HH Indradyumna Swami says a few words on HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja

Dear disciples of Bhakti Charu Maharaja,

Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

On this auspicious day of Guru Purnima I want to express my condolences to all of you on the departure of your beloved spiritual master, Bhakti Charu Maharaja. I had planned to write an offering to him today, but I feel a letter to console all of you in your grief would be of greater service to him.
My heart goes out to all of you wherever you are in the world. The outpouring of love and appreciation for your spiritual master currently flooding the worldwide ISKCON community shows the immensity of his influence and personality. He touched the hearts of countless devotees, even those he never met:
“The transcendental attractive qualities of an exalted devotee popularise his presence everywhere even though he may be hidden from public view, just as musk spreads its fragrance everywhere even when locked away in a tight container.”
[Srila Rupa Goswami – Vidagdha Madhava]

As your Guru Maharaja was a close friend of mine for many years, I am crying alongside you. Although we know intellectually from our philosophy that the “soul is eternal and never dies”, we cannot deny the sadness we feel when a devotee departs. Srila Prabhupada refers to the devotees’ soft-heartedness in a purport in Bhagavad Gita:
“While observing the situation of his enemy, Arjuna stood up on the chariot, but he was so afflicted with lamentation that he sat down again, setting aside his bow and arrows. Such a kind and soft-hearted person, in the devotional service of the Lord, is fit to receive self-knowledge.”
[Bhagavad-gita 1.46]

These next few days and weeks will be a time of grieving for you. Please know that I and our entire movement grieve with you. It must be so.
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, a time to die … a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.”
[Ecclesiastes 3:1-8]

In a Vyasa Puja offering he wrote in 1961 our beloved Srila Prabhupada personally expressed the same anguish we are all now feeling in reference to the departure of his spiritual master:
“On this day, O my master, I made a cry of grief; I was not able to tolerate the absence of my guru.”

I and all my dear godbrothers and godsisters have also experienced this in the loss of our spiritual master. To this day I have not recovered from Srila Prabhupada’s departure. I live in a constant state of separation from my beloved master, as well as from other godbrothers and godsisters who have since departed.
“Only in the agony of parting do we look into the depths of love.”
[ George Elliot ]

The question many of you are pondering now is how you will continue on without the physical presence of the dearest person in your life. The answer is that you will continue on by remembering all the many valuable lessons you learned from him both through all that he did and all that he said.
The most important thing to remember is that there is never any question of separation from your spiritual master. Through the transcendental medium he will always be with you. This is confirmed in a 1929 edition of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati’s Harmonist magazine where we find the famous stanza Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur wrote after visiting the samadhi of Srila Haridasa Thakura in Jagannatha Puri:
“He reasons ill who tells that Vaisnavas die
when thou art living still in sound.
The Vaisnavas die to live and living try
to spread a holy life around!”

Srila Prabhupada personally expressed the same sentiment in a letter he wrote to me in 1971:
“My dear Bhakta Brian, I can understand your feelings of separation from me after I left the Detroit temple. I am also feeling separation from my guru maharaja, although I feel he is always watching over and protecting me.”
You can also find solace in knowing that although Bhakti Charu Maharaja has left us, he is Srila Prabhupada’s eternal servant and is either on another preaching adventure with Srila Prabhupada or is, by his grace, engaged in eternal life in the transcendental realm. Srila Prabhupada himself confirms that, for the devotee, both living and dying are the same:
Prabhupada: We have no such difference, disappearance and appearance.
Giriraja: Except in your case. We don’t want disappearance.
Prabhupada: Jivo va maro va. Because we are going to accept eternity, so appearance and disappearance of this body is not a very important thing. Nitya-lila, eternal life – that is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
[Room conversation, Vrindavan, 1977]

You can be very proud of your spiritual master! He spent a lifetime in service to Srila Prabhupada and Krsna; he captured their hearts and they have taken him from this world of birth and death to be with them.

