London (Bury Place)

Long ago the Lord did impart

transcendental knowledge into Lord Brahma's heart

The supreme spiritual science he did unfold

to help the souls lost in the material world

This material body, a decaying shell

in which the spirit soul does dwell

Servants of Krsna we all are

eternally existing brighter than a star

Krsna the Supreme Lord of all creation

the original person, the source of all emanations

The supreme personality, glorious beyond all

yet he sports before us as a little cowherd boy

He gives a chance for souls gone astray

to taste spiritual bliss and find the true way

This perfect knowledge was then handed down

by very great souls in a disciplic chain

From Brahma to Narada and then to Vyasa

in this way millions of years did pass

From sage to sage the message traveled

in age after age its glory was unraveled

These great saintly personalities, their prowess unequalled

dreamed of the day when all of the people

sunk in the mire of material existence

would be able to hear this great spiritual science

Then Lord Caitanya, the crest of all incarnations,

appeared in the line of disciplic succession

He cultivated the tree of pure love of God

and freely distributed the fruits grown thereon

As with the sages his desire was the same

that every town and village would glorify God's name

London to Los Angeles, let everywhere resound

With the purifying vibration of transcendental sound

Never forgetting what you had been told

this order became your life and soul

Years passed waiting for the time to appear

to execute the mission that you held so dear

Then late in life, dressed in saffron robe

you began the work that would change the globe

there in a small room in the holy dham

you began to translate Srimad-Bhagavatam

the spotless Purana, brilliant as the sun

the world's greatest scripture, second to none

to mitigate the miseries of all classes of men

that very ancient science was now spoken again

Oldest of all but in a new dress

miracle done, Your Divine Grace

thus forsaking the Lord's Vrndavana home

into Kali's domain you ventured alone

with nothing but faith in God you set sail

and alighted on the shores of Kali's capital

Without mercy, friends or any material tender

but with something much greater-complete self-surrender

You came and returned to us what we had lost

the most sublime treasure, pure love of God

Armed with the Bhagavatam's perfect knowledge

with undaunting spirit you began to preach

The rest of the story will be indelibly inscribed

into the annals of history for all recorded time

The historians of eternity will tell and retell

of your great mercy errand to deliver souls from hell

He injected this desire into the disciplic line

and hence it was carried until modern times

Your Guru Maharaja gave you the same instruction

"Take these teachings to the English-speaking nations"

and the pious people of some future generation

will listen with wonder and great veneration

Wherever the stories of the great saints are received

there will be descriptions of the miracles you achieved

We are a testimony to this miracle, Gurudeva

each one of us from abominable life, you did save

Your gentle hand guiding us away from confusion

away from the evils of desire, hate and delusion

lifting us from his hell on earth

giving us knowledge, a second birth

taking us out of maya's filthy pit

giving us devotional service though we be unfit

teaching us to remember Krsna, the Supreme Lord

and giving us a taste of the spiritual world

Prabhupada everything we owe to you

you have made our lives so fresh and new

Where there was darkness now there is light

Where there was blindness now there is sight

Where there was dreaming in dark dingy rooms

now there is nectar and places of touchstone

Where there was cooking and eating only sin

now there is Krsna's delicious prasada

Where there was hard toil with scant reward

now we render service unto the Supreme Lord

Where there was envy and intense competition

now there is harmony and holy association

Where there was loneliness in the world of praise and blame

now there is communal chanting of the Lord's holy name

We are eternally indebted for the sacrifice you have made

so foolish to think that you can ever be repaid

Whatever we have to offer is so insignificant and small

but still you accept it, because you're the most merciful of all

We are simply praying that no matter what difficulties we may meet

we can always remain serving you lotus feet

Thank you Srila Prabhupada

Your eternal servants at the London Temple

Vicitravirya dasa brahmacari / Mahaman dasa brahmacari / Adikarta dasa brahmacari / Akandadhi dasa brahmacari / Mahakarta dasa brahmacari / Yasoda-ḍulala dasa brahmacari / Bhakta Krsna dasa / Bhakta Gabriel / Lilasakti-devi dasi / Jalasthita-devi dasi / Krsnavesa-devi dasi / Kulahgana-devi dasi / Archya-devi dasi / Padma-devi dasi

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