HG Sundrisa prabhu leaves his body

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Letter PAMHO:9938076 (231 lines)

Simheswara (das) JPS (Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia)

07-Jun-05 01:23 (21:23 -0400)

Tusti Mohan Krsna (das) JPS (JPS Off. MYR-IN) [113562]

JPSOffice (Mayapur - IN)

HG Sundrisa prabhu leaves his body

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Dear JPS office and Tusti Prabhu,

Hare Krishna. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila

Prabhupada, Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga.

 

As requested by Srila Guru Maharaj I am appending below text in memory of HG

Sundrisa pr. Guru Maharaj mentioned that Tusti pr could forward to the

devotee memorium group.

 

Name: Sundrisa dasa

Memoriam: passed away Malaysian Time, Saturday June 4 00:25/30 during

dvadasi tithi at Kuala Lumpur. Due to time adjustment the actual time is

about 11:00PM Friday, 3 June. Dvadasi

Smrti Sabha: 5 June Caturdasi (Sunday noon time).

Status: Disciple of HH Jayapataka Maharaj.

Age: 96 yrs old

Year of Initiation:Balaram Appearance Day, 1987 in Kuala Lumpur

Family: 7 sons, 2 daughters, 14 grandchildren [3 sons initiated and most

others are practising Krsna consciousness)

Nationality: Malaysian

 

I have appended the text below which was my offering for my father's smrti

sabha on caturdasi, June 5. Since I was affected emotionally and could only

read as far as the second paragraph I handed over to Goloka Candra pr to

read on my behalf.

 

=============

 

The Supreme Lord and Guru are very kind to make arrangements for me and some

of my other family members to chantHare Krsna at the time Sundrisa pr was

leaving his body. He also left his body in a place as close to the temple as

he can get.

 

Thanks to my family members and the overall family of devotees, The Temple

President of Sri Jagannatha Mandir Kuala Lumpur HG Uttama Caitanya Dasa, Dr.

Shanty Rupa dd for attending to us at such late hours and for making

necessary arrangements, Mani Bhusan and Sevananda for priestly services, all

bramacharies for being always friendly with Sundrisa pr. Sundarisa prabhu is

affectionately known as ayah {father] by not only his blood family members

but also many of the Society members. My sincere thanks to all devotees who

visited Sundarisa pr when he was in his last days. HH Prabhavisnu Maharaj

was very kind to also visit and chant by his side. The funeral ceremony was

managed very well, thanks to sadhu sanga, continuous chanting.

 

Thanks to Srila Acharyapada(Sundrisa pr always addressed Guru Maharaj in

this respect ) and Srila Prabhupada for giving this wonderful opportunity to

my father Sundrisa pr who was a very ardent believer of Lord Siva but who

was able to grasp through the teachings as presented in Srila Prabhupada

books that one's goal should be to surrender to Krsna even if one is

attached to another Deity. All glories to Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu

and his associates, Sri Sri Prahlada, Laxmi Nsrimha, Sri Sri Jagannatha

Baladeva Subadra, Sri Sri Radha Krsna.

 

Thanks to my friends and bramachari assistants Gopi, Arjuna, Hari who when

staying in the ashram (condominium opposite the temple) were assisting to

take care of father. They were very responsible and father liked them.

Thanks to my sister for taking over when it was felt that I should be

allowed to carry on with my travelling and be left with Society

responsibilities.

 

Thanks to Sundrisa pr for not objecting my decision to become a bramachari.

When I wanted permision and blessings to join the temple as bramachari

Sundrisa pr did not object but proposed alternatives such contribute laxmi

to the temple but continue to hold my job. However since I was adamant and

knowing that I had made up my mind, he agreed on condition that I take the

path and do not turn back. He told me entering life of monk is not a joke

and should not be taken whimsically but that it is a serious matter. He

expected that i had given a careful thought and so approved but reminded not

to turn back. It was as if he did not want me back to family life once I

made a decision to be a monk.

