Dear Srila Prabhupada,

I bow at your lotus feet and offer you my eternal gratitude for your supreme, eternal gifts.

One morning as we walked with you through Rancho Park in Los Angeles, you stopped to make a crucial point. As we gathered round, you dramatically presented Bhagavad-gita 11.33, where Krishna tells Arjuna to “just be the instrument for actions that I have already performed.”

Dramatically playing the part of Krishna, you said, “Arjuna, do not think that any of these soldiers will go home to their families. I have already slain them. Now if you like, you be the instrument and I will give you the credit. Otherwise, someone else will get the credit, for it will be done by My arrangement.”

This is the subtle art of Krishna consciousness. As Lord Krishna, and you, warn us, we should not think that we are the doers. And, yet, you and Krishna encouraged us to “take the credit,” and in Krishna’s words “gain the glory,” by enthusiastically acting as Krishna’s instrument.

In the Srimad Bhagavatam, Tenth Canto, the glorious King Yudhisthira resolves this paradox when he tells Krishna, “I want to perform the Rajasuya sacrifice, which brings great power and opulence, so that the world can see the advantage and the glory of serving You.”

Please help me embrace your transcendental offer, following in Yudhisthira’s and your footsteps. You often proclaimed the success of our mission so that people would see the glory of Krishna and join Him. Please empower us now with preaching potency and humility so that in the right consciousness we may act as your empowered instruments to spread your mission.

Your servant,
Hridayananda das Goswami
September 6, 2015

Dear Devotees,

Jaya Prabhupada! Today I am celebrating Sri Krishna Janmastami in Vilnius, Lithuania, the birthplace of my maternal grandmother.

The devotees here, as in Poland, are wonderful. They are eager to serve, very appreciative of my programs, and devoted to Lord Krishna. This morning I gave a class in the temple, and then we took a japa walk all around the old city. As you know, Europe is a historian’s wonderland, and Vilnius is no exception.

Tonight there is a program in a large hall. Many famous actors and actresses agreed to stage a play based on the Bhagavatam story of Puranjana. There will also be music and dancing, and I will speak about Krishna. Tomorrow we will, of course, celebrate Srila Prabhupada’s divine appearence day.

Monday I will fly to Copenhagen, and Tuesday to Aarhus where my disciple Danesha will host me for one week.

I wish all of you a very happy, healthy, and enlightening Janmastami and Vyasapuja.

With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
September 5, 2015

Greetings to all the devotees!

Jaya Prabhupada! I am writing from Germany, outside Berlin where I will speak later today.

Here is the news: in general, we are having very wonderful programs around Europe. After five weeks in Northeast Italy with many excellent, loving devotees, I spent ten days in Spain, where we had ecstatic programs in Barcelona, Nueva Vraja Mandala, and Madrid.

I then spent three weeks in France with the invaluable assistance of Candrasekharacarya. I recently spent three days in Radhadesha, and for the last three days have been in Germany where Paramshreya has kindly organized my tour.

I am now in the ’schloss’ or castle of Gadadhara Prabhu outside Berlin, where I will speak this afternoon. Tomorrow, Monday, I will go to Warsaw, and Friday to Lithuania. Next Monday I will fly to Denmark, and on the following Monday I will end my European tour with a short week in Oslo, Norway. I will fly back to New York on September 20.

I have met so many extraordinary devotees in Europe who kindly and enthusiastically support my attempt to serve Prabhupada. There is unlimited potential in Europe to spread Krishna consciousness and I am deeply grateful to the many devotees who have helped me here. In Italy, Spain, France, Radhadesha and now Germany, I have been so inspired by the Vaishnavas here. Also, other countries are inviting me and I will visit those countries on my next trip to Europe.

My sincere thanks to you all for your understanding and support.

With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
August 29, 2015

Dear Devotees,

Jaya Prabhupada! It has come to my attention that some devotees argue Krishna West by saying that we have shown no results. The truth is very different. Several sincere devotees began a KW program in Chapel Hill last year. I just heard from Bir Krishna Goswami that there are now twenty students chanting japa.

Similarly in many countries, hundreds and thousands of devotees have found new inspiration to preach Krishna consciousness. Obviously this is a gradual process, but in Israel and now Italy, many devotees are finding this new inspiration in their preaching work.

Regarding Krishna West success, I must also mention one of our best programs, Pandavas Paradise in Brazil. This rural spiritual retreat hosts many hundreds of guests every year from around the world.

Please note that the traditional style of presenting Krishna consciousness has not shown significant success in thirty years. Yet the critics of KW demand huge results immediately. I am quite sure that it will take far less than thirty years to show very convincing results.

Ironically, the GBC and other senior devotees were very concerned that:

Krishna West not become a separate movement, nor even a “movement within the movement.”
Krishna West not interfere with existing ISKCON projects.
This is ironic because our gradual speed is linked to these two factors. I have not established a central KW administration, nor taken other steps to formally organize an international “movement within the movement” in order not to alarm our many critics and skeptics.

Also, I and other KW devotees have taken many measures to avoid disturbing temples or attracting devotees, even congregation devotees, away from their temple services.

We have chosen consciously to grow at a slower pace in order to avoid conflict in ISKCON. And, of course, now the critics criticize us for going gradually. We should not take these criticisms seriously.

Thank you all for your support.

