Offering B O O K

Sri Sri Radha Londonisvara

Offering b o o k

The Most Blessed Event November 22, 2009 The Fortieth Anniversary Day of the Appearance of

Their Lordships Çré-Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara Whose worship was personally inaugurated by

His Divine Grace Oà Viñëupäda Paramahaàsa Parivräjakäcärya Añöottara-çata Çré Çrémad A.C. Bhaktivedänta Swami Prabhupäda Founder-Äcärya of the International Society for Kåñëa Consciousness

Radha Krishna Temple

International Society for Krishna Consciousness Founder-acarya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada 10 Soho Street, London, W1D 3DL. Tel: 020 7437 3662 Email: [email protected] Website: www.iskcon-london.org

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Contents Page

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Kåñëa has played a great trick

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Srila Prabhupada

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Homages from Çréla Prabhupäda Disciples(Sannyäsés)

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Homages from Çréla Prabhupäda Disciples

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Homages from other Devotees (A)

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Homages from other Devotees (B)

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Homages from other Devotees (C)

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Homages from other Devotees (D)

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Homages from other Devotees (G)

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Homages from other Devotees (H)

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Homages from other Devotees (I)

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Homages from other Devotees (J)

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Homages from other Devotees (K)

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Homages from other Devotees (L)

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Homages from other Devotees (M)

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Homages from other Devotees (N)

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Homages from other Devotees (P)

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Homages from other Devotees (R)

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Homages from other Devotees (S)

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Homages from other Devotees (T)

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Homages from other Devotees (U)

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Homages from other Devotees (V)

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Essence

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Kåñëa

has played a great trick One day a Mr. Doyal phoned, representing a large London Hindu society. He had heard the devotees wanted Rädhä-Kåñëa Deities, and he had a pair he would donate. When Prabhupäda heard the news, he sent Tamäla Kåñëa, Mukunda, and Çyämasundara to Mr. Doyal’s home to see the Deities. Rädhä and Kåñëa were white marble and stood about three feet high. Never before had the devotees seen such large Deities, and they offered obeisances. When they returned to the temple and told Prabhupäda, he said, “Take me there at once!” Çréla Prabhupäda, accompanied by Çyämasundara, Mukunda, and Tamäla Kåñëa, arrived by van at Mr. Doyal’s home. Prabhupäda entered the living room and sat down. The Deities, covered by a cloth, stood on a table in the corner. Tamäla Kåñëa was about to unveil Them when Prabhupäda checked him: “No. That’s all right.” Prabhupäda sat and spoke with Mr. Doyal, asking him about his work and where he had come from in India, and he met Mr. Doyal’s family. Prabhupäda and his host chatted while the devotees listened. “Swamiji,” Mr. Doyal said at length, “I want to show you my Deities.” “Yes,” Prabhupäda replied, “I will see Them after some time.” Prabhupäda began to speak about his Kåñëa consciousness mission, and after a while Mr. Doyal again requested, “Please take a look at these Deities.” And with that he walked over and unveiled Rädhä and Kåñëa. “Oh, yes,” Prabhupäda said, folding his hands respectfully. Mr. Doyal explained that he had ordered the Deities from India for his own use, but in transit a tiny piece of Rädhäräëé’s finger had chipped off; therefore, according to Hindu tradition, the Deities could not be installed. “Tamäla Kåñëa,” Prabhupäda said. “See how heavy these Deities are.” Tamäla Kåñëa, placing one hand at Rädhäräëé’s base and the other around Her shoulder, lifted Her. “Not so heavy,” he said. “Çyämasundara,” Prabhupäda said. “See how heavy is Kåñëa.” The Deities were actually heavy for one man to carry, but the devotees understood Prabhupäda’s intention. “Not bad,” Çyämasundara said, holding Kåñëa a few inches off the table. “Yes,” Prabhupäda said conclusively, “I think They’re all right. Let us take Them. We have our van.” And suddenly Prabhupäda was leaving, with his disciples following, carefully carrying Rädhä and Kåñëa. Prabhupäda thanked Mr. Doyal. “But Swamiji! Swamiji!” protested Mr. Doyal, who was not prepared for this sudden exit. “Please, we will arrange to bring Them. Our society will bring Them.” But Prabhupäda was already out the door and leading his men to the van. “Please wait,” Mr. Doyal persisted. “We have to fix Them first, then you can take Them.” “We have an expert man,” Prabhupäda said. “He can fix these things.” Prabhupäda was assuring Mr. Doyal and at the same time directing his disciples. He opened the door of the van, and Çyämasundara and Tamäla Kåñëa slowly entered, cautiously setting Rädhä and Kåñëa within. Tamäla Kåñëa knelt in the back to hold the Deities secure, while Çyämasundara got into the driver’s seat. “Now drive,” Prabhupäda said. And off they went, with Prabhupäda smiling from the window to Mr. Doyal and his family, who stood together on the curb. Çyämasundara had driven but a few blocks when Prabhupäda asked him to stop the van. Turning around in his seat, Prabhupäda began offering prayers: Govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi... He looked long at Kåñëa, who was white with a slight bluish cast, and at the exquisite white Rädhäräëé by His side. “Kåñëa is so kind,” he said. “He has come like this.”

Sri Sri Rädhä Londonéçvara

Lilamrita Ch 30 London A dream fulfilled

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Srila

Prabhupada Our London Deities are certainly very, very nice; and everyone is captivated by seeing the smiling face of the Lord. It is very enchanting. Letter Hamsaduta 1970

Kulaçekhara is now producing Brijbasi Spirit, a magazine about New Vrindaban. Advance copies are sent to His Divine Grace and the last issue came while we were in Hawaii. Kulaçekhara bore the latest, which he laid on Çréla Prabhupäda’s desk. It featured a beautiful picture of Çré Çré Rädhä-Våndävananätha, the Deities of the original New Vrindaban farm. Seeing Them on the cover, Prabhupäda asked Kértanänanda Swami to make arrangements for him to go up to the old farmhouse. Kulaçekhara prabhu expressed his feeling that the main Deities of New Vrindaban, Çré Çré Rädhä-Våndävanacandra, were even more beautiful than Çré Çré RadhaLondonéçvara, the first large set of Deities to be installed in the Society. But it seemed he had a partisan purpose, and wanted Prabhupäda’s support. “Oh, yes,” Çréla Prabhupäda readily agreed. But it was clear he said it more to maintain Kulaçekhara’s enthusiasm rather than from his own conviction, because he then immediately modified it. “London differently. Våndävanacandra is village beauty, and He is London beauty. He’s town beauty.” Encouraged, Kulaçekhara pursued his line of thought. “I have not seen more beautiful anywhere than Rädhä-Våndävanacandra. The jewelry ...” “No,” Prabhupäda told him evenly. “Every one is beautiful; but everyone praises our London Deity.” “They have not seen yet Rädhä-Våndävanacandra,” Kértanänanda Mahäräja suggested. Prabhupäda smiled, but wouldn’t be drawn. “No, they have seen the picture.” Transcendental Diary Vol 1 by Hari Sauri dasa

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Homages from Çréla Prabhupäda

Disciples(Sannyäsés) Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Please accept my humble obeisances at Your lotus feet. You are the pride and joy of Çréla Prabhupäda and all of his followers. Your three fold bending form captivates the mind of all who are fortunate to caste their glance upon You. It is another of Your inconceivable pastimes that You appear in London while You are eternally enjoying Your pastimes in Goloka. I remember as a new devotee I was asked to come before You and report my service to You. That was nearly thirty eight years ago and I still feel like a new devotee and as I stumbled for words then, so I am stumbling today. I was certainly fortunate to be engaged in Your service. Although You are self satisfied and possess everything, I was fortunate to have the service of bringing flowers and bhoga for Your pleasure. Sometimes we took turns as night watchmen to protect You although it is You who protect us. I could attend Your Äratis which attract great devotees like Närada and powerful demigods like Brahmä. Now I am serving You in separation but I never forget Your beauty and mercy. I am engaged in travelling and preaching in foreign lands and when I have to enter another country and complete their immigration form I will always remember that my home address is at Your Home and that I belong there as a tiny insignificant servant. Please allow me to remain there eternally. In service,

Tridanòé Swami B.V.V. Narasiàha

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Your mystical appearance is a defining moment in history. You were ostensibly a donation in 1969 from the East London Hindu Centre. You had come all the way from India and were in the custody of non-devotees before Çréla Prabhupäda kidnapped You one fateful evening for the opening of the ISKCON Bury Place Temple in London. The famous Deity of Çäkñi Gopäla talked with a young Brahmin. He also walked nearly a thousand miles. But You did one better. You flew in an aeroplane from India to England. Deities cannot only walk and talk, but also They can fly. And You still stand mercifully accepting our insignificant offerings in the Soho Street ISKCON Temple several times a day. You’ve become immortalized in history and You continue to shower Your blessings on a worldwide public. Your would-be servant,

Mukunda Goswami

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Dear Çréla Prabhupäda

Jayatirtha: Therefore you called Him Rädhä-Londonéçvara.

Thank you for bringing Rädhä-Kåñëa to London and naming Them Rädhä-Londonéçvara.

Prabhupäda: Our London, Bury Place, Deity is very beautiful, smiling.

They are the first Deity expansions you called to the west, to bring the conditioned souls back to Their lotus feet.

Kirtanananda: There’s a picture there, Prabhupäda, on your altar.

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, You are the first Deities I ever saw. (And there is something very special about the first Deities we see. Çréla Prabhupäda said, the first boy a girl loves remains always her most cherished lover.) On that memorable day I visited Your home in Bury Place in 1971 in the “upturned boat” with the carpeted floor – was it red or blue? Then there was a leaky roof (under the brahmacäriné bathroom), and an enormous vyäsäsana at the back. Your irresistible smile and immeasurable sweetness captured my attention even though I had no knowledge or realization of what I was looking at. It was all so intriguing. I remember in Bury place how the kértana before You was always so deep and enriching. The bhoga offered to You would transform into unimaginable nectar no matter who cooked. It was all simple – even your puja, but it simply worked. The mangala sweets were simple but simply wonderful. I will never forget them. You always looked absolutely pukka, yet simple. Forty years have passed, but You are still the same, only You have more servants and the puja is more opulent and You have a beautiful Temple and there is income coming in and so on. When I was the treasurer for Your temple in 1973, we had almost zero income. We would scrape and scrounge to get something together for Your offerings and Your feasts and You always provided just enough. We thought, “as You are Rädhä-Londonéçvara, there was no need to pay the rent for the building”, which we didn’t for about four years. (Being the treasurer I thought this was quite something, but we did pay eventually) We would sometimes sleep in Your temple room. You are so tolerant. Bricks, bottles, stones and on one occasion I saw a milk churn, would sometimes come crashing through the window at the back of the Temple. I guess You saw it as a kind of an offering from who knows who outside. Sometimes things would crash through the glass roof above You. You continue to smile, unmoved and undisturbed, accepting whatever little offering we could muster. How fortunate I am to have first come to Your shelter. How sweet it was- sitting, dancing, standing, praying, lying prostrate before You.

Prabhupäda: Hm. That is the first installed... I have never seen anyone smile like You, and all the time, You never stop smiling no matter what goes on or off, or who is before You. In the land of madmen, You somehow continue to smile and with Your artful, youthful glances bless everyone. Others can tell more about the many a crazy who floated by. Thank You for being so merciful. Over the years You have given shelter to countless millions. Yes, millions of fortunate souls have come before You. Many more have seen Your photos or pictures on the covers of books. Yes, Prabhupäda personally wanted Your picture on the front cover of the second canto Çrémad Bhägavatam. When it came to the second volume of the second canto Prabhupäda wanted Rädhä-Gokulananda and it was only the determined efforts of Rameçvara prabhu that got Rukmiëé Dvärakädiça on. You are the favourite of Çréla Prabhupäda. (I am in no way qualified, but You are mine also) “On the way into London I was thinking of the conversation with Kulaçekhara däsa in New Vrindaban, and Çréla Prabhupäda’s unwillingness to declare Çré Çré Rädhä-Våëdävana-candra as more attractive than Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara. I asked Prabhupäda if these were indeed his favourite Deities. He confirmed they were.” Transcendental Diary Hari Sauri 1976 September 6 1977 “Today being Janmäñöamé, I was thinking of taking Çréla Prabhupäda to visit Çré Çré RädhäLondonéçvara. We rented a Rolls-Royce, and in procession with the German sankirtanaa vans, we pilgrimaged to Bury Place. There, for half an hour, His Divine Grace had darçana of Their Lordships who, he said, were topmost of all our Deities.” (TKG Diary.) I wish I had time to recollect more. You have opened an unlimited book of truth, life, excitement, adventure, surrender, challenge, mystery, devotion and loving exchanges. This is the anniversary of Your fortieth appearance year before this world and I have a prayer.

Daily we would go for sankirtanaa and come back and sit in front of You. Dear Rädhä-Londonéçvara You would patiently listen, as we shyly reported to You all that happened out there. News report to the bosses. I would also report what happened in there – the heart. You are truly more than my mother and father. It was so personal - I felt so close. You reciprocated so easily. Prabhupäda reminded us “You are not Deities, You are Rädhä and Kåñëa in person” Çréla Prabhupäda would often be seen talking to You. Oh when will I become conscious of You. I am now in exile, given an occasional opportunity to float by. Please capture my heart completely and never let me leave. How could I be so foolish as to look elsewhere for beauty – You are the most beautiful.

I think You can easily fulfil this one. I pray that all those souls, by the grace of Çréla Prabhupäda, who have come before You, will again come before You and stay there eternally. That they will come back to Your shelter never to leave again. Please empower us to be Your instruments to make this possible. You are our only shelter. You expand as Näma prabhu and in so many other ways to embrace us. We hanker for Your loving embrace and in the form of saìkértana You are giving it. It brings tears to my eyes to recollect so many devotees who gave so much of what You gave them to offer in Your service. Please bring them all back. May we all be together again in the spiritual plane. Please end their pain.

Kulaçekhara: Çréla Prabhupäda, I think Rädhä-Våëdavän-candra are more beautiful than the Deities in London.

I pay my obeisances at the feet of all the devotees who have served You, are serving, and will serve You in the future. To those who were so blessed to assist Çréla Prabhupäda in bringing You to us, I fall at their feet and thank them. To those who sacrificed so much in Your service I am eternally indebted. I know that You will deliver them even if they are, for a few moments, drifting away apparently shipwrecked. They may not be with us today but You are always with them.

Prabhupäda: Oh, yes. (laughter) London differently. Kulaçekhara: They are very beautiful, but Rädhä-Våëdävana-candra... Prabhupäda: Våëdävana-candra is village beauty, and He is London beauty. He’s town beauty. Kulaçekhara: I have not seen more beautiful anywhere than Rädhä-Våëdävana-candra. The jewelry... Prabhupäda: No. Every one is beautiful, but everyone praises our London Deity. Your first temple in Bury place was small, but most special. The atmosphere created was out of this world – a true heaven for us shipwrecked souls. I will never forget those days – I pray they will transform my consciousness to the eternal present that I actually become an eternal servant of Your lotus feet. Prabhupäda: What about Bury Place? Jayatirtha: Bury Place we’re keeping. They’re still trying to get us out, but we are keeping. I don’t think that Kåñëa will leave until He wants to leave. (Prabhupäda laughs) We just fixed up His Deity house and generally repaired the place. Now... Prabhupäda: Kåñëa is smiling. They are trying to drive Him. Kåñëa’s smiling. That’s all. Go on with your business.

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Oh! Dear mum and dad, one more thing before I forget. You are Rädhä-Londonéçvara – I hope that sometime in the not too distant future, if You so wish, You will move into the best of buildings in London, perhaps Buckingham Palace (of course You are already there, just we can’t see You there). Actually, somewhere much better than that. A place where many more millions can see You, or be seen by You, where Your unending mercy can shower on the shipwrecked souls of kali yuga. Where everyone can realize You are truly Rädhä-Londonéçvara and more, MUCH, MUCH MORE. May I eternally serve You and Your servants and be ever conscious of You I fall prostrate before You and pray to remain eternally at Your lotus feet. Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara ké Jaya! Your servant,

Janänanda Gosvami

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Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale çrémate bhaktivedänta-svämin iti nämine namas te särasvate deve gaura-väëé-pracäriëe nirviçeña-çünyavädi-päçcätya-deça-täriëe “I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedänta Swami Prabhupäda, who is very dear to Lord Kåñëa, having taken shelter at His lotus feet. Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Gosvämé. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.” namo mahä-vadänyäya kåñëa-prema-pradäya te kåñëäya kåñëa-caitanya-nämne gaura-tviñe namaù

sincere prayers of Your devotees You kindly appeared to stay with us in Your form as a very sweet cowherd boy in the hillsides overlooking the capital of Nepal, Kathmandu. There in Your gardens by the babbling Vishnumati stream your devotees grow roses and other flowers and daily make the freshest garlands to decorate You Both. You are there along with Lord Jagannätha, Baladeva and Subhadrä and Çré Çré Gaura Nitai just like in Soho Street. I am hoping also that one day You may answer to our prayers and manifest. Yourself in Kinshasa the capital of Democratic Rupublic of Congo, Africa where our land and devotees are waiting to be qualified for Your Appearance beside the beautifully flowing Congo-Yamuna River with its white rapids roaring and racing past to the islands downstream. Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, on Your fortieth Anniversary I offer my sincere gratitude to You for all Your protective mercy to me throughout my service and travels in the last thirty-nine years. Thank You for blessing me with the association of Your surrendered servants. Please someday let me approach You as Your completely surrendered servant also. Please bless me that until I die I can continue travelling here and there spreading Your Lordship’s Holy Names:-

“O most munificent incarnation! You are Kåñëa Himself appearing as Çré Kåñëa Caitanya Mahäprabhu. You have assumed the golden colour of Çrématé Rädhäräëé, and You are widely distributing pure love of Kåñëa. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You.”