 

Thanks to Sundarisa pr for dedicating his laxmi from the sale of his house

to the service of Sri Krishna. I thank all my family members for respecting

this decision and would say that not once any one member questioned me on

the decision since Me and another brother of mine, Sri Gauranga also had a

part in this decision of Sundrisa pr. I had kept aside RM20,000 in Fixed

Deposits in case of emergencies or for his medical assistance. However I

had to use about RM10,000 to purchase computers and other equipments for my

service. Now there is a balance RM12,000 which would be donated to Srila

Acharyapad who is our family spiritual father. This would make Sundrisa pr

happy.

 

Sundrisa pr also instructed me that his Pension savings which is also under

my care to be divided amongst his family members. Some of these savings were

used for his traveling and minor expenses while he was in my care. I hope

since this is the desire of Sundrisa pr the family members accept it even

though it may not be much.

 

Sundrisa pr was an ardent reader. When under our care we would all see that

during late nights he would be sitting and reading with a magnifying lens

(he had three and not satisfied with any) and also taking notes.

 

He would also join us in the arati in the ashram. In the morning he would do

his Laxmi Nrsimha stotra chanting it in a very nice melody. I was a fool to

not have recorded. Then he would join us whenever we had special classes in

the ashram and would say that it was nice. He also mentioned that he was not

as fortunate like us to be getting the chance to study the scriptures.

 

About a day before he left his body I asked him if he had read the entire

Gita he said - NO. But I told him "I see you always reading and taking

notes." He just waved his hands indicating that it was not enough.

 

Some time ago Markendaya Rsi pr visited Sundrisa pr. He has a pastime of

bring jovial with Sundrisa pr. He told Sundrisa pr jokingly that Sundrisa pr

should not have betrayed Lord Shiva by joining his children in Krsna

Consciouness. Sundrisa pr got stuck to this and afterwards told me that he

felt guilty like that he was abandoning Lord Siva. I took it that I would be

having some interesting time from now with Sundrisa pr. From that time

whenever I spoke to him I would just stress that Krsna is the Supreme

Personality of Godhead and that he was not in any way offending Lord Siva by

taking to Krsna Consciousness. Towards the last part about one month I was

always asking him, if he would want to go to Vaikuntha or Goloka and he was

consistent in saying Vaikundam. But my sister thought that my questioning

was not fair and so she asked "Vaikuntha or Kailash?". By this time Sundrisa

pr had decided that it was Lord Krsna that he wanted to be with and replied

"Vaikundam".

 

In the last part whenever I came back traveling or got to go see him I would

always just hit hard on the fact that he could leave the body anytime. I

would ask him what he should think of at the time of death. This was almost

my singular line of discussion with him. He always said said Krsna, Rama.

And I asked "what if you cannot chant at that time due to physical

weakness,etc?." I said he can also chant in his mind and be conscious of

Krsna the time of death. He nodded his head in agreement and siad he

understood my point.

 

Whenever these type of questions came for him he was non challenging and

accepted that chanting the holy name is what that is needed at the time of

death.

 

So when the time came we also made arrangements for some small donations to

Vrndavan Cows sponsorship, Sri Gauranga dasa, my brother, also contributed

to the Kajang Gosala and for Deity seva.

 

Towards the last part of his live my sister told me he called out

"Acharyapada" with a desire to have darshan of Srila Acharyapada and when

she showed him the picture of Srila Guru Maharaj he showed satisfaction.

When I visited him and asked about the matter he also mentioned Prabhupada.

 

The last week especially the last two days when it was getting more intense,

I was touching on the subject of death almost every time I was with him. I

would read the 8th chapter to him again and again. And checked with him if

he was conscious and understood what I was reading. He confidently nodded

his head and sometime also spoke affirmingly. That last day I read all the

verses and translations of the SRI ISOPANISAD and found in it realizations

that I never had before. The art of dying is certainly in all of Srila

Prabhupada's books. But this Sri Isopanisada was special since it spoke of

someone who had a desire to live for 100 years (my father) and someone who

have done some sacrifice for his lord (my father) and a request to the Lord

to please remember the servant at the time of death for all the sacrifice

that he has done. This is my humble realization.

