The recording captures a devotional address delivered by Srila Gopal Krishna Goswami at the 46th anniversary of the installation of the Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari deity and the opening of the temple in Juhu, Mumbai. The speaker thanks senior devotees, recounts Srila Prabhupada’s determination to fulfill Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s prophecy, and narrates Prabhupada’s early connections with Bombay, including the 1935 visit of Bhaktisiddhanta Mahaprabhu and the establishment of Hare Krishna Land. The talk highlights the unique growth of ISKCON after Prabhupada’s passing, the dual role of the Bombay site as headquarters for ISKCON and the Bhaktivedanta Pracharaka Trust (BPT), and practical efforts to disseminate Prabhupada’s books—ranging from a 1976 display at International Book House to the first Soviet inquiry that led to translations and worldwide distribution. The speaker emphasizes core devotional practices (chanting sixteen rounds, observing the four regulative principles), the importance of pure Vaishnava conduct among sadhus, and urges the congregation to actively spread Krishna consciousness. The address concludes with a call for faith in Prabhupada’s scriptures and gratitude to the audience.
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Hare Krishna. Well, often people tell me some people can't, they use a translator. Should I do that? So we won't be hearing— speaking English or Hindi? So, we are very fortunate this year, we are celebrating the 46th anniversary of the installation of the Deity and the opening of this temple.
We are very fortunate that we are celebrating the 46th anniversary of the inauguration of Shri Srisairadharas Bihari Temple.
We have so many senior devotees is present for this occasion.
We have so many senior devotees who are present for this occasion.
We want to thank all of them for coming to this program. We want to thank all of them for coming.
We want to thank all of them for coming for this program.
We know how Prabhupāda struggled to realize the Hare Kṛṣṇa.
We know how Śrīla Prabhupāda struggled to acquire this land.
And as strong as the desire, Krishna fulfills it.
Prabhupada had strong desire that Krishna fulfilled.
I have seen in many places, Prabhupada desired something, the devotees endeavoured, they were successful.
I have seen many times, whatever Prabhupada desired and devotees endeavoured, they will get success.
Because he was a pure devotee coming down from the spiritual world.
Because Prabhupada was a pure devotee coming out of spiritual world.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had predicted the holy name will be chanted every town and village of the world.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has predicted that holy names will be chanted all over the world in every town and village.
So someone had to come to realize that prediction.
Someone has to come to realize, to make that prediction true.
That was Srila Prabhupada.
That was Srila Prabhupada.
It was his guru's order. Very seriously. Actually, in 1922, when one of Prabhupāda's friends said, "Come, I want you to meet a very special saint," Prabhupāda refused.
In 1922, Prabhupāda's friend took him to Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta ṣrīla.
He asked him to come to meet a great saint.
Prabhupāda said, "I'm not interested." So Prabhupāda's friend asked him in 1922 to come and meet a great saint. Prabhupāda said, "No, I'm not interested." But he insisted. Prabhupāda said, "He dragged me to meet Bhaktisiddhānta Mahāprabhu." Prabhupāda said, "My friend dragged me to Bhaktisiddhānta Mahāprabhu." And in the very first meeting, Bhaktisiddhānta Mahāprabhu could see, "He is a man." 'Who can fulfil Ācītānanda's prediction?' And in the very first meeting, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta ṣrīdhākura could see that he is the man who could fulfil the desire of Lord Śrīla Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
We should realise that Prabhupāda was not like any other saint or sadhu.
We should realise that Prabhupāda was not against the saint or a sadhu.
He was a very special personality. Empowered by the Lord to take the Holy Name to every corner of the globe.
He was a very special soul empowered by Caitanya Mahāprabhu to take Holy Name to every town and village.
Usually we see in India the pattern that when the Founder-Ācārya passes away, everything begins to dwindle.
Usually we see in India when the Founder-Ācārya passes away, everything begins to dwindle.
But in ISKCON, it's the opposite.
But in ISKCON, it is opposite.
I explained this to many people, and they're amazed how it keeps expanding after Prabhupāda's departure.
I've explained this to many people, how ISKCON has kept expanding after Prabhupāda's passing away.
The Hare Kṛṣṇa Land was Prabhupāda's dream project.
Hare Kṛṣṇa Land was Prabhupāda's dream project.
