Homages from ISKCON Centers

Homages from ISKCON Centers
Ladysmith
Jaya Oà Viñëupäda Paramahaàsa Parivräjakäcärya His Divine Grace Abhay Charanaravinda
Bhaktivedanta Swami Mahäräja Çréla Prabhupäda-ké jaya!
Dear Çréla Prabhupäda,
Please accept our most humble obeisances at your lotus feet. Dear lord and master, from an objective
view it would seem to be impossible to preserve and propagate the ancient Vedic bhakti culture in quickly
changing and hectic modern world. But Your Divine Grace showed that it was possible, if we properly
receive and follow Lord Kåñëa’s teachings, preserved through the revealed scripture, the writings of the
äcäryas, and the spoken words of His pure devotee. In this way any sincere seeker of truth can have the
opportunity to revive his dormant love for the Lord, even in the advanced stages of Kali-yuga. Dear Çréla
Prabhupäda, your love, mercy, and compassion have, as in other parts of the world, become manifest
in Ladysmith.
In the year 1994 a small group of very enthusiastic devotees started a small center here. They had
full faith in your teaching that obeying Kåñëa’s instructions is the perfection of all religions, and that your
ISCKON, where Kåñëa’s instructions are obeyed, is the institution embodying the perfection of all religions.
As we continued maintaining the ISCKON center in Ladysmith, it became quite apparent that the
privilege of worshiping Your Divine Grace comes with the grave responsibility of caring for and extending
ourselves to those who have not had the privilege of knowing Your Divine Grace. In 2007 this strong
preaching spirit gave rise, by the mercy of mother Patita Pävané and her sons, to the establishment of
the Çré Çré Rädhä-Çyämasundara cultural center. In 2008, under the guidance of His Grace Svarüpa
Dämodara Prabhu, and with the invaluable encouragement and inspiration of His Holiness Krishna Däsa
Swami and His Holiness Bhakti Caitanya Swami, we were privileged to have Your Divine Grace manifest
yourself in your mürti form. Now that we had firmly linked ourselves with the paramparä, dear Çréla
Prabhupäda, your mercy and compassion began to flow so powerfully that in 2011, once again under the
guidance of His Grace Svarüpa Dämodara Prabhu and with the invaluable encouragement and inspiration
of His Holiness Krishna Däsa Swami and His Holiness Bhakti Caitanya Swami, their Lordships Jagannätha,
Baladeva, and Subhadrä took their place on the altar and joined our other worshipable Deities.
Dear Çréla Prabhupäda, since the inception of ISCKON in Ladysmith we have encountered many
challenges, and we know that there are many, many more challenges ahead of us. On this blessed day
of your Çré Vyäsa-püjä, we devotees of Ladysmith pray that you will direct us from within and without
so we can successfully meet these challenges accomplish your purpose. Please deepen our love for our
worshipable Deities and protect us from the pitfalls of material existence.
Jagat-guru Çréla Prabhupäda-ké jaya!
Your servants at the ISKCON temple in Ladysmith, South Africa.
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