HARE KÅÑËA HARE KÅÑËA KÅÑËA KÅÑËA HARE HARE

namo brahmaëya-deväya go-brähmaëa-hitäya ca

Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara Ké Jaya!

jagad-dhitäya kåñëäya govindäya namo namaù

Your most fallen servant of the servants of Your dear servant Çréla Prabhupäda,

“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Kåñëa, who is the worshipable Deity for all brähmaëas, the wellwisher of the cows and the brähmaëas, and the benefactor of the whole world. I offer my repeated obeisances to the Personality of Godhead, known as Kåñëa and Govinda.”

Mahäviñëu Swami

HARE RÄMA HARE RÄMA RÄMA RÄMA HARE HARE

On this most auspicious occasion of Your fortieth Anniversary I offer my humble obeisances to You. Although I am still far away from having any genuine love for You, I want to express my gratitude to You for appearing in London to fulfil the desire of Your beloved Çréla Prabhupäda, my spiritual master and the desire of his sincere servants who came to London to fulfil his order. I had been searching for Truth and Beauty in this fleeting world to little avail and was almost resigned to disappointment. When the curtains of the Deity room in 7, Bury Place, London opened in January 1971 and I saw You standing there, I realised that my search had actually ended.

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara,

It seemed that I had been trying to find only You in all my short life’s attempts at art, sculpture and personal relationships. At last (after having my vain egoistic artistic attempts smashed by You in Your expansion as Paramätmä) I eventually found You Yourself as my reward. You so mercifully appeared as the worshipable Rädhä-Kåñëa Deity tended with continual devotion by all Your servants in ISKCON Bury Place hidden away in central London, Kali yuga’s stronghold. The true meaning of art and the art of living was then realised in You in Your Beautiful Form of Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara and in Your divine service. You were simultaneously the Supremely beautiful Art Object to be personally gazed at, decorated and served and also the Supreme Art Designer, Maintainer and Destroyer of the whole creation. Govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi.

Here in New Vraja Dhäma we are absorbed in a generational service: a writing and editing marathon to produce a book which will broadcast the glories of Your pastimes, hopefully for thousands of years to come. Please bless us that we can complete this ambitious service for Your pleasure.

By finding You my art, my new artistic duty – the art of life became obvious (yogaù karmasu kauçalam Bg 2.50). I no longer had to waste more time to try and invent new “art objects” to convey my own imperfect conceptions of the “beautiful truth” to others but I had to simply become a qualified true servant of Your Lordship’s and bring others to appreciate Your truth and beauty by following Çréla Prabhupäda’s instructions to live within and spread ISKCON. This would be the highest welfare work for all, the supreme artistic and scientific contribution to humanity.

Please accept our most humble obeisances in the dust of Your lotus feet. All glories to You. And all glories to Your dearest servant, Çréla Prabhupäda, who so cleverly arranged for You to be installed and worshipped there in London and throughout the world.

We pray that although we cannot be there physically for the festival commemorating the fortieth year of Your installation, You will accept the service we are doing here as service to Your Lordships, just as Gopäla accepted Mädhavenda Püri’s service to Gopénätha. Our hearts and lives are dedicated to Your service. Please accept us as Your surrendered servants,

Çivaräma Swami Keçava Bhäraté Däsa Goswami

Unfortunately I realise now it is not so easy as I had imagined to surrender to Your Lotus Feet although I try and at least go through the motions. As You say in Bhagavad Gétä 7.3 manuñyäëäà sahasreñu kaçcid yatati siddhaye yatatäm api siddhänäà kaçcin mäà vetti tattvataù. “Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth. “Achieving You in pure devotional service is not a cheap sentimental or speculative thing.” Still, I have not yet entirely given up trying to surrender fully to Your Divine Will even though my heart seems still unfathomably full of garbage. You have been so kind to me and this encourages me. Twelve years ago by the

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Homages from Çréla Prabhupäda

Disciples Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, You are arranging for me to return to Your lotus feet.

Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Your photo swaroop is on my altar at home, but now I again can directly bathe in Your munificent benedicting mercy back in London. Rädhä-Londonéçvara, always so kind to me, You made our path lighter, spreading Your love to others in many ways, bringing Prabhupäda to London to be with all of us again. You came in such a unique and wonderful way as, Prabhupäda asked me to get the Temple ready for Your arrival, I saw Prabhupäda and my strong Bhakta friends leave and they went to the Hindu Centre and you all came back together and we will recount this pastime further. Rädhä-Londonéçvara, You came with us on Harinam, 3 times a day at first. You, as Lords of London arranged for us to be embraced by the Underground community, the East Indian community, and others as they wrote newspaper articles like “Kåñëa startles London” and ended the article with the “Kåñëa devotees are planning to chant in front of the London stock exchange, and what will happen only Kåñëa knows” or another newspaper that headlined “Rave in at Royal Albert Hall” as we enlivened the “Alchemical Wedding concert” with our friends from the “Arts Lab”. Rädhä-Londonéçvara, You came with us as we stormed the High commissioners mansion in Kensington, to reunite with our friend Ravi Shanker. You went with us in our hearts and souls to the round house concert where we built a fire pit and held a yajïa during our concert. Were You amused or angry as the concert managers pulled our fire yajïa out? Especially after they previously accepted the musician who smashed his guitar on the stage Rädhä-Londonéçvara, You went with us to George Harrison’s house and have a great kértana with Billy Preston playing the Organ and George on electric guitar. I was surprised the roof stayed on his house the transcendental sounds cascaded across the universe. By Your beauty You got us Bury place and then Manor and now You reside in new and nice quarters right in the centre of things. Rädhä-Londonéçvara, there are so many things to thank You for as You made our path magical and easy but most of all by Your beauty and grace You attracted so many wonderful devotees who are my family and friends, and now You again allowed me to be reunited with all my dear god brothers and sisters, so many many in this London Yatra. So many adventures for Prabhupäda You took us on and we will be glorifying You and these pastimes in these reunion days. Rädhä-Londonéçvara, You are in my heart, dancing on my tongue, guiding my steps; giving me sustenance; and looking on me with Your incredibly merciful eyes. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. Your servant,

Gurudäsa däsa

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Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara,

govindam ädi-puruñaà tam ahaà bhajämi

Big city lights sometimes beckoned but the beauty of Your glance upon us proved the brighter jewel and You became the axis of our London and beyond, as we danced and sang before You in kirtans special trance.

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara,

Out of hiding You came at the call of Your beloved dancing puppet Abhay Caran and - a puppet in his hands You stayed in Soho’s sleazy, sleepy lands to reel us, one by one, in through Your loving doors. To lay our youthful years at Your feet and to serve You, serve You, serve You from basement kitchen floor, throughout all corners, to the trembling roof. And now as Autumn’s golden days of age dance mild with coloured charm we bathe our mind afresh in the love filled mirrored pools of Your eyes and play and sing and laugh and cry again with the same sweet fellow members of Your tribe. Your servant,

Rohiëénandana däsa

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, So confident that You would appear--(sight unseen)--in the summer of ‘69 we built Your house, invited Your friends, we let all the world know You were coming! (After all, the world’s Master Treasure-Hunter was fresh afoot in London-town and miracles were a shilling a dozen.) We searched for You: A dim address down gothic alleys in Holborn, incense-fogged shops in Portobello Road, an attic in Golders Green, some clue You left off Oxford Street with a smiling Indian grocer. And from the dark confines of wooden crates in the back of an East London flat You guided our Master to Your Lotus Feet and emerged – through layers of cotton wadding--You blazed into life. “Uh, Swamiji,” I thought to myself as he practically bludgeoned our hosts, “Aren’t you being a little heavy with these guys?” Of course it’s all in babble-speak (Hindi? Bengali? Sanskrit?), but I can tell you’re giving them no option. “Tamäla! Take up Rädhäräni, just see how heavy. All right. Now you may take her to the van.” And just like that the deed was done: a spiritual abduction. Oh, Prabhupäda, how powerful you were that day, the Regent of London claiming for Rex and Regina, Kåñëa and Rädhä, their rightful place at the helm of nation! Oh, Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, how beautiful You have become, more beautiful than anything possible, and how perfect Your reign from this Soho palace, attracting and guiding thousands of Your devotees over these forty years to a blessed life. Now again we gather at your Lotus Feet, Çréla Prabhupäda and his old gang of American pranksters, to thank You again and again for the best days of our lives,

Çyämasundara däsa

Eternal danòavats at Your lotus feet. Your Lordships alone know the intricacies of how forty years ago, time, place and circumstances coalesced favourably in London to allow Çréla Prabhupäda to arrange for Your pratisöhä on December 14th 1969. Never for a second since, have I forgotten Your presence on that installation day. Your moonlike faces—Rädhäräni’s alabaster complexion, barely flushed cheeks, dramatic arching eyebrows, deep, large lotus eyes and serene smile–Kåñëa’s counterpoint countenance, His complexion like a pale blue cirrus cloud, His head tilted toward Çré Rädhä—that vision is as firmly fixed in my mind’s eye as letters chiselled in stone. All glories to the present UK devotees who have arranged for so many voices to glorify devotional service rendered in the UK since that historic installation day. No doubt each of the six originals dispatched to the UK in August 1968 have different relationship pastimes with Your Lordships. Core to mine are five weeks of deity worship instruction from Çréla Prabhupäda while residing at Tittenhurst, John Lennon’s estate; the shift to Bury Place and Your Lordships surprise arrival only days before the installation; the hurried preparation for Your pratiñöhä; and of course, the following ten months that I engaged as Your püjäri before leaving England for India in the fall of 1970. It is impossible to express in words the nature of trying to serve Your Lordships. It was surely one of the most powerful Kåñëa conscious experiences in my life. Before it, I had never experienced cent per cent engagement with the nine fold processes of devotional service dead center—18 hour days—performing äratis and cooking offerings, sewing and cleaning, serving devotees and studying Çréla Prabhupäda’s books. Aside from Apple related recording, Apple arranged touring, Apple promotional events, and occasional street saìkértana, I infrequently left the walls of our Bury Place, Rädhä-Kåñëa Temple. Your Lordships alone knows the hearts of the devotees that made up our wonderful UK devotee family in December of 69—the original six plus baby Saraswati; Trivikrama and Tamäla Kåñëa bramacharis; gåhasthas Bibhävaté and Içana from Canada; Mukunda’s poet friend, Rämatanu and the first initiated Viçäkhä; the first initiated UK bramacharis—Kulaçekhara, Digvijaya, and Tirthapäda; Your first Scottish devotee, Dhanaïjaya; three women from France who dedicatedly became Your first European assistant püjäris: Mandäkini, Ilävaté, and Jyotirmayé; and UK initiates: Kñirodakasayé däsa and Jayahari däsa—to name the principles. Soon dynamic Tribuvanätha, Yogeçvara däsa, Hariviläsa and more took initiation, expanding our numbers. This family of Çréla Prabhupäda devotees was one of the finest I have ever had the pleasure of serving with—enthusiastic, agreeable, and dedicated. Dear Rädhä-Londonéçvara, over the years, through chanting, I have slowly come to realize that You are nondifferent from Your holy names and Your holy names are non-different from You. I first glimpsed this reality while chanting japa, when Çréla Prabhupäda came to take a final darçana of Your Lordships before leaving England the first time. He approached the garbha gåha, and paid full praëäma danòavats, to You. Then he stood in front of You and for several minutes gazed on Your supremely beautiful formsmurmuring some words to You, his hands folded in prayer, tears gliding down his cheeks. Then he turned his head toward mine, looked me in the eye and said, “This is Kåñëa. If you follow the instructions I have given you regarding deity worship, you can become perfect and go Back to Godhead”. Too stunned to speak, I watched him leave the temple room, his sandalwood scent and final words lingering behind him in the ether. These departing words spoken by Çréla Prabhupäda forty years ago apply to us all—follow his instructions and go Back to Godhead. This is his special mercy on us all. Let us help each other to take his words to heart. Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara ké jaya! Your insignificant servant,

Yamunä devé däsé

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My Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, As Your fortieth Anniversary approaches, my dear Lord, I settle down to write a piece for Your pleasure on the computer, although I feel weak and quite unable to put some nice words together for Your glorification. My heart is empty and devoid of any true love for You, my Lord, but still I somehow or other desire to please You by writing something for Your pleasure and the pleasure of Your devotees. What comes to mind is an excerpt from Çréla Prabhupäda’s lecture which Çréla Prabhupäda gave in Bury Place before Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara at the back of the temple sitting on the huge red vyäsäsana with lion heads which Nara-Näräyaëa Prabhu built and it was completely packed out as usual with the press out in full and shining very bright spotlights on Çréla Prabhupäda’s face on Çrématé Rädhäräni’s appearance day, Rädhäñöamé in and around 1971, I think. he rädhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-süno kutaù çré-govardhana-kalpa-pädapa-tale kälindé-vane kutaù “O Queen of Våëdävana, Rädhäräni! O Lalita! O son of Nanda Mahäräja! Where are You all now? Are You just on the hill of Govardhana, or are You under the trees on the bank of the Yamuna? Where are You?” he rädhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-süno kutaù These were the moods of the six gosvamis in executing Kåñëa consciousness. They did not think, “I saw Kåñëa last night. Now I am Kåñëa conscious.” No. They were constantly striving to increase their Kåñëa consciousness by feeling in the mood of separation of Kåñëa. In Våëdävana everyone is accustomed to saying Jaya Radhe ! Jaya Radhe! Everyone even the postman, the milkman, the rikshawala everyone. Because they know Çrématé Rädhäräni as their Queen of Våëdävana, they love Her so much. They know to please Kåñëa will be a little difficult but if Rädhäräni is pleased She will definitely recommend you to Kåñëa. One time Çréla Prabhupäda laughed and said “Kåñëa has tricked all of you. You are thinking that Kåñëa has come here as His Deity to accept some worship from you. But actually Kåñëa is actually here Himself. This you do not know.” All glories to Çréla Prabhupäda! All glories to Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara! Your Servants,

Caturbhuja däsa, Karaëodakñayé Viñëu däsa and Sändépani Muni däsa

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Devotees (A) Homages from other

Dearest Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara,

Please accept my humble obeisences at Your lotus feet. All glories to Your Lordships All glories to Çréla Prabhupäda. How fortunate I am to be able to write an offering to You on Your fortieth anniversary. You were the first Deities that I saw, the first ones that I surrendered myself to, the first ones that I served, the first deities that I became attached to. I came here sixteen years ago and You completely hooked me. I spent few years serving You then I served other temples and two years ago You brought me back to Your lotus feet. Since then I have been serving You and each day it feels that You are bringing me more and more closer to You. Just recently I was offered to move in to the temple. I could see then how many attachments I have but how could I possibly say no to Your Most Divine shelter. I will be staying in Your palace, serving You without any other motivations than to please You. I pray for Your blessings so that I can serve You sincerely for the rest of my life that I can, by Your mercy, be able to genuinely please You as well as help others to serve Your Most Divine Lotus Feet. Your insignificant servant,

Aditi devé däsé

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Please accept my most prostrated and respectful obeisances untoYour lotus feet. All glories all glories to Çréla Prabhupäda, the saviour of the world!! The only thing that I can offer to You is a hearth felt ‘Thank You’. Thank You from the core of my heart for allowing me to come here, to stay here and even to offer some small service unto You. I never thought it could be possible to be in this temple for more than one week and what to say to participate in Your fortieth Anniversary in London! Now my wish is to be able to satisfy You in some way. Please allow me to do what You want me to do. Your fame as the most merciful Deities is well known everywhere and knowing that, in 2003 I came here with the intense desire to offer some service to You, but I knew that in such an organized temple I would not have had that chance. But I tried and I got to know that nobody was doing the garlands for You that day and that in the püjäri department the devotees were looking for someone who could do that service!!! I was blissful: You were going to fulfill my desire and with my dear god-sister Léläviläsiné devé däsé I happily rushed in the püjäri room. Then, I had another desire: to offer some more service here one day but I just desired it and I never thought it could become a reality, and now here I am, still looking around and asking to myself: Am I here? How come? How is that possible? I really don’t know how things arranged and how all this happened, but I know that this is Çré Çré RädhäLondonéçvara’s mercy and nothing else, so I happily accept it. I feel so happy and protected here. All Your servants here are such exemplary devotees and I am very honoured to have their association. This temple is very famous... in Rome many tourists know the Hare Kåñëa Movement because they come to the Rädhä-Kåñëa temple or because they saw the devotees in Harinäma in London!! So I humbly bow unto Your lotus feet again and again praying You to make me able to satisfy You and Your dear devotees. Your grateful servant,

Äkarñiëé Rädhikä devé däsé

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All glories to the most beautiful Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara!

