Dissapearance Of Dr.Kapoor

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Dissapearance Of Dr. O.B.L. Kapoor

 

BY R. SADHU

 

VRINDAVAN, INDIA, Jun 8 (VNN) — On April 9th of 2001, Dr. O.B.L.

Kapoor (Srila Adikeshava Das), a dear disciple of Srila

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur and Srila Gauranga Das Babaji,

abandoned this mortal world at 3 a.m. in Sri Vrindavan Dham. Most

provably to be reunited with them again in the spiritual realm.

 

Srila Adikeshava Maharaja was born Oudh Bihari Lal Kapoor in 1909. He

had strong leanings towards the Advaitic philosophy of Shankara. In

August 1931, when he was working as a research scholar in the

University of Allahabad, he met his diksha-guru Sri Srimad

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada, who puled him out of

his Advaitic moorings and initiated him into Bhakti. His initiation

ceremony took place in Sri Radhakunda-the holiest of all places in

Vraja. On Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's advice and under his close

supervision he wrote a thesis on the Philosophy of Sri Chaitanya. The

thesis was approved by the Allahabad University for the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy. Srila Adikeshava Maharaja had the unique

distinction of being the first Doctor of Philosophy of this

prestigious University.

 

He was very much distressed after the physical disappearance of his

beloved diksha-guru . Although he thought that his guru's benedictory

hand was still on him, he felt that without his living presence he

was like an orphan. While living in Vrindavana Dhama he received the

advice of a saint to meet a Siddha-Mahatma. On this saint's own

opinion: The only Siddha-saint in Vrindavana at he present. He is

most unostentatious and humble. But the spiritual treasure behind his

simplicity can hardly escape the eyes of a discerning sadhaka. You

must go and see him. After accepting siksha from the distinguished

Siddha-saint Sri Gauranga Dasa Babaji of Ramanareti, the blessings of

his diksha-guru thus fully manifested. Srila Adikeshava Maharaja was

living in Vrindavana since 1967 and wrote books and articles in Hindi

on the philosophy of Bhakti and the lives of the Vaishnava saints.

Having already accepted the vow of sannyasa-tirtha, i.e., never to

leave Sri Vrindavan Dhama, in 1998 he moved to the original ashram in

Ramamareti, where he met Srila Gauranga Das Babaji.

 

Due to his close association with his dear God brother, the world

known Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, he was named as one

of the trust members on the occasion of the establishment of the

first Western temple in the history of Vrindavana - the Krishna-

Balarama Mandir of ISKCON. Srila Prabhupada had a long and very

friendly relationship with Srila Adikeshava Das, which was

established during a period of eight years while he was living at

Hallahabad. They used to meet often at the Gaudiya Math temple and in

their respective houses. Srila Prabhupada deeply appreciated his

articles in English and published several of them in the magazine of

his international society. He also recognized Srila Adikeshava

Maharaja's dialectic on Gaudiya Vaishnavism and expressed it clearly

on a review for his book "The Philosophy and Religion of Sri

Chaitanya", written few years before Srila Prabhupada's physical

departure:

 

....the teatrise bears the hall-mark of authentic research. It is, in

my opinion, the first scientific delineation of the philosophy of Sri

Chaitanya, based primarily on His direct utterances, as contained in

Chaitanya Charitamrita and Chaitanya Bhagavata, and supported

profusely by reference to the vast literature left by His learned

disciples, most of which was written under His express command and on

the basis of the guide-lines provide by Him.

 

The book is written in elegant style. I am sure it will be acclaimed,

not only by the Vaishnavas in India, but by the members of the

International Society for Krishna Consciousness and the lovers of

philosophy and religion all over the world.

 

After The Philosophy and Religion of Sri Chaitanya, which has been

sanctioned by learned devotees as a text book for any serious student

on Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy for all generations to come, Srila

Adikeshava Maharaja wrote more than 25 books in Hindi besides dozens

of articles dealing with the lives of the Vaishnava saints and the

philosophical essence of the Universal Religion of Love of Sri

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. His work in Hindi Vrij Ke Bhakta (published in

English under the title The Saints of Vraja in an abridged version)

has been printed in five editions and is still being acclaimed by the

inhabitant all round Vraja.

 

When the need to support the Gaudiya Vaishnava siddhanta and the

primacy of the rasika-acharyas followers of Sri Chaitanya over the

conclusions of some saints of other Sampradayas, Srila Adikeshava

Maharaja wrote Vrij Ke Rasika Upasana, thus defining for ever the

supremacy of the six Gosvamis of Vrindavana as the original holders

of the topmost conlusions on Rasa-Tattva.

 

Srila Adikeshava Maharaja's contribution to the welfare of the young

Hare Krishna movement all over the world started to fully manifest

after his writings produced in Vrindavana were first published in

1992 in English version. Surely, they occupy a significant place in

behalf of the spiritual growth of the followers of Sri Chaitanya's

movement. For the first time in the history of the Western Gaudiya

Vaishnavism a learned and devoted follower of Sri Chaitanya

Mahaprabhu, broadly recognized by bonafide saintly devotees, has

brought to the attention of the ample Western audience the deep

philosophical understanding relating to the mode of worship brought

by Mahaprabhu Himself, together with the relevant biographical data-

mostly collected personally-of uncompromising Siddha-saints.

 

Srila Adikeshava Maharaja brought a new, refreshing and unprecedent

inner inspiration from contemplating the numerous biographical

references given on the lives of the Vaishnava saints from the time

of Sri Chaitanya up to recent days. Srila Adikeshava Das contribution

in bringing to light such biographies is unique, since becoming

absorved in the devotional activities of the saintly devotees of the

Lord, invokes our natural faith in the process of Bhakti, since they

are the models of devotion and can safely lead us on the path to a

complete and pure contemplation of the nectarean pastimes of the

Divine Couple Sri Sri Radha-Krishna.

 

Srila Adikeshava Maharaja's departure was surrounded by all

auspicious signs since he was constantly engaged in chanting and

hearing about the Lord and His devotees. Barely a week before his

departure Srila Adikeshava Maharaja's clear memory and jolly mood had

impressed again a devotee who spoke with him over the phone from US.

Ovbiously, it is a mistake to think that a Vaishnava dies, since he

continues living in sound through his writings. A web site offering

his books (www.sadhu.net) had just being released before the news of

his physical departure. Regretfully, Srila Adikeshava Maharaja could

not be informed on time about this, however, it is believed that he

would be very happy of his valuable devotional contributions being

exposed to the Vaishnava community worldwide. We feel thankful and

inspired by the exemplary life manifested by Srila Adikeshava

Maharaja during his physical permanence amongst us. Nitai-Gaura

Haribol