last updated 15th October 2006 (9 AM NZ)

Dear Devotees,

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

It is with deep regret that we inform you of the disappearance of Sripad Bhakti Svarupa Damodara Maharaja due to a massive cardiac arrest. He passed away around 12:15 am today in Calcutta, Srila Prabhupada's place of birth.

We the members and servants of the Governing Body Commission of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, express our profound bereavement on the passing of our dear Godbrother and fellow Governing Body Commissioner Sri Srimad Bhakti Svarupa Damodara Maharaja, the beloved disciple of ISKCON Founder/Acarya His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Srila Prabhupada gave special attention to Sripada Maharaja, even up to his last days in Vrindavana in November of 1977. He would sometimes refer to Sripada Maharaja affectionately as, "Our Dr. Svarupa Damodara" and "our scientist, Svarupa Damaodara", and there were hours of conversations between Prabhupada and Sripada Maharaja.

Sri Srimad Bhakti Svarupa Damodara Maharaja dedicated his life to fulfilling Srila Prabhupada's order to spread Krishna consciousness throughout the world especially through the medium of the Bhaktivedanta Institute. Maharaja tirelessly worked to publish literature, develop relationships with leading scientists and organize elaborate conferences that brought the scientific community together to hear the message of Krishna Consciousness in a language they could appreciate. While doing that, he simultaneously established Krishna Consciousness in his native State of Manipur. He spread the glories of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Srila Prabhupada throughout that area. He was always a gentle, humble soul who worked tirelessly in Srila Prabhupada's service. Even at his advanced age, he was traveling the globe attending conferences, meeting top scientists, preaching at ISKCON temples and programs. In this time of their great grief, we pledge ourselves to the service of his disciples and followers who are determined to carry on his great service to the mission of Srila Prabhupada.

Signed (on behalf of the GBC Body),

AC Bhaktivaibhava Swami
Chairman ISKCON GBC

 Please accept my humble obeisances _/\ò_. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

 It is with great regret and lamentation that we announce the sudden departure of Sripad Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami at approximately 12:15 AM Kolkata time, October 2nd, 2006, in Kolkata India. Sripad Maharaja, as he was affectionately known by his followers, was sixty-nine years old.

 This is a brief report only and as more information becomes available it will be released via Pamho.net and Dandavats.com

 Sripad Maharaja was staying in the Bhaktivedanta Institute flat in Kolkata with four assistants, Brajendra Kumar, Brajapati, Brihaspati and Gunam Canda Singh. He had been receiving treatment for the injury he sustained in the grenade attack at Janmastami in ISKCON's Manipur temple. Just before midnight Maharaja called for Brajendra Kumar prabhu complaining of severe pain in his shoulder. Over the next few minutes he became breathless, and before a doctor could be called, he departed this mortal world for the transcendental realm.

 Because of the time, a doctor could only be called later this morning. He confirmed the cause of death as ventricular fibulation leading to cardiac arrest.

 At the time of writing, 9 AM October 2 2006, the intention is to take the body of Sripada Maharaja first to Imphal, Manipur on an 11 AM flight, and thence to New Delhi this evening, and then on to Radha-kunda. It was Maharaja's wish that he be put into samadhi in Radha-kunda.

 However because of the necessary preparations that have to be made for transporting his body, clearance of airline regulations etc. it may not be possible to go to Imphal. In this case his body will be flown directly to New Delhi most likely this afternoon.

 The devotees of ISKCON Mayapur wish to express their shock and grief at the departure of Sripad Maharaja, and offer their most heartfelt condolences and prayers to the disciples and associates of Sripad Maharaja whose hearts must surely be burning in the fire of separation at the loss of their beloved spiritual master.

 We will keep the devotee community advised via the internet as further information becomes available. Anyone wishing to ring may contact the Kolkata Vice President, Sriman Varada Krishna prabhu on +09331260760.