“O best of My devotees, for so many lifetimes you have abandoned your wife and home to attain Me. For the sake of My service you endured untold miseries such as cold, wind, hunger, thirst, and pain. Maintaining your life by begging, you tolerated countless abuses and insults from others. Unable to repay you, I have become indebted to you. For you, lordship over the entire earth, sovereignty of the heavenly planets, the position of Lord Brahma and all the various mystic perfections, are completely unsuitable. How could I grant them to you? These things are grass and straw which animals find enjoyable, but they are not fit for humans. Though I’m unconquerable, today I’ve certainly been conquered by you. Now I’m taking shelter of the creeper of your excellent character and gentle conduct!”
[Madhurya Kadambini, Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur, Eight Nectar Shower, 4b, Bhagavan glorifies His devotee]

Once again, my heart goes out to all of you. If I can be of any service to any one of you, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Your servant in service to your spiritual master,
Indradyumna Swami

 
 
 
Vaisesika Prabhu says a few words on HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=326057508395431&ref=watch_permalink

HH Bhaktivaibhava Swami says a few words on HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja

My dear disciples of His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I will not attempt to imagine the pain and emotions you are going through at
this moment after the departure of your beloved Guru Maharaja. I can only
join Anuttama Prabhu’s memory of the pain and emotions we experienced when
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktividanta Swami Prabhupada left this mortal world.
Although we were aware that Srila Prabhupada was very sick at that time, the
thought that he could pass away from this world never crossed my mind, not
even for a second. Srila Prabhupada was my life and soul – period. When I
received the devastating news of Srila Prabhupada’s departure while
preaching in Beirut (Lebanon) at that time, I was sitting in my room for two
days, not being able to eat or sleep or do anything else, except chanting
the Holy Name and remembering Srila Prabhupada with tears constantly flowing
from my eyes. The whole world collapsed for me. Was there any use to
continue?

Now I had to take shelter of Srila Prabhupada’s vani form, remembering him
saying that he always felt the presence of his Guru Maharaja. This form of
the spiritual master the disciple can render service to day and night, and
Srila Prabhupada reciprocated in so many ways. Additionally, I had the
association of all the wonderful Godbrothers and -sisters of which I am ever
grateful. They all shared their precious experience with Srila Prabhupada,
which broadened the limited experience I had with His Divine Grace. This
vani form of Srila Prabhupada always remains with me till my last breath.

All I am trying to say is that we disciples of Srila Prabhupada would like
to ask your permission to give our support to you at this difficult time in
your spiritual life. We love and respect you, because you are the spiritual
sons and daughters of your Guru Maharaja whom we love and respect dearly. As
Anuttama Prabhu so nicely wrote, your Guru Maharaja often stressed the
importance of cooperating with each other in our service to Srila
Prabhupada’s movement. This was the direct instruction of Srila Prabhupada.
If we can serve that instruction, your Guru Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada
will be very pleased.

Your servant,

Bhaktivaibhava Swami

 
 
 
Hrdayananda Goswami says a few words on HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=2802860233277851&ref=watch_permalink

HH Bhanu Swami says a few words on HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja

There is no question of honoring any devotee of Krishna, since such a
devotee is very rare. However, if the devotee exhibits the qualities
mentioned in Bhagavatam and Caitanya Caritamrta, how much more we must honor that devotee. Bhakti Charu Swami was known by all who met him as the most gentle, humble, compassionate and learned devotee. Everyone valued his
association. Thus, in his absence there will feelings of great loss for everyone. But for his disciples there will be extreme feelings of vacancy, because of their relationship to him as his dependent, like the feelings of a child on the loss of his parent. Since this relationship is spiritual, the loss is felt even more intense.

However, as devotees we also have a special vision, explained in Bhagavad
Gita and by Srila Prabhupada. The devotee has no death, no departure. He is
the eternal servant of Krishna. Thus, Bhakti Charu Swami serves joyfully
wherever Krishna places him.

For us who are still living, and especially for his disciples, there are
feelings of intense loss and separation. But by spiritual vision we can see
him as still living.  This is accomplished by continuing service to him, by
trying to remember and follow his dearest instructions.  I am sure that if
disciples follow this principle, they will live with him and continue to be
inspired by him.

Srila Prabhupada, by remembering and following the order of his spiritual
master, was able to accomplish the impossible.  I am sure that all of Bhakti
Charu Swami’s disciples, following this path, will be able to accomplish the
greatest tasks for the pleasure of Sri Krishna.  May this be some
compensation for the loss of his physical presence.

 
HH Niranjana Swami says a few words on HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xdrguHUPslxPrT_5BvrCd-TH9_cv_Zud/view?usp=s
haring&fbclid=IwAR1rPUV0Y4Du4p2ZIIPHur4Mc4XapQrvNMYrG1fi26SAC5KueeZeuDnCues

HH Prahladananda Swami says a few words on HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja

Dear devotees,
Please accept my obeisances. _/\o_  All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

More than anything concerning the disappearance of Bhakti Caru Swami I am
solaced by the appreciation of his character and service expressed by his
godbrothers and leaders of ISKCON.  I believe ISKCON above everything is
meant to carry on the vision and mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu that
Srila Prabhupada revealed to the world.  However, that vision and mission
especially becomes alive in the Krishna conscious loving exchanges between
the devotees.  Especially in their loving exchanges senior devotees give
life to ISKCON.  If the seniors love and respect each other, the juniors
will learn also how to respect and love each other.

