on my way to see that boy in blue//

Whose hue is everlasting and smile forever glancing//

At those whose toes are always dancing//

When the Lord is glorified that is their chanting//

Just to see Him pleased is the reason for action//

He is Krsna the object of attraction//

The Supreme whole of Whom we are just a fraction//

We look everyday for signs of jubilation//

When life with Him is one big celebration//

One state, one nation these ideas we’re glued to//

52


We can’t even communicate without using Bluetooth//

Or whatever it is that technology brings//

He taught us the chorus to our whole life//

To sing with our hearts and remove this strife//

To step out of the crowd and speak aloud about our

purpose//

And have faith that our Home exists beyond this circus//

When you realise this, all else seems worthless//

Because in the end my friend you’ll be all alone//

No friends, No family just you on your own//

All your plans and possessions tossed into the unknown//

Leaving that patch in the past you called your throne//

But in the spiritual zone there’s no need for a blade//

Just open your mind, unwind and listen to this sage//

He was one man, one dream, with one big stage//

The deliverer of the fallen in this age of misery//

Where we walk in the shadows and our words are a

mystery//

How we miss to be young and all that came with it//

Wanting every success we achieve to have our name on it//

We search for so much yet look in the wrong place//

One glimpse at the gold – it goes without a trace//

But he gave us hope and told us of this space//

Take a look at his face, he spoke with all conviction//

When he said we’re not the body, sorry we’re just

conditioned//

We take permission from the modes whose roads are

rotating//

Allowing us to act without deliberating//

Too busy protecting others when it’s you who needs saving//

Hit with distress when it’s happiness you’re craving//

A fancy dress for the contest of life to avoid aging//

It’s amazing that amongst the material compression//

He broke though it all with the disciplic succession//

He came to the west and with the best of his ability//

Showed the silver lining by finding their identity//

Bestowed a way of life and showed how it’s supposed to be//

the only – way to

ever reach Him//

In this age is to engage or be a victim//

The symptoms he exhibited, we were all riveted//

A man in his prime for whom no rhyme can be accredited//

Feelings there maybe, but there are no words//

Arms open and in the air he flew like a bird//

The letters were his feathers – K.R.S.N.A

With His faith in Him alone He was never led astray//

We may fade away but he will always be here//

Through his books and pastimes he will always be near//

Those who follow in his footsteps are seen to be so dear//

By that individual who always believed//

That by the seed of devotion you will be freed//

To succeed in this world means no other business//

Than to pursue your ever true eternal interest//

There is no better friend than your internal witness//

Impersonal philosophy he cut clean like a scissor//

Always know that wherever you go, he’ll be your well-

wisher//

The story of this saint will go on and on//

All glories all glories to the founder of ISKCON//

K: I was wrong this whole time to think of him less//

When from the very beginning he seemed to be blessed//

So much I’ve learn what you’ve said//

Instead of a small caption, it’ll be on a double page spread//

I await for the fortune to see you once again//

For I wish to know more about this gem//

53

This jewel in the crown, this star amongst men//

I will continue to think of him until then//

Lakhan Shah & Hasita Raja

Lalita Sakhi DD

Dearmost Srila Prabhupada,

Please accept my sincere obeisances unto your lotus feet. All

glories to your spiritual master! All glories to you!

Oh where to begin

Since you, Srila Prabhupada, are the origin

How to describe your magnanimity

Which exceeds the universe, making it your dynasty

You have come to this material world

just to give us Krsna

And educate us on how to beg for

the mercy of Sri Radha

Without the transcendental knowledge you have given us

Life would be nothing but a gigantic fuss

You have shown us the way

By making it so simple for us that we just

cannot go astray

And become maya’s vulnerable prey

To be honest, sometimes it feels impossible

To at all times serve the Lord’s devotees,

while being humble and amiable

And makes me wonder, will I ever be free from

all these incessant material desires?

Will I ever only long to please the Lord

unconditionally without failures?

These perpetual desires seem like insurmountable obstacles

But you Prabhupada, have made Krishna Consciousness

accessible to even the rascals

It is so easy for me to be a false pretender

As well as an offender

But with your devotees as our spiritual mentors

Nothing can go wrong when Krsna remains the center

You have shown us unlimited kindness

in so many different ways

Transcendental books, deity worship, delicious prasadam,

and the chanting of the holy names

All this can make our faith incredibly strong

And also reminds us of where we truly belong

You revealed to us that our eternal home is in the magical

land of Sri Vrindavan Dham

Where everyone is happily loving Krsna and listening to

Him play his flute under a bamboo palm

No matter what, I know for certain that if we sincerely hold

on to your instructions By your mercy, we will attain Krsna’s

lotus feet without too many obstructions Dearmost Srila

Prabhupada, I am eternally indebted to you For changing

my entire world view! You have always been there, from the

very first day

If I imagine my life without your presence, all I can see is

misery and the color grey I often feel like a spoiled grand-

daughter who is taking everything for granted Not realizing

how fortunate I am and how I should always be enchanted

You are guiding us on how to reawaken our true spiritual

identity This brings to mind your analogy of the two birds

sitting in a tree One of them eating the fruits, which

represents the living entity And the other, the Lord,

witnessing all activity We have a wonderfully intimate,

loving and eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord and

you have so kindly come to remind us, thus enabling us to

move forward Unless directed by a pure devotee, one cannot

attain Krsna, you explained Hence, we are forever grateful to

you for giving us sweet shelter and keeping us so happily

maintained Leading us with great care, thanks to you, we are

sustained You have made Krishna Consciousness for the

youth extremely lively and fun That by your grace, our days

are so bright just like the glittering sun We now know that

wherever there is Krishna, there is sunshine No darkness can

54


there be, that is the bottom line You are a genuine well-

wisher of all living entities Doing everything for the higher

purpose despite the infinite austerities Just by seeing how

much faith you have in the LordCan keep us forever on

board!

You have dedicated every single moment in the service of

Gopinath And have taught us how to escape the vicious cycle

of birth and death The lives of thousands of people are

changing wonderfully Just by hearing one story, one sentence

or one word from you, even accidentally! You have

understood the mood of unconditional loving service And

you are so kindly imparting it on us, without any injustice

Reading and hearing about the sweet exchanges with the

devotees when you were physically present Allows us to

attempt to realize your immense dedication and always

making me so content It is very touching to hear how you

were bold, yet

affectionate and loving

Caring greatly about our spiritual

and material well-being

One of your disciples explained that late at night

You peeked into the devotees’ rooms

to ensure they were alright

Just like a devoted father You wanted to be certain they were

comfortable and without bother Srila Prabhupada, please be

merciful unto us all And bless us to become true and sincere

servants, however small.