        On behalf of ISKCON Mayapur
        Your humble servant,
        Hari-sauri dasa
(Text PAMHO:12337842) --------------------------------------
 
 

  Today many devotees visited from Kolkata, for darshan throughout the day, chanting and alternating various kirtan melodies.
  Maharaja's body actually looked effulgent with a  demeanor of peace, having successfully left this world after so much service to Srila Prabhupada. As some disciples sat and chanted, others were showing some of Maharaja's books to visiting guests in the outside room, others were making preparations to bring the body to Vrindaban. Tomorrow the body will be flown to Delhi, then on Wednesday to Krsna Balarama Mandir and after darshan of Srila Prabhupada, will be placed in Samadhi at Radha Kunda on Thursday morning.

ysbss (Bhaktisiddhanta Swami)
 

Date: 22 September 2006 7:58:49 AM
To: <Forum_BSDS_Disciples@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [Forum_BSDS_Disciples] Guru Maharaja song & message for you
Reply-To: Forum_BSDS_Disciples@yahoogroups.com

Dear Prabhus and Matajis,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhuapda  and Guru Maharaja.

Finally I am able to edit the two audio recordings, according to Guru Maharaja's instructions. I went thru both. It was actually when Guru Maharaja started addressing you after the song as,"My dear dvotees", he could not speak further. Hare Krishna!  (Click HERE to play)

Your servant
Vrajapati das
PS: if you do not have real player to play the attached audio file, please download free basic player (~5MB) from http://www.real.com

     -----------------------------------------------------

     hare krishna hare krishna / krishna krishna hare hare
           hare rama hare rama / rama rama hare hare

** Please post your photos of Guru Maharaj here: http:// ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/Forum_BSDS_Disciples/photos/browse/
(photos sent as attachments are not stored - pls save the good pix here)

I had the great fortune to attend the samadhi installation of HH Srila Bhakti Svarupa Damodara Maharaja. There was a large deep hole dug in the courtyard of the Gopal Mandira. Many devotees had assembled, at least 800, so it was packed. Everyone was having his final darshana before he was placed in samadhi.

I had hadn't planned to come up and offer him a flower, as there were so many disciples waiting for the opportunity to see his body for the last time and place a flower on his feet. Time was short as he had to be placed into samadhi at the right tithi. However, the kind devotees there offered me a some flowers and pushed me into the quewe. So I took the opportunity to beg for his mercy and also offer some flowers on behalf of a disciple of his in NZ that would be feeling the pangs of separation, and who couldn't be here personally.

I was amazed to see how his body was in such pefect condition. He looked exactly how I had always seen him; Transcendental, blissful, deep and very peaceful. Later, HH Mahanidhi Swami informed me that for Maharaja's body to be in such fine condition 3 days after departure, indicated that he was a great great personality. He said that according to sastra, generally when the body is like this it indicates the sign of a Maha purusa, a perfected soul. This was later confirmed when I heard the details of his departure.

Two days after this ceremony, many disciples were gathered at his samadhi discussing about what had happened. Everybody had wanted to understand more about how he suddenly left. The courtyard was packed. Srila Bhakti Svarupa Damodara Maharaja's personal servant was giving the full account, revealing his mind in confidence to the devotees.

He explained that Maharaja was asked why he hadn't left the temple on Janmastami before the bombing, as he is usually intuitive about such events. He had replied that actually he was supposed to leave 1/2 an hour earlier, but he was so much relishing watching the performance of the Rasalila dance by the Manipori dancers and that he didn't want to leave all his friends behind.

After the operation, he was in very good spirits and his servant observed that he was constantly listening to Manipor kirtanas of the pastimes of the Lord. He asked his Guru Maharaja about one of the songs and he said it was originally composed by Narrotama das Thakura and that it was describing a lila where Radharani becomes angry at Krsna and leaves Him walking off looking like a graceful elephant. His servant described that it was a very intimate pastime. He explained that Maharaja was blissfully absorbed in these kirtanas. He was spending most of his time listening to them as he was recovering.