Srila Prabhupada has told us that our relationship with the spiritual master
is eternal.  That relationship develops eternally the more the disciple
takes interest in understanding and following the spiritual master’s example
and instructions.  A spiritual master is a master because he is the servant
of the servants of the supreme master, Lord Krishna.  Our supreme master in
the form of Lord Caitanya,  has told us that whomever we meet, we should
with transcendental discrimination and expertise try to help that soul
advance in Krishna consciousness.  Bhakti Caru Swami will especially
continued to be served and glorified by his disciples and followers by their
thoughtful and affectionate service to whomever they meet.  This was his
example and the example and of his master, Srila Prabhupada.

Your servant,
Prahladananda Swami

 
HG Praghosa das says a few words on HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja

Dear Devotees,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All
glories to Srila Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja.

It is so, so harrowing to endure the departure of someone we love. Indeed
there are so many specialists who deal exclusively with helping people
through such upheaval and loss. I lost my mother nearly 50 years ago and I
still remember that day so vividly, as the trauma at the time was as
unbearable as I could have imagined.

Thus it is not surprising to see so much outpouring and love expressed when
someone departs. Indeed those close to a departed loved one will often
honour them for the rest of their lives, bringing flowers to their grave or
memorial on a regular basis.

As devotees we also experience these emotions. In some ways we are better
protected from such grief due to being grounded by our philosophy. In other
ways it can be even worse when we lose someone, who we not only love, but
someone who has helped us so much and given their life to help us on the
path back to Godhead, back to Lord Krishna.

So please know that your grieving at this time is both understandable and
needed and as the days pass it will become more and more clear that all that
HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja has sacrificed for you in assisting in your
spiritual journey remains and even more importantly continues.

So kindly rest assured that Maharaja is still with you and still urging you
to do all you can to remain fixed at his lotus feet and by doing so you will
also remain fixed at the lotus feet of his beloved spiritual master, Srila
AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, in the very same way your Guru Maharaja
is. Indeed there is no one more loyal and dedication to Srila Prabhupada and
his ISKCON mission than your Guru Maharaja.

Lord Caitanya, manifested one most incredibly notable emotion, the rasa of
acute hankering for Krishna, known as vipralambha, service in separation. We
know that without union there can be no separation and without separation
there can be no union. One is fully dependent on the other and each is
equally beautiful and ecstatic.

Right now what you are experiencing is an important component for your
ongoing and ever increasing loving relationship with your dearmost Guru
Maharaja. Please also know you are not alone as so many of your Guru
Maharaja’s godbrothers and godsisters, nephews and nieces are experiencing
the very same and we all stand with you during this extraordinary time.

Let me finish by offering assurance that we will all get through this and
while we do not know what the Lord’s plan is, we do know that He has a plan,
a plan that is perfect for all of us. This mood I think was expressed no
more perfectly than by Lord Caitanya Himself as follows:

He prayed, “O My Lord, in Your separation I am feeling one moment to be like
twelve years or more. Tears are falling from My eyes like torrents of rain,
and the whole world appears vacant in Your absence. I know no one but
Krishna as My Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles Me roughly by
His embrace, or makes Me broken hearted by not being present before Me. He
is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is my most
worshipable Lord, unconditionally.” (Siksastaka 7–8).

His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja ki jai!

HH Kesava Bharati das Goswami says a few words on HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja

Dear devotees,

May Śrīla Prabhupāda shower his blessings on you. All glories to His Divine Grace.

We’ve just lost one of ISKCON’s most important leaders, His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami, who succumbed to Covid19 and the complications it brought on. He departed on the auspicious day of guru-pūrṇimā, which is also the disappearance day of Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, a befitting day for one who relished sharing his realizations of Śrī Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta, even before the BBT published Gopīparandhana Prabhu’s translation. Such was his profound knowledge of śāstra.

HH Bhakti Charu Swami was a symbol of encouragement to everyone and a perfect example of how to co-operate together in the mood of his eternal spiritual father and friend, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda.

