Search Results

The following explanation is an excerpt from the upcoming biography of Shrila Prabhupada, Bhaktivedanta, in which Shrila Prabhupada elaborates on his childhood pastimes, specifically in connection with his sisters. It is a fact that anyone who has got this material body has accepted suffering, but a foolish person cannot understand this. Instead he thinks, "I have got a very fatty and beautiful body," and he feels satisfied. But the dog is also satisfied in that way. The dog does not know that to be in his doggish body is a greater suffering than to have a human body. Similarly, to have the body of a hog is a greater suffering than to have a human body, but everyone is thinking, "I am happy." This is called maya (illusion). In this connection, Shrila Prabhupada recollects: "In my younger days, by Krishna's Grace I had no such trouble, but I saw that my eldest sister was suffering from a wisdom teeth problem, and her gum was also operated upon. That I saw, and I saw how much she was suffering also. So these wisdom teeth are a good example of maya's tribulations to us, and Lord Krishna has advised in this connection that we have to learn tolerance." Shrila Prabhupada's sisters used to prepare imaginary puris from their very small toy cooking utensils, and he used to pretend he was eating them. The children were quite happy thinking their imaginary cooking was the same as their parents' cooking. It is just like a child plays with a doll. The doll is an imitation of another child, but the child holds the doll and plays with it as if it was real. The parents who gave the child the doll know good and well that the child is being silly, but they tolerate and sometimes enjoy it. Shrila Prabhupada comments: "We did not know we were nonsense. One nonsense cooking, another nonsense eating, but our father knew we were all nonsense. This is the position in this material world as well. Everyone is acting more or less like a child clinging to some play things provided by the supreme father and taking them very seriously. But when we become actually wise and see things from the point of view of our father, and if we take his instruction, we make progressive advancement from our childish nonsense state of life; life in this material world." As mentioned previously, in the Vedic culture, a woman is protected in her childhood by the father, but when she is a grown-up girl, in her youth, and although the father is ready to give her protection in every respect, she develops a sex desire. Under the circumstances, it is the duty of the father to hand over the girl to a nice young boy to take her and protect her. This is the purpose of kanya-dana. Kanya means daughter and dana means charity, so according to the Vedic system, marriage means that a daughter is given in charity. Shrila Prabhupada remembers the marriage of his sisters: "Practically, I'll say, in our childhood age, my sisters were married between nine to twelve years. My eldest sister was married when she was nine years old, before my birth. My second sister was married at the age of twelve years. And my third sister was married at the age of eleven years. So the system was that by the age of twelve, the marriage had to be finished. That was the duty of the father. I remember, because my second sister was going to be twelve years old, so my mother said to my father, 'I shall go to the river and commit suicide. The daughter is not married.' And my father was very sorry, 'Yes, I am trying. What can I do?' This I have seen. My second sister was elder than me by three years. So at the end, somehow or other, she was hastily married to my brother-in-law as his second wife, since his first wife had died. And although my brother-in-law lost his first wife, he was still only twenty-one years old. I do not know exactly what is that sastra, but they say that if the girl has menstruation before marriage, the father has to eat that menstrual liquid. It is so strict. And if the father is not living, then the elder brother has to eat. The responsibility of getting the girl married rests on the father, but in the absence of the father, the eldest brother must make sure that the girl is married. That is it. It is called kanya-daya, legal inheritance. When a father dies, his son gets the father's money automatically. Similarly, kanya-daya means the girl must be married. One cannot refuse it. It is incumbent; one must do it." Formerly, the boys and girls were married earlier. For example, Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was married at seventeen years old. When his wife died, He married for the second time at the age of twenty years. Formerly the practice was that a girl was married at utmost ten to twelve years, and a boy at the age of sixteen to utmost thirty. Shrila Prabhupada's eldest sister was nine years old when she was married, and his mother-in-law was married at the age of seven to his father-in-law, who was eleven. All his sisters were married from nine to twelve years. There is no quality of love at that age, but gradually, by remaining together, the quality of love between