I sincerely thank You for bringing Çréla Prabhupäda, my Guru Mahäräja and Your devotees into my life.

Please accept my most respectful and humble obeisances.

Though I am not at the level where I am able to fully appreciate Your mercy, but to whatever extent I am able to express, please accept.

In the middle of so many frustrations and miseries, this soul is immensely grateful for Your causeless mercy because it has found the biggest joy: Your Lordships! Your pure devotee Çréla Prabhupäda has made a place where we all can live in, giving his teachings of divine love, surrender and goodness. He spread Your glories speaking and singing about You, oh Bhagavän, giving this sweetest song to everybody. All around the world Your devotee planted many seeds of devotion, taking away all the painful miseries of illusion. To him I offer my respectful obeisances for showing us Your beautiful consciousness. Blessed are Your devotees, blessed are those who serve You and who look at Your lotus feet and dance and sing Your glories and Your names day and night. All glories to the most beautiful Çrématé Rädhäräni who sees Kåñëa everywhere. She is the Supreme Goddess and She protects everyone. She is our universal Mother. Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara of exquisite beauty! I can only say thank You.

Please give me the ability to serve my Guru Mahäräja so I can please Him in order to please You. No matter how hard I fall, please lift me up and don’t reject this ignorant servant of Yours. My heart belongs to You so please always reside there. Your love and reciprocation towards me is inconceivable and overwhelming for me. You are my parents and best friends, forever. Please allow me to serve You as a humble and loyal servant, always. I thank You for all that You have done for me. Despite all obstacles, my dearest Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, please bestow Your mercy upon me so I can overcome them and serve Your beautiful sweet little lotus feet for the rest of my life. Your daughter, friend and servant,

Änanda-lélä devé däsé

To see You both in Your beautiful altar is the biggest encouragement to not lose the consciousness and intelligence that is left. This advent is the biggest inspiration. The universe is invaded by the fragrance of Your lotus feet. May my heart yearn to serve You and Your devotees. Çréla Prabhupäda ké jaya! Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara ké jaya. I fall down at Your lotus feet in humble reverence, I’m the one who still feels attraction for Your external energy and I’m also the one who has no words to describe Your beauty, but yet by Your causeless mercy l’m Iiving here, in Våëdävana! Aspiring to be Your servant,

Ambikä devé däsé

Çré Kåñëa, Çré Radhe, Please accept my humble obeisances. Just over a year ago I walked into the Rädhä-Kåñëa temple in London and looked at Your divine, beautiful forms and my life changed forever. I was wandering aimlessly in a great desert of Mäyä, obsessed with material activities and attachments that caused me nothing but suffering and emptiness. Lord Kåñëa, Çré Radhe, You have become my oasis in this desert, You are the air that I breathe, my sustenance, my hope, the bright star that guides me home.

nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale çrémate rädhänätha-svämin iti nämine nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale çrémate bhaktivedänta-svämin iti nämine

Lord Kåñëa, Çré Çré Radhe, my words are clumsy and my devotion full of faults and even to be placed as an atom at Your feet would be too great an honour for one such as me. So I will not ask for this. Instead I ask only that the path of my life leads forever to the doorway of Your temple, and that I may be engaged as the lowest servant in eternal, blissful service to You.

Anna Mace

namas te särasvate deve gaura-väëé-pracäriëe nirviçeña-çünyavädi-päçcätya-deça-täriëe My dearest Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Please accept my prostrated obeisances at Your sweet little lotus feet. Wishing You a very happy fortieth Anniversary!!! Please forgive me for not having the ability or intelligence to glorify You like You should be. You are undoubtedly the most beautiful and the most merciful Deities, no wonder You are Çréla Prabhupäda’s favourite. Your exquisite beauty takes my breath away and every time I look at You it’s always a fresh feeling. Thank You for appearing in my life and saving me from the miserable conditions of this material world. I am a beggar, my dearest Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, and on Your anniversary I have nothing else to offer to You except my life. Kindly accept it.

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Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Our humble obeisances unto You again and again. Oh most beautiful Lordships, Your moon like smile has brightened our spiritual lives. You have appeared for the pleasure of Your dear devotee Çréla Prabhupäda and for dissipating darkness of ignorance at one of the bastions of Kali. Please be merciful to us and please engage us more and more in service of Yourself and of Your dear servitors. Your insignificant servants,

Arun Kabre, Manisha Kabre and Madhav Kabre

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Devotees (B) Homages from other

Dearest Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, nayanaà galad-açru-dhärayä vadanaà gadgada-ruddhayä girä pulakair nicitaà vapuù kadä tava näma-grahaëe bhaviñyati

“O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing constantly when I chant Your holy name? When will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs on my body stand on end at the recitation of Your name?” Please accept my most humble obeisance’s at Your lotus feet. Your glories are deserving of being spread over the three worlds, chanted in the streets and remembered always. Since I first met You in April of this year I have found myself captivated by Your lotus face, and wanting to make You a centre of my life. You have allowed me the boon of coming to Your lotus feet, arranged for me to stay here in London so that I may serve You and Your wonderful devotees and allowed me the joy of being able to serve Your devotees almost every day and by Your mercy I pray to continue to serve You from the Brahmacäri äçrama. Though the äçrama is of no consequence I thank You from the bottom of my heart for this opportunity and joy serving Your devotees brings. It is my greatest desire on this auspicious time of Your installation anniversary that I may be forever fixed in the devotional service to Your wonderful devotees, and spreading the glories of Your holy names wherever You place me in this world. Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, You have brought me out of the material sea of ignorance and foolishness, and by the grace of Your pure devotee Çréla Prabhupäda, I have come to Your lotus feet, You have arranged so much mercy for me, it leaves me bewildered as to why You would bestow these boons on someone so fallen and ignorant. By Your grace, I hope that I can come to some platform by which I can be of service to Your devotees, and develop some intelligence to spread Your glories. Through this wonderful institution of ISKCON organized by Your pure devotee Çréla Prabhupäda, of whom, You were his favourites, You have allowed us this spiritual oasis in what is most certainly hell on this material world which we have so foolishly chosen to come to. I have few words because I am so neophyte, that I cannot express fully the wonderful gift of the glories of Your holy name and this Kåñëa Consciousness movement, I pray that by Your mercy we can keep this movement alive and bring people back to Your lotus feet. If You so wish allow me to serve, glorify You and remember You, I know You are forever my lord, always with me despite my many lifetimes where I have tried to forget You. It is by Your mercy alone that I am here. Your servant,

Ben den Ouden

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Çréla Prabhupäda. All glories to You both! Wow ! I can’t believe it... forty years young and I am fortunate enough to be here and witness this magic moment. You are Çréla Prabhupäda’s favourite Deities and have captured my heart too. I am so fortunate to be known as a Rädhä-Londonéçvaränuga! I love to engage in varieties of services and work really hard just for You. You are the goal of our sädhanä and the centre of our plans. We are Your menial servants who happily act as Your instruments.

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Your curly thick hair, lotus eyes, sweet tiny hands, red painted toenails and attractive form are the perfection of my vision. I pray I can always serve You lifetime after lifetime. All glories to You My dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara. May Your fame be ever increasing throughout the three worlds. Your eternally grateful servant,

Bhäva-bhakti devé däsé

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, The year was January 1977; our daughter was six weeks old. We brought our daughter to Your lotus feet for her first darçana of Your Lordships. In those days there were not many temples in London. Rädhä-Kåñëa temple in Bloomsbury was the only temple accessible by public transport. The temple-room in Bloomsbury was a quarter size to that of 10, Soho Street. The temple room could not contain more than fifteen people, twenty at most. At least that was our impression. The devotees were our object of curiosity. All of them looked like European except for one Indian and an American. Some devotees were very keen to sell Bhagavad-Gétä and Back to Godhead magazines. All devotees had a bag hanging round their neck. Some devotees had their right hand in the bag and appeared to be murmuring something. But you dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, were simply casting a merciful gaze over all sitting in Your temple room. How can we calculate the depth of Your karuëä, You are inconceivable. Years later we came to Your present residence at Soho Street. You immediately engaged us in serving Your Rathayäträ festivals. We simply regard ourselves to be extremely fortunate. Please allow us to serve You again and again. Your servants,

nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale

Bhagavatänanda däsa and Vraja-kiçoré devé däsé

çrémate devämrita-svämin iti nämine pracäre pürva-dakñyaà ca bhaktäcära-pravinaöa parärthät api käruëyam yasya sarve ca te namaù nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale çrémate bhaktivedänta-svämin iti nämine namas te särasvate deve gaura-väëé-pracäriëe nirviçeña-çünyavädi-päçcätya-deça-täriëe Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, I pray to the Guru Paramparä, Çréla Prabhupäda and my Guru Mahäräja to please inspire me with the words to be able to glorify You because I do not have the qualifications to do so. You are so merciful. Due to Your mercy and the mercy of Your devotees I am able to serve You. The devotees are always welcoming, giving and encouraging me in my devotional life. You are so kind. My heart is so dirty but You are so kind that You show me in the association of devotees what has to be removed, thus You are transforming my heart making everyday a learning experience. You are the most beautiful personality I have ever seen. My heart always feels at peace when I come to take darçana of You or when I remember You. Serving You is blissful. Everyday is an adventure when I am serving You. My consciousness is higher and I am more peaceful and happy. You love everyone. When I see so many new guests coming to the temple or when I give a book to someone on the street, this is Your arrangement. Everyone is looking for You and You are helping them come to You. You are my best friends. I am so grateful that You are always with me, taking care of me eternally, even though most of my life I spend forgetting this.

Dear Çré Çré Gaura Nitai, Jagannätha, Baladeva and Subhadrä, Giri Govardhana and Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, I am really happy to be a member of Your congregation. You have always been very kind to me and I’m hoping that we can continue to be of some service to You. One of Your devotees once told me that you can pray, “Dear Kåñëa please guide me in the direction of my Guru Mahäräja”. As you know I’m now aspiring for initiation from H.H Jayapatäkä Swami. It feels nice to know that You hear our prayers. Now when I come in front of You I wonder what my prayer can be. I have nothing to ask from You and I’m sure You know what one needs before one asks in any case. I do however, pray to You to please engage me in Your devotional service. Help me to engage what You have given me for Your pleasure. “He built a house in which the whole world can live.” Thank You for sending Your pure devotee to help us understand the transcendental nature of Your activities. Your name form and pastimes cannot be understood in any other way than by the performance of devotional service. How wonderful it is that You are giving so many living entities the opportunity to understand devotional service through the books of Your pure devotee and by rendering service unto You. Being with You now is wonderful. Your servant,

Benjamin

May I always serve You and remember You. An aspiring servant of Your servant’s servant,

Bhavisha Patel

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nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale çrémate bhaktivedänta-svämin iti nämine namas te särasvate deve gaura-väëé-pracäriëe nirviçeña-çünyavädi-päçcätya-deça-täriëe Dearest Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, I offer my heartfelt prostrated obeisances at Your Lotus feet. While on my agenda of travelling around the world, through my work, about eight years ago, during this same month, I had Your first darçana in London. Then, even though I was a “Life Member” of ISKCON, I didn’t know anything about Kåñëa Consciousness, I didn’t know the significance of chanting, nor did I have any clue about philosophy behind all this. Slowly, in a few months of just sitting in Your temple in the evenings, and attending some of the programs, devotees took mercy on me, and started explaining different aspects of Kåñëa Consciousness to me. Slowly, I started participating in some of the activities and by the mercy of the devotees here I got involved in doing some service. Within a few months I realised You were not just a mürti, but someone for real and also someone who actively took care of His devotees. I didn’t remember having sensed such a relationship with You before, nor did I remember feeling so much bliss - I decided that I would settle in London and to try to be part of the community serving You here. Over a period of time I have realised how merciful You have been to me, and how much You have tried to guide me, while tolerating so much about me. The weight of the offenses that I have committed towards others hurts me a lot and these are only the ones that I am conscious of still, You were so kind to me and still, I don’t think I have surrendered to You from my heart. Why else would I still be committing so many offenses, why else would I not have a taste for chanting and serving You continuously trying to enjoy in the material world? It feels quite miserable now, but still the mind hankers for sense enjoyment. If not for Your temple and Your devotees here, I would have been a mental wreck. Inspite of all this, You have been so kind towards me. On this fortieth Anniversary of Your Appearance in London, I run short of words to express my gratitude towards You, to Çréla Prabhupäda and also to the devotees here.. I hope, desire and pray that eventually, I give You my life, and that I serve You here for the rest of my life… please keep me in Your shelter always and guide me closer towards You. All this I humbly beg of You. Your fallen servant,

Biju

On this most auspicious event of the fortieth Anniversary of our Most Beautiful ÇRÉ ÇRÉ RÄDHÄ-LONDONÉÇVARA, I am delighted to express my love and gratitude to Çrématé Rädhäräni and Çré Kåñëa. Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara are very merciful deities, They have always showered Their causeless mercy upon me. They are very special to me, They have captured my heart, and I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to have Their darçana. I wish Them a very HAPPY fortieth ANNIVERSARY. May They always remain with us, and engage us in Their service. Thank You. Your servant,

Bhüdevé-sundaré devé däsé

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Devotees (C) Homages from other

My dearest and the Most Merciful Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara,

The residents and visitors of London UK or whoever has Your Merciful Darçana, Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, are very fortunate souls. Your dearest and beloved, His Divine Grace Çréla Prabhupäda our Founder-Acarya, Jagat Guru personally installed Your magnificent Dinadayalu form in December 1969. Over the years many souls have revived their eternal atmäräma bhäva and relationship with You my sweet Lord by serving You diligently. Your presence in London has purified the land and brought speck of hope for us fallen souls like me. I came to UK in 1967 and Your appearance in 1969 was very timely for my spiritual journey, I have learnt so much from Your sincere disciples and their association has been my lifeline even today. My mother and I always felt very privileged to have Your Darçana and serve You on festival days, particularly on Rädhäñöamé. Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, You have a very enchanting smile and Çrématé Rädhäräni Your right lotus hand blessing us, I beg that this darçana remains eternally alive in my heart ! You have extended you mercy for those of us who are not able to come in person to take Your darçana, by simply logging on iskconlife.org online spiritual programme every morning from mangala ärati onwards, chant Maha Mantra “Hare Kåñëa Hare Kåñëa Kåñëa Kåñëa Hare Hare Hare Räma Hare Räma Räma Räma Hare Hare” offer You mind offerings and hear Your glories / Bhägavatam class. We pray that we continue to serve You sincerely, opulently and bring unlimited souls at the dust of Your lotus feet by Your unlimited mercy. Please bless us so that we remain staunch in our service to maintain and expand this Saìkértana Movement and spread Your glories. Begging to remain Your eternal servant,

Cüòämaëé däsé

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Devotees (D) Homages from other

O most beautiful, merciful Lordships, the controller, maintainer and the heart of London Çré Çré RädhäLondonéçvara, I offer my obeisances unto You and thank You very much for being so beloved to all of us in an attractive form out of Your causeless mercy. On this special fortieth Anniversary celebration occasion, I cannot express my feelings that how fortunate and happy I am to be the part of the same. I offer my deep gratitude for guiding me in all my day to day activities, caring for me all the time, giving me eternal happiness with Your great reciprocation of love and making me realize the ultimate truth of life. O My Dear Lord Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, my only prayer is that for years and years may we serve You with all our hearts, glorify Your unlimited transcendental qualities, Sing more ecstatically for Your pleasure , Make all festival celebrations more and more vibrant, of course enjoy delicious prasadam offered to You and fulfill Çréla Prabhupäda’s mission to make London Kåñëa Conscious.

I came to UK on 29th September 1969 i.e. 40 years ago but was not aware of Your installation day or anything else about Your Temple in London. I originally come from a Vaiñëava family but had to accept a different way of living after marriage. However, it was my late son who showed me the path of Vaiñëavism and left me at Your Lotus Feet through my Guru Mahäräja Bhakti Cäru Swami in 1996. I used to visit the Manor and Your Temple at Soho Street but due to transport problem I started coming to Your Temple at Soho Street only recently on a regular basis. Within a very short period of time I learnt a lot of devotional services in Kåñëa Consciousness through association with devotees and reading books and literatures. Also my style of chanting has developed a lot. I missed all these for years due to my duties as a Full time lone carer to my loved ones.

All glories to Their Lordships Jagannätha, Baladeva and Subhadrä Mahäräëé, Çré Çré Gaura Nitai and Çré Giri Govardhana.

Although I lost all my dear ones but always felt Your mercy and support and guidance in every step I take to carry on living in this strange material world.

Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara Bhagavän ké Jaya....

Please bless me to find some strength and develop Spiritual Connection and also help me to surrender completely unto Your Lotus Feet until my last day in this materialistic world.

Servant of Your lotus feet,

Dhaval

I do not know where I am going and when I will be leaving this body but please find me a peaceful ending of this life. I always believe and feel that in every step of my life You are behind me to rescue me in critical condition or crisis. I have no close ones to seek help and support but depend on Your mercy only. Please forgive me for anything wrong I have done or expressed in this message. Your servant,

My dear Lordships Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara,

Damayanti devé däsé

Please accept my humble obeisances at Your lotus feet. The thought of writing this offering is rejuvenating my spirits as it would be a means to re-establish contact with Your Lordships. During my short stay in London, Your Lordships bestowed Your causeless mercy upon this wretched soul. Though I was not too keen to serve Your Lordships, You gave me numerous opportunities to serve through Your sweet devotees. Though my heart is barren without any love for You, You mercifully attracted this conditioned soul towards You and sprouted some attraction for You in my heart. My dear Lordships, I regret that I was not able to utilize the opportunity to serve You well when I was there, I request You for one more opportunity to serve Your Lotus feet. Aspiring to be situated as your eternal servant,

Divya

My dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Please accept my humble obeisances unto Your louts feet. When I came to serve You for the first time, it happend to be Rädhäñöamé day, Receiving darçana of Çrématé Rädhäräni’s most beautiful lotus feet. Thank You so much for giving me opportunity to serve You. Please keep showering Your mercy upon me for the rest of my life to serve You. Thank You so much my lord.

Pranamante Nibedan Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Please accept my humble obeisances on Your fortieth Anniversary installation day in London.

Your humble servant,

D. Thirumalai and family

All Glories to Your Lotus Feet and to Çrématé Rädhäräni. I cannot express my gratitude and love for You. I feel very fortunate to be a devotee of ISKCON and be able to visit Soho Temple and take part in Your services lately.

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Devotees (G) Homages from other

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara,

Please accept our prostrated obeisances at the dust of Your lotus feet. All glories to Your beloved Çréla Prabhupäda. kaunteya pratijänéhi na me bhaktaù praëaçyati O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes. When contemplating about writing some feeble words in attempting to glorify Your divine countenance I was filled with pride at being able to be Your servants. I then recalled the above verse which seemed to confirm that we must declare it bodily that we are servants of Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara. What does this mean in reality it means that for over 15 years we have been able to be a part of Your transcendental lila here in London in the association of Your most wonderful servants. You have allowed us into Your house and by Your sweet smile and the power of Çréla Prabhupäda, You have made it our home as well. We have grown up in front of You and we have shared many pains as well as words of praise with You. You have patiently listened to our complaints and prayers always smiling and always soothing us with Your supreme beauty. You have captured our hearts and we pray that we may be able to continue to serve You for many years to come. Your temple, Your devotees, Your worship and Your beauty there is nowhere in these three worlds where this can be matched and we feel extremely fortunate to be able to be here on this most auspicious occasion. Please bless us with intelligence so that we can serve Your devotees with more care and attention and that we can grow together in our service to You under the cooling shade of Your lotus feet. Your servant,

Gaura Kiçora däsa and Bhaktin Shital

tato vrindavanaà dhyayet paramananda-vardhanam sarvartu-kusumopetam patatri-gana-naditam bhramad-bhramara-jhankara mukhari-krita-din-mukham kalindi-jala-kallola-sangi-martua-sevitam nana-pushpa-latalbaddha-vriksha-sandaish cha manditam kamalotpala-kahlara-dhuli-dhusaritantaram tan-madhye ratna-bhumim cha suryayuta-sama-prabham tatra kalpatarudyanam niyatam prema-varshinam manikya-shikharalambi tan-madhye mani-mandapam nana-ratna-ganaish chitram sarvartu-suvirajitam nana-ratna-lasac-chitra-vitanair upashobhitam ratna-torana-gopura-manikyacchadananvitam koti-surya-samabhasam vimuktam shat-tarangakaih

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tan-madhye ratna-khachitam svarna-simhasanam mahat kamalotpala-kahlara-dhuli-dhusaritantaram divyad-vrindaranya-kalpa-drumadhah-çrémad-ratnagara-simhasana-sthau Çré-Çré-Rädhä-Çréla-govinda-devau preshthalibhih sevyamanau smarami sat-pundarika-nayanam meghabham vaidyutambaram dvi-bhujam jnana-mulradhyam vana-malinam ishvaram divyalankaranopetam sakhibhih pariveshtitam chid-ananda-ghanam kåñëam rädhälingita-vigraham çré kåñëam çré-ghana-shyamam purnananda-kalevaram dvi-bhujam sarva-devesham rädhälingita-vigraham samsara-sagaran natha putra-mitra-gåhanganat goptarau me yuvam eva prapanna-bhaya-bhanjanau yo ‘ham mamasti yat-kinchid iha loka paratra cha tat sarvam bhavato ‘dyaiva charaneshu samarpitam aham apy aparädhänam alayas tyakta sadhanaha agatis cha tato nathau bhavantau me para gatih tavasmi radhika-natha karmana manasa gira kåñëa-kante tavaivasmi yuvam eva gatir mama sharanam vam prapanno ‘smi karuna-nikarakarau prasadam kuru dasyam bho mayi dushte ‘paradhini mat-samo nasti papatma naparadhi cha kashcana parihare ‘pi lajja me kim bruve purushottama yuvatinam yatha yuni yunam cha yuvatuu yatha mano ‘bhiramate tadvan mano me ramatam tvayi bhumau skhakita-padanam bhumir evavalambanam tvayi jataparädhänam tvam eva sharanam prabho govinda-vallabhe radhe prarthaye tvam aham sada tvadiyam iti janatu govindo mam tvaya saha radhe vrindavanadhishe karunamrita-vahini kripaya nija-padabja-dasyam mahyam pradiyatam Please My Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Accept my insignificant body in Your service life after life. Thank You from the heart for letting me find My dear long lost friend and spiritual guidance in this world of miseries. Always in Your lovable service,

Gopeça däsa

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Devotees (H) Homages from other

My Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara,

Jaya Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara,

Please accept our humble obeisances.

Please accept our most humble obeisances at Your Lotus feet.

On this auspicious year of Your fortieth Anniversary, we would like to make this small offering to You and hope it pleases You.

Since one cannot visually experience the pleasure of You in Goloka Våëdävana, You have kindly appeared before us in the beautiful form and engaging everyone into performing devotional service unto You in many different ways.

Over the years, You have been so kind, so generous and so merciful to us. We have so much to be grateful for, in particular thank You for giving us such a sweet soul (our daughter Lila Tulsi) and allowing her head to be placed at Your Lotus feet. This one act blessed all three of us, it touched our hearts to the core and brought tears to our eyes. Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, how can we express how much happiness You have brought to us fallen miserable souls. Not a single day passes when we don’t think of You and yet You always somehow manage to give us Your undivided attention. Your radiance lights up everyones hearts and Your smile says a thousand words without even moving. You always answer our prayers and we never feel alone in Your presence. Without You, we would have nothing, we would be nothing, so kindly please allow us to serve You to Your satisfaction, for what is the use of our lives otherwise. Eternally your insignificant servants,

Hari, Nita and Lila Tulsi Kumra

Dear Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Please accept my humble obeisances. On this most joyous celebration of Your fortieth Anniversary, I humbly pray to You to always keep me as a speck of dust at the lotus feet of Çréla Prabhupäda- who is most dear to You. I pray that just as Çréla Prabhupäda established Your divine, loving forms in the heart of London, You kindly also manifest in my heart and save me from the ocean of material existence. Your servant,

Heeren Bhadresa

Hlädiné däsé My Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara,

One day Arcanä Mätäji asked me to help her undress You at night. I helped her but my hands were shaking and I was sweating and very hot. It was my first time dressing You, I will never forget that, wish I was feeling the same way now. When Murali Manohara Prabhu became the head püjäri, many times I was asked to start dressing You at night, but I was very scared, as I had seen so many talented, experienced devotees doing that service for a while, then just leaving the service and some did not return back. Some would like to come back but it is still not happening. This used to scare me that if I started dressing You, I would also be kicked away. After been asked many times I felt may be You would like me to take up this service with the knowledge that I am an instrument in Çréla Prabhupäda’s hand and for him to use me as he desires. You are so merciful to us. Whenever we make any endeavour to do some service You make perfect arrangement for us. Many years ago on special days we were requested to cook some sweets from home, then to cooking pakoras, then subjis and rice and then lots of other preparations. We always panic and feel how we are going to manage as our health is not good and other activities affecting, but somehow or other You make all arrangements for us to prepare lots of offerings, get to temple in time, parking the car easy, and also give me the mercy of being able to dress You or offer You Aartik. Thank You for everything. On the last day of Kartik this year, we woke up at 4 am and felt lets all go to the temple. It is a little difficult with disabled husband and we have Çré Çré Gaura Nitai to serve at home and had to go to work later, but when we made the effort to come, You kindly engaged me in offering Ärätrikä to Çréla Prabhupäda. We make little endeavor and You always give us more mercy. You also make perfect arrangement for us when we go to the holy dham of Våëdävana. Our spiritual path has been very stormy, trying to balance service at home to our Gaura Nitai deities, service at South London temple and service here at Soho temple. Knowing our hearts and our future spiritual life You made perfect arrangement for us to now do service here at this temple. How can a conditioned soul such as ourselves be engaged in devotional service? I know that we can only perform devotional service by offering ourselves to be used as an instrument in Çréla Prabhupäda’s hands and him to offer our services to You. If we don’t follow the procedure then You will never accept our services. I pray to You that I never forget this simple point. Please bless us with the ability to follow Your instructions perfectly, to be able to serve Çréla Prabhupäda in his mission and serve Your devotees, by becoming servant of the servant of the servant. Bless us that we can always meditate on Your lotus feet, Your beautiful lotus face and lovely lotus eyes. Begging for Your mercy, we remain Your insignificant servants,

Håiñékeça däsa and Candrävalé devé däsé

Please accept my most humble and loving obeisances at Your lotus feet. All glories to Çréla Prabhupäda for bringing me to Your lotus feet. I remember the first time I saw You I was bowled over by Your beauty and Your sweet smile, stole my heart. Even today my heart skips a beat! There are so many things to thank You for. I am eternally grateful to You for making a difference in my life. You are my life and soul. Please allow me always to remain engaged in Your service. Your servant,

Hladini däsé

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Devotees (I) Homages from other

Dearest Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Çréla Prabhupäda! First of all I would like to thank my spiritual master, His Holiness Bhakti Vikäça Swami, who mercifully gave me an opportunity to engage in Your service, despite all my shortcomings and lack of devotion. Thank You for letting me live in Your house for four years, all the while giving me the strength and determination needed to overcome all obstacles, particularly my own mind, and the challenges that came from living in a not very sattvic part of London. I feel very grateful for the wonderful opportunity You gave me to serve You in a very personal way; waking You up in the mornings, dressing You, cooking for You. I still have a hard time believing that somehow, by Your causeless compassion, I actually got such a mercy. There is nothing more valuable in my life than those days spent trying to render some menial service to Your lotus feet. Can I ask You now to forgive me for all the offenses I committed, including that halavä without any sugar I made for Your breakfast? There was a time when I went through some personal struggles. I felt that my only shelter and source of strength was Your lotus feet and my service to You. No matter how hard it was, whenever I touched Your lotus feet and saw Your smiling face I had no choice but to feel happy and have faith that no matter what happens You had the perfect plan for me. Even though I am so far away from You now, I still feel Your presence and protection in the very same way. And when I forget it, You mercifully remind me again and again. A few years ago I had a major health setback, which was emotionally and physically hard. On my way home from a doctor appointment I found a piece of your mahä garment in my mailbox. What more did I need than that!!! Every morning I have Your darçana on the internet. And each day I am, again and again, amazed how beautiful You are, how nicely You are dressed, and most of all, how perfect Your garlands are. I would like to thank Your dear devotees for giving me a chance to see You although, I am half a world away, and express my gratitude for their taking care of You so nicely. Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, please give me Your blessings so that I can always remember You and somehow be engaged in service to You and Your devotees. I can’t even imagine what love of God is, but if there is a glimpse of that feeling in my heart, it would be how I feel for You. Hare Kåñëa! Your aspiring servant,

Indulekhä devé däsé

Dear Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Çréla Prabhupäda. Thank You for coming here in London and for Your mercy which You are distributing so kindly, thank You for Your shelter. You are everything, what I have. Please let me serve You unconditionally, let me please You and Your devotees. Make me a pure instrument of Yours. Begging for forgiveness. Your useless servant,

Indre

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Devotees (J) Homages from other

Dear Most Beautiful Lordships - Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, My head lowered and palms joined, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. All glories to Your pure devotee Çréla Prabhupäda and all glories to the wonderful sevaks who have rendered so much heartfelt service to You over the last 40 years. I fall prostrated on the floor before You and beg You to forgive me for the innumerable offences I have committed and shortcomings that exist within my heart. H. H. Çivaräma Swami said in a recent visit to Soho that, “You are the MOST tolerant Deities in ISKCON”. H. G. Mädhavänanda Prabhu (RNS) stated that, “You never give up Your smile. Day after day no matter who comes in and what goes on, Your charming smile remains intact.” If only we, Your servants, could be so equipoised. Each day is like soap opera where we play out so many dramas in order to purify our lives and assist in the purification of other’s. Please bless me to see Your hand in all these dealings and help me to act properly with Your devotees. Dear Lord’s of my life, You have allowed me to attempt to serve You in so many ways over the last ten years and for this I cannot express my gratitude enough. You are the most loving parents, who tolerate me and continue to allow me to serve You and the devotees despite my disappointing behaviour. So much mercy You are offering to anyone who walks through the front door. What to speak of those who clean Your pots, wash Your floor and dress Your intoxicating form? Thank You, from the deepest recesses in my heart, for giving me something to live for and thus something to die for. I beg You please do not kick me away. Please allow me to become the servant of Your servants. Please engage me in Your glorification and allow me to remain in Your association and the association of the Vaiñëavas, always – in all ways. This insignificant insect attempts to beg of You,

Jai Nitai däsa

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, I would first like to offer my obeisances to my spiritual master Srila Gopala krishna Goswami maharaj who so mercifully took me on as his disciple despite my unsteady nature and my beloved Spiritual Grandfather His divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta swami Srila Prabhupada who’s mercy is unfathomable and causeless and by whose grace Their lordships Sri Sri Rädhä-Londonéçvara Have Appeared in London to cast their most wonderful presence benefiting all living entities within the London dhama. I first saw their Lordships through the window of the Bury place temple in 1978 while taking a break from my work as a sales rep, I had been given a lunch programme invite and on that day I decided to arrive early and was greeted by her grace Yasasvani prabhu who informed that it was early but could go into the temple room but had to take off my shoes, I had never been to a temple before and knew nothing about Krishna consciousness I had recently received a Bhagavad Gita from a devotee on the kings road but could not understand a word I just used to play the change of heart record and managed to memorize most of the songs, this devotees name who sold me the book and record was Shada Brahma Prabhu, mother Kamalanga had given me an invite to the lunch programme. The first time I saw the Lord he just smiled at me but I didn’t know what to make of it all I just knew that this was the truth, I was so covered and in the darkest deepest ignorance. Soon after I was off to the manor to join the bhakta programme and when I had finished I joined the Sri Sri RädhäLondonéçvara Traveling sankirtan party and at weekends we would return to bury Place to visit their Lordships it was a real thrill to chant and dance before the Lord; having done some nice service you always knew that the lord was reciprocating. Soon their Lordships moved to Soho St. and I was then based there and my service was the lunch programme working with Rohininandana Prabhu and his wife Radha Priya Prabhu, Jaya Rama and many other devotees. We would go on harinam sankirtan every day and upon returning go into the temple room and check if their lordships were pleased with our service. Danavir maharaja came one year and we would go all the way to marble arch take a break and then return back to temple. One year on Lord Balarams appearence day jaya Rama and i kept loads of prasadam stored on the roof of the temple hoping to have a mega feast when the moon rose; to our dismay and delight we took one morsel of prasadam and were completely satisfied. Hari Bol! There is

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always plenty of prasad at this Temple of Sri Sri Rädhä-Londonéçvara and if you eat too much your spiritual life will become spoilt this I experienced many a time. I have a temple in my heart despite all my short comings and there sit their most beautiful lordships Sri Sri Radha Rädhä-Londonéçvara always and forever I look in my heart and I see them casting a very very merciful glance at me and tears well up in my eyes and I lament because I just don’t deserve such mercy they are my special friends and only masters and I hope that in the future I can render some worthwhile service, may all the assembled devotees pray for my spiritual well being and bless me that Ii may always remember the Divine Lotus feet of Sri Sri RädhäLondonéçvara and all the instructions of My spiritual master and Srila Prabhupada. All Glories to The assembled devotees Hare Krishna Please except my most humble obeisances Janardana dasa formerly Jaya Govinda dasa Your servant

Janardana dasa

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, It’s by Your causeless mercy that I came here in London in one of the famous temple in the world. Some say London is hell but within this hell there is an oasis, a temple. Your temple. Its’ a place where desperate people living in hell find a relief just by visiting and glancing at Your lotus face. Many people have changed their lives and some have become Your devotees of Your never fading mercy. In those forty years of being with us, hundreds and thousands have become Your devotees and servants. Devotees from all nations come to visit You and become spellbound and mesmerized by Your beauty and vow to return to served Your Lordships. In this coming fortieth anniversary the pioneers of ISKCON are here again to meet and to celebrate your anniversary. By Your mercy and blessings we can hear from them Your wonderful pastimes here in London. We, Your servants are begging to remain Your servants in heaven or hell in material or spiritual world and please be with You forever. Begging to remain Your servant,

Jugala Kiçora däsa Dear Rädhä-Londonéçvara, You are the most beautiful, the most attractive, the most everything! I cannot estimate the amazing potency of Your transcendental activities and qualities. You can even see with Your hands and hear with Your eyes! You are amazing. You are the most gracious, kind hearted, full of mercy to this helpless, regretful, forgetful soul, full of ignorance. Please let me conquer all the nonsense by Your sweet hearted mercy and always keep myself close to You by the process of hearing and chanting Your beautiful glories. Allow me to become a faithful servant and let us all become absorbed in thoughts of You. You are so affectionate and magnanimous; You are my protector, master and my best friend. Please accept my heartfelt humble obeisances a million times JAYA ÇRÉ RÄDHÄ-LONDONÉÇVARA Servant of Your servant grateful and insignificant,

All Glories to Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, I first saw the Deities in Bury Place in 1973 and was at once struck by Their beauty. I worked at the British Museum and used to come over for lunch with an old professor who had bad eyesight - spoons weren’t always provided then and he would find prasadam in various pockets and folds of clothing all afternoon! Bury Place was replaced by Soho Street which has grown from strength to strength and become more beautiful and welcoming over the years - a fine place for their Lordships to reside. Thank You to all the devotees who have contributed over the last 40 years and thank You to gorgeous Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara for continuing to grant us Your mercy and blessings. Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara Ké Jaya.

