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#ISKCONinAction
* Keynote from ISKCON SA GBC
“We need to keep pushing our message forward,
for the benefit of the whole world, and for our own
benefit also”
His Holiness Bhakti Caitanya Swami
Co-Governing Body Commissioner
ISKCON South Africa
Dear devotees,
Please accept my best wishes. All glories to Srila
Prabhupada.
It is my great pleasure and privilege to address you
all today. 2014 has been a very good year for Srila
Prabhupada's ISKCON in South Africa. There have
been some key developments in our yatra, not the
least of which was the great increase in book
distribution for the year, particularly during the
Prabhupada Marathon at Christmas time.
On the whole ISKCON is developing steadily but
strongly, and I feel Srila Prabhupada is happy with
how things are going. We are a preaching
movement, and we need to keep pushing our
message forward, for the benefit of the whole
world, and for our own benefit also. In his song
Dalalera Gita Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says:
tumi kinbe krishna-nama
dasturi loibo ami, purna habe kama
"I will give you Lord Krishna's holy name, and for
doing this I will get a commission. In this way all our
desires will be fulfilled."
The "commission" the Thakura is talking of is not
some monetary remuneration, but some special
mercy, which the Lord gives those who try to
spread His message. Srila Prabhupada says: "If
you work sincerely and if you can deliver one
person only by your endeavor, then immediately
you become recognized by Krishna. Na ca
tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah.
This is the quickest way to become recognized
by Krishna, by preaching work."
We are already into 2015, and we see there are
wonderful opportunities coming up. We are
coming into the 50th anniversary of the
establishment of ISKCON by Srila Prabhupada. It
is also the 40th anniversary of the establishment
of ISKCON in South Africa, and the 30th
anniversary of the opening of the Sri Sri Radha
Radhanath Temple of Understanding in Durban.
Let us all come together and embrace these
wonderful occasions, and make 2015 one of the
greatest years of all time for ISKCON in South
Africa.
Hoping this meets you well.
Your servant,
Bhakti Caitanya Swami