 

On Dvadasi after my morning Japa I walked into his room chanted and also

read for him. I also fed him almost two glass full of water which according

to my sister was a success. Usually he would challenge and sometimes chide

that it was a disturbance for us to force him to drink. But this morning he

was cooperating and willing take that much even though he had some

difficulty in gulping. This gave me hope and I thought should get some

Chavanaprash food supplement for him later the day. My brother wished

Sundrisa pr and as he was preparing to leave to work Sundrisa pr wanted to

see him again. Bhakta Doraisamy came back held father's hand, got his

permission and then left to work.

 

Then I continued to speak to him and also chanted. I came again at night

time, sat with him, chanted and read from Isopanisad/Gita and left at about

10PM to take rest.

 

At 12:10AM my sister called me and said it was emergency.

 

At about 12:20AM I when I walked into the house my sister and her husband

were chanting loudly the Hare Krsna Maha Mantra into the ears of Sundrisa

pr. I tried calling ayah, ayah and he did not respond, I put my hands on his

heart could feel the heart pumping and joint in the chanting. I could feel

the heart beat slowly coming to halt. This must be around 12:25-12:30 when

my other sister and brother Sri Gauaranga dasa were rushing into the house.

 

My sister called Dr. Shanti Rupa mataji and she came about 1:15AM and

confirmed that Sundrisa pr had left the body. It was a sad day for the

family members but also a glorious day since by Sri Guru and Krsna's mercy

there was arrangement for Sundrisa pr to hear the holy name at the time he

left his body.

 

I wish to speak more but I think it is getting too long and would like to

end here again with a thanks to all for the ceremony going very well with

chanting Hare Krsna. This is our life and soul chant Hare Krsna and always

try to live and leave like a gentleman (Vaisnava)

 

Hare Krsna.

 

Your servant

Simhesvara dasa

 

..

 

Other highlights of the Smrti Sabha:

 

 

Thiaga Caitanya prabhu was very kind to make arrangements for Nrsimha

Mantras to be chanted and spoke of his association with Sundrisa pr.

Especially in 1989 when I had taken Sundrisa pr to Mayapur and Vrndavan

spiritual pilgrimage. Thiaga Caitanya prabhu care for my father and made

arrangements for him to take bath in Ganga. He also spoke that Sundrisa pr

was very conscious of ethics had good knowledge on astrology. He mentioned

how Sundrisa pr even as such an age at 96 was able to call out Thiaga

Caitanya pr by name after not seeing him for a long time.

 

Goloka Candra pr also glorified Sundrisa pr. Goloka Candra pr also read out

a wonderful offering sent by Adi Purusha Krsna dasa from Melbourne.

 

Ravilocana pr said that he had very lively conversation with Sundrisa pr and

received good advice. Vrndavana Candra pr said he had greatest respect for

Sundrisa pr for his sacrifice and always relished being with him in the

Sunday programmes when they used to take prasadam.

 

Other members of the family spoke and glorified Sundrisa pr for taking care

of them and for being a nice father.

 

My sister Susila Devi brought Sundrisa pr's little diary (one among his many

note books) and handed over to Uttama Caitanya pr who selected two offerings

Sundrisa pr had written in glorification of Srila Guru Maharaj for the 25th

Sannyasa Anniversary and for Vyasa Puja.

 

Time was getting late.

 

At 2PM while offering of puspanjali and arati was going on wonderful

delicious prasadam prepared by Su Mohan prabhu was also served out. About

150 devotees and some relatives of Sundrisa pr attended the smrti sabha.

 

The children of Sundrisa pr owe their gratitude to the Temple President of

Sri Jagannatha Mandir and all the congregation members for making all the

wonderful arrangements (especially for constantly chanting the holy name

during the services) for the funeral and smrti sabha services.

(Text PAMHO:9938076) ------

 

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