Our love for you, you said, will be shown through our spirit

of cooperation Please help us to pursue this with enthusiasm

and firm dedication Bless us so we can serve as a successful

team And fulfill your divine dream

By pleasing the Supreme Thank you so much Srila

Prabhupada for everything You are so compassionate and

always accepting

Forgiving, faultless and truthful Fixed, grave and peaceful

Your wisdom and your love We never fall short of

You have brought us joy By introducing us to the most

beautiful blue boy I pray that one day I may be able to

faithfully contribute to your divine mission And forever serve

my Gurumaharaj with chastity and much conviction Please

help me to truly become humble And realize I am nothing

but a little dust particle Belonging at your lotus feet Where

my heart lies and is complete

With gratitude,


Lalita Sakhi devi dasi

Madhurananda Das


om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya

cakshur unmilitam yena tasmai Sri -gurave namah

nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhu-tale

srimate Bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracarine

nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine

Every year when I sit and speak with you, I often start

with a sorry tale of my own shortcomings or my inability

to serve the wonderful devotees of Krishna. This year, I

am more drawn to you and your endeavours. These have

helped me to see my own little life with increased clarity.

Who can say they have sacrificed as much as you have?

When I think about the small austerities that I often

complain about, I see that they pale in comparison to

yours. I never left my home to a distant and strange land.

I wouldn’t even have to think about a long boat trip in

55

this modern age of technology and travel. I don’t have to

consider the frailty of my body in old age either. While

we struggle to even speak to our familiars about our own

spiritual practice, I have never gone to a country where I

was alone and explain myself to everyone. Where I was

surrounded by strangers and where I had to start a

mission. Where the very mention of an anti-materialistic

lifestyle would be frowned on and where I had to be a

walking example of those teachings.

I have never had to look after thousands of people and

teach them an almost alien way of life. Convince them of

a foreign and exotic philosophy which had already been

tarnished by many ‘so called’ Gurus. I have never had to

stand out so far from the norm and yet be confident

enough to speak the truth in a world full of lies. I have

never had to deal with so many worries, complaints,

questions and reports and still remain merciful and

positive. I have never given up my sleep, time, energy

and health in the way that you have. Lived selflessly and

taken every moment as an opportunity to teach others.

Although I may read, have I developed the faith that by

sharing these teachings, all the world’s problems will be

solved?

When I stop to wonder how you managed to tolerate so

many difficulties and hardships, I am forever drawn to

how you see Krishna in all situations and remain so

focused on your mission. One of the many times you

highlighted this crucial point is a letter to your German

Disciples in Bombay, dated May 6, 1977:

“A devotee is pleased when there is difficulty, for in these

difficulties he is forced to remember Krsna. We cannot

expect that the people of Kali-yuga will welcome our

attempt to spread Krsna consciousness. It is just like a

lunatic asylum: The patients are running around madly

and when the doctor tries to give them treatment, they

insist that they are not crazy. Sometimes the patient even

strikes the doctor. So our task is like that. We cannot

stand to see people suffering due to ignorance. What is

that ignorance? They do not know that they are not their

body. This Krsna consciousness movement is meant to

deliver people to the proper understanding that they are

not their body, that they are pure spirit soul. We may or

may not be appreciated, that is not our concern. We

must execute the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu …”

“Go on spreading the sankirtana movement more and

more. I am only one person, but because all of you have

kindly cooperated with me, this movement has now

become a success all over the world.” With awe and

amazement, I watch you walk, head held high as if

oblivious to the world. Floating over our lunatic asylum

with clarity and vision, holding the cure in your hands.

I pray that I will always be amazed by you. May I never

forget your sacrifice, may I never forget your endeavour

and may I never forget what you accomplished.

Thank you for capturing our minds with your actions

and our hearts with your words.

Your servant

Madhurānanda das

Madhvi Mulji

Happy vyasa puja!

I can't believe the year has already flown by and the time has

come where we unite to remember You, and Your glorious

56


qualities. Currently sitting here in Vrindavana Dham, in

front of Sri Radha Shyama Sundar, Sri Krishna Balaram, and

Sri Gaura Nitai, I begin to reflect on the past year, and my

mind is empty. I try again, and reflect on how much I have

spiritually progressed in the past year, how much I actually

listened to you in the past year, and yet, my mind is void.

The only thing I can think of is the present. Our vaishnava

teachings, that You have so nicely presented to us, educates

us, that time in the material world acts as a master and time

in the spiritual world acts as a servant. Being blessed in Sri

Radha and Krsna's sacred land has opened my eyes and

allowed me to peak through the window of the spiritual

world. In the material world time is always in the past or the

future. We are always thinking of the past, and when the

past goes, we immediately think of the future. Whereas in

the spiritual world, time is ever present, because every soul is

engaged in the loving devotional service of Sri Radha and

Krsna constantly. Being in Sri Vrindavana Dham, the sacred

place where You lived and will always live, has left me with

the feeling of just being present, in this moment, engaged in

chanting the Holy Names of Krsna.

I came to the realisation that even receiving a tiny fraction of

a drop of Krsna's mercy once in my lifetime, is enough for

me to offer my life to You and surrender onto the lotus feet

of Sri Krsna. The only force that will inspire and guide me to

do that is You. Without You, I wouldn't have even got the

opportunity to aspire to become a better person. Without

you, I would not be feeling what i am feeling right now.

Without You, I am nothing. Without Your mercy nothing is

possible. You make the impossible, possible. I am ever so

grateful to have You in my life. I pray to Sri Sri Radha

Shyama Sundara, to always keep me by your side as it is by

far, the safest place in the world. Thank you so much. For

everything.

Your grateful servant

Madhvi

Michael Olabode

Dear Srila Prabhupada.

Please accept my most respectful obeisances again and again

and again. All glories to you and your wonderful service to

the lotus feet of the Beloved, Ghanashyam. By some

seriously fortunate mercy you have given me the chance to

try and appreciate you and remember you and show you

gratitude on your Vyasa Puja. You have given us everything.

In one sense you have given us more than everything. You

have given us access to happiness, which you have described

as being hundreds and thousands and millions of times more

than the happiness Krishna experiences- the happiness of

being the servant of the servant. In one sense you really have

given us more than everything.

You descended just to give us access to love of God, bhakti,

which controls Krishna. And you have clearly outlined how

in just one lifetime, despite the age, despite the atmosphere

of quarrels, despite the atmosphere of hypocrisy, despite the

polluted ether, despite the dullness of our minds, we can be

fully equipped and responsible to hold that bhakti, that pure

unending love. If what you have given us compares to the

sun, I can’t even lamp a torch for you in gratitude. If what

you have given us compares to the desert I can barely give

you a grain of sand in appreciation and if what you have

given us compares to the unparalleled depths of the titanic

oceans, I can barely offer you back a teardrop.

