On December 23rd, 1936, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada gave his final instructions to the assembled devotees:
Perhaps many people have considered me their enemy because I was compelled to tell the unadulterated truth. I asked them to serve the Lord with all sincerity.
I have given much anxiety to many people only because I wanted to inspire them to serve Krishna sincerely without material desire and duplicity. One day they will understand this.
- sakale parama utsaha sahakare rupa raghunatha vani pracara sabara
“All of you preach the message of Rupa and Raghunatha to everyone with great enthusiasm.” - rupanuga-pada-dhuli haite sabara (jena) carama akanksa citte jage anibara
“May the ultimate desire to become a speck of dust at the lotus feet of the followers of Sri Rupa remain ever awake in our hearts.” - advaya-jnana-tattva vraje vrajendra-nandana (mula)-visaya-vigraha sei sarva-sevya-dhana
“Vrajendranandan Krishna is the principle of non-dual consciousness. He is the root object of devotion and the treasured object of service for all.” - tanra aprakrta indriya tarpana uddeseasrayanugatye sabe thaka mile mise
“In order to satisfy the transcendental senses of the one, non-dual Supreme Truth, remain united in following Radha, the original reservoir of love for Him.” - sabara uddesya eka sri-hari-bhajana taha sadhibare sabe karaha jatana
“Everyone make the effort to perfect your worship of Sri Hari; make this the only purpose of your lives.” - du’dinera jani ei anitya-samsara ihate mamata tyaji hao maya-para
“Remember that this world is temporary and lasts only a day or two. Give up your family attachment and transcend this world of illusion.” - kona-rupe jivana nirvaha kari cala nitya-tattva krsna-bhakti karaha sambala
“Maintain your worldly obligations in whatever way you can, but make the eternal principle, devotion to Krishna, the true purpose of your voyage through life.” - vipad ganjana sata sata se lanchana asuk tathapi hari-bhajana chero na
“Let hundreds of dangers, insults or persecutions come, but in spite of them, do not give up your worship of Krishna.” - sarva-vighna-vinasana prabhu gaura-hari avasya sri-pade sthana dibena daya kari
“Lord Gaura Hari destroys all obstacles on the path. He will surely be merciful and give you a place at His lotus feet.” - sri-krsna-vimukha heri adhikamsa jana suddha-krsna-seva-katha na kare grahana hayo na utsaha-hina tahate kakhana chero na jivatu tava nijera bhajana
“When you see that most people are indifferent to Sri Krishna and show no interest in selfless service to Krishna and in talks about Him, don’t be discouraged. First of all, never give up your bhajan, your life and soul.” - nija sarvasva krsna-katha sravanakirtana chariya daridrya kena karibe varana
“Why would you accept the poverty of a life without hearing and chanting about Krishna, your sole wealth?” - krsna-pada-padma maga jivera kalyana acire purabe vancha sarva-saktiman
“Beg for Krishna’s lotus feet, the ultimate benediction for all living beings. The Lord is all-powerful and will quickly fulfill your desires.” - asamartha nahe krsna dhare sarva-bala (krsna)-sevakera vancha kabhu na haya viphala
“Krishna is not incapable. He is omnipotent, and His servant’s desires never go in vain.” - trnapeksa hina dina apane manibe
tru-sama sahya-guna bhusita haibe
amani manada haye sada nama labe
sri-nama-bhajane sarva-pradhana janibe
“Please always chant the name of the Lord, being humbler than a blade of grass and more tolerant than a tree. Give all respect to others and demand none for yourself. Make the worship of the holy name the most important aspect of your devotional life.” - sri-caitanya-pravartita sankirtana yajna ihate laiya diksa bhajibena vijna
“A wise person will worship the Lord after taking initiation in the sacrifice of the holy name inaugurated by Sri Krishna Chaitanya and His associates.” - sapta-sikha nama yajnanale atmahuti visese kalite ei sastrera jukati
“Offer yourself up to the seven flames of this sacrificial fire. The scriptures say that this especially is the religious principle for the Age of Kali.” - karma-vira dharma-vira haye kaja nai jnana-yoga-tapa-adi pathe kasta pai
“We do not seek to become heroes performing great works or religious deeds. We will become distressed if we take up the paths of knowledge, works or austerities.” - sri-rupera pada-dhuli janaha svarupa sei se sarvasva tahe na hao virupa
“Know that your true identity is to be a speck of dust at the lotus feet of Sri Rupa Prabhu; don’t go against this identity, which is your treasure.” - rupanuga-varya hana sri-bhaktivinoda se bhaktivinoda-dharya bahe suddha moda
“Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur is the best of the followers of Sri Rupa Goswami. The pure joy of devotional service comes in the stream that started with him.” - bhakti-rasmrta-purna sei puta dhara kakhano habe na ruddha sata-vighna dvara
“That stream is holy and full of nectarine flavors of devotion. Even a hundred obstacles will never obstruct it.” - se dharaya haiya snata buddhiman jana bhaktivinoda-mano’bhista karaha purana
“Intelligent persons who have bathed in the waters of that stream should endeavor to fulfill the heartfelt wishes of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur.” - bahu yogya krti-vyakti achaha tomara hao sabe aguwan esa kari tvara
