The Prabhupada Network Team, under the leadership of Janmastami Dasa, successfully organized three Srila Prabhupada Connect Day events from July 27-28, 2024 in Sri Mayapur Dham. The events were designed to commemorate the 58th anniversary of ISKCON’s incorporation, highlight ISKCON’s transcendentally conceived seven purposes, and strengthen the community’s connection with Srila Prabhupada as our Founder-Acarya.

The program started with Jivanath Dasa’s and the Mayapur Harinam Family’s kirtan, followed by two ISKCON Mayapur Co-Directors, Tapan Misra Dasa and Subheksana Dasa, speaking about the urgent need for a deeper understanding and connection with Srila Prabhupada’s teachings in the community and how the Prabhupada Network is fulfilling this need. The notable key speakers were Jayapataka Swami, Bhakti Raghava Swami, Bhakti Prachar Parivrajak Swami, Bhakti Vijnana Swami, Sarva-drik Dasa, Jivanatha Dasa, Atul Krishna Dasa, Janmastami Dasa, and others.

ISKCON News interviewed Janmastami Dasa, who joined ISKCON in 1977 and spent 14 years distributing books across the USA, serving as the Sankirtana Leader in seven temples and National Sankirtana Leader from 1987-1991. He was the Temple President in Denver from 1992 to 1996 before moving to Mayapur. He has been working in educational development ever since. 

The Mayapur GBC asked him to launch the Mayapur Institute, and he served as its director from 1999 to 2009. He now focuses on Vaiṣṇava seva and care and developing the Prabhupada Network to help devotees realize Srila Prabhupada as their foundational shiksa-guru while simultaneously strengthening each devotee’s diksha-guru relationship.

“Srila Prabhupada established Mayapur as the ISKCON World Headquarters. By establishing the Prabhupada Network here, we can more easily spread it worldwide. We, therefore, call it a Network to emphasize its global reach,” said Janmastami Dasa.

Janmastami Dasa shared that two years ago, after noticing a poor turnout for Srila Prabhupada’s Tirobhava, he approached Subheksana Dasa with suggestions for improvement. Subheksana Dasa then asked him to organize the following year’s Tirobhava.

After four months of dedicated service preparing for Vyasa Puja, Janmashtami Dasa, and his team, headed by Ramanipati and Acharya Chandra Prabhus, were able, by Krishna’s mercy, to increase attendance fivefold for Vyasa Puja and sevenfold for Tirobhava, which inspired them to continue their efforts with a regular series of events.

Janmastami Dasa compared Srila Prabhupada’s seven purposes to those of a traveler who needs to know his destination to buy a ticket. He said, “Prabhupada established these purposes to clarify our direction, goals, and mission. Emphasizing these purposes will strengthen our movement and help fulfill Prabhupada’s vision, revitalizing the enthusiasm and sadhana present in ISKCON during his time.”

The Prabhupada Network team has ambitious plans, aiming to organize various Srila Prabhupada Connect Day programs throughout the year. These programs will be included in ISKCON Mayapur’s official calendar to ensure the community’s continued engagement. Janmastami Dasa also outlined plans for a grand seven-day event for Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa Puja, featuring senior devotees.

As the senior gurus who have guided ISKCON since Srila Prabhupada’s departure near the end of their lives, it is not just important but urgent to reaffirm ISKCON’s foundational principles and honor Srila Prabhupada’s vision. This urgency should ignite a sense of responsibility and commitment in each of us to ensure that his vision continues to guide ISKCON in a stable and unified manner.

Ramanipati Dasa, who oversees the Bhaktivedanta National School and the Sri Mayapur International School, totaling 1200 students, said, “One of the main reasons for our initiative is that all the senior disciples of Srila Prabhupada will soon be leaving this world. We want to make more such programs so that we can hear more from them and know how to take ISKCON forward.”

Janmastami Dasa said that he and Atul Krishna Das met Jayapataka Swami after last year’s Calcutta Rathayatra to discuss their developing two courses. He then described the profound part of the conversation that has served as the motivational foundation for the service they are giving their hearts to execute as follows:

“I said, ‘Maharaja, I am sure you remember the disastrous circumstances our movement faced in the first 19 years after Srila Prabhupada’s departure, but senior gurus like your good self, Bhakti Charu Swami, Gopal Krishna Maharaja, Radhanath Swami, Sivarama Swami, and many others glued our movement back together so that it could go on stably.

But what will happen to our movement if devotees don’t have Srila Prabhupada established in their hearts as their foundational shiksa-guru, and you all leave? It may be even worse than it was after Srila Prabhupada’s departure!’

Jayapataka Swami emphatically agreed and said with great intensity, ‘If we don’t do something now, it will be very challenging to do after we leave!'” 

The first course, under development, is an introductory course based on the abridged version of Prabhupada Lilamrita, titled Srila Prabhupada, Messenger of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The second, planned for next year, is a Founder-Acarya course, combining the existing global course with a new one Russian devotees are developing.

Both courses will be highly interactive and student-centered. Students will engage in group work, dramas, and debates rather than just listening to lectures. Our team will translate both courses into many languages in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.

Atul Krishna Dasa shared his experience and said, “This was such a monumental event on the anniversary of the inauguration of ISKCON where several Srila Prabhupada’s disciples were present to discuss the seven purposes of ISKCON. The Prabhupada Network team’s initiative is starting in Mayapur, and devotees worldwide will experience the impact, just as the result you get by traveling to all the holy places you get just by coming to Navadvipa Dham. 

He continued, “Jayapataka Swami further enhanced the event when he shared personal stories of his early days distributing books in the towns of West Bengal. It touched our hearts to see how much he has dedicated his life to fulfilling the seven purposes of ISKCON.”

Janmastami Dasa concluded, “We will be very active on social media, arranging weekly podcasts with senior devotees to discuss how to make our movement Prabhupada-centric. Recognizing and honoring Srila Prabhupada’s position as the Founder-Acarya is crucial, ensuring stability and commitment to ISKCON.”

He added, “We need all devotees to unite and strengthen our movement in a Prabhupada-centric manner before the senior gurus leave. If anyone wants to join our team or develop similar initiatives in their area, we are ready to help. We aim to make this a worldwide mission.”

You can watch Day 1 and Day 3  of the program in English here and here. For more information or to review their Vision and Mission Statements about Prabhupada Network, visit their website. You can also email or WhatsApp at +91 96793 31108. For the latest updates, follow them on Facebook, X, YouTube, and Instagram.