57

In Canto 2, Chapter 7, Verse 23 you elaborately highlight

the philosophy behind Ravana attempting to take away and

enjoy Sita. Initially when I heard of this pastime, it occurred

to me as a thrilling and exciting story about a demon up to

mischief, and the Supreme with his superhuman acts and

spirit saves the day. But even despite all that you have given I

continue to live my life like Ravana. You explain that the

energy of the Lord, should be worshipped alongside the

Supreme Himself. Practically speaking, by not properly

prioritising morning japa sustainably, by not trying my very

best to hear the Holy Name of the Lord, by not reading your

books to save my spiritual life I am not properly worshipping

the Supreme, and certainly not his energy and hardly

thanking you with my full effort.

How much time do I think I have left? I am going to fizzle

and die, regardless of whatever I try and do to stop it or

forget about it. I’m simply trying to learn all sorts of tools

and techniques to better manipulate the material energy and

influence people, but factually speaking, at no point in time

am I ever in actual control of the Lord’s energy. And that’s

what you have repeatedly said. I rudely think it doesn’t apply

to me just because I chant. As Ravana attempted, if I try to

enjoy the Lord’s energy separate from Him, I will simply be

busted like Ravana. And by not looking deep enough into

the rotten anarthas in my heart, or making sure I carefully

execute sadhana-bhakti with the attention its due, I’m simply

trying to control the material energy again, through

products, places, people and results of work.

You don’t want a society of casualties; you want a society of

pure devotees. Every society starts with one’s own internal

society. During this period of special remembrance of you, I

wish to take the time to closely inspect the thoughts and

feelings and desires I am cultivating and entertaining

moment by moment in my internal society. You came to

give us Krishna consciousness, to transform our internal

society into a fully spiritual environment and for this I am

deeply indebted to you, life after life.

It breaks your heart when you hear that your books are not

being studied. It breaks my heart when I hear of your upset.

From now I will aspire to study (and not just read) your

books in the mood of what are you really trying to say here?

How can I fully explain these points to others? And your

books are here to save my spiritual life from becoming a

casualty.

Your struggling but determined servant,

Michael

Mihir Kara

If Prabhupada asked what I’ve done for him, what would

I say?

Have I strived to fulfill his mission in every possible way?

Or have I just left it to one side while I focus on my own

desire?

Thinking that I’ll take it more seriously after I retire.

When will Prabhupada’s mission become my life, not

just a hobby?

If Krishna Consciousness is on the top floor then I’m still

waiting in the lobby.

I seem to leave my obligation to Prabhupada for

whenever,

It’s most convenient for me and doesn’t require much

endeavor.

But was there ever a moment where Prabhupada gave up

his dedication?

58


He followed his Guru’s instructions without a moment’s

hesitation.

Would you or I have left Krsna to come back down here?

But Prabhupada came back to deliver us without the

slightest fear.

I know for certain that in this material condition,

The only thing that can save us is service to Prabhupada’s

mission.

So I hope when I’m asked what I’ve done for His Divine

Grace?

My reply can bring a smile to Prabhupada’s face.

59

Meera Gajj

60


Mohini Mistry

My Dear Srila Prabhupada

Please accept my humble obeisances and all glories to you

Srila Prabhupada.

I feel as though I could never be able to glorify you fully

enough. There are not enough words, nor are there enough

pages of paper in this world for me to appreciate or be

thankful to the unlimited degree which you deserve. If it

were not for you to fill our hearts with pure love of Krsna

and our minds with transcendental knowledge, who knows

the way my life and millions of others you saved could have

unfolded. Who knows how the horrors and state of

consciousness of my already flickering mind would have

been. You ever so fearlessly travelled to this corrupted

western world and fought numerous mishaps. Your

dedication and motivation is incomparable. Dear Srila

Prabhupada, whilst reading about Your glories and

wonderful qualities, I felt unbelievably grateful for all the

hardships you fought to bring Krsna Conscious to the

world. All Glories to you Srila Prabhupada!

When I was reading about the conditions which you had to

put up with and the deralics, its so saddening to hear that

you, the Founder-Acharya, who has given meaning to my

life and millions around the world had to suffer through

such conditions, yet You are so humble and patient. You

didn’t mind. You were just sincerely spreading Krsna

Conciousness and you were amazingly detached from your

surroundings.

Srila Prabhupada being born within the movement, I often

take it all for granted and foolishly don’t appreciate the

nectar that is right infront of me. I have a sincere desire and

now a source of motivation to become active in your

mission, to read your books and to preach. Reading the

lilamrta and hearing from your disciples of your infallible

dedication to books and translating has really deeply

affected me. It has urged and reminded me of the

importance of reading your books. I am sincerely grateful

deep within my heart and thankful to you Srila Prabhupada

for enlightening the western world and demolishing their

ignorance. You have given me this incredible and amazing

Krsna Conscious family. Within this beautiful interlace

network of devotees, we all try to encourage one another to

continue chanting, and practising and to never give up no

matter how strong Maya’s trickery and illusion may be.

There will never be a shortage of devotees, all through the

world in all countries, devotees will now have association-

we will have support. This wonderful tree of devotees;

although branched out across the world all have the same

root, and that is you Srila Prabhupada. Our God

consciousness is solely dependent on you. Thank you Srila

Prabhupada. Thank you. .Thank you.

Srila Prabhupada- I was a little hesitant to write this

offering as there is so much for me to say, an ever flowing

ocean of words. I felt that my offering could never really

appreciate you sufficley. You’ve given me everything Srila

Prabhupada. Everything I own which is worthy of anything

is simply due to Your dedication to fulfil your guru’s

instruction. I will aim to try and thank you through service,

through preaching and through not being ‘ a bum in

Krishna Consciouness’ as my Guru Maharaj says!

Just like a grandchild tries to please their grandfather- I will

try wholeheartedly to make you happy and proud.

Your fortunate grand-daughter,

Mohini

61

Murlidhara Priya Das


Please accept my humble obeisances

All glories at your lotus feet

Recently I have been in touch with someone who is

taking his steps towards spiritual life - in a slow manner

as he tries to mentally speculate his way to the

conclusions of the ultimate aim of life. This person is one

of the most materially intelligent person I’ve come across.

Almost on the level of a genius I’d say. However, when

speaking to him, I realised how reading a page of any of

your books equates to the sum-total of all his extraneous

self endeavours to try to understand spiritual life. How

fortunate are we, that you taught us the useless labours of

mental speculation. How can a frog in a well understand

the vastness of the pacific ocean. Simple, but clear.

I have a family member, who is at the fag end of his life.

A successful business man with a fabulous bank balance.

A strong and healthy man, whose power of influence

used to cast over all his children, grandchildren and those

who came across his path. Now as he approaches 80, he

is barely able to walk without facing exhaustion. Petrified

of travelling long distances in fear of his bladder giving

way. Out of frustration, he welcomes death to put him

out of his miseries. How fortunate are we, that you

taught us from the very beginning of the temporary

nature of all material endeavours. How can anything

material possibly, deeply satisfy the self, the soul. A

simple lesson, that will save us from a wasted life.