the husband and wife increases. The wife then takes care of the husband, and the husband takes care of the wife. When they become bound and united in love, the quality of love increases. In the beginning, the children do not know anything about love, but they are allowed to remain as husband and wife. The girl simply thinks, "I have a husband," and the boy thinks, "I have a wife." Only when their age increases do their dealings become intimate and affection develops between them, but in the beginning there is no question of love. It is simply an arrangement of the parents. The young husband and wife do not live together immediately. Unless the girl is grown up, she does not go to the husband, but remains with her parents. Sometimes they meet, and at that time, the wife is taught to give some sweetmeat to the husband very officially. The parents urge the girl: "Just go up to your husband and offer this." The girl then goes and offers the sweet to the husband as an obedient servant. Gradually they establish a connection, and in this way the love develops. When they are fifteen, sixteen years old, they are allowed to live together. By that time both of them have already developed the mentality to think of each other as husband and wife. In this way there was no question of divorce. The love was so strong, that they could not even dream to leave each other. The husband and wife might have fought, which is not unusual. Even Chanakya Pandita says, dampatye kalahe caiva bambharambhe laghu-kriya. "A fight between the husband and wife should never be taken seriously." Although they will make it seem like a very serious disagreement, it is not very important; In a moment they will again live peacefully. But according to Indian culture, there was no question of divorce. Their love was so strong that neither husband nor a wife could dream of divorce. Even Mahatma Gandhi wrote in his biography how he fought with his wife. At one point he pushed her out of the house and said: "Get out. I don't want you." His wife Kasturabhai then began to cry on the street, "Where shall I go? You have driven me away." Gandhi then called her back and that was the end of the argument. Srila Prabhupada explains: "The idea is that it is the father's duty to get the daughter married somehow or other within thirteen years. This is the Vedic system. The boy does not have to be necessarily all well equipped. The parents should simply see whether he is in good health and whether he can work hard. That is all. No education, no money—nothing. Just depending on the fate. 'I have given to you a boy who is healthy and he can work hard.' And they were fortunate. This was the system. My great-grandfather was a very, very rich man, and his daughter was given to a boy whose family was also rich, but they became poor due to bankruptcy. They were practically poverty-stricken, but my great-grandmother was fond of the boy and said: 'This boy is hard-working and coming from a respectable family; only now they have become poor.' She decided to hand over her daughter to him and after the marriage she gave him five hundred rupees to start a business. That was the beginning of the 19th century, my great-grandmother's time. With those five hundred rupees he started a business, and he flourished in such a way that in due course he was able to purchase a whole quarter in Calcutta called Kshetra. At the present, there are two big roads in Kshetra. One of them is called Govinda Chandra Auddy Road, named after the husband of my mother's aunt, and another road, Rakhal Chandra Auddy, is named after my maternal uncle. So he made a great fortune with those five hundred rupees. And in the beginning he had no money. It was given to him secretly by the mother-in-law, that "You do something with that." Later on he started business, some lace-making. Not very lucrative, but still. The verdict of all Vedic literature is that tal labhyate duhkhavad anyatah sukham [SB 1.5.18]. You cannot create your fortune unless God gives it you; but you can make an honest effort and then depend on God. Karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadacana [Bg 2.47]. That is Indian philosophy. Therefore the people at that time did not endeavor too much. The idea was: Be easy-going, but at the same time do something; don't be idle. That is the philosophy. So still there is no problem. The boy is married and he works honestly. Similarly, the wife works honestly as a householder and they live peacefully. Not that "I must have this comfort, that comfort." In India they call a western wife a "white elephant," because formerly boys who returned from the Western countries sometimes married a European wife, and later on they realized she was a white elephant. If you could not maintain the white elephant properly, there was divorce." So Shrila Prabhupada's sisters were married very early. One of them later on became a widow at the age of eighteen, although she had two children by that time, but Srila Prabhupada's father took care of her and engaged her in worshiping the Deity. He was worshiping, and she was assisting him.