Julia Burroughs

Jak

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories unto Your Lordships and unto Your beloved Çréla Prabhupäda! It was in the autumn of 1987 that I first had the opportunity to behold Your beautiful forms and to taste Your delicious Mahä Prasädam. Since then I had the inconceivable honor to render some service for Your Lordships. Despite my obvious shortcomings You are allowing me to enter daily in Your personal quarters to offer some service. This, for me, constitutes irrefutable evidence of Your unlimited merciful nature and shows the purpose of Your coming to take up residence in a small, inadequate and claustrophobic building. That purpose is to come into the heart of the kingdom of Kali and to bring back to Your service lost souls like me. On Your fortieth anniversary I would like to take the opportunity to thank You for allowing me to serve You and I pray to You to keep me at Your divine lotus feet. Your servant,

Jagata Pälana däsa

Please accept my humble obeisances All glories to Çréla Prabhupäda All glories to Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara Your sweet cheeky smile melts my heart, I surrender unto You. Within and without You are always present. Through my own ignorance I beg Your forgiveness for the offences I have done. I vow to keep You in the centre of my heart always, and serve You and Your devotees with love, compassion and attentiveness. Please accept this offering as a thank You for lighting up the path not just for me but for all the surrendered souls and souls yet to arrive at Your lotus feet. Our endeavour is to bring all those unrealised souls to You. Your servant,

Julia Walker

Dearest, sweetest Rädhä-Londonéçvara You are the most beautiful and have no beginning or end. May Your moon like faces always stay within my mind. Where do I begin to glorify You, because Your glories are unlimited. Your servant,

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Devotees (K) Homages from other

oà ajïäna-timirändhasya jïänäïjana-çaläkayä cakñur unmélitaà yena tasmai çré-gurave namaù nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale çrémate bhaktivedänta-svämin iti nämine namas te särasvate deve gaura-väëé-pracäriëe nirviçeña-çünyavädi-päçcätya-deça-täriëe My dear Lordships Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, I am feeling very hopeless, insignificant, fallen and ashamed to be present in front of You. Even after hearing so much and seemingly doing service, I do not possess any love for You or Your devotees. In fact, being puffed up, I have constantly offended Your dear devotees while simultaneously putting up a show of being very sincere and learned. As paramätmä in my heart You know my pitiable condition. Although I am a nobody, by Your abundant causeless mercy, You have allowed me to serve You by assisting Your dear devotees. I repeatedly fall at Your lotus feet in deepest gratitude for giving me such mercy. Just as the Sun with unlimited rays doesn’t need torchlight to be seen, Your glories are unlimited and self evident which don’t need expounding. In fact no one can fully express Your glories. Even Lord Ananta-Çeña with His unlimited mouths cannot express them, then what to speak of an insignificant ordinary soul like me? However, for Your pleasure and the pleasure of Çréla Prabhupäda, Çréla Gurudeva and Your dear devotees I shall write a few words. In the concluding lines of Çré-Bhägavatämåta-Kaëa, Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarti Öhäkura says “caturdhä mädhuré tasya vraja eva viräjate, prema-kréòayor veëos tathä çré-vigrahasya ca” – “[Of Kåñëa’s sixty-four divine qualities] the four supreme most qualities of sweetness and beauty i.e. prema-mädhuré, lélä-mädhuré (or kréòä-mädhuré), veëu-mädhuré and çré-vigraha-mädhuré exist in Vraja dhäma alone.” We learn that these four qualities are not present in any of Your other expansions or anywhere else other than Vraja. And yet as I reflect on this statement I realise from the deepest core of my heart that You are constantly displaying these four divine qualities here in Your beautiful form as Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara. This tells me that You are the Self-same Divine Couple of Vraja-dhäma with Your nija-sarva-çakti, full personal potency, now descended in London. There are many wonderful examples which demonstrate Your adbhuta caturdhä mädhuré qualities but here are a few prominent ones: 1.​Prema-mädhuré – The sweetness of Your devotees love towards You and Your love for them: How You appeared in London just to please Your dear devotee Çréla Prabhupäda and fulfill the dream of Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Thäkura? How Çréla Prabhupäda had many sweet loving reciprocations with You? This is a demonstration of Your prema-mädhuré. 2. Lélä-mädhuré – The sweetness of Your pastimes: How you empowered three young inexperienced gåhastha couples with practically no support to establish the first Rädhä-Kåñëa Temple in ISKCON and make London one of the most prominent centres of the Western world? How you miraculously appeared? This is a demonstration of Your lélä-mädhuré. 3. Veëu-mädhuré – The sweetness of Your flute with which You attract all living entities: How You attracted George Harrison, the primer of Western culture of those times? And how through George You attracted countless souls all over the globe? This is a demonstration of Your veëu-mädhuré. 4. Çré vigraha-mädhuré – The sweetness of Your bodily form: How Your beautiful form is unparalleled and most attractive? How Çréla Prabhupäda loved You and loving called You “sweet innocent boy”? And how he considered You as His favourite deity? This is a demonstration of Your çré vigraha-mädhuré. With these examples – there is no doubt in my heart that You are the Divine Vraja Couple RädhäGopéjanavallabha Yourself in Your fullness. I see that hundreds of devotes have taken full shelter of Your lotus feet. Surrounded by such devotees, who are endowed with love for You, You are constantly performing varieties of wonderful pastimes. Such exalted devotees get to constantly experience Your caturdhä mädhuré (four sweet qualities).

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However my heart is so much polluted with thick layers of material dirt accumulated over several lifetimes that I have no access to these pastimes. Although I see the exchanges between You and Your devotees I still do not see – paçyann api na paçyati. Although I seemingly serve You, whatever I see, experience or do is materially tinged. I am in such a pitiable state, lowly and hopeless – So on this most auspicious day I beg, Give me Your remembrance at every step, Bring me close to You in every way, Bless me – Your path I shall never stray, This is my most sincere prayer, You kindly become my only shelter. For Your pleasure and the pleasure of Çréla Prabhupäda, Çréla Gurudeva and Your dear devotees, I have made an insignificant attempt to put my offering in an añöakam form – eight verses of glorification – with simultaneous Sanskrit and English versification. This is my humble gift to You on Your fortieth year anniversary. I am keenly conscious of my imperfections and humbly beg to You and all the merciful Vaiñëavas to overlook my shortcomings.

Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvaräñöakam

Eight verses of glorification for Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara

çré çré rädhä-lanòanéçvarau vijayatäm All glories to Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara

çré çré guru-gauräìgau vijayatäm

All glories to Çré Guru and Çré Gauräìga TEXT 1 laëòana-hådaye sthitau svänugraha-pradäyakau | siddhänta-svapna-pariëämau (rädhä)-lanòanéçvaräbhyäà namaù || 1 || SYNONYMS laëòana-hådaye – in the heart of London; sthitau – situated in; svänugraha – Their supreme mercy; pradäyakau – distributors; siddhänta – Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Saraswaté Thäkura; svapna-pariëämau - result of (his) dream; lanòanéçvaräbhyäà – Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara; namaù – obeisances unto Them VERSIFIED TRANSLATION Situated in the heart of London, They distribute Their mercy supreme, Obeisances unto Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, The result of Saraswaté Thäkura’s dream. TEXT 2 tau bhaktas tu pramodäya avatérëau sva-mäyäbhyäà | prabhüpäda-vallabhäbhyäà (rädhä)-lanòanéçvaräbhyäà namaù ||2|| SYNONYMS tau – Their; bhaktaù – devotee; tu – indeed (or just to); pramodäbhyäà – for pleasing; avatérëau – They appeared; sva-mäyäbhyäà – by Their causeless mercy; prabhüpäda-vallabhäbhyäà - Çréla Prabhupäda’s favourite (or dear); lanòanéçvaräbhyäà – Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara; namaù – obeisances unto Them

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VERSIFIED TRANSLATION They appeared by Their own causeless mercy, Just to please Their dear devotee (Çrila Prabhupäda), Obeisances unto Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Çréla Prabhupäda’s favourite deity. TEXT 3 paramaà madhuraà rupaà yat païcaçara-mohitaà | sundara-lalita-bälaà lanòanéçvaräya namaù ||3|| TRANSLATION paramaà – supreme; madhuraà – sweet; rupaà – form; yat – which; païcaçara – cupid (who has five arrows); mohitaà – gives joy; sundara – beautiful; lalita – innocent; bälaà – boy; lanòanéçvaräya – Çré Londonéçvara; namaù – obeisances unto Him VERSIFIED TRANSLATION Whose supremely sweet form, Gives even cupid joy, Obeisances unto Çré Londonéçvara (Kåñëa), (Prabhupäda’s) beautiful innocent boy. TEXT 4 khanòita-kaniñöhikayä vibhramitäs sva-pälakäù | kåñëa-lélädhära-devyai lanòanéçvaryai namaù ||4|| SYNONYMS khanòita – chipped; kaniñöhikayä – with the little finger; vibhramitäù – befooled; sva-pälakäù – Their owners; kåñëa-lélädhära – ruler of Kåñëa’s pastimes; devyai – unto divine; lanòanéçvaryai – unto Londonéçvaré; namaù – obeisances unto Her VERSIFIED TRANSLATION With Her chipped little-finger, She made Their owners fools, Obeisances unto Çrématé Londonéçvaré (Rädhäräni), Who Lord Kåñëa’s pastimes rules. TEXT 5 tvaritäpahäreëa yau äcäryeëopäsitäs tau | dayitatama-sväminau (rädhä)-lanòanéçvaräbhyäà namaù ||5|| SYNONYMS tvarita – hastily; apahäreëa – by kidnapping; yau – who; äcäryeëa – by äcärya Çréla Prabhupäda; upäsitäù – worshipped; tau – Them; dayitatama – most beloved; sväminau – Lordships; lanòanéçvaräbhyäà – Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara; namaù – obeisances unto Them VERSIFIED TRANSLATION After being kidnapped hastily, Çrila Prabhupäda initiated Their worship, Obeisances unto Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Our most beloved Lordship.

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carama-yäcana çloka: Final verse begging Their Lordships:

TEXT 6 çré-kåñëa-bhävanämåte prathamau päçcätya-deçe | täbhyäà adbhuta-deväbhyäà (rädhä)-lanòanéçvaräbhyäà namaù ||6||

TEXT 9 patitaù péòétaçcähaà tyaktäças tu tåëapräyaù | bhavethäm çaraëaà mama niyutaà kuru tau namaù || 9 ||

SYNONYMS çré-kåñëa-bhävanämåte – in the society of Kåñëa Consciousness (ISKCON); prathamau – the first deities; päçcätya-deçe – in a Western country; täbhyäà – unto Them; adbhuta – extraordinarily manifested; deväbhyäà – unto the deities; lanòanéçvaräbhyäà – Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara; namaù – obeisances unto Them VERSIFIED TRANSLATION In the Society of Kåñëa Consciousness (ISKCON), They appeared as the first Rädhä-Kåñëa deities in the West, Obeisances unto Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Who have in such an extraordinary way manifest.

SYNONYMS patitaù – fallen and lowly; péòétaù – in pain; ca – and; ahaà – I am; tyaktäçaù – hopeless; tu – indeed; tåëapräyaù – insignificant; bhavethäm – You both please become; çaraëaà – shelter; mama – my; niyutaà – millions; kuru – I make; tau – unto You both; namaù - obeisances VERSIFIED TRANSLATION Lowly, fallen and in great pain, Insignificant and completely hopeless, I always falter, Millions of obeisances unto You (Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara), I humbly pray, You become my only shelter.

TEXT 7 dravyät carati saàsäro lanòanas tu tasya garbhaù | yau lanòanädhiñöhätärau täbhyäà bhagavadbhyäà namaù || 7 || SYNONYMS dravyät – with money; carati – rotates or works; saàsäraù – this material world; lanòanaù – London; tu – is indeed; tasya – its; garbhaù – heart (or centre); yau – Who are; lanòana-adhiñöhätärau – the Controllers of London; täbhyäà – unto Them; bhagavadbhyäà – unto Their Lorships; namaù – obeisances VERSIFIED TRANSLATION This material world runs on money, And London’s the heart of money-rollers, Obeisances unto Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Who are truly London’s Supreme Controllers. TEXT 8 prema-maëòala-çobhitau sundara-lélä-kartärau | janmänantägha-hantärau (rädhä)-lanòanéçvaräbhyäà namaù || 8 || SYNONYMS prema – love for Them; maëòala – circle of devotees; çobhitau – adorned with (or surrounded by); sundara – beautiful; lélä – pastimes; kartärau – performers; janma – births; ananta – countless; ägha – sins; hantärau – destroyers; lanòanéçvaräbhyäà – Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara; namaù – obeisances unto Them VERSIFIED TRANSLATION Surrounded by devotees endowed with wonderful love for Them, They constantly perform varieties of beautiful pastimes, Obeisances unto Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Who mercifully wipe away sins accumulated over lifetimes.

|| çré çré rädhä-lanòanéçvaräbhyäà namo namaù || Obeisances unto Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara again and again! Aspiring to remain an insignificant servant of Your servants,

Kartik

My Dear Lord, I can hardly believe that You are allowing me to serve You personally in such an intimate way, and pray at Your Lotus Feet that You will keep allowing me. With all the pressures and demands of life, I am finding that my whole existence has begun to revolve around my service to You and that whatever consciousness I am in when I approach You, Your beauty and merciful glance always return me to the same state of love for You. Please allow me, and all of us, to centre our devotion on You and to let our relationships with one another to be founded on that devotion. Thank You for everything my Lord! Hare Kåñëa! Hoping to remain Your Servant,

Kåñëadäsa däsa

[end of añöakaà]

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Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Please accept my humble obeisances again and again at Your lotus feet. Glories to Your confidential servitor, Çréla Prabhupäda, who kindly invited You to come here to London to bless all the residents with Your audience. I am very impressed with the dynamic spiritual energy of Your temple. Although as the Supreme Lord and His Divine Consort, You are equally present in all the ISKCON Rädhä-Kåñëa temples, the reciprocation You have with the devotees here generates such a powerful atmosphere of sharing spiritual wisdom with all, that it is very uplifting to come here. I first came to Your temple when I once discovered I had a twelve-hour layover in London on a flight from New York to India. I arrived around 10:30 a.m. and learned there would be a harinäma, my favourite service, at 11:00 a.m. I was delighted and eagerly went out with the devotees chanting on Oxford St. despite my exhaustion from the Transatlantic flight. Then there was Your noon ärati with kértana, followed by a class and lunch. Then I took a nap in the ashrama, and a shower, and I was all ready to go back to the airport to continue my journey to India. It was the ideal way to spend those twelve hours, and I was very grateful to You and Your servants for such rare transcendental opportunities. At many ISKCON temples, not much happens midday, but at Your temple, all the elements of the sadhana prescribed by Çréla Prabhupäda were present to inspire us. I was so inspired by the harinäma program of Your devotees here, I spent an entire month here in spanning parts of March and April of 2008. I do not think I went to Bhaktivedänta Manor even once, being fully satisfied with the association of Yourselves and Your servants here. Thank You for inspiring Your devotees to always chant nicely at each of Your äratis, to go on harinäma and book distribution almost every day, and to do nice programs for the local college students, as well as to do some prasadam distribution. So many people benefit spiritually by the liberal behaviour of You and Your very dedicated servants. Please bless me that I may always follow Your principles of religion nicely, so I can awaken my dormant love for You and inspire others to also do so. Please bless me that I can often come here and assist Your devotees in their service to You, especially in promoting the public congregational chanting of Your holy names-the dharma of the age. It is certainly by Your arrangement I am here for Your fortieth anniversary festival. I try to carefully avoid cold climates in the winter, but somehow or other it took longer than I thought to arrange my travel to Mäyäpur and Florida, and so being here on the eve of Your festival I decided to stay. I hope the many people who participate in this festival for Your fortieth anniversary greatly advance in Your devotional service. Thank You for all the opportunities for devotional service, which are manifestations of Your causeless mercy. Your insignificant servant,

Kåñëa-kåpä däsa, disciple of Satsvarüpa Däsa Goswami, from the U.S.A

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Devotees (L) Homages from other

All Glories to His Divine Grace Çréla Prabhupäda. For the pleasure of Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara.