I have family members, who in their spiritual pursuits

come across varieties of pseudo-spiritual paths, cheating

them of the highest realities of spiritual realms and bliss.

Their misguided endeavours limit themselves to perhaps

popularity, wealth and at most attaining a ticket to a

heavenly planet. How fortunate are we, that you taught

us the basics in understanding the genuine from the

counterfeit, and to aim for the highest, a relationship

with Krsna in Goloka Vrindavana.

You have made us fortunate in so many ways. The list

goes on. We truly are blessed by the best and you have

given us everything there is to know to perfect our

existence. The question is, what will we do with this

great fortune. Will we use our God given independence

to take heed to your instructions and perfect our lives

and make you smile or will we simply give lip service and

waste your time.

I pray to be able to remain in the association of devotees,

be free from the tendency of committing offence and

sincerely attempting to progress in spiritual life. If I am

able to succeed in this supreme endeavour, surely I will

bring a smile to your face.

Your servant

Murlidhara Priya das

62


Neha

Nikhil Padiar

Dear Prabhupada,

I have never met you and thus have never had the

pleasure of getting to know you personally. However, i

feel as if i am getting to know you better and better

purely through deepening myself through your

movement. If it wasn't for you i would still be a

confused, frustrated soul searching for an absolute truth

within a reservoir of indefinite misleading sources and

ultimately would have given up on realizing the truth

and Krishna. The experiences and emotions

I have felt and still feel within the early days of my

spiritual life are unexplainable, even to myself. You had

to suffer many tribulations on your voyage to the west

simply to give us this greatest truth, and for that i am

truly humbled. Your endeavour strengthens my faith in

Krishna consciousness so much that just the thought of

you eliminates any demonic doubts i have running

through my mind about the path i am about to take. It is

because of you that I have the association of so many

wonderful devotees to guide me through your movement

and give me the oppurtunity to serve you. Showing me a

life of true eternal happiness and satisfaction, I cannot

begin to tell you how grateful and thankful I am. Infact,

a simple few words cannot justify my feeling, so i will

humbly thank you through my actions and endevours in

serving your truly inspiring movement. Please accept my

gratitude and please help me gain the strength to save

myself against this Maya...

Your Servant Always,

Nikhil Padhiar

Nilee Joshi

Hare Krsna,

I want to say how grateful I am for all your achievements

of establishing Krsna Consciousness, the way you spread

the Movement to the West has inspired me immensely,

you travelled miles to increase the understanding of The

Holy Name by your books and your lectures, which are

so incredibly moving, because without all your wisdom

and dedication, I would be lost about who I am, and

about who and what I’m living for. Your knowledge and

intelligence gave me the opportunity to make my life

more spiritual, as well as to make a new best friend who

is always going to be there for me: Krsna. You have given

me Krsna Consciousness, which I believe is the best path

63

to bliss, you have taught me how to attain eternal

happiness, and you have taught me how to go Back to

Godhead, because only with your mercy and Krsna’s do I

hope to be able to gain even just a partial amount of

happiness that you are experiencing right now.

Therefore, for all of these realisations and opportunities

that you have given to me through your humble,

indescribable insights, I Thank You.

Nilee Joshi

Palika Raniga

I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A. C.

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to

Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.

Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master,

servant of Sarasvati Gosvami. You are kindly preaching the

message of Lord Chaitanyadeva and delivering the Western

countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.

Dearest Great Grandfather Srila Prabhupada,

Thinking back over the last year, there is so much that

needs to be said to you however you already know that i

do not know where to begin but i will try. I owe you my

life, everything i have, the relationships, experiences,

everything is a shower of your blessings. For the past few

months i have been thinking about this topic of gratitude

a lot. It sounds so easy to do but i realised I do not do it

that often. I know that chanting is important, reading is

important, taking prasadam is so important but i keep on

forgetting to do one other thing which i should do every

day and that is to thank you, thank Radha Gokulananda,

thank all the devotees! For without all of you the thing i

call normality which is coming to the manor, going to

sangas, jammins, trips, doing worship at home would not

exist. If it were not for you and the order of your spiritual

master, my father would not have bumped into devotees

in central London and joined the family of ISKCON.

Gratitude or to be grateful is such a wonderful thing, the

selfless act of saying those words that touch someones

heart, the smile from within that takes over and brings

out the love for the simple act of kindness. Srila

Prabhupada there are not enough words for the kindness

you have showered on me and my family.

I always think of me, me, me, me, me. What i want,

what i want to do, what i want to have. Me me me me

me.

As i sit here today near you in the darshan room, i

cannot think about not having you in my life, even

thinking about it makes me feel like the life has been

taken away from me. It has become empty, nothing to

do, nothing to think about. Just a few days ago i was a

guest at a school and they called me in to answer a few

questions the kids had on Hinduism. One of the kids

asked me, what do you feel when you go to the temple,

what do you think about? I thought about the question

and then smiled. I answered in a different way and said

“imagine you have been in school for days and want to

go home (she gasped at the thought which made me

laugh) then imagine going home and being around

happy people, family and friends. (she smiled at the

thought). I said this is how i feel when i go to the temple.

Happy and i think, wow now i am at home.

ou have made this temple my home for the past 23years.

64


I cannot imagine my life without coming here and seeing

the deities and devotees. This past year has been an

eventful one for me. Going to Vrindavan for kartika in

2011 had really awakened my desire stay in Vrindavan

dham. My desire of serving Vraja Dham is somehow

becoming a reality. My service for the past year has been

to help coordinate festivals in Pandava Sena. The actual

team are amazing and have been doing wonderful service

in inspiring others. I pray I can have the same mood as

them when it comes to service. Oh my dearest great

grandfather, I have actually got the chance now by the

grace of Radharani and your blessing and blessing of all

the vaishnavas to stay in Vrindavan and serve Braj dham.

I leave on the 5th December and beg you for your

guidance so i can serve in a humble state of mind and

not be attached to my material desires. Thank you so

much for your constant guidance and bless me that

whatever i have here in London, i can utilise that to help

serve srimati Raharani and Shyamsundara and the

inhabitants of Vraja Dham.

Your servant in the making,

Palika

Prayag Thakrar


Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories unto your

lotus feet.

When I started thinking about what to write, I didn’t know

where to start. How do I start appreciating the difference

you have made in my life? I can say without a doubt this

past year has changed me an incredible amount. So what is

it that has been the cause of this change? I remember

writing my offering last year from the ashram in

Chowpatty, but at that time, I was in the process of

transforming my life to add Krsna to the centre. As my

mentor told me, when there is a room which hasn’t been

cleaned for years and years, it is full of dust. And by slowly

cleaning this, a lot of dust flies into the air, but you tolerate

because you know that by your cleansing, the dust will

eventually be rid. And there is a lot of dust within the heart.

Now I am really feeling the effects of the association which I

was fortunate to receive.

