The Meaning of Vyāsa-pūjā

There is a secret to understanding Vedic knowledge:

"My spiritual master considered Me as a fool, and therefore he chastised Me. 'You are a fool,' he said. 'You are not qualified to study Vedanta philosophy, and therefore You must always chant the holy name of Krsna. This is the essence of all mantras or Vedic hymns.'"

During the past century, Lord Caitanya's pure representatives Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura planted the seeds of a movement to spread the maha-mantra all over the world. Those seeds have fructified in the form of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who has, in the past decade, initiated thousands of disciples for more than thirty countries in the chanting of Hare Krsna.

Srila Prabhupada is the most worthy recipient of Vyasa-puja because only he has given Vyasadeva's literatures to so many without changing the meaning one iota. In fact, four hundred fifty years ago, the great acarya Srila Vrndavana dasa Thakura wrote that in the future, representatives of Vyasadeva would elaborately describe the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, a statement later confirmed by Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur. By reading the publication of Srila Prabhupada's Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, we can understand that he is such a representative. Srila Prabhupada's books prompted one Indian scholar to write, "Upon seeing the work of Swami Bhaktivedanta, one is tempted to wonder whether he is not the same Vyasa reborn to present his literatures in a universal language for modern man."

Srila Prabhupada, as your disciples, we are offering our very inadequate glorifications of you in the pages of this Ninth Annual ISKCON Vyasa-puja book. We simply pray that you will find some pleasure in our meager efforts, for that is the actual meaning of Vyasa-puja.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, the foremost devotee and scholar of the previous age, is the spiritual master of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He is the ocean of transcendental mercy and the bestower of devotional service upon the fallen souls. His is the deliverer of devotional service which is enriched with the conjugal love of Sri-Sri Radha and Krsna. He is the personified teachings of Lord Caitanya. Thus, he never tolerates any statement against the teaching of devotional service as enunciated by Srila Rūpa Gosvami.