Mahārāja spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness on a level that is rare in the history of Vaiṣṇavism. The innovative projects he spearheaded and completed are too numerous to count. But most importantly he was genuinely affectionate to everyone he met. I first met him in 1977 during the Mayapur meetings and festival. I don’t remember if it was his first meeting with Śrīla Prabhupāda, but I’ve always remembered and relished the powerful first impression I received with the first long, warm embrace of many to come from this elevated soul.

I watched Mahārāja serve Śrīla Prabhupāda with such tender affection later that year during the last month of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s transcendental pastimes. Mahārāja was at once an intimate disciple. Everyone could see that as Śrīla Prabhupāda gave him first second initiation at once and shortly after sannyasa initiation, in rapid order, perhaps the most rapid of all his disciples.

Love and trust is everything in devotional relationships, and Mahārāja’s love for and trust in Śrīla Prabhupāda emanated from his every word and deed, as indeed did Śrīla Prabhupāda’s trust in Mahārāja.

Bhakti Charu Mahārāja’s personal dealings were always eloquently refined, spiritually cultured reflections of the loving relationships displayed by Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His eternal associates we read about in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

We who have borne the separation of Śrīla Prabhupāda for almost 43 years pour out our love and affection to all of Mahārāja’s disciples in their grief, a grief which is not fully comprehensible to any but those who have lost their eternal spiritual masters. I vow to help you in any way I can bear the grief you are now forced to bear.

But we should all cling to the essential point Śrīla Bhakti Charu Mahārāja repeatedly stressed: That Śrīla Prabhupāda is the Founder / Ācārya of ISKCON for as long as it exists. By keeping Śrīla Prabhupāda in the center, especially by keeping his books in the center, constantly reading and distributing them to others, we will preserve Mahārāja’s instructions and legacy in the best possible way and help him help Śrīla Prabhupāda keep his movement together.

Let us all follow in Śrīla Bhakti Charu Swami’s footsteps by staying in ISKCON, come what may, and honor the special undying loyalty Mahārāja had for Śrīla Prabhupada’s spiritual family, which is, as His Divine Grace writes, “Our International Society for Krishna Consciousness is one of the branches of the Caitanya tree.”

Hare Krishna

Keśava Bhāratī Dāsa Goswami

 
HH Partha-sarathi das Goswami says a few words on HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja

I first heard Srila Bhakti Charu Maharaja speak in 1987. He was giving a Srimad Bhagavatam class at the Krishna Balarama Mandir. I was immediately impressed by his speech, his deep empathy, compassion and narrative. After the class I followed him into the reception area of our Krishna Balarama Guesthouse to speak to him. I thanked him for the inspiring talk and invited him to South Africa. Over the coming years he would fondly remind me that I was the first to invite him to South Africa.

Subsequently, if I remember correctly, in 1988 he was appointed the chairman of the GBC and he came to South Africa to unify the devotees and help with the spreading of Krishna consciousness here. His mood stressed co-operation and the most senior grand disciples of Srila Prabhupada, namely Sri Hari Prabhu, Tribhanga Prabhu and Srutakirti Prabhu took shelter of him and later became his disciples.

Over the years Srila Bhakti Charu Maharaja personally helped me on various occasions when there were some misunderstanding or politics. I remember Maharaja as a sensitive and spiritually advanced gentleman. I accept him as an eternal associate of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and that his birth in Bengal and service to Srila Prabhupada from 1976 onwards was a direct arrangement of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Srila Prabhupada personally gave him sannyasa and he served Srila Prabhupada intimately, especially in 1977. 

Within my mind there is no doubt that he has now joined in the Lord’s pastimes in the  spiritual association of our beloved Guru Maharaja, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Srila Gaura Kisora Das Babaji and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. All these acharyas are intimate associates in Goloka Vrndavana and by their arrangement Srila Bhakti Charu Maharaja appeared in this material world for the express purpose of serving Srila Prabhupada and establishing Krishna consciousness in various parts of the world.

Two weeks ago when I first got news that Maharaja contracted the virus and was hospitalized, I saw it as a lila of Maharaja’s and it reminded me of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s lila of leaving this world. At a time like this it is important to see through sastra, sastra-caksus. It is easy to feel desperation, despondency and despair. And while this is natural as there is no greater pain than the pain of separation from the Vaishanvas, I immediately thought of The Passing of Haridasa Thakura as described in the Caitanya Caritamrta, Antya-lila Chapter 11.

