20260217 Fortnightly Message (2 February - 17 February 2026)

Fortnightly Message (2 February - 17 February 2026)

Govinda Māsa, Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa, Amāvasyā, 539 Gaurābda

My dear dīkṣā, sheltered, aspiring, śikṣā, grand-disciples, and well-wishers,

Please accept my blessings, best wishes, and praṇāms as appropriate.
All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Written from my Home Base: Śrī Māyāpur Candrodaya Mandir.
Date: 17 February 2026

Highlights

Now, it is the Gaura-Pūrṇimā festival, and Śrīla Prabhupāda desired that devotees from all over the world come to Śrī Māyāpur at this time. On 13th February, Vijayā Ekādaśī, we inaugurated the festival with the flag (Garuḍa-dhvaja) hoisting. Before that, we had the GBC Annual General Body meeting and other meetings from 4th to 14th February.

In 1977, Śrīla Prabhupāda nominated me as a GBC. So in that year, I attended my first GBC meeting. At that time, my zone was just Eastern India: Bengal, Bangladesh, and Orissa. I think I was the last GBC who was appointed by Śrīla Prabhupāda.

I have dialysis three days a week, and usually I do it in the morning. But I rescheduled my dialysis to the afternoon so that I could attend the morning sessions of the GBC meetings in person, and the afternoon sessions I attended online while having dialysis. I have many physical challenges, but I am trying to fulfill my services to Śrīla Prabhupāda. So I am very enthusiastic to try to participate in various meetings and do various services.

Then we had the Śravaṇa-utsava, TOVP Yajña-śālā inauguration, Kīrtana-melā, and Saṅkīrtana awards. Tomorrow we will be having the adhivāsa for the Navadvīpa-maṇḍala parikramā. Since I was on an intense treatment, my doctors advised that I should avoid crowded places to reduce the risk of infection. So some of the programs I attended online, and some I participated in physically.

Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Message

I personally saw how much pain Śrīla Prabhupāda took to translate the books for our benefit. At times, he used to call me at midnight or 1 or 2 a.m., and when I went to his room, I used to see him translating the books. Śrīla Prabhupāda also emphasized that his followers study his books.

“Without preaching, without understanding philosophy, you cannot keep your strength. Everyone should be thoroughly well conversed with the philosophy which we are putting . . . That means you must read thoroughly every day.” –Morning walk, 12 December 1973, Los Angeles.

“I am requesting all of my students to read my books very seriously every day without fail. In this way, if your mind becomes absorbed at least one or two hours daily in the transcendental subject matter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, and other books, then very easily you will make your advancement in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.” –Letter to Bhargava, 13 June 1972, Los Angeles

“In addition to our chanting 16 rounds daily, we must all read at least one chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā. Read one chapter one day then go on to the next chapter the next day and in this way, after 18 days, we will have completed one reading. After four or five such complete reading we will know Bhagavad-gītā as it is and our questions and doubts will be answered. We are printing these books not for money but so that all devotees will read and understand … On Janmāṣṭamī day, next September, those students who wish may take an examination on Bhagavad-gītā. Those passing will receive a certificate and title of ‘Bhakti-śāstrī’, an official ministerial status.” –Memo to all temples: New York, November 24, 1968

"Whatever books we have got, it should be studied. Bhakti-śāstrī means Nectar of Devotion, Bhagavad-gītā, Nectar of Instruction, Beyond Death—in this way we select some ten books. That is Bhakti-śāstrī. Then we come to Bhāgavatam, then we come to Caitanya-caritāmṛta, in this way. So from next year, unless one passes Bhakti-śāstrī, he cannot be second initiated." –Morning Walk, January 6, 1976, Nellore.

My Message

I have read all the books of Śrīla Prabhupāda many times, but I also wanted to study them systematically and earn the degrees. So last week, I was awarded the Bhakti-sārvabhauma degree, and I want all my disciples to study the books and get the degrees and have spiritual qualifications.

The system Śrīla Prabhupāda made was that for Bhakti-śāstrī, one has to study Bhagavad-gītā, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction, and Śrī Īśopaniṣad. And then Bhakti-vaibhava, which is the study of the first 6 cantos of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, cantos 7 to 12, is for Bhakti-vedānta. Then Bhakti-sārvabhauma, which is the study of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

During the GBC meetings, His Grace Vaiśeṣika Prabhu and Caitanya Candra Caraṇa Prabhu were awarded the Bhakti-vedānta degree. So, it is very inspiring to see Śrīla Prabhupāda’s disciples and other senior devotees themselves setting a great example. When I visited ISKCON Kharghar, I was told that in their Bhaktivedānta College of Vedic Education, they have about 250 devotees taking the Bhakti-śāstrī course at present. Apart from the regular courses, one can also get the degrees by taking the summative test. Those who are above 40 and those who are in managerial positions, and if they know the scriptures well, they can do the Summative tests.

Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted this. He wanted people to study his books, to be proficient. He said we should be like lawyers. Everything we do, everything we say, should be backed by sādhu, śāstra, and guru.

Inspirational Stories

Devotees from ISKCON Coimbatore sent me a report of their “Gītāthon”. This is a program envisioned by His Holiness Bhaktivinoda Swami, and they conducted it in different schools, teaching them lessons based on Bhagavad-gītā. Over the past three years, this effort has been gradually expanding. Each year, they reached over 2,000 children, and this year, they had more than 4,000 children from over 30 schools. Each student received a Bhagavad-gītā kit which includes a Bhagavad-gītā, Gītāthon handbook, and chanting beads with a bag.

Devotees from East London Bhakti-vṛkṣa sent me another inspiring book distribution report that for 11 continuous years, they have been distributing more than 10,000 big books in the December Marathon. They said they were inspired by Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions to me to distribute 10,000 big books a month. This year, they distributed a total of 20,360 books.

I am constantly thinking about how to expand Lord Caitanya’s movement all over the world. So, now I am working on making videos on different topics. Some devotees volunteered to assist me. And if you are an expert in making videos, you can fill out the form https://form.jotform.com/260391208286054. I thank the devotees who have already come forward to help in this service.

Your well-wisher always,
Jayapatākā Swami

JPS/rrsdb