Shrila Prabhupada here explains the exact reason why demon Kamsa, who always wanted to kill Krishna, attained liberation. We have seen in the history of India that Aurangzeb killed his brother and nephews and imprisoned his father to fulfill political ambitions. There have been many similar instances, and Kamsa was the same type of king. Kamsa did not hesitate to kill his nephews and imprison his sister and his father. For demons to do such things is not astonishing. Nonetheless, although Kamsa was a demon, he was aware that Lord Vishnu cannot be killed, and thus he attained salvation. Even partial understanding of the activities of Lord Vishnu makes one eligible for salvation. Kamsa knew a little about Krishna -- that He could not be killed -- and therefore he attained salvation although he thought of Vishnu, Krishna, as an enemy. What then is to be said of one who knows Krishna perfectly from the descriptions of sastras like Bhagavad-gita? It is therefore the duty of everyone to read Bhagavad-gita and understand Krishna perfectly. This will make one's life successful. SB 10.1.67 purport

B.L.I.S.S London is a community dedicated to serving the culture of Krishna consciousness to Londoners strictly according to the guidance of the Hare Krishna founder, His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. We do daily book distribution, weekly Harinama Sankirtana, Sunday feast, various Vaishnava festivals and the full Prabhupada authorized morning and evening program with Shrimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad Gita classes which we share through Facebook livestream. Please see our activites on OUR FB PAGE . Recently, we have invested our funds into renting a nice house in the South of London and are trying to meet the expenditures, so we can keep hosting friends interested in studying Shrila Prabhupada's books, and awakening their dormant love of Godhead. Many friends from around the world are already donating on a regular basis, but we still need more of you to support. Please donate generously to keep this most important mission of Krishna consciousness to go on in one of the most important cities in the world! Your donation will go towards: 1) purchase of books for distribution 2) purchase of ingredients for prasadam distribution 3) rent (we are currently paying 2300£ per month) 4) dhotis, saris and other basic necessities for the dedicated preacher devotees Thank you so much. !!!!!!!! Donate HERE !!!!!!!! Here are some quotes from Shrila Prabhupada, regarding donations. 'Yes. We ask donation, that "We are simply depending on donation. If you like, you can pay." People pay. Yes.' - Interview, December 30 1968, L.A ' Woman reporter : Have you any comment about the lawsuit that the sect here is involved in with regard to whether they should be allowed to sell literature and collect donations ? Prabhupāda : Certainly. This is good literature. It should be encouraged. People will become sane, understand what is his constitutional position. Otherwise in your country, the other day I saw in the Times paper, they are very much perturbed, "Crime, what to do?" They are thinking. So if this literature is distributed and people read it carefully, there will be no more crime. They will be all saner to understand, self-realized souls. At the present moment people are misguided, accepting the bodily concept of life.' - Press Conference, July 28 1975 Prabhupāda : A bhakta is never unsuccessful. Devotee (2) : (indistinct) Prabhupāda : Yes. Karmī.... Just like this house you have got. For a karmī to invest so much money, it will takes fifty years. We got this by donation . (laughter) - Morning Walk, May 26 1978 Here’s the Gofundme link again, in case you missed it. Thank you!

Are you tired of suffering? Do you want to stop feeling clueless? Is it scary to remember the impermance of life? Well if you are looking for a end to these problems, we have your back. The residents of B.L.I.S.S London are following the path of spiritual realization, where the ultimate goal is eternity, bliss and knowledge - that is to say: perfection. Following a strict regime of spiritual activities, the students of His Grace Purujit Dasa (A loyal student of His Divine Grace Shrila Prabhupada) are unbounding themselves from the shackles of existence, link by link. To give you an idea of what you can do to free yourself from the miseries of material existence, here is a day in the life of a B.L.I.S.S devotee. 4:00 AM : Wake up Any disciple of Shrila Prabhupada absolutely must wake up by 4AM everyday. Prabhupada gives this instruction on the matter: ' Śuci means always cleansed. Internally... Bāhyābhyantara-śuciḥ. Inside and outside. Outside by taking bath, washing with soda, soap, or if soda, soap is not available, with earth or oil. That is external cleanliness. Similarly, internal cleanliness, one must rise early in the morning, evacuate, then after taking bath must chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, see the maṅgala-ārātrika. In this way one has to purify himself internally and externally.' - Lecture on B.G, September 2 1973 Of course, if you would like to wake up earlier to perform some spiritual activities such as reading, writing, chanting etc. then that is wonderful! (Just make sure that you get enough sleep to stay awake during the Shrimad Bhagavatam class) 4:30AM : Mangala Arati Shrila Prabhupada says: ' My instruction is that all of my disciples must attend the mangala arati and chant 16 rounds daily. ' Our Mangala Arati begins with the chanting of 'Sri Gurvastakam' of which you can check out the lyrics here . This is followed by more Nrsimha prayers, a Tulasi Puja, recitations of the Sri Siksastakam, Shrila Prabhupada's books and the ten offences against the Holy name. 5:00AM : Japa At 5am, the B.L.I.S.S devotees begin to chant their rounds. As per Shrila Prabhupada's instruction, we chant the mantra Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, 108 times. This is one round, and we repeat this 16 times. ' It should be chanted a steady amount of times regularly. We chant at least 16 times around the string of 108 beads daily (one full mantra on each bead). This keeps us strong in spiritual consciousness.' 