When you read the description of Srila Haridasa Thakura passing away there is jubilation, happiness, ecstasy, bliss, charm and sweetness. I humbly request the devotees to please read Antya-lila Chapter 11. I would like to quote Texts 57 to 64 in this offering to Srila Bhakti Charu Maharaja

“Seeing the wonderful death of Haridāsa Ṭhākura by his own will, which was just like a great mystic yogī’s, everyone remembered the passing away of Bhīṣma.There was a tumultuous noise as they all chanted the holy names “Hari” and “Kṛṣṇa.” Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became overwhelmed with ecstatic love.The Lord raised the body of Haridāsa Ṭhākura and placed it on His lap. Then He began to dance in the courtyard in great ecstatic love. Because of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s ecstatic love, all the devotees were helpless, and in ecstatic love they also began to dance and chant congregationally. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu danced for some time, and then Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī informed Him of other rituals for the body of Ṭhākura Haridāsa. The body of Haridāsa Ṭhākura was then raised onto a carrier that resembled an airship and taken to the sea, accompanied by congregational chanting. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu danced in front of the procession, and Vakreśvara Paṇḍita, along with the other devotees, chanted and danced behind Him. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu bathed the body of Haridāsa Ṭhākura in the sea and then declared, ‘From this day on, this sea has become a great pilgrimage site.’”

We can understand from the words of Srila Krishna Das Kaviraj that at the passing away of Srila Haridasa Thakura there were no mundane sentiments of depression, material despair, nor hopelessness rather it was a way to ecstatic love of Krishna, prema-vista, to become absorbed in love of Krishna. Indeed, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was dancing with the body of Haridasa Thakura.

Our ISKCON, as Srila Prabhupada has stated in a commentary in Caitanya Caritamrta, is non-different from the pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Still, it’s natural for the disciples to feel separation from the spiritual master. And it’s sad that we can’t be together giving each other support, but you are all in my thoughts and prayers. It’s important that we all carry Maharaja’s mood and instructions in our heart and act in a way that will please him. Maharaja was so full of love and compassion, always enquiring about one’s welfare and making arrangements to accommodate devotees of all stature. 

If we see from a spiritual point of view as described in Caitanya Caritamrta there is no cause for lamentation but simply joy that Srila Bhakti Charu Maharaja has now gained the personal association of Srila Prabhupada in his spiritual body in Goloka Vrndavana. This is the destination for all serious and sincere followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

I repeatedly offer my koti koti dandavats to the dust of Srila Bhakti Charu Maharaja’s divine lotus feet and pray that I can try to please Srila Prabhupada and our guru parampara as he did. Srila Bhakti Charu Maharaja will always remain my senior siksa-guru, a beloved intimate servant of Srila Prabhupada, an exemplary inspirational leader within the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and the perfectly devoted disciple of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. If in this lifetime, I can please Srila Prabhupada and our guru parampara even one-millionth of what Srila Bhakti Charu Maharaja did then I will consider my life a great success.

To Maharaja’s disciples, please know that you are not alone, Maharaja always had a family spirit and we are all one big family so please take shelter of those you have faith in. This would please Srila Bhakti Charu Maharaja.

Srila Bhakti Charu Maharaja ki jaya!
Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!
Ananta koti Vaisnava vrnda ki jaya!

Your lowly and fallen servant,
Partha Sarathi Das Goswami

HH Bhakti Caitanya Swami says a few words on HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja
 
(apologies for sending this message out late – it was given to us on the morning of Bhakti Charu Maharaja’s departure)

My dear nephews and nieces in Krishna consciousness, disciples of Bhakti Caru Maharaja,

Please accept my best wishes. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

At 8.30am this morning, Florida time, I received a phone call from one of your more senior Godbrothers who is currently there. He was in a deeply emotional state, and I immediately understood what he had called me about, before he could even tell me. Your Guru Maharaja had departed from this world, back to Srila Prabhupada and Srimati Radharani and Lord Krishna just one or two minutes before.

I am a member of the Executive Committee of the GBC Body, so I dutifully reported this information to our secretariat, for distribution throughout the ISKCON world, but as I did this I felt myself becoming more and more overpowered by feelings of loss.

It reminded me of the day our Temple President in Bhaktivedanta Manor, in England, called me into his office and informed me that Srila Prabhupada had left this world. The whole experience was quite unreal and practically undigestible. Today, when I got this news I wondered how Krishna could have allowed this to happen. It seemed so strange. Such an extraordinary devotee who had done so much for Prabhupada and seemingly still had a number of years before him to do more, suddenly torn away from us by this stupid virus, of all things.