Then one day, the day before he passed away, he had some intense pain which his servant called a doctor about and the doctor prescribed some painkillers. It seemed  after this he was OK again.

Then the following day he was woken by Maharaja at around 10.30pm. Maharaja came into his room and poked him with his walking stick telling him to wake up. He relayed that Maharaja was in a blissful, joking spirit. He told his servant that he had a pain that needed some ice. But he was blissful about everything. So he put some ice pads on Maharaja to ease the pain and Maharaja asked him what the time was. He said it was 10.35pm. Then Maharaja closed his eyes as if going back to sleep and then suddenly within some minutes, collapsed. To the shock of his servant, after consulting different doctors, he discovered that Maharaja had departed from this world.

Mahanidhi Swami spoke that evening and tied many of the pieces of imformation together. He said that the time that Maharaja left is just before the time that rasa lila begins according to Asta Kaliya lila. He said that whenever he would see Maharaja at Gopal Mandira, he would always ask him when he was going to come and spend some time there. Srila Sripada would explain to Maharaja that he wanted to come and perform bhajana there and study Srimad Bhagavatam, but he was too buisy with his preaching activities. He said that Maharaja was always internally absorbed in his intimate relationship with Srila Prabhupada and externally working so hard to spread his mission, so now Srila Prabhupada was fulfilling his cherished desire to reside eternally at Radha Kunda to render intimate service to the Divine Couple.

Maharaja's servant explained that Srila Sripada had given indications to some of his dsiciples at different times that he would like his samadhi placed in the courtyard of his temple at Radha Kunda and that he wouldn't like it to be a tomb. He wanted it looking like a bhajana kurtira where his disciples could come and see him absorbed in his service.

Mahanidhi Swami explained that the day he left his body was extremely auspicious. It was Vijaya Dasami, the day that Lord Ramachandra cut off the heads of Ravana. It indicates supreme victory. Maharaja also explained that Srila Prabhupada gave a very special name to Srila Sripada, the name of the private secretary of Lord Caitanya, the incarnation of Lalita who trains others in the service of Radha and Krsna. He said Srila Svarupa Damodara das had been training all the scientists how to become servants of Radha and Krsna.

Srila Bhakti Svarupa Damodara Maharaja ki jaya

Ameyatma das

Vijaya Dasami, 2006

Written by: Sripada Maharaja’s servants attending Him in Calcutta

Srila Sripada Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Maharaja, beloved spiritual son of Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, disappeared from this mortal world during the Ratrilila period of Lord Sri Krishna’s Astakaliya lila on Vijaya Dasami, which according to this year’s Panchangam, is the most auspicious day of this calendar year, 2006. Sripada Maharaja’s disappearance took place in Calcutta, the holy appearance place (Janmasthan) of his divine master Srila Prabhupada. Calcutta is also the holy site from which His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur chose to disappear. Due to Sripada Maharaja’s deep and intense love for his divine master Srila Prabhupada, he not only chose Calcutta as his place of work but also as his place of disappearance.

Sripada Maharaja’s unwillingness to compromise on Srila Prabhupada’s instructions is well known and we hope that his dedication to Srila Prabhupada’s instructions will serve as an illustrious example for the world-wide devotee community, now and for all times to come.

As most of you may have heard, there was a serious bomb blast inside of ISKCON Manipur’s temple complex on August 16, 2006, Sri Janmastami day. Six devotees including two children left this world and over forty devotees were seriously injured. Sripada Maharaja’s body was also injured during this blast. He had a deep cut and a fractured bone in his left forearm, a small puncture in his left eardrum and a tiny shrapnel burn on his back. After preliminary treatment in Manipur and performing the sraddha ceremonies for the departed devotees, Sripada Maharaja came to Calcutta on August 25, 2006 where he was admitted into the Apollo Hospital. There, he underwent successful operations on his forearm and ear. He was discharged from the hospital on September 9, 2006. On September 19, 2006 Maharaja visited the hospital for a routine checkup. At that time the burn on his back had almost healed and the doctors were surprised by how quickly the fractured bone in his forearm was setting. The cut on his forearm was also healing well.