7:15AM : Greeting Deities & Guru Puja At 7:15, the Pujari opens the Pancha Tattva deity and we greet them with the song: Govinda, from the Radha Krishna Temple album. ' Govindam ādi-puruṣam tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. These verses, Brahma-saṁhitā, it was composed by Lord Brahmā. Therefore in the Vedic literature, this, this is called Saṁhitā. Saṁhitā means part of the Vedic literature.' This is followed by a Guru Puja, as the devotees glorify Shrila Prabhupada with the bhajan Sri Guru Carana Padma, by Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura, and a kirtan until 8:00. 8:15AM : Shrimad Bhagavatam class The next activity is the hearing of the Shrimad Bhagavatam. In the Bhagavad Gita, 9.2 purport, Shrila Prabhupada states, ' In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is also confirmed that when one becomes purified by executing the process of devotional service, especially by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā from realized souls, then he can understand the science of Krishna, or the science of God.' So every morning one devotee will read out a verse from the Bhagavatam and give a class on their realization. On Fridays, instead of Shrimad Bhagavatam, we hear from the Caitanya Caritamrta. These classes are streamed live everyday on our Facebook page . 9:00-9:30AM : Istagosthi & Prasadam 'For a devotee, there is no point in making friendships with ordinary persons; he should make friendship with other devotees so that by discussing among themselves, they may elevate one another on the path of spiritual understanding. This is called istagosthi.' - S.B 3.29.17 Purport After the class, the devotees will suggest and discuss various ideas about improving temple life and making the environment more conducive for Krishna Consciousness. During the Kirtan and Shrimad Bhagavatam class, two devotees cook for Krishna, the standard preparations are rice, dhal, chapati and sabji. By the end of the class the preparations are offered on the altar for Krishna, and by the end of Istagosthi, all the plates and cups are put out so the devotees can begin to relish Krishna's mercy together. 'The tongue has two functions - to vibrate and to taste. So if one repeatedly hears and vibrates the Hare Krishna mantra and tastes prasada, food offered to Krsna, by this very simple method one will realize Vasudeva, Krishna. Krishna will reveal Himself' - The Teachings of Queen Kunti, 4 10:30 - 11:30 : Free time After the devotees take prasadam they have some time to do various personal serices. Such as bathing, cleaning the ashram, finishing rounds etc. 11:30AM : Sankirtan Everyday, devotees go out on the streets of London, on Sankirtan, or book distribtion, spreading the transcendental literatures of His Divine Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (And collecting Lakshmi to fund the temple). Shrila Prabhupada strongly encourages all his disciples to preach, saying in the Shrimad Bhagavatam 7.6.24 Purport, ' Preaching is the best service to the Lord. The Lord will immediately be extremely satisfied with one who engages in this service of preaching Krishna consciousness.' 6:00PM Gaura Arati The devotees return to the temple for 6PM, on most days. Some days they stay out and miss the evening programmes to distribute more books to the inhabitants of London. Regardless, there is always someone to greet the deities at 6 with the wonderful bhajan 'Gaura Arati,' by Shrila Bhaktivinode Thakura. This is followed by a kirtan until 6:30. 6:30PM Bhagavad Gita class Just like the Shrimad Bhagavatam class, everyday at 6:30 there is a Bhagavad Gita class, also streamed on Facebook. "To hear about Krishna from Vedic literatures, or to hear from Him directly through the Bhagavad- gītā , is itself righteous activity. And for one who hears about Krishna , Lord Krishna , who is dwelling in everyone's heart, acts as a best-wishing friend and purifies the devotee who constantly engages in hearing of Him. In this way, a devotee naturally develops his dormant transcendental knowledge. As he hears more about Krishna from the Bhāgavatam and from the devotees, he becomes fixed in the devotional service of the Lord. By development of devotional service one becomes freed from the modes of passion and ignorance, and thus material lusts and avarice are diminished. When these impurities are wiped away, the candidate remains steady in his position of pure goodness, becomes enlivened by devotional service and understands the science of God perfectly. Thus bhakti - yoga severs the hard knot of material affection and enables one to come at once to the stage of 'asaṁśayaṁ samagram ,' understanding of the Supreme Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead." 7:30PM Prasadam After the Bhagavad Gita class ends, devotees take hot milk together, which one devotee would have prepared and offered to the Lord during the class. We take the milk with some turmeric and black pepper, which has some health benefits. ' There must be sufficient milk in the human society. If you drink more milk and milk products, then your brain will be very sharp. You will understand things very nicely, corectly. Therefore milk is very important.' - Lecture on S.B October 20 1975 After the devotees take milk and engage in Krishna Katha together, they separate and perform personal services, preparing for the next day. Though this is not always possible, by 9:00PM all devotees should be ready to sleep. This is what a typical day in the B.L.I.S.S temple looks like, but of course there are many celebrations and events going on which we must adapt to. This means that some days are very different, but we can always end the day by praying for Krishna and Shrila Prabhupada's blessings to continue in Krishna Consciousness for the next day. This programme goes on perpetually, and it increases in pleasure everyday. You can try to implement some of the activities from this daily meditation practice into your routine and see how your life changes.