May I humbly offer this small letter as a token of deep gratitude for what You have personally done for me. You were the first Deities I ever saw. Back in Bury place it was 1974, I didn’t understand that much when I saw You there, and maybe didn’t really appreciate You then as all I could do was stare. But somehow You made me attached, and over the years could appreciate Your beautiful forms more and more. It is You whose smile attracts with that cheeky grin and upraise eyebrow, who would have known that You could make this fallen soul become attached to You as You did. The first days I refused to even go in scared of what I might have to do or give up .in surrendering. but You knew it was for the best to wait a few years and then you made plans for giving me the intelligence to understand. Most Beloved Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara You will always be in my heart even though I maybe now be so far away from You in another country I still take Your darçana through the Internet and cherish the photos that I have of You. I am so fortunate to have had that darçana so many years ago, and since then I have come to take darçana when I return to London. How fortunate London is to have Your sweet forms there and I also know that You stole the heart of His Divine Grace Çréla Prabhupäda, who brought You there so anyone who takes Your darçana can understand that Çréla Prabhupäda is eternally serving You and You in agreement accept whatever we can do however small it maybe. All Glories to Your Lotus Feet. So today, I pray to please keep me in Your sweet services whereever I may be. To remember Your sweet faces always - come what may. Your eternal servant of servant of servant,

Lélä-viläsiné devé däsé (Terni Italy)

Dear Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Çréla Prabhupäda. I am so happy to have this opportunity to serve You and the devotees on such an auspicious occasion as this, Your fortieth installation anniversary. I love to hear about the early days of Hare Kåñëa in the west, about the devotees and Çréla Prabhupäda so this month is nectar for me and I am very happy to be a part of the festivities. I want to thank You for being in London and allowing me to serve You, I am so enjoying being a part of Prabhupäda’s mission to spread Kåñëa conciousness all over the world. Hare Kåñëa,

Louise

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Devotees (M) Homages from other

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara!!!

Please accept my praëämas to You!!! Please bless my spiritual families and please protect my sädhanä bhakti, and please protect my physical health. I have taken shelter at Your lotus feet. Your insignificant beggar,

Our Beloved Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, We love You so much! During this time we are away from You, please give us Your blessings to be better devotees as each and every day passes and to never forget the promises we made to You.

Mahesha and Jaya

Madana-mohana Govinda däsa

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, Please accept my humble obeisances, All glories to Çréla Prabhupäda, On this auspicious day of Your appearance, we would like to thank You for engaging us in Your service and tolerating innumerable offenses in Your and Your dear devotee’s services. In Nectar of devotion, Rüpa Goswami has written the following verse “My dear friend, if you have desire to enjoy the company of your friends within this material world then don’t look upon the form of Kåñëa, who is standing on the banks of Keçi ghäöa – He is known as Govinda”. I never got a chance to go to Keçi ghäöa, but I saw You Rädhä-Londonéçvara in the middle of Soho and my existence has changed completely. Years have passed, things changed, except Your’s and Çrématé Rädhäräni’s smile, devotees came and they went away, but You have always been there for us, directing and reciprocating whole heartedly even the slightest service anyone performs. Your mercy knows no bounds whether it is prasädam, service or Your Holy Name. I would like to thank You for everything.

Dearest Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, Where do I even begin to glorify You? Throughout my little lifetime, You have always been there for me. You are so kind that You allowed us, the future generation; the youngsters of this temple to perform devotional dramas for Your pleasure. Being the youngsters of this movement, we naturally have a playful nature and always wish to have fun. You are so kind that You allowed us to utilise this nature in Your service. You made this movement fun for us by allowing us to perform Your pastimes. You are so kind that You have made it easy for us to always think of You , because we are constantly being engaged in performing Your pastimes. You Yourself also have a playful nature and therefore You understood the only way to keep us, the younger devotees in Your service was through drama. And we have so much fun whilst performing Your pastimes, and You are so kind that You accept our endeavours. Your servant,

Manisha

“mürti nähi tumhi säkñät brajendrananda” You are direct manifestation of this verse, Your instant reciprocation with Your devotees is well known. Please grant me a benediction to always remain here in a humble mood of insignificant servant no matter what happens. Please do not separate us (me + Param Sundari dd + 1) from Your beautiful darçana and services. You are the centre of this temple, everything is ultimately for Your pleasure, please bless us so that we imbibe this mood and all our activities become an offering at Your lotus feet for Your pleasure and pleasure of Your dearmost devotees.

Dear Rädhä Londonéçvara,

Trying to be Your insignificant servant,

Please accept my humble obeisances at Your lotus feet.

Mahä Nåsingha däsa

I am one of the most fortunate souls in the material world to have the privilege of being able to serve You, Your devotees and Çréla Prabhupäda’s mission at Your temple. I love seeing Your beautiful smiling faces especially at Mangala arti. Appearing in Your most beautiful forms in Central London is not by chance, because You want any visitor in London to be captivated by You. Thank You for Your causeless mercy in allowing me to serve you. I have no qualification. The devotees are so kind to me, they are able to look over my many faults.

Dear Rädhä Londonéçvara, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to You.

Please mercifully engage me in Your service. Your servant,

Maìgala-Haré däsa

Your kind smile always makes me smile, Your beautiful devotees around You make me feel happy, You are always attractively dressed and Your presence gives all people protection. Like Mother and Father, please continue to protect us as we are Yours internally. Your servants,

Mahänandählädiné devé däsé and Gaura Mohana däsa 57

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Dear Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara,

Master of my heart, Master of London and Master of the three worlds

We thank You with every breath for the mercy You have given us. You’ve attracted us with Your incredible beauty and compassionate devotees, igniting within us an insatiable desire to spread Your messages of sweet love and devotion. Your temple will always be our only true home and we shall endeavour, with whatever facility and ability You grant, to serve and please You more and more.

I bow down to You, I surrender to You, I love You.

Your aspiring servants,

Meera

Please stay forever and ever. Yours with all my heart,

Matt, Ärädhanä-devé däsé and Theo (Gopalji)

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, To Their Most Magnificent Lordships, Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara I have been visiting Your Lordships since birth - for 37 out of the 40 years You have graced London with Your presence. May I make this humble offering. You are the only source of pleasure in London and the world. You saw our pitiable condition and You have so kindly come from Våëdävana to be manifest here before our eyes even though we are not even worthy of Your glance. Çréla Prabhupäda’s compassion for us fallen souls invited You here. Oh my Lord, Çréla Prabhupäda revealed that You are Våëdävana-Kåñëa. My Lord, Your beauty is amazing - every time I see You - I think surely You cannot ever look any better - and yet the next time You do!! If all the most precious gems, flowers and coral of the universe were put together it would not compare to a fraction of Your beauty. Please shower Your mercy upon this useless and most fallen of souls. All I can say is I love You more and more each day and pray that one day You will grant me attraction to Your holy name. Please enable me to accept Your mercy so that I can chant Your names with love and always remember Your lotus feet that are the shelter from all misery, and Your beautiful eyes whose side-long glances are bestowed upon the fortunate gopis who garland You with soft kisses. Oh my Lord, out of Your causeless mercy for us fallen souls You have descended in Your most beautiful form to London. Please stay forever. Only You can relieve us of the miseries of life by allowing us to see Your precious Lotus feet. Oh Rädhä Londonéçvara, just drinking a drop of Your beauty with my eyes makes the rest of the world seem trivial and irrelevant. When You are not present before me, I long for the vision of Tulasé leaves embracing Your beautiful soft toes.

Please accept my humblest obeisances. All glories to Çré Guru and Çré Gauräìga. All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedänta Swami Prabhupäda. It is now over thirty two years ago, that I met for the first time the devotees on Oxford Street who gave me this outstanding set of books ‘Çré Éçopaniñad’, ‘The Nectar of Instructions’ and ‘The Perfection of Yoga’, actually printed in Britain. At that time I wasn’t aware at all, that the most beautiful deities already resided just around the corner. Actually I had no idea, that these small printed time bombs will play a major role in a future still to come, as I was still in need to shape up my personality by studying different philosophies and experiencing the broad spectrum of the esoteric New Age movement. Always I have been looking into these books to view the pictures of Lord Kåñëa and felt this warm vibration so attractive, that I started from 1988 eagerly reading more about the path of Kåñëa Consciousness. As I moved to London nearly a decade ago I finally started attending the morning program at the Rädhä-Kåñëa Temple at Soho Street and found out, that the activity of Deity greeting and Guru puja was a very beautiful way to begin the day. So I integrated it as much I could in my daily schedule. For the last five years now I am experiencing every morning during Deity greeting, while fully surrendering to your lotus feet and chanting my aspired spiritual master’s pranama mantra, that you are tightening this knot of relationship between Guru and disciple. I am so thankful for this, that I cannot put it into any words. It is just that my aspired spiritual master became my source of faith and spiritual strength, and You the Lord who manifested in in form of the Deity Rädhä Londonéçvara have been supervising this process all the time. I am so thankful to You and Your dearest devotee His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedänta Swami Prabhupäda, who instructed us so clearly on the path of bhakti, that we just have to listen and act accordingly without any alterations or adjustments, so our life finally becomes successful. Your most fallen and grateful servant,

Michael R. Lorek

Oh my Lord, I am but a puppet in Your all powerful hand. You may call me as You like, love me or reject me. Please do not hurt me by not allowing me to see You,

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Dear Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara Please accept my humble respects and all glories to this wonderful celebration of Your manifesting here in central London, brought here by the loving desire of Your pure devotee A.C Bhaktivedänta Swami Prabhupäda. By the grace and mercy of my spiritual master and Lord Caitanya I stand before You on this auspicious occasion- 40 years since Your appearance. The controllers of London, the 3 worlds and beyond, You maintain the entire creation while far away, under the influence of the love of Your pure devotees, You forget Your Godhood. Amidst Your intimate devotees Your sweet loving smile pales Your majesty into an insignificant affair. Although bound by that love, never to step out of that sacred realm. You heed the call of Your bhaktas. Their hearts torn with compassion You manifest into this world of matter. To the unqualified You appeared as a hero of the Yadu dynasty, covered by the veal of yoga mäyä, in the same way the population of London over 7 million are covered by the curtain of your deluding energy. But here You stand, Your effulgence illuminating the hearts of Your devotees. Gone is the place that Çréla Prabhupäda once called hell, for a moment standing in Your presence, hell becomes Vaikunöha as we gaze at Your enchanting beautiful forms. Here there is no curtain; You have manifest in Your original forms, the source of all incarnations, the origin and sustaining principle of existence, standing before us entering through our eyes and into our hearts. Who but the most stone hearted are not inspired to serve You, to cook for You, to make Your garlands, clean Your temple, to sing Your glories. So many devotees like bumblebees tasting the nectar of Your divine service, a nectar that illuminates the heart and mind with joy, a nectar that has no comparison within this world of matter, a nectar that dissolves material desires, a nectar that leaves a diamond, a shinning diamond of pure desire that illuminates the path to Your eternal abode. With great love You patiently endure our unqualified endeavors to please You. Directing the lives of Your countless devotees You reciprocate with every grain of service. Be it one day, a week or many years, once having served Your divine lotus feet You remain as our well wisher, eternally etched into our memory. Wherever we may wonder You watch over our each and every step, we may even slip, tumble and fall, even blame You. Yet the sweet sound of Your flute, your enchanting smile and gentle direction gives us unlimited hope. Yes You never forget any service be it one day, a week or many years. Your ways are mysterious, Your plans difficult to divine. The future is a wonder. 40 years, just the beginning. Your unfolding lila from 69 to 5009 and beyond. All of us gathered blessed to play some small part. Simply we pray that we can be instrumental to Your will. That You protect us from the poison of pride. Let not the enemy of lust curse us with blindness to the beauty of Your lotus feet, and may anger not force open the doors to offending Your servants who You hold so very dear. Our life is Your service, Your happiness our goal. Please keep us close, an insignificant jéva, Your soft lotus feet we hold. An insignificant servant of your pure devotee,

Murli Manohara däsa

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Devotees (N) Homages from other

To the most beautiful Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara deities,

This year marks a very special celebration - the celebration of Your fortieth anniversary, marking 40 years of ISKCON in London. In these 40 years, You have attracted so many followers from around the world and given much pleasure to Your devotees. I feel very privileged to be writing this offering to You as I feel fortunate to have recently joined the family of Soho devotees. Thus I can attempt to offer some service to You. I see how much love the devotees serving at the Soho temple have for You - their lives revolve around serving and pleasing You and Your devotees. I know that if I could just obtain even a fraction of the love they have for You, I would be very fortunate. You have changed the lives of many in London. You are indeed Londonéçvara - the controller of London. Nothing can happen here without Your will, and so I pray to You that You keep me engaged in Your service. Your aspiring devotee,

Nina Patel

I have been asked to write a few words on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the Lordships Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara by my devotee friend, although I must admit that I am in no way qualified to make such offerings to the Lordships. Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara are very special to me. They are the first (in fact the only) deities with whom I have been able to establish a personal and intimate relationship with. I first met Them by the end of 2004. Since then, They have had a profound impact on my personal life and lifestyle. Their smiles, Their exquisite dresses, Their warm and welcoming residence (the Soho Temple), Their humble servants, Their remnants – the Lordships easily became an indelible part of my life. One thing that amazes me most is Their mercy - They even accepted a fallen soul like myself to become part of Their family here in London. There are 101 things in London that can attract one’s mind. Yet, despite all my deficiencies, They have accepted me and allowed me to come and visit Them every now and then. I can stand quite close in front of Them, talk with Them, pay my obeisances to them, fan them and for all this, I am eternally grateful to Their Lordships. I do realise that I have a very long and difficult journey ahead of me. Engaging in spiritual life is akin to declaring war with Mayadevi. I also realise my several weaknesses. I sincerely pray to Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara to help me at each step and to guide me on my spiritual path. I would also like to thank all devotees (past and present) of Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara Temple for the wonderful and invaluable service that they are doing (or have done) for the pleasure of the Lordships.

My Dear Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, Please accept my most humble obeisances at Your lotus feet. All glories to Çréla Prabhupäda, through whose compassion and mercy You manifested in London. You were installed on my twenty-sixth birthday, but I was unaware of the event and knew nothing of Your wonderful glories. I was thousands of miles away - half a world away in geographical distance and a world away in consciousness!

And thank you Çréla Prabhupäda for “stealing” the King of thieves Himself. Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara deities are indeed the most beautiful deities in the world - unique and very personal as well. Your servant,

Nishan

It was nearly twenty years before I came to know of You, then a few more years before I could come and regularly see You. Then my good fortune really began! Practically every Sunday and festival day You allowed me to come to Your temple. Countless kirtans, lectures, feasts, so many of Your beautiful outfits I was privileged to see, so many of Your dear servants I had the fortune to get to know, You even allowed me to sing for You! My first sight of my Gurudeva, His Holiness Rädhänatha Swami, was in Your temple room, where I saw him dance for Your pleasure and absorb himself in Your beautiful darçana. Whenever I come to Your temple, You always have Your plan for me, which is different every time! Now also whenever I turn on my computer I am greeted by Your blissful smiles! Thank You for all this wonderful mercy on me. Your grateful, undeserving servant,

Nirmala Bhakti devé däsé

My Dearest Lordships, I thank the day 40 years ago that His Divine Grace Çréla Prabhupäda decided to share Your glorious darçana with us. You have been the guiding light in my life for many years. It is so wonderful that over those years I have felt Our relationship bloom, prosper and change. Not a day goes by that I do not think how beautiful and wonderful You are. It is impossible for me to describe Your glories as they are unlimited. You allow myself, such a fallen soul to get so close to Yourselves. You have been there always for me through the highs and lows and even when I have been distanced from You, You have not allowed me to forget You and somehow or another You would bring me back to You. Hearing about Your pastimes and how You engage with other devotees is amazing. Just thinking about Your smile is enough, You stand there all day offering blessings, love and hope to all and promise with Your eyes there is a better place, You just have to surrender to Your loving embrace to get it. I have been trapped by those eyes but unfortunately continue to resist surrendering, I pray that You will help me break that resistance. No matter what we think You are the controller and You unfold Your plan for London with grace and elegance, I hope that we can be willing instruments in that plan and accept that we have no control.

