Śrī Viśvambhara Gosvāmī:

Respected guests, acaryas from Vrndavana, devotees of ISKCON from around the world, and residents of Vrndavana: Today we are all assembled here in an atmosphere of great pain and separation. Until 1953 I had a very intimate relationship with Sri Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja, and for the last six years I have also been in quite close touch with him. I have one very clear impression of Sri Swamiji Maharaja: that he had unalloyed devotion to and faith in the name of Sri Krsna. On the strength of the name of Sri Krsna, and with great attachment to and consciousness of Krsna, he went to foreign countries in every corner of the world to spread the glory and message of Krsna consciousness. He spread the pure teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: "Simply chant the name of Krsna and your life will be successful." The only real meaning and goal of human life is to love Lord Krsna and be a servant of Lord Krsna. Take shelter of the lotus feet of Sri Krsna, and you will easily reach self-realization and be released from all anxieties and miseries caused by the entanglement of birth and death.

Spreading these teachings all over the world cannot be done by any ordinary man. Only one who is specially empowered by God and guru to fulfill the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu can do what Srila Prabhupada has done. Today I would like to assure all the members of ISKCON-both those known to me and those unknown to me-that whenever you require help, we will work together with you shoulder to shoulder, to propagate the names of Sri Krsna. To finish the work of Srila Prabhupada and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we are even ready, if required, to sacrifice our own lives.