But then I remembered that Krishna has His plan, and that plan takes precedence over all others. Srila Prabhupada said, “I have my plan, and you have your plan, but Krishna has His plan.” We all know which of those plans is going to take precedence. Sometimes it is beyond our ability to understand why Krishna does some things, but we must keep the faith that it is always for the best, one way or the other.

At the beginning of a class Srila Prabhupada gave on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 12, verses 13 and 14 he says: “So this Krishna consciousness movement means how to become dear to Krishna: ‘How Krishna will love me.’”

Because Krishna loves. He loves those who serve Him and give their lives to please Him. And when someone has served Him and pleased Him in that way for many years, Krishna feels he cannot live without the association of such a devotee, and He takes the devotee to Him. I feel this has happened with Bhakti Caru Maharaja.

What an exceptional devotee. What an exceptionally kind and loving devotee. There are many wonderful devotees in Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON, but among them Bhakti Caru Maharaja was one of the most, most sublime. I knew him from the mid-1980’s when he came to South Africa at my request, and immediately I saw that here is a Vaisnava with a heart of gold. A gentle and affectionate devotee who simply exudes love for Srila Prabhupada, and gave that love to all he met, including myself.

Over the years we spent so much time together, and never once was he ever anything other than extremely kind to me. Many times he invited me for lunch, which he would cook and serve himself. Many times I heard him give wonderful classes and lead amazing kirtanas and bhajanas. Many times I heard him preach to devotees who were having difficulty getting on together, and get them to put aside their differences and come together at Srila Prabhupada’s lotus feet.

It feels like part of my heart has departed today.

But we are all going to be together, eternally. Srila Prabhupada said that we will have another ISKCON in the spiritual world. One of the foundational concepts in Krishna consciousness that the relationship between the spiritual master and the disciples is eternal. So if you all keep engaged in your Guru Maharaja’s service in ISKCON, you will feel his presence in your life, and as has happened with Srila Prabhupada’s disciples who have continued in his service, you will find your pain in having lost your spiritual master will subside. You will become more and more inspired in your Guru Maharaja’s service, and become spiritually stronger as this happens. You will find that service in separation is actually the most blissful form of devotional service, contradicting material ideas of relationship.

As Srila Prabhupada said once: “I thank you very much for your feelings about me, but you should know that you are always with me. Because you are sincere servitor of Krishna and following my direction sincerely, so you are always with me.” Another time a devotee asked Srila Prabhupada: “Prabhupäda, will you be our father eternally? Will you always be our spiritual master, eternally?” Jokingly, Prabhupäda said, “Yes, I think so.” Then he quoted a verse, cakhudäna dilo yei janme janme prabhu sei, but he said, “janme janme pétä sei. The one who has opened my eyes-he is my father life after life.”

Perhaps right now that may be difficult to digest, but please know that it is true, and through devotional service it will be realized.

Also please know that we, the Godbrothers and Godsisters of Bhakti Caru Maharaja are at your service. We will do anything we can to help you deal with this great challenge. We have been there, through the disappearance of Srila Prabhupada, and we have survived to become completely happy in his service in separation.

So please call on us. We are ready to do our best to help.

Your humble servant, in the service of Bhakti Caru Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada,

Bhakti Caitanya Swami

 
HG Kalakantha das says a few words on HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja
Dear Bhakti Caru Swami,

Please accept my humble obeisances !

All glories to Srila Prabhupada !

Today while doing puja to Salagram Sila I sensed your departure. The feeling was peaceful but I couldn’t hold a sense of deep sadness for your possible departure. An hour later the official message of your departure was announced by the GBC EC.

You are a true Vaishnava and your compassion is really boundless. Everyone who met you would immediately experience your gentleman way of behaving. It didn’t matter what was the external situation of someone you would always treat him as someone special

For the institution your contribution has been massive and it will take time for us to adjust to your physical absence.

When the ministry of Cow protection was just starting to expand its activities globally you came forward with the desire to make this aspect of the mission a reality. You assisted in every little way, and through your support the ministry could reach all continents.

For the ministry of Cow Protection and Agriculture your inspiration, support and guidance has been very marking. One of your last desires was to see Srila Prabhupa cows and bulls protected by ISKCON for the pleasure of Krishna. You personally told me that we have to do this.

On this day of great sorrow, we pray that your life will always be a beacon to illuminate and inspire the countless challenges throughout our lives.

Your hopeful servant,

Kalakantha das

GBC Minister of Cow Protection and Agriculture