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EDITORIAL

December 27, 1999   VNN5161  Comment on this story

Srila Prabhupada's Disappearance


BY URUKRAM DASA

EDITORIAL, Dec 27 (VNN) — Srila Prabhupada disappearance.

(From Sri Vyasa Puja book of Srila BP Puri Goswami Maharaja)

There is one incident which I will never forget. A few days prior to his disappearance, Srila Prabhupada was sitting alone in his easy chair and I took the opportunity to place both of his feet on my chest and make some heartfelt prayers to him. Srila Prabhupada mercifully looked at me with moist eyes and blessed me. When my most worshipable spiritual master returned from Puri, he displayed a pastime of being gravely ill. He took to his bed, but even in that condition he gave us all instructions in a feeble voice. In those days I always carried paper and pen with me wherever I went.

I was just about to note down what Srila Prabhupada said when Sundarananda Prabhu came in, and so I handed the pen and paper to him because he could write more quickly. So it was he who noted everything that Prabhupada said. Afterwards, he showed these notes to Srila Prabhupada who approved them. Other than that which he said about Krsna, much of what Srila Prabhupada has said have been somewhat twisted and transformed. These last words have been printed elsewhere.

Thanks to Kunja Da, several brahmacaris, of whom I was one, took turns serving Srila Prabhupada in his last days. On December 31, 1936, my turn happened to end a few moments before Srila Prabhupada left this world. I was handing the fan and oxygen funnel to Krsnananda Brahmacari when Prabhupada called out, "Who is there?" I answered, "Prabhu, it is I, Pranavananda." My lord Srila Prabhupada said in a very weak voice, " Oh, oh, Pranavananda Prabhu. " I immediately asked him, "Prabhu, how are you feeling? " Then my lord and master said feebly, "And... and... Krsna.. Krsna... " I handed over the fan and oxygen funnel to Krsnananda Prabhu and went and sat down by the door. I was thinking, "What will happen to us all after Srila Prabhupada leaves?" At that very instant, Krsnananda Prabhu came to me and said,

"Pranava, come quickly. It's over!" The sound of crying and lamentation spread out in every direction; it was a fearful sound that permeated the ether. It seemed as if the world was covered with darkness.

The most amazing thing was that every clock in the Math stopped at this exact moment. It is beyond comprehension. It was as though the clocks were telling us that he had gone to a place beyond time, where the ravages of time could do no damage.

My lord and master is the spiritual master of the entire world. He is capable of delivering the unlimited universes. Therefore I respectfully say to all his initiated children that I am not your guru. Only Srila Prabhupada is your spiritual master and protector. I am one insignificant servant of his servant's servant. I am nothing but their slave and factotum. Only the Jagadguru Srila Prabhupada can maintain and deliver you. Therefore everyone that Bodhayana Maharaja requests me to accept, whether they are white or black, of high or low social status, rich or poor, I offer up to the feet of my own master, Srila Prabhupada.

Whenever I give initiation to anyone, I always tell them to closely follow the disciplic succession, the Bhagavata-parampara.

Submitted by Urukram dasa (Srila BP Puri Maharaja).


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