Homages from ISKCON Centers

Çré Vyäsa-püjä 2012
to understand your example of compassionate and inspired outreach. We are attempting to please you
and attain the mercy of Çré Çré Rädhä–Kñéracorä-Gopénätha. Your mood of constant determination to find
ways and means to attract people to devotional service is what we strive for in the dust of your lotus feet.
Forty years have brought many changes to ISKCON Toronto. The yäträ started with the small house
on Beverley Street in 1969, moved to the Gerrard St. temple in the colorful but sometimes unsavory
Cabbagetown neighborhood in 1971, and then settled in our beautiful Avenue Rd. temple. Along the way
we have matured into an energetic and committed community of devotees. We are now three generations
deep and ever expanding. Of course, there is still unlimited service ahead of us. But we pray to simply
take shelter of your lotus feet, to understand your example of love and compassion, and to do our best
to distribute your books and the holy names and prasädam to everyone in Toronto and Ontario. We pray
that by sincerely attempting to serve you in these ways, we may become deserving of the honor and
privilege of being your disciples and granddisciples. Perhaps someday we will have some comprehension
of your mercy and kindness.
Çréla Prabhupäda, you have given us so much: an amazing temple building as a base for our Kåñëa
conscious activities, our most beautiful and compassionate Çré Çré Rädhä–Kñéracorä-Gopénätha, your
books of wisdom and strength, the association of so many amazing devotees throughout the years, a
life of purpose and meaning, etc. Thank you for your special mercy.
Please continue to guide us into the next forty years. It is only by your mercy that we have been able
to accomplish anything. Please continue to inspire us and guide us as we strive to build a legacy here in
Toronto worthy of your name, “His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda, Founder-äcärya
of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.”
Your servants in New Remuëä Dhäma, ISKCON’s temple in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
New Tälavana
Dear Çréla Prabhupäda,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to your dynamic devotional service, which continues
to inspire the whole world now and will do so for many centuries to come.
You are the founder-äcärya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and the
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. These institutions serve the purposes you gave them and your missionary
spirit. Their management structures serve as instruments to fulfill those purposes and the goals they
set; but you continue to lead the way, Çréla Prabhupäda, speaking through the Paramätmä within the
hearts of all creatures and the immense written instructions you left behind. I pray that we will continue
to follow your lead back home, back to Godhead, and that while we are here we will continue to fulfill
the purposes and goals of your ISKCON and BBT.
Of course, people look at your society and its leaders and devotees and judge them. When you
physically walked among us, their judgments were basically made considering your gifts, which most
people held in high esteem. Today those judgments, although perhaps more reserved, continue to
reflect an appreciation of your mission and goals and the society’s efforts to achieve them. Our faults
are apparent, like acne on a teenager; but like most teens, we are concerned and continue to clean up
those blemishes. Unbiased people can appreciate that. Our critics serve to remind us of our faults and
keep us informed and vigilant.
We pray that you continue to remain in the heart of ISKCON, leading and inspiriting its devotees and
followers. Please bless all of us who are sincerely working to accomplish your dreams and please Çré
Çré Guru and Gauräìga. Please influence our judgment and push us to act with integrity and Vaiñëava
192
3_ISKCON Centers_06June2012.indd 192 6/6/12 10:40 AM