Dear Devotees,

Jaya Prabhupada! Today on the eve of a new year, I wish you all a very happy, healthy, Krishna conscious new year.

May Krishna inspire all of us to seek and secure His blessings and empowerment to bring Krishna consciousness to many souls. May Lord Krishna specifically inspire and empower us to revive Srila Prabhupada’s crucial Western mission, and thus fulfill his grand, global strategy to save this planet.

With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
December 31, 2016

As everyone knows, voters in America just elected a new president who does not appear to be a civilized human being. I am not defending here the other candidate, but rather addressing the problem of how we should act in this situation.

We can all see the negative side of this. Here are some positive points:

1. For many years, educated people in the West have not taken a serious interest in Krishna consciousness. Now, since most intelligent people in America are depressed over this election, hopefully we will find more receptive listeners, who want to hear about how we can change the world.
2. Devotees may keep in touch with current events for the sake of preaching and also to understand the nature of this world. However, there is always the danger of being too absorbed in the passion of politics. Personally, after this election I have no desire to hear or read the news. I realize that we should not waste valuable time that we should be using to spread Krishna consciousness to ourselves and others.
3. Finally, these events force sincere devotees to take shelter of Krishna with renewed determination.

With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
November 10, 2016

Dear Devotees,

Jaya Prabhupada! As you may know, Srila Prabhupada personally urged his devotees to distribute his books, often saying that book distribution was the heart of our missionary work. Yet, it was not always easy for him to motivate his disciples to distribute those books.

I remember well how Prabhupada repeatedly urged us to distribute his books in 1970 and 1971, until finally my dear departed Godbrother Kesava Prabhu, with the help of his brother and Godbrother Karandhara Prabhu, the BBT manager, took the devotees out and somehow began to distribute the new hardcover book, Krsna. Everyone soon followed.

Now I find myself following Prabhupada in that I also must urge my friends and disciples to help distribute my books. I know well that I am imperfect in many ways, but I have honestly done my best to present Prabhupada’s and Lord Caitanya’s teachings in a way that modern people can understand. My very talented Godbrother Aja Prabhu is dedicated to producing my books.

Therefore I must humbly request you, my friends and disciples, to please help by purchasing copies of my books so that the publishing operation can continue. Thank you very much for considering this appeal.

With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
November 9, 2016

I wish all the devotees a happy, Krishna conscious Janmastami. We naturally celebrate the day that Lord Krishna came to our planet. We know that only advanced devotees can steadily fix their minds on Krishna’s pastimes. Such strong meditation requires real attachment to Lord Krishna.

Until we reach that stage, we should diligently dedicate ourselves to the process of sadhana-bhakti, as taught by Rupa Goswami, Srila Prabhupada, and other great Acaryas. Sincere practice will bring us to the platform of ecstatic Krishna consciousness.

Rupa Goswami explains in the Upadesamrta (The Nectar of Instruction) text 2 that we must not neglect the regulative practice of Krishna consciousness, nor should we think that the mere mechanics of sadhana-bhakti will give us perfection. We should practice bhakti-yoga and serve Krishna with a spirit of devotion, always depending on Krishna, as He taught Arjuna in Bhagavad-gita 8.7.

One of the most powerful devotional processes is the regular hearing and reciting of Srimad-bhagavatam. Personally, on Janmastami I want to absorb myself in the first few chapters of the 10th canto, and thus fix my mind on Lord Krishna.

May Lord Krishna bless all of us on His divine Appearance Day.

With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
August 25, 2016

Dear Devotees,

Jaya Prabhupada! As you may know, I planned to meet with a GBC committee in Mumbai from October 15-20, 2016. This meeting has now been postponed for two reasons.

1. ISKCON’s legal team has chosen me as a key witness to defend ISKCON in an important legal case in New York. The judge in this case rescheduled the trial for a date that does not allow me to attend the Mumbai meeting and return to New York with sufficient time to rest and prepare for the trial.
2. The GBC members of our committee appear to need more time to properly prepare for our meeting.

Therefore, I will not be going to India in October. We have not yet set a new date for my meeting with the GBC committee.
Goswami

With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
August 20, 2016

Dear Devotees,

Jaya Prabhupada! I wish everyone a very happy, Balarama conscious day in celebration of Lord Balarama’s divine appearance. As monotheists and as students of Vaishnava-shastra, we know that Lord Balarama is the first direct expansion of Lord Krishna. Krishna appears as His own brother.

Lord Balarama is all-attractive. His infinite sense of humor, His infinite compassion, and His infinite strength, all captivate the mind. It is mighty Lord Balarama who appears as Lord Nityananada. Lord Balarama is the original spiritual master, and we will receive the highest spiritual benefits by sincerely worshiping Him on this day, and every day.

With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
August 18, 2016

Dear Devotees,

My blessings. Jaya Prabhupada!

Today we celebrate ISKCON’s 50th anniversary. It is a time to celebrate, but also to reflect.

It is a time for gratitude to Prabhupada, and also a time for transcendental anxiety about the state of Prabhupada’s Western mission and the salvation of the world.

May Lord Krishna bless us to understand more clearly, and carry out more effectively, Prabhupada’s true desires.

With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
July 13, 2016

I support the TKG Academy because it is one of the most important ISKCON projects in the world. Prabhupada came to recreate a Vaishnava brahminical class. Charity begins at home. No rational person will accept us as society’s real teachers if we cannot teach our own children.

Prabhupada began ISKCON Gurukula in Dallas. Now the dedicated staff of the TKG academy have transformed a tiny attempted reboot of a great tradition into a truly worthy heir to that tradition.

Education is the heart and center of a brahminical Hare Krishna movement, and only a brahminical Hare Krishna movement can lead the world.

With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
July 9, 2016