Homages from ISKCON Centers

Çré Vyäsa-püjä 2012
Dear Çréla Prabhupäda,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to you!
I am sitting in my office, the room utilized as your massage room on your first visit to these premises
in 1975. In the May mornings the weather was cool, the beginning of winter. The early winter midday
sun streams through the north-facing window, where you sat to receive your prelunch massage. The
view from the window encompasses the urban skyline of the central business district. A reminder we
are here to do your bidding, to give Kåñëa to everyone.
Directly opposite the office door is your darçana room. The chocolate-brown parquet floor covered
by a maroon Belgian-style rug lends a regal air to the room, with walls painted powder blue and soft
velvet curtains of a similar hue. What was once the Christian Brothers chapel is now Prabhupäda House,
the place where you translated your books, notably Çrémad-Bhägavatam, where you counseled your
disciples and entertained guests, government ministers, religious leaders, and the rank and file. Next
door is your bedroom. (The small wire-sprung bed topped by a small innerspring mattress is now kept in
the darçana room.) In your bedroom are your desk, topped with reading lamp and pictures, along with
your shoes, japa bag, books, and clothes. All these are reminders of your magnanimous presence here.
Downstairs is the courtyard across which you strode to enter the stately temple room, regally
decorated, marble polished floor shining with the light of the reflected chandeliers. Each of the Deities
here has a connection to you. You installed Çré Çré Gaura-Nitäi in 1975, at the inauguration of our current
temple at 197 Danks St. At that time you referred to the temple as the Melbourne Mahäprabhu Mandir.
During your visit in 1976 you observed that the worship in Melbourne was as good as that in New York
or Los Angeles, a reminder that we must maintain that standard of worship forever as our guiding light.
Next to Gaura-Nitäi are Çré Çré Rädhä-Vallabha, installed and first worshiped by you in 1973. You
personally carried Them to Melbourne with Çruta-kérti Prabhu and Bali Märdana Prabhu and installed
Them in the 14 Burnett St., St. Kilda, temple. On the same altar are Choöa Rädhä-Kåñëa, installed by you
in 1972, and alongside Them are Jagannätha, Balaräma and Subhadrä, standing resplendent on Their
marble altar. You attended Their Ratha-yäträ in 1974, a parade that almost didn’t take place because
the devotees owed a mountain of unpaid fines. If Madhudviña Swami hadn’t begged for a “fair go,” the
parade might not have gone on at all. A reminder we must push on the saìkértana movement despite
whatever odds are stacked against us.
You walked the whole four-kilometer parade, accompanying the devotees, who were ecstatic in the
company of their saìkértana party leader, the commander in chief of the Hare Kåñëa movement. You
grinned at the inclusion of the Scottish Pipes Band, which was your suggestion to Madhudviña Swami.
You showed by example how everything can be engaged in the Lord’s service.
Opposite the Deities in the temple room, you sit on your wood-and-marble vyäsäsana. It is from here
that you preached boldly to your fledgling movement. You once commented that you traveled so that
your disciples would not fall down. Your mürti form confirms whose temple this is and whom we should
serve. It confirms that our service is to push on the movement you started over four decades ago.
Your presence is uniquely felt in this temple, Çréla Prabhupäda. It is the taste of Vaikuëöha. A visiting
Christian priest once told me after eating his first vegetarian meal here how much he was struck by the
spiritual atmosphere. He recognized the same consciousness he had experienced in his visits to temples
in Southeast Asia. (He additionally commented on how much he relished his first meal of prasädam.)
We recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of the installation of Choöa Rädhä-Kåñëa. Next year
will be the 40th anniversary of the installation of Rädhä-Vallabha, and in 2015 we will host the grand
celebration of the installation of Gaura-Nitäi and the opening of the Melbourne Mahäprabhu Mandir.
We pray that you will bless us so we can honor the service of those devotees who were inspired to
assist you in your great mission. We also pray to be given the strength to continue the work so that it
may come out successful. There are always challenges. Following in your footsteps, we are sure they
can be overcome.
You write in your purport to Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 17.213:
Generally no one complains against us to have us removed from a city. Although such an attempt
was indeed made in Melbourne, Australia, the attempt failed. Thus we are now introducing this
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