Every morning at the B.L.I.S.S London temple, we begin Mangala Arati (our morning meditation) by chanting this beautiful bhajan, Samsara Davanala Lidha Loka. This devotional song was written by Visvanath Cakravati Thakura, as part of the Stavamrta Lahari. If you would like to take part in Mangala Arati, just inquire from any B.L.I.S.S devotee and they will kindly show you how to join. It is very nice to sing in Sanskrit, but to understand the meaning of the verses increases our love and devotion for Krishna and his associates, so here are the lyrics for the Samsara prayers. saḿsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka- trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam prāptasya kalyāṇa-guṇārṇavasya vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam The spiritual master is receiving benediction from the ocean of mercy. Just as a cloud pours water on a forest fire to extinguish it, so the spiritual master delivers the materially afflicted world by extinguishing the blazing fire of material existence. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is an ocean of auspicious qualities. mahāprabhoḥ kīrtana-nṛtya-gīta- vāditra-mādyan-manaso rasena romāñca -kampāśru-tarańga-bhājo vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam   Chanting the holy name, dancing in ecstasy, singing, and playing musical instruments, the spiritual master is always gladdened by the sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Because he is relishing the mellows of pure devotion within his mind, sometimes his hair stands on end, he feels quivering in his body, and tears flow from his eyes like waves. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master. śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā- śṛńgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau yuktasya bhaktāḿś ca niyuñjato 'pi vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam   The spiritual master is always engaged in the temple worship of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. He also engages his disciples in such worship. They dress the Deities in beautiful clothes and ornaments, clean Their temple, and perform other similar worship of the Lord. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master. catur-vidha-śrī-bhagavat-prasāda- svādv-anna-tṛptān hari-bhakta-sańghān kṛtvaiva tṛptiḿ bhajataḥ sadaiva vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam The spiritual master is always offering Krsna four kinds of delicious food [analyzed as that which is licked, chewed, drunk, and sucked]. When the spiritual master sees that the devotees are satisfied by eating bhagavat-prasada, he is satisfied. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master. śrī-rādhikā-mādhavayor apāra- mādhurya-līlā guṇa-rūpa-nāmnām prati-kṣaṇāsvādana- vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam The spiritual master is always eager to hear and chant about the unlimited conjugal pastimes of Radhika and Madhava, and Their qualities, names, and forms. The spiritual master aspires to relish these at every moment. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master. nikuñja-yūno rati-keli-siddhyai yā yālibhir yuktir apekṣaṇīyā tatrāti-dākṣyād ati-vallabhasya vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam   The spiritual master is very dear, because he is expert in assisting the gopis, who at different times make different tasteful arrangements for the perfection of Radha and Krsna's conjugal loving affairs within the groves of Vrndavana. I offer my most humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master. sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam   The spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme Lord, because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and followed by all authorities. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is a bona fide representative of Sri Hari [Krsna]. yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi dhyāyan stuvaḿs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyaḿ vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam   By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Krsna. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master.

Music is an integral part of the Krishna consciousness movement. Devotees of the Lord often write bhajans, devotional songs, to glorify the Lord and his associates. Krishna Prema Devi Da Krishna Prema’s vyasa puja offering, Srila Prabhupada, is now available to buy on the Bliss Store . Choose the basic single or the special edition, which includes lyrics, commentary by the artist, and behind-the-scenes videos sharing a sneak peek of Krishna Prema’s creative process. Prices: Basic single: £8.00 Special edition: £18.00