Prabhupāda carried Rādhārāṣbihārī's picture with him everywhere.
He spent more time in Hare Kṛṣṇa Land, Bombay, than any other project in ISKCON.
He spent most time in Hare Krishna land Bombay than any other project in ISKCON.
Prabhupada wanted something unique in Bombay.
Prabhupada wanted something unique in Bombay.
Actually, he said this is the gateway of India. Establish a preaching in Bombay, it gets spread everywhere.
He said this is the gateway of India. If you establish preaching here, it will expand to entire India.
Prabhupada's connection with Bombay Goes back to 1935.
Prabhupāda's connection to Bombay goes back to 1935.
At that time Prabhupāda was doing his business and the Gaurīyamādhūrīs were trying to open a center.
That time Prabhupāda was doing his business in Bombay and Gaurīyamādhūrīs were trying to open a center here.
Vākīsī dāla-gīrī had come to Bombay 1935 to install the Deities.
Bhaktisiddhānta Mahāprabhu came to Bombay in 1935 to install the Deities.
Prabhupāda was actively helping the 3 sannyāsis who came from the Gauḍīya Mutt.
Prabhupāda was helping these sannyāsis who came from Gauḍīya Mutt.
When Bhaktisiddhānta Mahāprabhu came to Bombay, the other Sannyasis said, 'Abhay Babu was working so hard, why don't you make him the temple president here?' When Bhaktisiddhānta Ṛṭhākura came to Bombay, the sannyasis told him that, 'Abhay Babu is working so hard, why don't you make him temple president here?' Bhaktisiddhānta said, 'No! Let him remain where he is.' So Bhaktisiddhānta said, 'No, let him be where he is.' Śrīla Prabhupāda was there in 1935. And he also later on was in Bombay when he came to meet Śrīmatī Mūrādhī.
And Prabhupāda again came to Bombay when he came to see Śrīmatī Mūrādhī.
This is that time that Prabhupāda has seen Hare Kṛṣṇa land.
And this is that time when Prabhupāda saw this Hare Kṛṣṇa land.
So Prabhupāda wanted the atmosphere to be heaven on earth.
Prabhupāda saw this atmosphere as heaven on earth.
What is the real beauty of our temple?
What is the real beauty of our temple?
Of any temple.
Of any temple.
The architectural design and the building, the architectural design, the building, and the building. The real treasure is— but the real treasure is the Vaishnava behavior of the sadhus. The Vaishnava behavior of the sadhus, those who live in the order, should aim to achieve, to practice the principles of purity strictly.
So devotees should practice the pure principles.
Strictly. And the congregation to be active also in becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious and making others Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Congregation also should be very active in becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious and making others Kṛṣṇa conscious.
We have seen over the years that the congregation will play a big role in help in expanding the movement.
We have seen in many years congregation has played a big role in expanding our movement.
Bombay Hare Krishna Land is the address of two entities.
Bombay Hare Krishna Land is the address of the two entities.
One is ISKCON and one is BPT.
One is ISKCON and other is BPT.
BPT was— had its headquarters in Bombay, Indian headquarters in Bombay.
BPT has its Indian headquarters in Bombay.
I had once in 1976 arranged for display of Prabhupāda's books in a bookstore called International Book House.
Once I arranged the display of Śrīla Prabhupāda's books in 1976 in a store called International Book House.
International Book House, a very reputed shop, a very reputed company.
This International Book House was a very reputed shop.
They had a very big showroom in downtown Bombay.
They had a very big showroom in downtown Bombay.
So for a month Books were prominently displayed, not many books moved.
So for a month, his books were prominently displayed there, but not many books were sold.
So I went to Prabhupāda in Bombay and said, "Prabhupāda, we tried our best, the results were not very good." And I told Prabhupāda that we tried our best, but books are not going. Prabhupāda said, "My books are displayed." By the enthusiasm of my disciples.
Prabhupāda said, "My books are distributed by the enthusiasm of my disciples." And the shops, the salesmen don't have that mood.
Don't have that mood.
And these shops and their salesmen doesn't have that mood.
We should be enthusiastic in serving Kṛṣṇa.
We should be enthusiastic in serving Kṛṣṇa.