With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
July 21, 2015

Dear Devotees,

Jaya Prabhupada! I hope that you are all doing well. I will be in Italy for twelve more days and then fly to Barcelona. Italy is a beautiful country, and the people are very nice and naturally pious. There are extraordinary preaching opportunities here and the devotees are enthusiastic to facilitate my preaching here. The devotees here have been perfect hosts. They are very kind and generous. My disciple Ekabhakti and his wife Vrndarani deserve much praise for their tireless efforts to help me and all the visiting devotees.

Also my new sannyasi disciple, Yamunacarya Goswami, is still here and I always appreciate his association. He is a gentleman and is eager to serve the guru in any way he can. I’m sure he will be continue to be successful in his dedicated preaching.

In Spain, I will first stay in Barcelona, then the devotee farm, Nueva Vraja Mandala, and finally a weekend in Madrid. The Spanish devotees also have been extremely kind and enthusiastic in planning my visit. Candrasekharacarya has rendered invaluable service in helping to plan my Europe tour. He is with me now in Asiago, and he will accompany me throughout Europe.

After Spain I will make a tour of France (without a bicycle), visiting many cities. My Brazilian disciple, Adarana dd, has been preaching in Nantes, and she will host us for several days of program. I am of course grateful to her.

After France, we will spend three days in Radhadesha, about five days in Germany, several days in Poland and Lithuania, and finally a week Denmark and Norway. I will fly from Oslo, Norway back to New York. We are planning programs in New Vrindavana, at the enthusiastic invitation of Vrindavana Dasa, and Lawrence, Kansas, where my dear Godsister, Gopimata, has been doing excellent programs for many years.

Anandalila, Jagannatha and, hopefully, Lilananda dd will drive me from New Vrindavan to Lawrence. After that I will probably fly back to Los Angeles where I will spend a few weeks. After my visit to America, my next trip will be to Latin America.

With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
July 12, 2015

Dear Devotees,

Jaya Prabhupada! I am happy to tell you that Lord Krishna is showering His blessings on our tour of Israel and Italy. Here is a brief report.

In Israel, I was hosted by an intelligent, loving Vaishnava community centered in the town of Harish. An extraordinary grhastha couple, Gunavatara Prabhu and his wife Varshabhanavi Prabhu, lead the community. They have dedicated their lives to caring for the devotees.

I stayed in Caesarea, a beautiful town north of Tel Aviv, close to the sea and many ancient historical sites. I will always be grateful to the Harish devotees for taking care of me with so much real consideration and devotion. I must also give special thanks to my recently initiated disciple, Taruni dd, who personally made innumerable arrangements for me.

On June 21st, I flew from Tel Aviv to Venice, Italy, and drove to Prabhupadadesha. The devotees there, as in Israel, are exceptionally kind to me. We had many important classes in Italian. On Monday, I traveled to Asiago, Italy, a very picturesque town in the Italian Alps. Many devotees are coming to visit here. My disciple Ekabhakti, his wife Vrinda Rani, and other loving devotees are taking care of me perfectly. I am grateful to all these devotees.

Prabhupadadesha itself is situated on 25 beautiful acres, with a magnificent, palatial temple building and ashrama. There are many intelligent devotees in this area and some of them are kindly translating my Bhagavad-gita into Italian.

In general these are most happy times for me. Devotees in many European countries are inviting me and I look forward to spending time with them.

We hope to send many more pictures of Italy, which, like Israel, is a beautiful country.

With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
June 24, 2015

Three senior GBC sannyasis presented to the GBC body a series of ‘power points’ aimed at suppressing Vaisnavi gurus in ISKCON. The GBC subsequently did not approve Vaisnavi gurus.

Since it is the duty of senior brāhmaṇas to advise the GBC, and since ISKCON devotees should know how they are being governed, I will analyze the logical validity of the power points presented to the GBC members. These points were meant to convince the GBC to deny half the members of ISKCON the right to become diksa gurus. Readers of this paper can draw their own conclusions about the logic of the power points opposing Vaisnavi gurus.

Read the paper here

On this day in 1972, Srila Prabhupada mercifully awarded me sannyasa in the beautiful old temple room in New Dvaraka.

Prabhupada personally designed the temple room with white tile floors, green window curtains, and a red velvet curtain in front of the Deities. The Deity altars were white marble, and only about 3 feet high. It was a beautiful temple room.

The ceremony took place in the morning, as that day’s morning program. Instead of chanting Jaya Radha Madhava, Prabhupada chanted Bhaja Hunre Mana. I was standing in the back of the temple, and, as Prabhupada chanted, the whole building seemed to dance in ecstasy in response to the singing of Lord Krishna’s pure devotees.

In my heart, I understood why Prabhupada was chanting this song before our sannyasa ceremony. The third line of this song says:

“This wealth, youth, children, and mundane associates — is there any real happiness there? Our life is like a drop of water (precariously situated) on a lotus leaf. Please, worship Hari’s feet.”

I saw and felt clearly that Prabhupada was a loving spiritual father, pleading with his spiritual children, who were about to take sannyasa, not to become entangled in material life, nor lament at giving it up.

After the ceremony, I went with my old friend Satsvarupa Goswami, who also took sannyasa there, to see Prabhupada in his room. Prabhupada told us, “Just as Lord Nrsimhadeva protected Prahlada Maharaja, He will protect you.”

My best wishes to all on this special day.
Hridayananda das Goswami
May 2, 2015