The 27th August 2024 marked the 128th anniversary of Shrila Prabhupada's divine appearance, and the B.L.I.S.S devotees celebrated by writing and reciting offerings to him. Dhananjaya Dasa: Forgetful of my fallen position I fail to honour you as my spiritual master, as you rightfully deserve. But fortunately, Shrila Prabhupada you have selected this day so i can be reminded to meditate on the mercy of my Spiritual Master His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. For this reason I would like to say a couple of words: It is not an overstatement that it is only due to the mercy of Shrila Prabhupada that Lord Krishna is still glancing over this insignificant corner of his creation. Prabhupada You are the friend of the most fallen and being one of them I can never repay my debt to you. Everyone is suffering in this world. Although the ignorant will deny it, it is evident. When you first arrived in London, a news reporter asked you: Prabhupada what is that you are trying to teach us? You answered with: I am trying to teach what you have forgotten. Indeed we have all forgotten our eternal nature that is full of bliss and knowledge, and for the sake of that forgetfulness we are now accepting the repetition of birth death old age & disaese. This vicious cycle can be stoped simply by surrendering to a bonafide spiritual master. Prabhupad Your message is very simple but it is what everyone needs to hear. Get up rascal get up! Don’t sleep! To remind ourselves of this fact you instructed us to preach this Krishna consciousness movement. For constant repetition is necessary for assimilation of the subject matter. Although I have no qualification to do as you have done so nicely for your spiritual master Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, I can only pray to you to please engage my mind, senses and intelligence fully in your service. By making my service constant I would be able to attract Krishna who is impossible to attract even by thousands of years of austerities or many lifetimes of Vedic study But it is understood that he is easily attracted by Pure devotional service that is why the association of a pure devotee is obligatory for by associating with the pure one becomes pure. Such devotees are very hard to come by and rarely appreciated in full. With this in mind I beg you please Forgive me for my ofenses and my disinterest in propagating the Krishna Consciousness movement. For every second wasted, every bit of rubbish flying from my mouth, every bit of dust left uncleaned, every name unheard and every book not distributed I’m sorry. Prabhupada you are expert at everything and I am a fool number one. To meditate on your perfection is the purpose of human life. Every movement of your body, be it a simple smile, cough, or a single utterance of the word rascal is perfect and complete. Simply by observing your transcendental form one can derive full ecstasy equal to that of associating with the supreme Lord, Shri Krishna. I can only wonder at your expertise playing the mridanga, kartals and harmonium. All of these devotees gathered share the same realisation and this appreciation has manifested in the acquisition of a new speaker which is now purifying the world seven times over with your transcendental vibration. The streets of London are empty in the air sucharged with godlessness without your pure chanting. Your chanting is the life force of our sankirtan and thus the Prabhus and Matajis feel great discomfort with the abscence of your sound. Prabhupada make our book trolley heavier and heavier and heavier, load it up so that all the world can hear your Bhaktivedanta purports. Make me your beast of burden, for taste for hearing your messages I have very little, the only thing I can offer you is my sudra back. I pray that by such engagement I can be granted a spoonful of that precious nectar that highly elevated devotees derive from hearing and discussing your books. How can we please you master? For you are complete. You are like a giant ocean whose waters are incessantly flowing filling up the rivers yet not diminishing in its enormous quantity. Although you expanded yourself through your devotees you remain Prabhupada, or as Purujit Prabhu would say “the supreme personality of guru head” although a single word uttered by your lotus mouth has the potential to produce unlimited number of spiritual masters you will always remain the complete whole our Guruhead. Unfortunately some lack faith in your potency, foolishly thinking of the part as equal to the whole. But for those rascals we don’t care. There will always be those desiring to be cheated and Krishna will kindly supply them a first class cheater. We shall worship you as our one and only Jagat Guru the the Lord and master of the three worlds. Someone once pointed to the cover of Science of Self Realisation, and said Prabhupada looks like the emperor of the universe on this photo. Emperor is a good address. Today we are gathered here in London, the birth place of the infamous British Empire Now this same city will witness the rise of a new empire that will take over the world and fulfill the following: ekam sastram devaki-putra-gitam eko devo devaki-putra eva eko mantras tasya namani yani karmapy ekam tasya devasya seva In this present day, people are very much eager to have one scripture, one God, one religion, and one occupation. Therefore, ekam sastram devaki-putra-gitam: let there be one scripture only, one common scripture for the whole world, Bhagavad-gita. eko devo devaki-putra eva: let there be one God for the whole world, Sri Krishna. eko mantras tasya namani: and one hymn, one mantra, one prayer — the chanting of His Name: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. karmapy ekam tasya devasya seva: and let there be one work only — the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And may I ad let there be one Guru: Shrila Prabhupad! Shrila Prabhupada ki jay!