“Amongst you are many capable and worthy individuals. So all of you quickly come forward and take up this task.” - dante trna dhari ei jaci punah punah sri-rupa-pada-dhuli jena hai janma janma
“Taking grass between my teeth, I pray repeatedly that I may become a speck of dust at Sri Rupa Goswami’s lotus feet, birth after birth.” - iha vina anyakanksa nahuka hrdaye ei vancha sarva-hrde hauk udaye
“Other than this, I pray that no other desire will manifest in my or anyone else’s heart.” - e samsare thaka-kale ache nana badha tahe muhyaman kabhu nahibe sarvatha
“While living in this world, we encounter many difficulties; but there is no need for us ever to be bewildered by these difficulties.” - badha matra dura karai nahe prayojana atahpara kiba labhya cinte vijna-jana
“We need make no effort to remove any of these obstacles. What is necessary for us, while we are still here, is to learn what is beyond – what will be the nature of our eternal life.” - nitya-atma ami mora nitya sei jivana ekhani hauk tara tattva-nirdharana
“Let me realize at this very moment the nature of my eternal spiritual identity and my eternal life in the spiritual world.” - akarsana-vikarsanera vastu ache jata cahi va na cahi emana kahibe va kata
“There are so many things that attract and repel us. There is no end to the things that we want and don’t want.” - ei duhun mimamsa sighra kari matiman nitya-tattva krsna-bhakti karaha sandhana
“We have to resolve what exactly we do or do not want and decide to search for our devotional service to Krishna, the eternal truth.” - o duwera yuddhe jadi jayi hate cao (tabe) aprakrta namakrsta hale raksa pao
“If you wish to triumph over attraction and repulsion, then you should remember that by becoming attracted to the transcendental holy name, you will be delivered from them.” - krsna-seva rasa-katha tabe ta bujhibe tuccha saba rasa prati ghrna upajibe
“Then you will understand the nature of service to Krishna and the taste of His divine topics. Then you will feel nothing but disgust for the other insignificant pleasures of this world.” - krsnanusilana jata vardhita haibe
(jara) visaya-pipasa tata kamite thakibe
“As you continue cultivating your consciousness of Krishna, your thirst for material sense-objects will decrease.” - bara-i kathina tattva krsna-katha haya
apata camaka-prada jatilartha-maya
“The philosophy of Krishna consciousness is very perplexing. At first it seems startling and full of complex details.” - nami hate tanra nama adhika karuna asraya laile tattva karena jnapana
“The holy name is more compassionate than the Lord of the name Himself. If one takes shelter of the name, then it unravels all these philosophical complexities.” - nitya-praypjana modera krsna-prema-dhana taha anubhave kama badhe sarva-ksana
“The treasure of love for Krishna is the eternal goal of our lives. At every moment personal desires interfere without our realizing it.” - namasraye sei badha hay apanita krsna-prema-rajye vasa haya abhipsita
“By taking shelter of the holy name, all these obstacles are removed, and we can obtain the fulfillment of our true desire, which is to dwell in the realm of pure love of Krishna.” - e jagate keha nahe anuraga-patra athava viraga-patra nahe anumatra
“In this world, no one is the special object of my affection, nor do I have the slightest hostility towards anyone.” - sakala vyavastha etha ksana-sthayi haya etha-kara labhalabha vicaraha naya
“Whatever arrangements we make in this world are temporary. There is no need to waste time thinking about gain or loss here.” - sabakara labhya sei eka prayojana sri-krsna-padaravinde prema mahadhana
“The only thing anyone should strive for is the one supreme goal of life. That is the treasure of love for Krishna’s lotus feet.” - tad-uddesya sabe mili hao yatnavan eka-dhyana eka-jnana hao eka-tana
“So, join together all of you and strive for this goal. Work together harmoniously, with a single thing in mind and a single understanding.” - ekoddesya aikatane avasthita hao mulasraya-vigraha-sevaya adhikara lao
“Working together with the same purpose, we will become qualified for the service of Radharani, the original reservoir of love for Krishna.” - rupanuga-cinta-srota hok pravahita ta hate svatantrya kabhu nahe samhita
“May the stream of ideas promoted by Rupa Goswami and his followers ever flow. We must never try to be independent of his doctrine.” - sapta-jihtva nama-sankirtana-yajna prati kakhano viraga jena na haya arati
“May we never become indifferent or disinterested in the sacrifice of the holy name with its fire of seven flames.” - ekantanuraga tahe thake vardhamana tabe ta sarvartha-siddhi purna manaskama
“In the performance of sankirtan, if your single-minded devotion goes on increasing, then all your desires will be fulfilled and all your goals, achieved.” - sri-rupanuga janera pada-padma dhara ekanta bhavete tandera anugatya kara
“Take hold of the feet of the followers of Sri Rupa Goswami and follow them with exclusive commitment.” - sri-rupa-raghunatha-katha parama-utsahe birbhaye pracara kara sarva-siddhi jahe
“Preach the message of Sri Rupa and Raghunatha fearlessly and with great enthusiasm. Through this preaching, you will attain all perfection.”