Please accept my humble obeisances.

I wish that I could begin to repay the mercy that You have shown my family and me over the years. You are my bedrock and I pray daily that I will never forget You. I am always so exited when I see You and pray this continues. You are unique in all aspects and I feel that You are the heart of ISKCON. Thank You for the Maha prasadam, the darçana, the kirtans and the devotee saìga.

All Glories to Çréla Prabhupäda.

All glories unto You.

All Glories to the most beautiful Lordship Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara.

Your fallen aspiring servant,

Hare Kåñëa.

Nishil 63

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Devotees (P) Homages from other

Dear………Dearer………….Dearest Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Çréla Prabhupäda. Before taking Your darçana in the temple, I saw You in photographs. As soon as I saw You, I immediately liked Your beautiful smile and Your double chins. The outfit You were wearing was so adorable with its exquisite embroidery. In the beginning I didn’t want to come to London. But as the days passed by, I started to understand what was Your plan. By Your causeless mercy and the mercy of my spiritual master, this insignificant soul was given the opportunity to make garlands for You. I got so much involved in this service, that now it has become a daily affair. I am really really happy to make garlands for You. I am enchanted when I have Your darçana every morning. Although You have been standing on the altar for 40 years, You look more and more beautiful each day. You look wonderful in all the outfits……. Red Tartan, Purple Rainbow, Yellow cherry to name a few. Sometimes, I am amazed when You fulfill my desires. Once I desired to eat pizza and burger and the next day morning breakfast in temple had pizza and burger sponsored by some devotee. I was surprised. I then thought that I should be careful in desiring what I want. Instead of desiring for these mundane things, I better desire for pure devotional service and service unto Your Lotus Feet. Dearest Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, thank You for engaging me in Your service. You know very well, that I commit unlimited offences in performing service. Please forgive me for all the offences that I am committing. On this most auspicious day of Your fortieth Anniversary, I sincerely beg at Your lotus feet to kindly keep us (Maha Nrsingha däsa, Param Sundari dd +1) always under Your divine shelter and always always always keep us engaged in Your service and in the service of Your beloved devotees. Thank You for everything! Aspiring to remain Your servant always,

Param Sundari devé däsé

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to You, Jagannätha Baladeva and Subhadrä, Gaura Nitai and to Giri Govardhana. All glories to all. Your wonderful servants engaged in Your service all year round, no matter what service they are engaged, and first and foremost, All Glories to Your wonderful servant His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedänta Swami Prabhupäda, who installed You 40 years ago,therefore creating an opportunity for the whole city of London to take Your wonderful Darçana. It is thanks to You that I have learned the meaning of spiritual life in all its aspects. It is thanks to You that I have learned that God has a personal form, full of knowledge, eternity and bliss, and therefore convincing me of the importance of rendering service to You, and despite my shortcomings You have given me the opportunity, through Your servants, to render service to You in some form or another..no matter where I might be around the world, whether in Vrindävan or Italy, Your beautiful form always attracts me back to You, Your darçana keeps me steady and focussed in time I came to learn that Ours is a personal relationship, the temple president in the

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last few years has created such a family spirit where devotees feel compelled to serve according to their skills and capabilities many new devotees have come, many more will join, of this I am sure in that regards things are getting better and better. London is such a hellish and depressing place, and many times I have pondered whether to stay or leave, but because of Your presence here I always find myself staying here, because by Your presence alone this place becomes just like Våëdävana. My apologies for my inability to express my feelings in a more concise way, I did not have enough time to prepare myself. I beg to become a more worthy servant of Yours and being able to develop healthy and deep relationships with Your servants. HARE KÅÑËA and Happy Anniversary. Your aspiring servant,

Paul

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, Please accept my humble obeisanses. All Glories unto all the Vaiñëava devotees who were for 40 years serving and taking care of Their beautiful Lordships Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, Jaganatha,Baladev, Subhadra, Çré Çré Gaura Nitai and Giri Govardhan. May Rädhä and Kåñëa bless you with their unlimited Love. Thank you very much for your determination to serve Çréla Prabhupäda, without your endeavour we would not have the possibility to practice devotional service and so many other joyful activities as Harinäma. It is only by your love and service attitude that we have such a beautiful temple and even more beautiful deities. Happy fortieth anniversary with Love and appreciation. Your servant,

Petra

My dear Lordships, You are so beautiful. Every time I look upon Your beautiful forms it is like I am taking a glimpse into the spiritual world. Thank You for these wonderful darçanas. By His Divine Grace Çréla Prabhupäda’s mercy You have agreed to appear here in London and accept our service. I am thanking You for kindly allowing me to do some small service for You and associate with Your wonderful devotees here.

Pritesh, (from Harrow)

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Devotees (R) Homages from other

My Dear Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara,

The atmosphere was through the roof the mood contagious!

My most beloved life and soul, please accept my humble obeisances.

After some time - and purification you allowed me to move in and attend Mangala Ärati daily. I was thinking, no one else in London right now is singing a song of devotion to God, with him standing right in front of them! I looked around the room and saw twenty or so devotees and thought, “But WE ARE! We are so lucky! We are standing right next to God! No one else is! Out of all the people in London it’s just us few!” as the enchanting mahä-mantra drifted through the temple I would become fixed on Your lotus feet, noticing how beautifully the sole of your foot smoothly curved up to Your perfectly rounded heel as You stood one foot in front of the other.

When I was a young boy in Blackpool, my friend received the small booklet “Perfection of Yoga”, a collection of Çréla Prabhupäda’s early lectures. I was attracted to the book, however I tried to read a little and decided I wasn’t intelligent enough to understand it. It wasn’t the first time I had come across Kåñëa consciousness but I believe from that moment on You were personally looking after me. A few years later I decided my life had stopped moving forward and didn’t know what to do next. I hadn’t been to church in years or done anything religious, wasn’t even sure if there was a God or not, didn’t really care so much, but anyway thought I might as well pray for some guidance. What the heck, nothing to lose. Somehow over the next few days it just came into my mind “Now I should be in London”, although I didn’t put two and two together.

Often it would come to the part of the kértana where we’d start to dance round in a circle and it would seem I had to tear myself away from gazing upon Your lotus like face. I would be mesmerized by Your darçana, it was so soothing to gaze upon Your lotus face. But of course dancing for Your pleasure was also ecstatic. Sometimes when the curtains opened, I would feel so grateful to You for giving me such a wonderful life of Kåñëa consciousness that I’d want to run up and give You a big hug! (I didn’t of course, but in my heart) In Bhagavad-Gétä You say You are everyone’s friend, and I definitely feel that You are treating me just like a best friend would.

My dear Lordships I believe You brought me here.

My dear Lordships I have so many memories of how You have reciprocated with me, cared for me and shown me Your loving Kindness. I don’t deserve to be living so close to You, to be able to have Your close association. It’s proof of Your causeless mercy. You are helping this poor fool. And You are helping everyone always because You love everyone and You are everyone’s best friend.

My Dear Çré Londonéçvara. I remember the first time someone told me Your name. It was during Kartik.

Thank You for everything. I bow down at Your lotus feet again and again.

“It means controller of London” they said

Your insignificant servant,

“Wow” I thought. Londonéçvara what a cool name!

Rädhä Londonéçvara däsa

Very soon after that I was offered a job in London and found a flat there. And then within a short time (in one sense) I found the temple and walked up the stairs to see You for the first time.

I started visiting the temple almost daily and one of the biggest attractions was to see “Hmm I wonder what outfit they’ll be dressed in today?” It seemed like You wore a different one everyday! So beautiful. My attraction was growing. And then when I found out Kåñëa’s complexion is like a blue lotus, I came in one day to see that although your complexion is dazzling snowy white, you had a mystical bluish hue! probably just the lighting but it was very beautiful. That your complexion is white is mentioned in Bhägavatam 10.16.09: taà prekñaëéya-sukumära-ghanävadätaà çrévatsa-péta-vasanaà smita-sundaräsyam kréòantam apratibhayaà kamalodaräìghrià sandaçya marmasu ruñä bhujayä cachäda

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, Please accept my most humble obeisances.All glories to You always, but especially this week leading up to the most auspicious fortieth anniversary day. All glories to His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedänta Swami Prabhupäda,who most mercifully brought You to our vision. Your presence in this empty, vacant world is such an amazing thing.You have illuminated the lives of so many souls and it is such a wonderful thing that this fortieth anniversary has captured the imagination of the whole ISKCON world, as Your current temple president Jaya Nitai Prabhu was revealing at last Sunday’s iñöaghoñöi.

tam—Him; prekñaëéya—attractive to look at; su-kumära—most delicate; ghana—like a cloud; avadätam— glowing white;

In one sense, this is not so amazing, considering that You are the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. I understand that Çréla Prabhupäda once said that You are Våëdävana Kåñëa disguised as a Deity! So naturally devotees from around this world and many more will come to glorify You during this week.

Käliya saw that Çré Kåñëa, who wore yellow silken garments, was very delicate, His attractive body shining like a glowing white cloud, His chest bearing the mark of Çrévatsa, His face smiling beautifully and His feet resembling the whorl of a lotus flower. The Lord was playing fearlessly in the water. Despite His wonderful appearance, the envious Käliya furiously bit Him on the chest and then completely enwrapped Him in his coils.

And of all the devotees who have had the greatest fortune to serve You, some whose names are well known,others maybe forgotten,there is not a single one whom You did not reciprocate with in a very special and personal way.

But it is also blue! I remember appreciating how beautiful Your hair is, just like on the front of the Bhagavad-Gétä, the picture on the chariot, but a little longer. Then on my first Janmäñöamé, I was so surprised to see how eager the devotees were to see You at midnight. I remember Darpaëa Märjanam Mätäji who was sitting down, suddenly jumped up during the bhajans eagerly staring at the curtain, calling out and clapping her hands with only moments to go as the kértana built to a climax .and the curtains opened dead on midnight to reveal everyones worshipful deities.

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And for those who have even just attempted even for just a short while to give their lives to You,You have reciprocated by always being there for them one way or another always,even for those of us who have had to make our residence at a geographic location quite far away from Your Divine lotus feet. As Kåñëa Himself, You never forget anyone who has ever tried to serve You, as You promise in Your BhagavadGétä. So on Your fortieth anniversary, please bless all of Your devotees and give us all the benediction of always remembering You and serving You. And if we are very fortunate, then at some point in You will take us back home

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to Goloka Våëdävana, as is the benediction of Your pure devotee Çréla Prabhupäda, which You will undoubtedly fulfill for those who are sincere and serious in their service to You, Your pure devotee Çréla Prabhupäda, and His sincere followers. P.S.: And please give some extra special mercy to Jaya Nitai Prabhu and his team, who have made arrangements for this special occasion that are very much in accordance with Çréla Prabhupäda’s personal desires for the celebration of Your most auspicious Appearance in this world. Your aspiring servant of the servant of the servant, Rädhä Raman däsa

and sometimes, if we are yet more blessed, in the form as Çré Mürti, mercifully standing before us as Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara Bhagavän and many other Divine forms. Your essential nature is unconditional love for all beings, all Your devotees, your eternal children. You have inconceivably expanded multifarious energies, amongst which are a multitude of jivas, from Your pleasure potency, in order to enjoy eternal pastimes of love, as a husband and wife generate a family in this world to increase their enjoyment. Unfortunately, many jivas, myself included, have tried to avoid the unavoidable, i.e. Your Supreme position as proprietotor, controller and enjoyer of all else. But as soon as You see that one particular soul has grown weary of ignorance of Your Shelter and is beginning to realize the pointlessness of trying to be Your competitor in this vale of endless tears, You mercifully guide him to Your representative, Your agent, the Guru, who then instructs that rare and fortunate jéva in the eternal science of loving service to Your lordships: Bhakti yoga, the art of re-connecting with You. Somehow, that sequence of events took place in my own life some thirty two years ago here in London. As a wandering, dissatisfied youth, frustrated, perplexed and restless, I gratefully received a Bhagavad gétä, a devotional record Album and a copy of Çré Éçopaniñad from faithful servants of Your dearly beloved, confidential devotee: His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedänta Swami Prabhupäda.

nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale çrémate bhaktivedänta-svämin iti nämine namas te särasvate deve gaura-väëé-pracäriëe nirviçeña-çünyavädi-päçcätya-deça-täriëe My Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara bhagavän, O most effulgent, blissful, supremely elegant and infinitely merciful Divine Couple, on this fortieth anniversary of Your Divine descent to the hell we call London, UK, please accept my humble obeicances at Your radiant Lotus feet, millions and millions of times. I come before You like an insect blinded by the light of Your Divine Majesties in all Your Transcendent beauty. Whatever I can say by way of gratitude and glorification, can only be done by Your merciful empowerment, as without Your Divine Grace my words will resemble only the grunting of hogs or braying of asses. I am trying, but am still unable to grasp the fathomless depths of absurdity of such an offensive and insignificant ass trying to utter anything before Your Lordships. However, to not attempt to offer You some words of grateful glorification would be an even greater offence to You, as I owe You everything, and my silence would allow me to stubbornly continue to cling to the impersonal conception of Godhead I have shamelessly fostered over an infinitude of past lifetimes. Your Lordships are full in all six opulences: “ñad aiçvarya”, and therefore as a candle which derives it’s energy from the mighty sun, can add nothing to the light of the sun, I offer my praises to You, the infinite Spiritual Sun, for my self-purification only, knowing at least philosophically, that although Ananta Seça, with his many, many divine tongues, can hardly scrape the surface of Your glories, although fully engaged since all eternity, it nevertheless falls to me, in my eternal constitutional position as Your servant, to at least attept to do so, and furthermore, as a parent delights in the stuttering first words of her infant, it pleases You to receive the stuttering heartfelt offerings of love from Your numberless, infinitesimal parts and parcels, the purpose for which we all ultimately exist.

As I staggered, punch-drunk from one catastrophic, self inflicted disaster to the next, back in November 1977, You, within the core of my aching heart, mercifully guided me to 7 Bury Place, London, the site of the original London Temple, painstakingly established by six wonderful, enlightened, joyful devotees sent from North America by Çréla Prabhupäda some years earlier. Coming to the temple on that day was the single most significant event in this particular jéva’s present brief life. In fact, probably in many, many lives. For this one utterly insignificant jéva, an event of incomparable significance had just taken place. Since that time, as well You bear witness, despite my attempts to pledge myself to the service of Your spotless Lordships and Çréla Prabhupäda, clearly understanding Your selfless service to be the purpose and end of my search for meaning and truth, I have failed You many, many times, and continue to do so minute to minute, hour by hour, day by day. Please forgive me and give me the strength to improve. You are unchallenged in reputation as Çréla Prabhupäda’s favourite Deities, and as occupying a very unique place in the heart of His Dvine Grace; as the most blissful Mürtis in the entirety of the galaxy of beautiful ISKCON Mürtis; as the original full size Çré Çré Rädhä Krishna Deities in our society, and of whom, Prabhupäda said, all other deities were expansions. Your mercy is simply the best and You are simply the best there is. And so now, My Dear Lordships, coming into Your darçana, I come to your shelter, trying to account for my failings. I humbly beg that despite my many, many births and the many kalpas lives of Brahmä I have wasted, loitering in forgetfulness of You, I can come to know You, and Your Divine nature, in truth finally and also realize, tangibly, that You are my ultimate protector and maintainer eternally, and that You, very kindly, despite all my mulitude of disqualifications, compassionately accept me as Your most obedient servant once again and grant me Your prema and the eternal service of Your servants, as only these blessings and Your forgiveness can please my heart, and although I can never repay the debt I owe to You and Your devotees, I can at least make an attempt. Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara Bhagavän Ké Jaya!! Your helpless, wretched begger,

Rämanåsiàha däsa däsänudäsa

One of many astounding truths about You is that despite our littleness in comparison to You, You never see any soul, no matter how fallen or apparently insignificant, as insignificant or unimportant. You are deeply concerned with the welfare of us all, descending as numberless Avatäras for our benefit and constantly dwelling patiently with us, as the overseer, permitter and friend of each and every soul, as we meander throughout the length and breadth of countless universes in varying degrees of ignorance, futilely attempting to be Your competitor, “the lord of all we survey”, and when failing miserably, to try to become ‘one’ with You, “to become God!!” In these deluded states of offensive consciousness, we end up in all manner of self-induced trials and tribulations, but being our most heart-felt and best well-wishing Friend, You’ve vowed to never leave us, both as Supersoul

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Dear Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale çrémate Jaypataka--svämin iti nämine nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale çrémate bhaktivedänta-svämin iti nämine namas te särasvate deve gaura-väëé-pracäriëe nirviçeña-çünyavädi-päçcätya-deça-täriëe O supreme controller, protector and well wisher of all living entities, please accept my respectful and humble obeisances at the dust of Your lotus feet. All glories, all glories to you, possessor of unlimited and inconceivable qualities. O source of infinite and unlimited knowledge, strength, fame, power, renunciation, beauty, compassion, mercy and kindness. Out of your unlimited compassion and kindness to the conditioned soul in this material world you have sent your pure devotees to give us your transcendental message about your inconceivable and sweet nature, about the purpose and goal of human form of life,mercifully giving to everyone the topmost occupation, sublime essence of our spiritual nature, function of the soul and loving devotional service to you. You are giving us your divine holyname to transform and gradually qualify all living entities into the eligible residence of the topmost and perfect place – Goloka Vridavan. My dear lord thank you from the bottom of my heart that you are kindly and mercifully engaging me in your service and I pray that you may please allow me to continue serving for the remaining span of my life, thank you for being unlimitedly kind to me. Your eternally indebted servant

Ramashakti devi dasi

Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, You are the only Kåñëa I know. Please always keep me under Your shelter. Yours,

Rekha Bhatia

Dear Rädhä-Londonéçvara, I love you. Please give me Your bhakti. Danòavats. Your little servant,

Revati

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Devotees (S) Homages from other

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara!

