Homages from ISKCON Centers

Çré Vyäsa-püjä 2012
about twenty acres of farmland in neighboring Umbergaon. Please bestow your mercy for the success
of these farm projects.
The Deities of Çré Çré Sétä-Räma-Lakñmaëa-Hanumän have agreed to be installed here at Juhu to
bless all the Räma bhaktas of Mumbai. This year we had a grand celebration of Çré Räma-navamé. During
the festival, His Holiness Bhakti Rasämåta Mahäräja recited räma-kathä for five days before a large and
enthusiastic congregation. Please bless us to expand this celebration in the future.
Thank you, Çréla Prabhupäda, for engaging us in the service of your dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Räsabihäréjé.
Your insignificant servants at the ISKCON temple in Juhu, Mumbai, India.
Mumbai (Mira Road)
Dear Çréla Prabhupäda,
Please accept our humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet.
The disciple gets a chance to attain pure devotional service by associating with a bona fide spiritual
master. One gets the association of such a pure devotee by the grace of Kåñëa. By such good fortune
the seed of the pure devotional service is planted. By regular hearing and chanting, that seed begins
to sprout, and eventually the creeper of devotion thus nourished pierces through the covering of this
material world and comes to rest at the lotus feet of the Lord.
No experience in this world can compare with the association of a pure devotee of the Lord. The
pure devotee is fixed in Kåñëa’s service. Therefore he sees all living entities as Kåñëa’s parts and tries
to bring them to Kåñëa. Kåñëa, who resides within everyone’s heart, reciprocates with His pure devotee
by inspiring the conditioned souls to engage in pure devotional service. Because the pure devotee does
not desire anything for sense gratification, he is peaceful. The conditioned souls become peaceful by
the association of such a pure devotee. Without the association of a pure devotee, the conditioned souls
suffer due to hunting after material enjoyment. Such unfortunate persons work hard day and night trying
to satisfy their senses. Others, frustrated with such a futile attempt to become happy, seek impersonal
liberation. Still others try to attain yogic powers, or siddhis, such as being able to control others’ minds.
But only the pure devotee can ever be truly peaceful.
As mentioned above, the creeper growing from the seed of pure devotional service, when properly
watered, expands beyond this material world. The creeper can be destroyed at the root if one offends
a pure devotee. Other seeds may be sown within the heart. One who is unfortunate may get the karmabéja,
jïäna-béja, political béja, or social or philanthropic béja. But the creepers that grow from these seeds
do not produce pure devotional service. Pure devotional service sprouts only from the bhakti-latä-béja,
which comes to the disciple who satisfies the spiritual master. Otherwise, the results of karma, jïäna,
or yoga take root within the heart.
The bhakti-latä grows by the watering process of hearing and chanting, which pleases the spiritual
master. One can satisfy the spiritual master by repeating his instructions, and by this watering process
the creeper of pure devotional service grows and grows. There is no better way to repeat the instructions
of Çréla Prabhupäda than by distributing his books. As Çréla Prabhupäda once said, “If you really want to
please me, then distribute my books.” This is the perfect way to water the bhakti-latä-béja.
On this wonderful day of your appearance, Çréla Prabhupäda, we pray at your lotus feet that you
may be pleased upon us. For without your satisfaction our efforts will not bring the desired result of
pure devotional service. We again and again fall at your lotus feet and beg for that thing which is not
178
3_ISKCON Centers_06June2012.indd 178 6/6/12 10:40 AM