Despite my next trip not being spiritually motivated, I feel I

made leaps and bounds in South America and can honestly

say Krsna allowed me to go both to fulfil my desires as well

as to become stronger in my Krishna Consciousness.

Throughout my travels, it was very evident that people were

essentially looking for Krsna, but they just did not know it.

And I was able to witness all the things which people

perceive that will bring them happiness but whilst it gave

pleasure, ultimately it was only temporary. It allowed me to

be very appreciative of what I had, and that we could really

try to dedicate this one life to Krsna. Now I feel much more

confident to give Krsna to others.

I guess what I am trying to say is thank you for giving us

Krsna because who knows what we would be doing without

Him? When I look around me and see how much you have

transformed all of our lives to give us something of real

value, my heart warms inside. Thank you Srila Prabhupada.

Your servant,

Prayag

65

Priya Ghelani


Only once a year I sit down to appreciate you and your

immense efforts in creating your movement by writing a

short offering.

I pray to remember everything you have done for us

more often so that I can remember how fortunate we are

and how rare this opportunity we have been given really

is.

I pray that I can read your books, hear your lectures and

truly absorb your teachings. I pray that I can really

associate with your devotees and learn from their

exemplary moods with a pure heart. I pray that I can

serve your devotees and serve you, even in some small

way. You have given us so much. We are indebted to you

but we are fortunate enough to serve you through this

movement you have created for us.

Lastly, I pray that I can always remain in the association

of your devotees and I never leave your movement.

Your servant,

Priya Ghelani

Raaj Raniga

66


Radha Vinod

67

Radhika Joshi


Please accept my humble obeisances at your Divine lotus

feet. All glories to you on this most auspicious day.

I can not express my gratitude towards you Master,

words are just not enough to glorify you by. Just

thinking about it, where at a time i could place myself in

this dark misery. So many around you, yet you don't feel

like apart. There were many different directions

which could have been taken, but which path to go on???

So many questions arising in our mind

Where to go? What to do? As the darkness has covered

you completely, But is that the way of life?? are you really

attaining something from that?? Could not get an

answer. Though then i see a small light coming on the

side, where i could see you Master. Always there to help,

giving push, making me see and realise whereby i should

flow. Just by leaving your wonderful books and devotee's

to inspire us, which then just goes and erases or

blanks our darkness.

A small saying for you Master:

Thanks for doing what you did;

You are kind beyond belief;

Your help and caring calmed me down,

And gave me soothing relief.

Master over the years as time goes by, i feel more and

more close to you. Even the feeling of serving you and

all is totally different now. Just keep this insignificant

soul going with your mercy. Pull more and more towards

Lord Sri Krishna. To keep me going on this path, only to

walk following your way.

Back to Godhead Back to Godhead Back to Godhead

HARE KRISHNA...

Your servant of the servant

Radhika

68


Rahul Popat

69

Rangadevi


Please accept my most humble obeisances, all glories to

your magnanimous self. I wonder why I hesitate and

delay to write to you some words of thanks and

glorification.

Srila Prabhupada, my life without you would have been

so different... a life without spiritual direction, in

pursuance of common goals and pleasures; somewhat

empty and unclear in purpose. Yet now by your bright

words, by your kind and wholesome example and by the

depth of your love, I find myself enriched, revelling in

ever fresh treasures, subtleties and heartfelt realisations.

This path of surrender, self purification and self

awakening is difficult and often bittersweet but always an

adventure, a discovery. A path of intelligence and

introspection, of coming close to that which uplifts and

purifies us whilst distancing from that which does not. I

struggle with basic things, yet still you reciprocate with

experiences that are far beyond my qualification.

Thank you Srila Prabhupada for being there for me,

when I'm conscious of you and when I'm not, for

speaking to me when I make the effort to hear

you.Thank you for your shelter that makes me feel so

safe. I pray that one day I will not struggle with

foundational things in my spiritual life and will live a life

that is perfectly aligned with your words and rooted in

your heart's desire.

I struggle on trying to outgrow the confines of my

conditional self and pray to be more intimately

connected to your words within my mind and heart.

Hoping to always please you,

Your spiritual grand daughter,

Rangadevi devi dasi

Ravi Pattni

nama om vishnu-padaya

krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale

srimate bhaktivedanta

swamin iti namine

namaste saraswati deve

gaura-vani-pracharine

nirvishesha-shunyavadi

pashchatya-desha-tarine


Please accept my humble obeisance’s,

All glories to Your Divine Grace,

Words of gratitude are few and never of the heart when I

make my attempts to write an offering to You.

Glorifying You is benign of feeling and my attachment

for you is fleeting and only present when I need help. I

try so desperately to cry out to You for help in my

Krishna conscious attempts, but crocodile tears are all

that pour from my eyes.

This year has been filled with Your mercy, and

opportunities have been plentiful to perform devotional

service. From Senagetaway to University Societies, I have

tried to please You in the hope that at some point I will

70


be able to offer something worthy at the end of this

lifetime. These opportunities have been tainted with my

need for acknowledgement, yet still, You guide me through

your books, lectures, letters and example - which always

seem to give the right advice at the right time.

Having left the association of those whom I regarded

friends previously, I have been forced somewhat into

surrender, and despite me realizing until now - Your

movement has provided me with an ocean of happiness

beyond the few drops I was receiving previously. You

describe this world as a place of misery and only now have

I seen this.

You have also guided me towards my spiritual master who

instructs me so nicely so as to find my way back home.

May these simple words please You on Your glorious

appearance day, which brought the sun of Your divine

presence into my desperate life.

Your humble aspiring servant,

Ravi

Ravi Talsania

My Dearest Srila Prabhupada,

I am writing this offering to you from Harki Pauri in Haridwar

during my first trip to India! I have had the most amazing

experience so far from bathing in the Holy Ganga to walking

across the Ram Jhula bridge and seeing the magnanimous

Himalayas in Rishikesh! Today we drove from Haridwar to

Vrindavan- it took 10 hours! But finally around midnight we

arrived. I felt this overwhelming sense of contentment. I felt

overpoweringly emotional and knew that I was in the right

place. We drove passed Your temple. I saw Your Samadhi. I

felt so close to You and am very eager to actually step into it

and be in the same place as Your divine vapu. You have truly

blessed us with so much. So much that we couldn’t even

possibly require or need, yet You gave it to us. All we really

need is the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. That’s suffice for us to

develop our love of Godhead. But due to Your unlimited

mercy; Your

boundless love; Your unconditional commitment for delivering

souls back to Krishna, You have given us a society. A society

full of beautiful devotees and exquisite deities; of nectarian

books and soul-satisfying prasad.

Today I walked into the Krishna-Balarama Temple. Seeing the

very same Radha-Shyamasundara that You yourself took

darshan of just before Your descent back home sent shivers

down my spine and I really understood why people are so

attracted and addicted to Sri Vrindavan Dham. I understand

the potency of these deities and why people cry in their

presence.