While returning from the hospital to his flat Sripada Maharaja asked us to search his room and find his Manipur Nat Sankirtan (Rasa Lila) audio cassettes. From September 10, 2006, until the day of his disappearance, Sripada Maharaja’s mood and behavior was different from what we had previously experienced.  Everyday, he would listen to and sing along with these cassettes for the entire day except for when he was taking his medicine, prasadam or a little rest. We thought that Maharaja was taking it easy during his recovery, as his normal schedule was very active and he never previously took the time to listen to Kirtan cassettes. The Manipuri Nat Sankirtan cassettes that he was listening to are Kirtans sung in the Manipuri language, which describe the pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani. Since we do not understand the Manipur language, Sripada Maharaja, during his lunchtime, would sometimes explain to us what was being sung on the tapes. He said that the songs describing the Rasa Lila are so absorbing that one can completely forget this world. He said, “This world is on one side and that world is on another side.” He was always in an extremely happy mood and said he was feeling more enthusiastic than ever.

One afternoon, Sripada Maharaja explained to us that one of the Manipuri songs described Srimati Radhika’s walking to be like that of a graceful female elephant.  Sripada Maharaja expressed many other details about the pastimes of Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, however, due to our unfortunate lack of qualification we could not understand them nor did we make any recordings of Sripada Maharaja during this time. Sripada Maharaja described how the Rasa Lila is performed according to the ancient Manipuri tradition. He also told us that once he discussed the Manipuri Rasa Lila with Srila Prabhupada and said that Srila Prabhupada was very pleased with the profound Manipuri Vaishnava culture.

We asked Sripada Maharaja how the Gaudiya Vaishnava culture and these peculiar Manipuri tunes originally came to Manipur. Sripada Maharaja said that the songs and devotional culture are from Narottam Das Thakur whose disciples came to Manipur and initiated King Bhagyachandra Maharaja. The tunes were developed by Bhagyachandra Maharaja himself and some subsequent Manipuri kings. While explaining more, Sripada Maharaja described how the performance of Rasa Lila is done in the Manipuri tradition. It first begins with the glorification of Gaura Lila wherein Lord Gauranga is requested to come and be the principal witness of the Rasa Lila. The glories of the Yuga Dharma Hari Nam Sankirtan are extolled, and prayers are sung to Lord Nityananda. Then only does the Rasa Lila begin.

A week before his disappearance, Sripada Maharaja, in a deep mood, wrote down a wonderful transcendental song in the Manipuri language. He then sang and recorded it for all of the devotees. Many devotees now have a recording of this wonderful transcendental song. It was sung in what we, his disciples, call “his gopi voice”. Sripada Maharaja’s written words for the song and translation by him are as follows:

VRAJAPREMDA LUPPE
ANGAOBAGUMLE
RADHABU THIRAKLE
SRI GAURANA

Translation: Immersed in the loving thoughts of Vrajaprema, Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu is searching for Srimati Radhika like a mad man.

KEIDANO BRINDAVAN
KEIDANO KUNJAVAN
KADAIDA LEIKHRE
SAKHISHINGDUNA
THIRAKLE RADHABU
SRI GAURANA

Translation:
“Where is Vrindavana
Where is Kunjavan
Where are Sakhis?”

Crying again and again uttering these words Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu is searching for Srimati Radhika like a mad man.
 