The 27th August 2024 marked the 128th anniversary of Shrila Prabhupada's divine appearance, and the B.L.I.S.S devotees celebrated by writing and reciting offerings to him. Bhaktin Heidha: Dear Shrila Prabhupada, I am struggling to write something which is nice enough to offer to you. I want to glorify you, but I unfortunately have no love and no devotion to you and I am afraid that any words emerging from my wretched tongue can only cause offence to your lotus ears. I can only thank you for your causeless mercy, and I cannot thank you enough. I am eternally indebted to you, for you have given me life. Shrila Prabhupada, I am most unqualified to carry out your mission, but somehow you have allowed such a wretched soul as me to join this sublime movement. How merciful you are. O spiritual master of the universe! This inconsiderable soul prays only for your mercy. When will the day come when you accept me as an atom of dust beneath your lotus feet? I have nothing to offer to you. No love, and no devotion. So please, take my mind! Take my body! I beg of you! For they are of no use under the counsel of my ungodly self. My hands wish to always touch your lotus feet, my feet wish to always jump for you in ecstasy, my tongue wishes to only sing of your glories, my eyes wish to read only your literature, and my ears wish to always hear your divine instruction. But such a wicked soul as myself is incapable of fulfilling these desires. You are a desire tree, so please fulfil my soul’s innermost desire and accept me as an instrument in your lotus hands.

The 27th August 2024 marked the 128th anniversary of Shrila Prabhupada's divine appearance, and the B.L.I.S.S devotees celebrated by writing and reciting offerings to him. Bhaktin Maria: I offer my humble obeisances unto you, at your lotus feet. In times of uncertainty and fear, I have sought to connect with you from the depths of my heart. Yet, understanding your greatness and grasping your power is not always easy. During my most difficult moments, I cried out to you and Krishna, showing my love and devotion. Shrīla Prabhupāda, you have been the guiding light in my life, leading me out of the darkness that had engulfed me for years. Without your presence and guidance, I would still be caught in the clutches of māyā—lost in addictions and bound by the pursuit of sense gratification that was destroying me. In the midst of that suffering, you found me in a dark cave and gently led me out with your compassionate hands. Your love has revealed to me the nectar of transcendental devotion. You remind me of a magnificent lotus flower blossoming after a harsh winter, spreading a fragrance of pure transcendence—a healing balm for my soul. You have become my guiding star, leading me back home to Godhead, to Krishna. Every time I hear your teachings, I experience a bliss similar to a bee savoring sweet honey, just as my mind and soul should work together in harmony. For years, I unknowingly searched for this knowledge, wandering through a mundane existence. But through your books, my vision has been cleared, and I now understand Krishna with greater clarity. Your words have become deeply meaningful and transformative in my life. I cannot express enough gratitude for your guidance. Your teachings have brought immense positivity into my life. With deep respect and heartfelt thanks, I once again offer my gratitude for your presence in my life. All glories to you, my Spiritual Master.

Yesterday marked the 128th aniversary of Shrila Prabhupada's divine appearance, and the B.L.I.S.S devotees celebrated by writing and reciting offerings to him. Bhaktin Agata: Dear Shrila Prabhupada, You are too glorious for me to understand I wish to truly hear you, not just pretend To always stay under Your protection, that is my life’s ultimate perfection Because You are the only safe place, outside of time and outside of space You accept even the most fallen souls, and then you lead them to a safe shore You came like a lightning, transcendental storm, purification like never before Your love for us knows no bounds, how lucky we are to be here now Singing and dancing, finally free, forever glorifying our lord Hari!!! Thank you Prabhupada, Jaya Prabhupada!

Yesterday marked the 128th anniversary of Shrila Prabhupada's divine appearance, and the B.L.I.S.S devotees celebrated by writing and reciting offerings to him. Bhakta Maxim: Hare Krishna Shrila Prabhupada, I hope you are pleased on this appearance day of yours, I hope my minuscule offering provides some gratification to you. throughout the course of my life I have searched very intently for the absolute truth and have found you to be the only source. Without this wisdom I would be nowhere. and it is this wisdom that has allowed for your world-class disciple His Grace Purujit prabhu and the fine devotees he has trained up to cram your message into my thick skull. Though I fail everyday to be worthy of your wisdom, you, in your bottomless mercy, grant it to me in the greatest degree whenever I seek it. While I am not even close to earning the title of being a worthwhile servant of yourself and a devotee of Lord Krishna I am still, through your presence, granted the jewel of serving Him in the ways I can at this time. On this auspicious day of your appearance I pray that I am granted the mercy of being engaged in serving you endlessly with all my ability and I pray that your message is spread to every corner of this phenomenal manifestation.