At that time, our professional accountants were giving us advice, "Why don't you set up a trust which has charitable clauses and charitable clauses, and we can get tax exemption for donors?" That time our professional accountant, he suggested, "Why don't you have a charitable clause?" and that will also help you in getting some tax resumption. You see, set a research institute up. Establish a research institute.
He wanted us to establish an institute.
You were advised that you should form a research institute.
We were advised to form a research institute.
To get the donors' tax benefits.
To get the donors' tax benefit.
Why Vedic research? Vyāsadeva has done all the research. We don't need to do anymore.
Why we need research? Prabhupāda said, why we need to do research? Vyāsadeva has done all the research. We don't have to do any research.
Prabhupāda was very compassionate.
Prabhupāda was very compassionate.
So one day, 1 o'clock in the night, he called me and said,, I have prepared this advertisement. Go tomorrow to all the papers and tell them to publish it.
I have prepared?
Prabhupāda had prepared an advertisement.
So Prabhupāda once, one night Prabhupāda called me and he said, I have prepared an advertisement, go to all the newspapers tomorrow and tell them to publish.
And what was the advertisement?
And what was that arrangement?
Come and live with us like us.
Come and live with us like us.
Prabhupāda said, I will feed all of India.
I will feed all of India.
I said, Prabhupāda, how will you do that?
I said, Prabhupāda, how will you do that?
He said, the catch is like us. You have to agree to live like us.
Prabhupāda said, the catch is like us. If you agree, then you live like us.
In other words, chant 16 rounds, follow 4 regular principles, and then we'll be able to take care of all of you.
Chant 16 rounds, follow 4 regular principles, and then we'll be able to take care of you.
So I went to the newspapers the next day, but not many— nobody was ready to present this news in their papers.
So I went to newspaper agencies next day, but not many were ready to publish this.
Actually, the Russian preaching has a connection with Bombay also. Which preaching? Russian.
Russian preaching also has connection with Bombay?
Because it was Bombay BBT's address, that the first inquiry from the Soviet Union, which was communist at that time, came to BBT Bombay.
Because the first inquiry about the books came to BBT Bombay for—
Russian government wrote a letter to our BBT, please send us your catalog of books "And how we can obtain them?" Russian government sent the request to BBT Bombay, "Please send us your catalogue and we'll buy the books." I showed this to Prabhupāda in Māyāpur. Letter came to Bombay, but somebody brought it over. I showed it to Prabhupāda in Māyāpur. "I told this to Māyāpur, I told this to Śrīla Prabhupāda in Māyāpur." Prabhupāda said, "Send them the catalog at once." They are inquiring about our books.
Prabhupāda said, "Send them the catalog of our books immediately, at once." Prabhupāda told me then to go to the Soviet Union. Prabhupāda told me to go to the Soviet Union.
And Prabhupāda's books got placed and they were translated. Now is one of the biggest yātras in ISKCON.
And Prabhupāda's books were being displayed in the exhibition.
Yeah, one of the biggest yātras in ISKCON. So Prabhupāda was a very, very special man.
Prabhupāda was very special man.
Once Prabhupāda was asked to a question on about his spiritual master.
Once he was asked question on his spiritual master.
Prabhupāda said, "He was a Vaikuntha man, what can I say?" Prabhupāda said, "He was a Vaikuntha man, what can I say?" So Prabhupāda, our Prabhupāda was also a Vaikuntha man.
So our Prabhupāda is also a Vaikuntha man.
And we have to have full faith, everything that we need to know Is there in Prabhupāda's books.
We need to have full faith that anything and everything we need to know is there in Prabhupāda's books.
Sometimes we make a good question, "We read that, but can we read that?" I say, "First read Prabhupāda's books once, twice, thrice, then think of reading other ācāryas." Sometimes we have tendency to read other books, ācāryas' books, but I say read Prabhupāda's books first, once, twice, thrice, and then look for other books. You can virtually get an answer to any question if you go through Prabhupāda's B.V.D. folio.
First you get all the questions answered in Prabhupāda's books.
So I'll stop at this point. I want to thank once again the senior devotees who are here. We want to thank the congregation that is in the audience. Let's work together to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness for the pleasure of Prabhupāda. Hare Kṛṣṇa! Hare! Lama Lama le ale.