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE

HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
 

On October 1st, 2006, Sripada Maharaja discussed with some of his disciples from IIT Kharagpur about the upcoming conference in Jagannath Puri entitled: ‘All India Students’ Conference on Science and Spiritual Quest’. The speakers and session topics for the conference were finalized during this discussion. That day, he also wrote a letter inviting the President of India to the conference. Around 8:30 - 9:00 PM Sripada Maharaja took a little soup as his dinner and after that he went to take rest, as did we. About an hour later Sripada Maharaja got up from his bed and walked to his connected office room where some of his assistants where sleeping. He woke one of them and asked him to come to his room. He was extremely jolly. He asked, ‘What is the time now?’ His assistant said it was 10:35pm. Sripada Maharaja then requested to have some ice put on his left fingers as they were feeling a little hot and on his left shoulder where he felt some pain. Sripada Maharaja then called in Manipuri language for his elderly Manipuri assistant, who was also resting nearby, to come and massage his shoulder. We were surprised that although Sripada Maharaja stated he was experiencing some pain, he was simultaneously exceedingly blissful and joyous. It was just a moment later that Sripada Maharaja tilted his head back slightly and disappeared from this world. One of assistants cried out ‘No Sripada! You can’t do this!’ We were shocked by what was happening. We immediately called two assistants who were in the next room. We all started rubbing Sripada Maharaja’s feet and hands hoping our most beloved Guru Maharaja would awaken from his Samadhi. But Sripada Maharaja had already entered Lord Sri Krishna’s divine Rasa Lila.

The following day, Sripada Maharaja’s transcendental body was brought to Sri Sri Krishna Balaram temple in Sri Vrindavan Dham for one night. There, many devotees had his darshan before the Samadhi ceremony that took place the next day, October 4th, 2006. As per Sripada Maharaja’s desire, he was placed in Samadhi at the Gopaldeva Mandir just on the bank of Sri Radhakunda, on the auspicious disappearance day of Srila Raghunathadas Goswami (our Prayojan Acharya), Srila Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami and Srila Krishnadas Kaviraja Goswami.

For the disciples and friends of Sripada Maharaja we feel his desire to enter Samadhi in Sri Radhakunda has now opened an eternal residence for us in Sri Radhakunda. For the disciples, the Guru’s Samadhi is the place to meditate on the pastimes of their Guru Maharaja and their respective personal association with him.  During Sripada Maharaja’s pastimes in this manifest body, he arranged for us to have many wonderful pastimes with him at his Sri Gopaldeva Mandir in Sri Nabadwip Dham. Now as we begin his un-manifest lila, he has brought us all to Sri Radhakunda and we cannot express our gratitude in words. Sripada Maharaja used to say that it is not about how much money you have collected, how many temples you have built or how many men you have, it is about how pure you have become.
 

Sripada Maharaja’s Manifest Lila Overview

Sripada Maharaja appeared in a Gaudiya Vaishnava family in Manipur, India. He was a naishtika bramachari and was always absorbed in the Rasa Lila performances that he grew up with in Manipur. From the first day Sripada Maharaja met Srila Prabhupada in Los Angeles in 1970 to his last manifest days on Vijay Dasami 2006, every minute of his life was dedicated to carry out Srila Prabhupada’s instructions. Srila Prabhupada gave more personal instructions to Sripada Maharaja than to any other disciple.

Srila Prabhupada personally made Sripada Maharaja the GBC and International Director of the Bhaktivedanta Institute. The Bhaktivedanta Institute is a preaching institute for making scientific presentations of Krishna Consciousness. As International Director of the Bhaktivedanta Institute, Sripada Maharaja organized four major International conferences (Mumbai, San Francisco, Calcutta & Rome), exposing leaders of the scientific community to the Bhagavata viewpoint. He organized hundreds of seminars and symposiums and personally met with and interviewed several Nobel Laureates, statesmen and leading thinkers of the world. Sripada Maharaja opened what is now the ISKCON Tirupati temple as the first Bhaktivedanta Institute center. Sripada Maharaja published dozens of books on science and spirituality. This year, in order to satisfy Srila Prabhupada who asked him, ‘You are a scientist, prove scientifically that God is a Person’, he published a book entitled, ‘God is a Person’ containing his dialogue with two of the world’s most prominent Nobel Laureates. Today, Sripada Maharaja is recognized in all the major scientific and religious circles of the world and is considered to be one of the leading authorities on ‘Science and Spirituality’. Sripada Maharaja also wrote a scientific commentary on the first four verses of the Vedanta Sutra, which are the summary of the whole Vedanta Sutra.  He also edited and published ‘Savijnanam’, the journal of the Bhaktivedanta Institute.