The 27th August 2024 marked the 128th anniversary of Shrila Prabhupada's divine appearance, and the B.L.I.S.S devotees celebrated by writing and reciting offerings to him. Makhancora Dasa: 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 I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krishna on this earth, having taken shelter at His lotus feet. My respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Sarasvati Gosvami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Chaitanya deva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism. My dear Shrila Prabhupada, at this most auspicious day of your divine appearance for the salvation of all the conditioned souls and their return back home, back to Godhead, to the abode of your beloved Lord Shri Krishna, kindly and mercifully lend your ear to my humble homage and an attempt to utter your transcendental glories. Oh Prabhus, brothers, sisters and dear friends, I say to you with a great urge, you will obtain your good fortune from Their Lordships Shri Shri Radha-Krishna only when Shrila Prabhupada becomes pleased with you. Yasya prasadad bhagavad-prasado, yasya aprasadan na gatih kuto pi. By lovingly serving the lotus feet of and pleasing His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, one obtains the mercy of the Divine Couple. By displeasing or offending a pure devotee of the Lord, Shrila Prabhupada, one sets himself up for an easy journey to hellish planets. Oh Shrila Prabhupada, you are the dearest and most confidential and eternal associate of Lord Gauranga, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the son of Mother Shachi. Your transcendental loving devotional service to the Supreme Lord Shri Krishna is unparalleled within the three worlds. You are that great saintly spiritual master prophesized by His Divine Grace Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, who will unite people from all around the world under the one banner of Harinama-sankirtana. You took shelter of Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada, the ray of Vishnu, your divine spiritual master, who armed you with his most compassionate order to preach in the Western countries and, fulfilling the desire of the whole disciplic succession to liberate everyone from the pain-inflicting clutches of maya, you now bestow intense and sincere devotion to the lotus feet of Lord Shri Krishna at different places around the world. By your strong and divinely empowered desire, the holy name of Lord Gauranga will spread throughout all the countries of this Earth and beyond. Prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama. By the mercy of Lord Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His supreme and unlimited potency delegated wholly and fully into your lotus hands, in all the metropolises, cities, towns and villages on the surface of this planet, from all the oceans, seas, rivers, and streams, from hills and mountains, plains and valleys, young and old, big and small, rich and poor, professors and simpletons, judges and criminals, meat-eaters and vegans and everyone in between, everyone will chant the holy name of Krishna and dance in transcendental ecstasy. You have completely carried out this order of the Lord, and now only time separates the seed you have planted from the nectarean fruit of love of God for everyone to relish in eternity, knowledge and bliss. As the unlimited and causeless mercy of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu forcefully and lovingly conquers all directions, a flood of spiritual joy will certainly cover the land. When all the sinful, miserable living entities suffering in the grip of material illusion become happy by hearing and chanting the holy name of Lord Krishna, your desire is then fulfilled and your oceanic, beautiful smile lightens up the universe. Although you, Shrila Prabhupada continuosly request me to engage myself in your mission, I am not worthy or fit to do it. I am fallen, foolish and completely insignificant. Therefore, O Prabhupada, now I am begging for Your mercy so that I may become worthy, for You are the wisest and most experienced of all. Only by your mercy can my devotional life be maintained. Your words are its air, your glance is its light and your instruction is its sustenance. Unfortunate as I am, I chose to choke hungry in darkness. Please be merciful upon me and patiently keep my little share of your grace for the time when I, by the mercy of your moonlike devotees, develop a desire to desire your favour. O Shrila Prabhupada, you are my eternal Lord. Forgetting You, I suffer the kicks of maya in worldly existence, following the ways of ordinary people, who have lost their vision. But today the chance to meet You occurs again. I will surely be able to re-join Your phalanxes. O dear Master, in your divine and transcendental association I will experience great joy once again. I will wander about the streets and corners, roads and train stations, squares and parking lots chanting the holy name with my Godbrothers and Godsisters in ecstatic sankirtan. Running and chasing the forgotten souls in the many forestlike cities of maya, I will preach to them the cult of bhakti in spiritual excitement. When will that day be mine? Today that remembrance of You came to me in a very nice way. Because I long for you and your devotees, Krishna somehow brought me here to remind me of the higher taste of true spiritual life. This temple and these beautiful BLISS devotees are pure representatives of your divine mission. Kindly bless them eternally with the dust of your lotus feet so they may always taste the nectar of pure devotion. I am your eternal servant. As a palmful of water taken from the Ganges doesn't diminish the Ganges in any way and neither does it benefit the holy Ganges in any way when offered back into its flow, or as a lamp offered to the sun has no other significance than to purify the worshipper by offering the sun's own element, the fire, into the sun itself, so this humble offering is nothing else than a reflection of your own poem which you wrote for Lord Krishna. You taught us that the spiritual master is to be worshipped as God and from the disciplic succession, which you have kindly revealed to us, we know that the pure devotee spiritual master is the direct manifestation of Krishna. Saksadharitvena samasta sastrair. In this way I, lowly Makhancora dasa, tried to glorify you today. O Shrila Prabhupada, except for You there is no other means of success. Hare Krishna.