20250309 Celebrating Vaiṣṇavīs, Savitrī Awards Ceremony Address

Jayapatākā Swami: So today is the MCS program to award and recognize the second generation ladies for their important contribution to the Māyāpur community. Of course, some of our first generation Śrīla Prabhupāda disciples are also here who have made numerous contributions to the Māyāpur community. I offer my obeisances to all of them. I don’t exactly know if we can actually recognize the service of devotees because actually, they are doing so many services in helping the Māyāpur community. But at least we are trying to recognize. I don’t know if everyone would get the proper recognition or not. What you are doing to help the serve the Deities, to serve Māyāpur, that is of great significance. And whether everyone is recognized or not, but everyone has done something. And certainly, Rādhā Mādhava, Pañca-tattva, Śrīla Prabhupāda, They understand what you have done. The MCS in Māyāpur is trying to recognize you also. And, since serving Vaiṣṇavas/Vaiṣṇavīs is a great honor, we like to recognize everybody for their service. Now, some devotees have some exceptional contribution to their service. So then they are being recognized. When I was in the Military Academy, then they gave me awards. I had medals on me then! But actually this is for our purification that we recognize what they are doing. It may not be important to you, but it is very important to us that we want to recognize them for the service that they are offering to Rādhā Mādhava, Māyāpur Candra, Pañca-tattva, to the Deities.

Śrīla Prabhupāda was very pleased. In the 9^th canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the purport Śrīla Prabhupāda mentioned that when it comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, man, woman, śūdra, whatever, there is no difference. So we should know that serving Kṛṣṇa is the thing that is most important. My father when he heard I had become a devotee, he said he would turn my name to the American Army. I could die in the Vietnam war. I should come back right away and give up Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, “What I should do?” He said, “Better to be in Kṛṣṇa’s army!” So, since then I joined Kṛṣṇa’s army and am trying to be in it. You know that in the modern armies there are ladies also! Tulasi Gabbard, she was a lieutenant colonel. Anyway you are all in Kṛṣṇa’s army! Haribol!

Ravindra Svarupa and Pañcaratna Prabhus, they are also here!