Sripada Maharaja inaugurated and is constructing the marvelous jewel-like temple in Manipur, which he named ‘The University of Bhagavata Culture’.  He also established the Ranganiketan Manipuri Cultural Arts Troupe, for the purpose of cultural preaching. Through Ranganiketan, the Bhagavata culture has been presented throughout the world in venues not generally accessible by traditional preaching methods. Sripada Maharaja is the founder and director of Bhaktivedanta Institute Mission Schools as well as the Sri Krishna Mission School in North-Eastern India that have over 3,000 students. He also opened a Nature Cure Hospital in Manipur for devotees.

Sripada Maharaja gave some of his time to the important subject of inter-religious dialogue. In this line, he participated in hundreds of scientific and religious, peace-making and inter-religious conferences around the world. He is a global council member (Trustee) of the United Religions Initiative (URI), one of the largest inter-religious organizations in the world.

Once when Sripada Maharaja was asked by one of his God-brothers, ‘Could you please tell us one thing about Srila Prabhupada that you remember most prominently?’ Sripada Maharaja responded that when anyone was in the presence of Srila Prabhupada, they always felt Srila Prabhupada’s overwhelming sense of concern for them. Sripada Maharaja had numerous disciples throughout the world and he was always equally concerned for all of them. He had an open door policy with his disciples and friends. Tirelessly and mercifully he was and will always be giving himself to those who seek his shelter.

Sripada Maharaja was constantly traveling in order to fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s instructions to him. He has left with his disciples many instructions, both general and personal to facilitate the Seva to Srila Prabhupada. Sripada Maharaja will continue to guide his sincere disciples in serving Srila Prabhupada.

Sripada Maharaja’s disappearance has been as glorious as his life. It is not possible for us to properly glorify him in this brief account, nor would it be possible for us to list the numerous instructions he has left with his followers. We pray that what we have written will remove any misconceptions or misinformation that has been recently published on the internet, by providing a first hand account of Sripada Maharaja’s transcendental disappearance. We have also included a brief overview of his Seva to Srila Prabhupada for the pleasure of the devotees.

A couple of years ago his disciples published a book called ‘Bhagavata Sevarpanam’ which depicts in greater detail the ways Sripada Maharaja is fulfilling Srila Prabhupada’s instructions to him. If devotees are interested they may contact the Bhaktivedanta Institute, Kolkata, to acquire a copy.

Sripada Maharaja has said that all of his Seva, whether it was the Bhaktivedanta Institute, cultural preaching, inter-religious dialogue, the Manipur temple, or traveling and preaching, they were all equal and simply his offering to Srila Prabhupada. We see all these activities as different petals of the lotus flower that Sripada Maharaja is offering to his divine master Srila Prabhupada.

We beg the mercy of the Vaishnavas that we can continue our service of assisting our beloved Guru Maharaja, Srila Sripada Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami, in his service to Srila Prabhupada. For us he has not left, but has simply decided to now give guidance to his sincere followers in a different manner than before.

All glories to Sripada Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami!
All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada!
Hare Krishna!

Dear assembled worldwide devotees,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to Sri Guru & Gauranga.

With the sad and unexpected departure of HH Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Maharaja
I wish to make a humble plea to devotees, well wishers or anyone who
has video footage or audio recordings of him, so that an archive, similar to that of
HDG Srila Prabhupada, may be set up.

For information on how to submit your footage please go to:

http://www.sripadamaharaja.com

Your servant
Prananatha das (BSDS) New Zealand