As You continue to stay here, day after day

Please accept my most respectful obeisances at Your divine lotus feet which is the shelter for all the separated and miserable souls like me.

Accepting our offerings, try as we may

Dear Lordships You are the original controller of London and that is how You are named by Your dearest devotee Çréla Prabhupäda, You have always given strength to the devotees to serve You sincerely and spread Your glories in all circumstances. Though I personally am not so fortunate to serve You in my full capacity but You always gave me some chance to serve You. This is only due to Your causeless mercy that I am able to serve You insignificantly otherwise there is no chance for a nitya badha jéva like me to get chance to serve You, Please keep on showering Your mercy like this so that I can remain with this wonderful family of Vaiñëavas who are always eager to serve You in the best possible way. On this auspicious day of Your fortieth anniversary at London, I beg You to give me strength so that I can follow the instructions of my Guru Mahäräja strongly without fail and never ever deviate from it slightly, I always assist devotees in preaching and book distribution and other services. I remain eager in serving all the senior Vaiñëavas and helping them in their service to you. All this is only possible if You keep Your merciful glance on this special conditioned soul. I pray to You for the sound and healthy life of all Your servants around the world so that they can spread Your glories more and more.

I see Your kindness, You are so sweet I pray for the shelter of Your lotus feet Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara ké! jaya! fortieth anniversary ké! jaya! Thank You. Your aspiring servant,

Sean

Your most insignificant servant,

Satya Kåñëa däsa Dearest Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, With only the hope of being blessed with the mercy of the Vaiñëavas, Çréla Prabhupäda, and guru paramparä, I write this offering in an attempt to please You, who are unlimitedly kind to all Your servants.

His eyes are so dreamy, His nose is so cute His luscious red lips, play on His flute His beautiful form whitish, not dark And His lotus feet, soothe Londons burning hearts He is so charming, He is so sweet Londonéçvara, oh what a treat And what of His Rädhä, what can we say She pretties Herself, for Him everyday She brings Him a flower, and always a smile

Coming up to 40 years, You have manifested Your incomparable beautiful forms here in London, because of the love of Çréla Prabhupäda. Because of his love for You, his dear devotees and his compassion upon all those who have forgotten You. Please bless us that we may serve Your servants with deep gratitude and full faith, so You will be pleased with us. Benedict us that we may spread the glories of Your Holy Names to more and more conditioned souls, so they may awaken their original happiness in relationship with You. Please purify my motivations in the form Your Holy Names, so that I may be fixed in my desire to serve not my ulterior motives and false ego, but Your all-auspicious will and purpose. Wherever I am, whatever situation I am in, whoever I am with, please let me always remember You and never forget You, as the servant of the servant of Your dear most servants. Your insignificant and unworthy servant,

Sonal

Her love is unchallenged, because of Her selfless style She chipped Her little finger, so She could come here To answer the prayer, of Her servants, so sincere The devotees called Them, and so They arrived They got in a van, and went for a drive Their lila is charming, it melts my cold heart Thank You for coming, to give us a start

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Dear Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara:

oà ajïäna-timirändhasya jïänäïjana-çaläkayä

Please accept my humble obeisances.

cakñur unmélitaà yena tasmai çré-gurave namaù

All glories to You on Your most auspicious fortieth anniversary.

nama oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale

I had been staying under Your shelter for a very short time, but that short time I will never be able to forget in my whole life.

çrémate bhaktivedänta-svämin iti nämine

I am sorry but I do not know how to glorify You since I don’t think I ever really realized even a small fraction of Your glories. I can only remember how beautiful You always looked, and how I was always feeling protected under Your care. I have been able to learn so much while I was staying in Your temple, I have developed and deepened my Kåñëa Consciousness to a great extant because of Your mercy. Once a friend told me that, how lucky we are to be able to live with You in Your home. Only then have I realized that it is only by Your will that someone is allowed to live in the temple. How lucky I have been. Thank You for Your mercy. I would like to use this opportunity to pray to You that I shall always remain in Your service where ever I am in the world. That I shall never forget You. That I will always be able to keep a good sadhana and that my service will please the heart of my Guru Mahäräja. Thank You for Your mercy and Your most beautiful darçanaas. Your humble servant,

Sukhayanté devé däsé

namas te särasvate deve gaura-väëé-pracäriëe nirviçeña-çünyavädi-päçcätya-deça-täriëe Oh Divine couple of Çré Goloka Våëdävana dhama Çré Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa, As the most beautiful Lordships Çré Çré Rädhä-Londonéçvara, You are an ocean of mercy, compassion and love. I am entangled in this material world since millions of lifetimes trying to enjoy separately from You and full of anarthas in my heart. What glorification can I possibly offer unto You other than to humbly raise my arms with full surrender and chant loudly HARE KÅÑËA HARE KÅÑËA KÅÑËA KÅÑËA HARE HARE, HARE RÄMA HARE RÄMA RÄMA RÄMA HARE HARE. I thank and pray from bottom of my heart to Guru Mahäräja, Çréla Prabhupäda and the whole Guru-paramparä of Brahmä-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya along with all the disciples of Prabhupäda who helped him to establish Your Lordships in London. On this auspicious day, after forty years of your appearance in London, I pray that I may not be envious but a kind friend to all living entities, not think of myself as proprietor and remain free from false ego, be equal in both happiness and distress, be tolerant, always satisfied, self-controlled and engaged in devotional service with determination and have my mind and intelligence fixed on Your lotus feet, as such a devotee is very dear to You. A disobedient spirit soul,

Surabhi

The most beautiful Lordship Rädhä-Londonéçvara, Please accept our humble obeisances! Here is our attempt to offer you from our heart some feelings. We are imperfect and have several limitations. Please forgive us for the gaps/shortcoming in our offering. You are so beautiful and charming: One can just keep relishing your darçana - Your Lotus feet is radiating unlimited spiritual knowledge, Your beautiful lotus face and hands playing flute is most blissful, Rädhäräni’s raised hand with Tulsi leaf is most merciful, Your outfits are most beautiful and the association of Big smile on Lord Jagannatha, Subhadrä and Baladeva makes everyone ecstatic. You are so loving and caring: You found us walking aimlessly on the streets of London and showed us the light to your lotus feet. Having seen very little spiritual progress in us, you inspired your dear devotees to give us association and help us in getting close to you. You are always there for us: You have kindly made yourself available not only in the bounds of the temple room but also everywhere we are – in form of remembrance and your mercy in form of live morning telecast and pictures. You always listen to everything we have to say and guide us closely to the best outcome for us. Your humble servants,

Sulabh, Aparna, Vrinda and Vaanya

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Devotees (T) Homages from other

Our most dearest Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, We offer our most respectful obeisances unto your lotus feet. We offer our heartfelt sincere gratitude on the most auspicious occasion of your fortieth birthday ceremony in London. Just by looking at myself I can recognize that you are the controller and master of EVERYTHING that exists in this world. Those who has taken shelter at your lotus feet are the most fortunate in this world, And that was only possible by your mercy and by the mercy of your compassionatedevotees who are like desire tree. If you would not give me shelter at your lotus feet who knows where I would be at this moment; I would have to be servant of some so called Isvara. And probably there would be another unfortunate souls amongst billions who are always immersed in worldly sorrows. We are really grateful for giving us the opportunity to serve Your lotus feet. Even though we made many mistakes, you are still tolerating my service. it is Your causeless mercy only that we can always take shelter of your lotus feet and accept whatever is happening, good or bad, despite all our misdeeds, You were allowing us to perform devotional service and serve the devotees, please help us so that we never lose their association. My dear Lord, You are always protecting Your devotees, giving them many challenges and in this way making their hearts purified, so that they could increase love for You. Just seeing even small effort of Your devotee, You are pleased. Even if it is a gradual process, please give us determination so that we can continue to serve you and your dear devotees. You are the only one shelter in this material world. Dear Çrématé Rädhäräni, You are the most dear devotee of the lord. if you present a devotee to Lord Kåñëa he will easily accepts that fallen soul. And this is the easiest way to reach my dear lord. So we beg you please, help us to take shelter of your lotus feet and kindly request him for us to your Kåñëa so that he accepts us and gives us his own bhakti. We have no hope other than that. My dear lord, In Çrémad Bhägavatam, to your glorification, Uddhava addresses your lotus feet as like umbrella,which protects the living entity from the scorching heat of material existence.Not only that, it also showers nectar from inside simultaneously. So we take shelter of your two lotus feet which gave us loving shelter and protected me all the time from the scorching heat of material existence. And we beg please let us remain attached to your lotus feet forever. It also describes that Your lotus feet is also compared to a thunderbolt which smashes even a mountain into powder in a second. Similarly those who takes shelter at your lotus feet you kindly remove all the anarthas of their heart like lust, anger, greed, pride, envy and illusion and fill the heart with love of devotion by your causeless mercy. So my dear lord we take shelter at your lotus feet desiring to become purified by your causeless mercy and pray that, please remove all the anarthas from our heart and always let us remain attached to your lotus feet and those dear devotees who are always attached to your lotus feet. In further explanation, your lotus feet is like a life saving boat which pulls us from the suffering of material miseries and helps us crossing the ocean of material existence. So dear lord, please let us be attached to your lotus feet. We take shelter of those lotus feet which can relieve our suffering of material life and take us back to godhead. So My dear Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, please hear the plea of these fallen souls and give us chance to serve you always and never leave your and your dearest devotees association. Please give us your blessing so that we can follow those great devotee and always remain at your lotus feet. Your insignificant servants,

Bhakta Tapash and Yashoda Nandini devé däsé

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Dear Çré Çré Rädhä London Isvara Please accept my humble danòavats. Six years ago, by your invitation I came to serve your lotus feet. First option was that I work in the restaurant, but by your sweet will it has changed to receiving your guests. It is mentioned in the Vedic books that serving guests is not different than serving you and I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to be the servant of your guests and thank you for keeping me under your shelter and giving me strength to be your servant for this long time despite many obstacles and big challenges. I don’t know how long more I’m going to be here to serve you, but I’m begging you to always keep me on the right path and to do things with right motive. Please put me where ever you want me to be and give me strength to be steady on my path to serve your lotus feet. Your eternal servant,

Tripäda däsa

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Devotees (U) Homages from other

Hare Kåñëa,

My dear most beloved Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, Please accept my most sincere and humble obeiscences unto your lotus feet. I am so happy to glorify about Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara that makes me very ecstatic. Actually when I was in Mäyäpur I had a desire to visit Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara in London on seeing deity of Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara presiding in the museum of Çréla Prabhupäda Puspa Samadhi Mandir in Çré Dham Mäyäpur, Every day I used to go and visit that deity. I heard from the devotees that; Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara is most beautiful deity in the world; Many devotees also say that London girls are very beautiful and Lord Kåñëa like to exchange his love with Londoners specially beautiful girls that’s why Lord Çré Kåñëa himself came here from India to make his loving exchange in London. I had a very deep desire to see Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara and serve them gradually I came to Ireland and wanted to go to Canada but by the mercy of devotee and specially Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara I met the devotees chanting on Oxford street and I met H.G. Murli Monohor Prabhu and came to the temple and after that I took darçana of Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara; After first seeing the deity I completely became confused that how a deity can smile like tender roses in the garden while the bees are flying over the roses again and again to drink nectarean honey. First time I took darçana of Çré Çréa Rädhä Londonéçvara and I could not manage to turn my eyesight from Lord Kåñëa’s face. It is soooo beautiful that I don’t have any language to express of that smile. I was asking the devotees that how Lord Kåñëa is smiling all the times. Can you see lord Kåñëa still how much he is smiling and sharing his loving exchanges with the devotees? Only the fortunate souls can see the smile. Another thing that I personally noticed if I desire anything to get, Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara are always ready to provide that desire very easily even Kåñëa prema. Rädhäräni here in London so much generous she is always reciprocating loving exchange with Lord Çré Kåñëa. Those devotees are serving full time or part time under guidance of authority specially Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara they are very very fortunate soul because they are getting boundless mercy from Lord Kåñëa. I cannot make small by saying that but still I have to say sooo..... many many.... thanks to Çréla Abhaya Charan Bhaktivedänta Swami Prabhupäda for installing this Rädhä Londonéçvara in London and giving us a good opportinuty to serve them personally and take a chance to go back, ‘Back to Godhead.’ I am personally again humbly requesting my Lord Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara please forgive my lots of offenses and please give me shelter under your lotus feet by which I can distribute more and more books in London. JAYA ÇRÉ ÇRÉ RÄDHÄ LONDONÉÇVARA BHAGAVÄN KÉ JAYA, JAYA ÇRÉLA PRABHUPÄDA. Your insignificant fallen soul,

Uddhava Dämodara Däsa My dear Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara,

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Devotees (V) Homages from other

I offer my most respectful obeisances unto the radiant glow of your lotus feet.

I have no qualification of any kind to speak about your glories, for whatever service I am trying to render to your exalted servants is fleeting and insignificant. Yet, I am so grateful. My dear Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, these saintly Vaiñëavas are dedicating every fibre of their being to preach your glories to those who are not so fortunate to look upon your exquisite features and charming smile. Who can understand how dear they are to you? I do not deserve to be among such great souls; this is our shared secret and it is at the same time common knowledge. You are bestowing special mercy upon me, and are therefore allowing me to be here. It is your sweet will only that makes anything possible. I beg you with folded hands: please help me to appreciate my good fortune of being in the midst of sadhus; please kindly inspire me to share knowledge of you with my fellow conditioned souls. My dear Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, people speak about you as inconceivably kind personalities who happily fulfill the desires of your devotees. I do not understand anything because I am a fool; but if you see fit, please allow me to chant your name with affection. Trying to become the servant of your servants,

Vaikuëöhamürti däsa

Dear Çré Çré Rädhä Londonéçvara, Please Accept My Humble Obeisances at your Lotus Feet. I pray for the blessings of Çréla Prabhupäda and Guru Mahäräja that I may write an offering for the pleasure of Your Lordships and I pray that You may guide me through my words on the occasion of Your fortieth Appearance anniversary in London. You are the time and as past present and future belongs to You; so 40 years in London are not so important; However, as your appearance had been minutely arranged by Yourself through Your dearmost devotee Çréla Prabhupäda, every year this divine event should be remembered by your servant. Being an insignificant servant of Yours I have nothing in my possession to glorify Your Lordships enough. I am not able to speak the language of my heart in words but surely You understand it. Due to my past deeds the soul in this body had been brought here and given the opportunity to serve Your Lordships over several years. I consider this my extreme good fortune as You have a supremely unique position for Çréla Prabhupäda without your divine protection and causeless mercy this would not have happened. I sincerely pray that You forgive me for the offences I have made at Your Lotus feet and that I continually serve You at all times. For this divine purpose I beg for Your protection in this hellish city. I pray that my mind be always absorbed in Your thoughts at all times and I know for certain that Your Lordships will always shower causeless mercy on this soul as you have always done. Your servant,

Vinay

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On the day of Prabhupäda’s departure from London, he distributed some of his personal effects, such as sweaters and scarves, to his disciples. He then went downstairs alone into the temple to see the Deities. He offered fully prostrated obeisances on the floor for a long time and then stood, looking at Rädhä and Kåñëa. Yamunä: Prabhupäda was looking at the Deities with complete devotion. He loved those Deities. He had commented about Their exquisite beauty and how They complemented each other-how sometimes Rädhäräëé looked more beautiful but how Kåñëa’s moonlike face and eyes were shining. Prabhupäda saw me and matter-of-factly said,

“If you practice what I have taught you

and follow the instructions of how I have taught you to worship the Deity, and if you read the books that we have printed, it is sufficient for you to go back to Godhead. You need not learn anything new. Simply practice what I have taught you, and your life will be perfect. Then he left-just left.

”

Lilamrita Ch 30 London A dream fulfilled

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