It is now the 30th October. I visited 4 out of the 7 main

temples of Vrindavan Dham. I saw Sri Sri Radha Damodar.

They were a lot taller than I expected them to be. Four sets of

the divine couple! It was a very awe striking sight!

They had beautifully painted cheeks with yellow dots and

swirls and large glowing eyes beaming with love for Their

devotees. There was also a Jagannath deity to the left and a

Goverdhan shila containing the footprint of the Supreme

Personality of Godhead as well the hoof outline of a surabhi

calf. On the right hand side as I entered the temple, I saw the

rooms which

You stayed in before You left for America. The very same place

You hatched out the plans for spreading Krishna

Consciousness in the west. I really felt Your presence there. I

71

saw the exact place where You would translate the

Bhagavatam whilst looking out the window across to Srila

Rupa Goswami’s Samadhi. Across this room was Your

kitchen. It was a very simple room which had a counter and

a gas cooker. The floors were charcoal concrete and the walls

were faded and cracked. To think that You- the Founder-

Acharya of an international propaganda lived in such an

austere environment really puts everything into perspective.

You lived so simply because You were detached from any

material considerations and were simply intent on Your

devotion to Sri Krishna. I thought I knew a lot about You.

In reality I really don’t. There’s so much to learn about You.

It’s like a life long learning process. As we advance, more

knowledge is bestowed unto us and revelation of Your

character and Your mood becomes more accessible. Urmilla

Mataji said to me that “how can we love somebody that we

don’t even know?” It’s such a simple yet crucial point. The

Christians attempt to glorify God through their Bible

however the bible doesn’t give any references to the form or

the

pastimes of the Supreme. How can they love Him other than

through blind faith? I have made a conviction to myself that

I will get to know You beyond a subtle level. Through Your

books, Your lectures and Your disciples. I want to know You

so that I can love You. And then when I love You, I can

attempt to love Krishna .

There is a side to You which I was entirely unaware of.

Initially I was completely ignorant as to how much India

meant You - especially the charismatic village of Vrindavan.

How You could have left this place and delved into the

humdrum western hemisphere- I will never know. I have

only spent 10 days here and I am so in awe of everything.

But- You lived here! So you truly understood and relished

the potency of Vraja Dham. For You to leave this place in

the latter part of Your life, simply for us is something I will

never be able to fathom. I just can’t comprehend how much

love You have in Your heart. For us? Who are we? Simply

mlecchas and sense gratifiers. Yet You sacrificed Your

sadhana for us. Even Your own God-brothers turned their

backs on You. Its the single most selfless act anybody on this

entire planet has ever committed. You are definitely not from

this world. You can’t be. Even Mother Theresa, through all

her humanitarian work for the people of Calcutta and her

attempts to distribute the Catholic philosophy to the

uneducated, lost her faith in God towards the end of her life.

Srila Krsnadas Kaviraja Goswami says in the Caitanya

Caritamrita that if we consider the mercy of Lord Caitanya,

our hearts will be struck with wonder. In the same way if we

examine the qualities and achievements of Your divine grace,

we cannot but be amazed. Many people in this world are

labelled as great, but the greatness of a Vaisnava Acharya can

never be compared to the insignificant ‘greatness’ of these

people. If we look at the history of our parampara, we see an

ocean of variegated magnanimity amongst the Acharyas.

They were so focused in their efforts to challenge the non-

devotees and preserve the bhaktas. They gave their lives to

God propagation and underwent severe penances to

enlighten those around them. Hundreds and thousands of

years later, their legacies continue and their teachings prevail.

However none have been bearers of Krishna Consciousness

in the quantity that You have.

None spread this cult to the wide extent that You did. None

constructed temples and attracted disciples in countries

outside of India. You spread Krishna Consciousness in an

environment which was bereft of Vedic Culture. Yet You

undeniably saw Yourself as their servant. They were Your

masters and You established their assertions through Your

own books and lectures. By knowing You, we got to know a

5000 year long legacy of Vaisnavas! Without You my life

would be considerably insignificant. Despite being in

ISKCON- it still is. However I have a glimpse of hope that

something I do will make a constructive contribution to

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Your mission to please Your Gurumaharaj. Regardless of

knowing deep within my heart that this is the ultimate

reality, foolishly I still make mistakes and procrastinate when

I should be chanting Hare Krishna and reading Your books.

Please bless our attempts to glorify You through this

‘Prabhupada Tribute Festival’. If You so desire. All I want to

do is make you smile, truly.

With gratitude,

Your foolish grandson

Sahil Agarwal


Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to you.

In the last year many things have happened by your mercy. I

have had the rare fortune to be surrounded by many serious

devotees who have saved me time and again. The society of

devotees you created is so powerful since it provides

protection and a spiritual oasis from the constant attacks of

the material world. Please Prabhupada, allow me to remain

in the association of such sincere and serious devotees, for

without their guidance and protection I would definitely not

be aspiring to follow your instructions.Thank you

Prabhupada, for giving us a mission, the mission of the

greatest welfare work. This mission drives the devotees and

also their sincere desire to please you, and because of their

mercy they engage me in your service too.

You are so merciful that you give even such an insignificant

soul the mercy to be happy in his service, and the blessing of

being constantly engaged in devotional service. Thank you

Prabhupada for the blessing of being engaged in devotional

service, which is most glorious. Over the last year by your

mercy there have been some challenges in my life. For a

period of time the challenges were very external and physical.

However after that distinct period of challenges, by your

mercy immediately there were more internal challenges and

because of good guidance and support it really forced me to

try and go slightly deeper into the practice of Krishna

Consciousness and really try and pray and beg Krishna, and

Radharani for Their mercy. So thank you Prabhupada for

your mercy, since your mercy is all the I am made up of.

Prabhupada please allow me to be an instrument of your

compassion, and please use me as you like.

Please give me the blessings that I can strive to be the servant,

of the servant, of your loving servants and offer this life to

you.

Your insignificant aspiring servant,

Sahil

Sejal Bhundia


I offer my humble obeisances to you. I cannot thank you

enough for starting the Hare Krishna Movement. I don't

know what I'd do if it didn't exist. Through this movement,

I have learnt so much about spiritual life and the route to

eternal happiness. I have learnt the importance of seva and

helping others around me. Being a part of this movement has

enabled me to have strength during the most difficult times

of my life. Having faith in Lord Krishna has saved me from a

a potentially fatal summer this year and I am forever

thankful.

All my love,

Sejal

73

Shankar Punn


Please Accept My Humble Obeisances

Thanks to your unlimited mercy, which you have bestowed

unto a completely undeserving spirituality immature

neophyte, I feel I have been able to take my spiritual life

more seriously this year. In what has been an unpredictable,

enlivening and sometimes difficult year you have been so

kind to put extremely exalted devotees in my path which has

helped me to come to the realisation that everything is which

happens good or bad is Krishna’s mercy. Although I often

forget this point, I know deep inside my heart that sri-guru-

carane rati, ei se uttama-gati, je prasade pure sarva asa is all

that matters.

By your causeless mercy and Krishna’s inconceivable

arrangement I have had the honour of meeting many of your

disciples this year and have heard your glorious pastimes

from them directly. Having also read about your early

struggles, triumphs and sheer dedication to fulfil your

spiritual masters instructions you have inspired me to not

waste this precious human form of life by taking this process

of Krishna Consciousness more seriously. You have also

given me the greatest gift of all this past year, which is an

opportunity to engage in devotional service. Thank you Srila

Prabhupada for allowing me to execute some small service

for the devotees in the movement. I pray at your lotus feet

that I can continue to have the privilege to perform

devotional service for many years to come.

I cannot imagine, and somewhat fear what my life would be

like without Krishna Consciousness and although I have so

much more still to learn and so much more purification to

still go through, I know I can always take shelter from this

material world in your books. In your purport for Chapter

18, verse 66 of the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, you state ‘One

should be attracted by the beautiful vision of Krishna. His

name is Krishna because He is all-attractive. One who

becomes attracted by the beautiful, all-powerful, omnipotent

vision of Krishna is fortunate’. Although I know I am no

where near the level of even beginning to understanding

Krishna, I do understand how fortunate I am to have access

to your books for guidance, instruction and access to the

mercy of the Lord.

A phrase, which resonates in my memory, is ‘Books are the

basis, purity is the force, preaching is the essence and utility

is the principle’. This simple yet powerful statement is what I

will endeavour to meditate on this coming year to hopefully

develop the consciousness to serve you in the way which you

have so kindly prescribed all conditioned souls.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you Srila Prabhupada. I

pray that I am always engaged in your service.

Your Servant,

Saahas Shanker Punn

Shiv Shingdia


Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet.

All Glories to You.

Prabhupada I cannot even begin to glorify you as I don’t

even understand the greatness of what you have done. I

am so foolish that even after you doing the greatest

things possible I ignorantly cannot even appreciate them.

Of the little I know I will try to make some cherishing

points. Not until recently did I ever quite comprehend

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why you always said you were never alone when you

came to the west. You always stated your spiritual master

and Krishna were with you at all times. I took what you

said for complete granted and didn’t try to understand it.

However, after trying to connect with you I now see that

24/7 you are completely absorbed in pleasing your

spiritual master and Krishna. Now I can slightly see that

similarly we are always connected to you and always have

you with us when we are trying to serve you. You are

directly with Krishna yet so lovingly you come to save us

all.

I am slowly realising ISKCON is everything. The

wonderful devotees due to your books and teachings

keep me going. Despite being so fortunate to have time

with so many wonderful devotees who are such amazing

examples and teach me so much, I continuously take

them for granted. I cannot

imagine life without ISKCON as this movement has

given me endless mercy. I am not worthy of asking you

for anything more as you are giving Love of Krishna Srila

Prabhupada, however to stay and progress I must beg

you to always keep me under your wings. I am stupid

and Maya is very strong, however pleading out to you is

the only way I can be saved.

You have all amazing qualities as you have complete

Krishna Consciousness. I will never completely

understand what you have done for us all; however I will

give it my best to serve you so that when that one day

comes I can truthfully say I tried to please you

Prabhupada and really attempted to make you smile.

Please always keep me under your guiding wings, where I

feel secure.

Trying to be your servant,

Shiv Shingdia

75

Shyam Dattani

Sona Shah


Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you.

Of all the amazing things you have done in the last few

years of your life, setting up this movement across the

world on your own, is so inspirational. With all the

hardships you faced in the process, it is really remarkable

how much you managed to accomplish, in such a short

space of time. It shows that anything is possible if you

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really desire and work hard to achieve it. Whenever I

think about this work you have done, it makes me want

to work harder in what little I can do. If you can achieve

such great things, we can at least make our best attempt

to achieve even something small in our lives too!

Please continue to give us your blessings and guidance so

that we may try to serve and make a small input in your

mission to spread Krishna Consciousness around the

world.

Your Aspiring Servant,

Sona

Sunil


Please accept my humble obeisances at your divine lotus

feet. All glories to you on this most auspicious

appearance day.

Every year we write tend to write these offering but no

matter how much we write or say we can never and will

never be able to comprehend how much you have done

for fallen conditioned souls like myself. No matter how

much we glorify your efforts it still feels short of how

much you have given to us. By your books, association

through your instructions- the entire world was turned

on its head, such power you had yet so humble and we

are eternally grateful for your appearance here in the

material world.

I continue to struggle so much to advance in krsna

consciousness mainy as I continually fall short of

following the process given by you. I pray that you

continue to shower your love, attention guidance and

ultimately your unlimited mercy upon all conditioned

souls so that one day they can return back home back to

godhead. I thank you prabhupadha for the many times

in my life that I feel your words have guided me to

decide between right and wrong and helped me to try to

remember the lotus feet of krsna. I feel like the entire

material world is grateful for your appearance and

sacrifice by leaving the spiritual world, I pray that

somehow or other I can one day repay a minute amount

of your transcendental love by serving others. I humbly

beg you to continue to shower your blessings on me to

make me an instrument in serving your mission and

please forgive my offences.

Your eternally indebted fallen servent, I beg that I can

remain under the shelter of your lotus feet always.

Sunil

Umeeka


Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare,

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

Please accept my utmost obeisances.

I would like to seize this wondrous opportunity to say

thank you for the inspiring and magnificent journey you

began a long time ago. You have initiated and developed

a blanket of pure snow over the world uniting people

from different cultures and backgrounds to believe in

one faith- Krishna Consciousness.

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With your support and rich wisdom I hope to attain an

untainted and content soul. With your pure knowledge

and my capabilities we are able to progress in eradicating

suffering and immense delusion on this material world.

This academic year, I shall be helping to lead the Krishna

Consciousness Society at Queen Mary, University of

London. Please help me to persevere and preserve the

motivation, confidence and strength to sustain the

Krishna Consciousness movement, forever. Please accept

me as your student so that I may also continue your gift

of wisdom through my journey in life.

I am forever grateful to you.

Yours sincerely,

Your eternal servant,

Umeeka

Vedant Pandya

My dear jagat guru,

I sometimes think of your glories and only wish I was

present in your pastimes on earth, i wonder if you're in

goloka vrindavan or preaching in another universe,

regardless of that my only wish would be to have a

moment of your association. I reckon I'd be a stronger

devotee right away.

In the service of guru and Gauranga,

Your fallen servant,

V

Vishal Popat


Every year we thank you for what you have given us and

left us with, and over the last year much has happened

and Krishna Consciousness has taught me so many

lessons which nothing or nobody else could've taught

me. I've met many new people and the times I've had

within Krishna Consciousness have been priceless, and it

has got me through the worst of times, for which I can't

do enough in return, but what I can do is make my best

effort to constantly persevere to develop my

consciousness, and to learn to devote myself to Krsna, by

your example, with your voyage to look up to as an

inspiration to better myself.

Your servant,

Vishal

Vrinda Kishori Devi Dasi

To the great founder Acarya, dearest Srila Prabhupada…

After all you have done, I find appreciating you so hard.

The deadline draws to a close, yet I have nothing to write

It makes me feel morose, and I feel a sense of fright.

Why am I so selfish and my heart made of stone?

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I feel no love or gratitude… in this regard I am alone.

The devotees beam at the thought of your personality

They are so keen… all of them but me

Although the sentiment is absent and dry

I love what you have given and I really want to try

To hear and chant with love, the glories of the Lord

This I’m unworthy of, it wouldn’t be a just reward.

I know what I am, what I think and what I do,

To give a small taste to a rascal, why would you?

Completely absurd is what thinks me.

Then I think of the words: causeless mercy

Thank you dear Acarya for all you have done

In appreciation, I will try not to shun…

any devotee that has entered ISKCON,

By selfless service we can hit the home run!

The servant of the servant of your servants

Vrinda Kishori Devi Dasi

Vrindavan Bihari Das

nama om vishnu padaya krishna presthaya bhutale

srimate bhaktivedanta swamin iti namine

I offer my respectful obeisances unto

His Divine Grace A C Bhaktivedanta Swami

who is very dear to Lord Krishna having taken

shelter at His lotus feet.

namaste sarasvati deve gaura vani pracarine

nirvisesa sunyavadi pascatya desha tarine

Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master,

servant of Saraswati Goswami.

You are so kindly teaching the message of Lord Chaitanya

and delivering the Western countries

which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.


In terms of spiritual realisations or advancement,

unfortunately this year has not been very progressive,

fortunately I still feel connected with you, you have been

the bedrock of my spiritual life, even when I didn’t have

full faith in Krsna, I trusted you and was inspired by you.

Like a gentle and generous grand father your presence

particularly through your books as well as you’re

devotees keep persons such as my lowly self connected to

Krishna Conciousness, a hope one day that just as a child

matures at adolescence, one day I will mature in Krishna

Conciousness.

You’re patience with us struggling with our anarthas

gives me hope. You’re determination that it is possible to

develop love of Krsna in this life gives me hope. In your

books you’re as soft as a flower and as hard as a

thunderbolt. A perfect spiritual doctor giving us what we

need. I can imagine you cutting through all my

nonsense. The fact of the matter is although difficult to

admit is I am lazy and comfortable with the status quo.

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Someone sleeping is easy to wake up but someone

pretending to sleep can not be easily woken up. I pray

that I take your instructions with the surrender and

vibrancy of a simple, sincere, innocent and determined

new fresh bhakta.

I have nothing of any significance to offer you, except my

desire to do so.

Your aspiring servant

Vrindavan Bihari dasa

Yaajan Govindia


Please accept my humble obeisances and all glories to

you're lotus feet! Srila Prabhupada, you have so delicately

wrapped Krishna Bhakti into Krishna Consciousness and

gifted it to the world for our benefit. I beg that you help

me to never forget this knowledge you have given to us

through you're books, and forever help me aspire to

become the servant of the servant to please you. You have

given me so much, and I simply wish that I may use any

situation, whether in times of hardship or comfort, in

you're service, just with the hope of making Krsna smile.

Please help me to maintain and grow my faith and

sadhana, so I can share with others the love of Sri Krsna.

I need guidance in order to soften my hardened heart

from greed, envy, anger and many more unwanted

qualities in order to touch others hearts. Prabhupada,

you're my saviour, you saved my soul. Please lead me in

the right direction, towards the ultimate goal.

As put so perfectly by mother Teresa, "I simply want to

be a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is

sending a love letter to the world.."

You're fallen servant,

Yaajan

Yash Karia


On a recent Pandavasena trip to Radhadesh, Belgium, I

learned how you fulfilled so many roles: as a teacher,

providing insights on the most profound texts ever

written; as a leader, assisting the development of a global

society; and even as a medical practitioner! Yet despite

undertaking such great responsibilities dedicating so

much time and effort in a worldwide revolution, I have

also heard how you would very often merrily quote,

“what is the difficulty”.

Having recently taken up a little bit of responsibility with

the Krishna Consciousness society at university, I

sometimes find myself caught up between my studies and

having to spend time for the society. Yet very often,

neither aspect is completely fulfilled. In your very own

life, you exemplified how a whole multitude of tasks can

be accomplished especially when Krishna has been firmly

placed in the centre. However, what I really find

inspiring is the fact that in the face of great

responsibilities, there was always time for you to relate to

others in the most personal and loving way possible. This

is truly evident by the society you leave behind as your

legacy where people genuinely care and are concerned

about the welfare of others.

Your servant,

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Yash Karia

Your incompetent

servant

"This ISKCON Movement is complete. We should

never neglect this point. We should never

misunderstand, under some illusion and bewilderment,

that we don't have all the facilities for complete

protection at the feet of Srila Prabhupada in this

ISKCON Movement. This ISKCON Movement is

complete, because everything is here" - Aindra Prabhu's

Srila Prabhupada Vyasa Puja Offering 1997

Dear Prabhupada,

There comes a time in my life where I stop what I'm

doing and detach myself from the business of my daily

life (not doing much) to focus on You. Its when I do this

that I realise how little I think of You, how little I reflect

upon Your achievements and Your infinite, divine

qualities. Not too long ago, I used to witness the love my

fellow devotees used to have for You (and still do), would

sit and listen to their stories, would watch them glorify

You again and again. But I would never understand this

love, this admiration. my thoughts were "Sure, He

established many ISKCON centres worldwide,

established such a large and successful movement. So?

Surely someone else would have done it, if not Him." I

never shared these thoughts with anyone. I guess I was

worried about offending. I was baffled as to why I saw

tears in peoples' eyes when sitting in Your katha. I guess

I did the right thing and channeled my confusion

in Your books, in Your lilas and this is my small

opportunity to say thank you. Thank you for giving me

that which I never really hankered for until this lifetime

(and even then, do not hanker enough for). I take

everything you have done for us for granted.

Your advice, Your literature, Your processes.. I go

through phases where I know it's there and it isn't going

anywhere so I forget You. Thoughts of You go so far

back into my mind and ego that I forget, if I have any

sanity at all, it is because of You. Please forgive me.

Please never take Your hand off my head. I'm sorry.

Your incompetent servant

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Thus ends the offerings presented to

Your Divine Grace for the 2012 Tribute Celebration

by the youth of Your movement.

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“I am Indian, but I have come to western countries to teach love of God. It

is not that I am satisfied only in myself that I love God, that's all right. But

due to my love to God I love others also, so I am trying to teach them to

love God, the same philosophy. So if people take seriously this movement,

how to love God, then human society will be first-rate.”

-His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada-

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