*Vrindavan is waiting for you*

[Guest guest]

Dear Prabhus,

 

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

 

Hare Krishna.

 

The following is a report of an exaulted grand disciple of Srila Prabhupada,

a disciple of H.H. Radhanath Swami Maharaja who just left this world.

 

While he was a brahmachari and we were staying in the Radha Gopinath

Chowpatty Brahmachari ashram together, I traveled and preached with him on

several occasions and he was also known by, and dear to, our own beloved

Gurumaharaja.

 

I believe the exchange between disciple and Guru is glorious, instructive

and enhancing to our faith in Krishna consciousness.

 

Thank you very much.

Hare Krishna.

Always hoping to remain, servant of the servant of your servants,

Ekalavya Das

 

---------- Forwarded Message ----------

 

Govinda (das) RNS (Chowpatty, Bombay - IN)

06-Feb-06 04:21 -0500

stoka krsna pr departs

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

 

Hare Krishna !

Glorious Passing away of H.G. Stoka Krishna Prabhu.

 

Stoka Krishna Prabhu's health started deteriorating from the 3rd February's

evening. At 4:30 pm, he started gasping for air and manifesting symptoms of

"air hunger". Dr. Acyutanand Prabhu nebulised him which helped him relax.

Later on in discussion with Madhavacharya Prabhu (H.H. Bhakti Tirtha Swami

Maharaja's physician during his last days), it was declared that Stoka

Krishna Prabhu's health is going down rapidly and he may leave his body in

the next 24 hrs.

 

Devotees immediately called for H.H. Radhanath Swami Maharaj.

Gaur Gopal Prabhu was leading a soft and melodious kirtan in the room around

5:30 pm. Stoka Krishna Prabhu was now really struggling with his breathing

and his health was going down.

 

H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaja came to meet his beloved disciple in the

evening and this proved to be the last time that Guru & disciple exchanged

sweet words in transcendental reciprocation. Of course, this is just

external observation, as the relationship of spiritual master and disciple

is always eternal. H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaja walked into the room when

Stoka Krishna Prabhu was struggling with his breathing. His blood pressure

was hovering around 80. H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaja came near Stoka Krishna

Prabhu and inquired about his health from the doctors.

Then he started encouraging Stoka Krishna Prabhu for his final journey.

 

H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj: Stoka Krishna Prabhu! Vrindavan is waiting for

you. Yamuna is waiting for you.

Stoka Krishna Prabhu: Because of your mercy Maharaj.

H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj: (very lovingly) Do you have any desire?

Stoka Krishna Prabhu: To take shelter at your lotus feet.

H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj: That you have already achieved

Stoka Krishna Prabhu: Please forgive me. I spoke something foolish last

week.

H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj: No foolishness. Just remember Krishna. I am

very proud of you. I am very pleased with you. Don't have any regret. Just

be grateful. Concentrate on the holy names. Think of the beautiful forms of

Sri Sri Radha Gopinathji. Think of Their pastimes.

H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj continued in his sweet voice:

Success of life is to depart with great dignity which you have achieved. All

your mistakes are erased. You are now left with all wonderful qualities,

wonderful service. Do you believe me?

Stoka Krishna Prabhu: (nodding his head like a small innocent child) Yes.

Maharaja please bless me.

H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj: Lord Krishna and Radharani have already blessed

you. I am praying 24 hours to Srila Prabhupada for you. When you go to

Goloka Vrindavan, you will see the transcendental beautiful form of Lord

Krishna covered with dust of Vrindavan with peacock feather on His head and

beautiful flower garland around His neck; horn, various colored mud smeared

over His bluish body. He must have killed some demon that day. He must have

played games with Balaramji and other cowherd boys. Gopis will be there but

at the background. Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda Mayi will be there at the

front. Yasoda Mayi will come forward and scrutinizingly search for

any scratch marks on His body. Then she will bathe Him with scented water,

dress Him in beautiful garments, offer Him nice bhoga and put Him to rest.

But at night He will go secretly at Ter Kadamba to meet the Gopis.

 

At this time, H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj stopped patting Stoka Krishna

Prabhu's head and lovingly ordered - "Stoka Krishna Prabhu, you should serve

and please Krishna. Don't think of anything else." Stoka Krishna Prabhu

nodded his head.

H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj continued the pastime: Next morning, Krishna

wakes up. All the Gopas are waiting to go with Krishna and all cows on

seeing Krishna start pouring milk. There is no need of milking them. When

the elderly Gopis see Krishna, milk starts flowing from their body out

of intense affection for Him.

Because of mercy of Srila Prabhupada and previous acharyas, you have got

entrance into Vrindavan. H.H. Bhakti Tirtha Swami Maharaj told me, "I am

going there to make arrangements for all the devotees".

M continued: Do you want to assist H.H. Bhakti Tirtha Swami?

Stoka Krishna Prabhu: (lovingly) Yes

H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj: When do you want to go?

Stoka Krishna Prabhu: At this very moment.

H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj (laughing in his transcendental way): Nice

answer. A devotee should always be ready. Remember Krishna's name, form,

pastimes, engage in Radharani's seva. She is supreme. Leave this body and

assist the servants of Radharani. Rupa Goswami is waiting for all

Gaudiya Vaishnavas, so that he can engage them in the service of servants of

Radharani. Krishna loves you. Radharani loves you. Srila Prabhupada's mercy

is on you.

H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj: Where do you want to go?

Stoka Krishna Prabhu : Maharaj, wherever you want me to go.

M: (laughing) My order is you should go Back to Godhead. You are leaving

this body in dham. Brijbasis told Radha Gopinath Mandir is non-different

from Vrindavan. Do you want to go for final darshan of Sri Sri Radha

Gopinath or you are feeling too weak now.

Stoka Krishna Prabhu : (softly) I am feeling too weak.

M: Did you liked Their darshan during Pushya abhishek festival?

Stoka Krishna Prabhu : Yes.

 

M turned to Achyutanand Prabhu to record the blood pressure. To the utter

surprise of all devotees, the BP which was 80/60 before Maharaj entered the

room, had now risen to 104/70. Stoka Krishna Prabhu, who just a few minutes

earlier gasping for breath, was now steady with his usual heart warming

smile and effulgence on his face.

 

M (jovially): BP for you is Bhakti pressure. Your BP is better than mine. 2

days back, mine was 102/52. So you should pray for me!!

 

Madhavacharya Prabhu who was literally amazed by this surprise stabilizing

of BP said to Stoka Krishna Prabhu, "You are a saintly person. I should take

dust from your feet."

 

Stoka Krishna Prabhu got medications for the night, by which he remained

peaceful. His BP continued to fall again. In the night as the effect of the

medications was over, he again started gasping and struggling for air. So

again Achyutanand Prabhu had to administer sedatives and

now as the night proceeded, devotees noticed that Stoka Krishna Prabhu's

head was tilted to his right side and he was struggling with his breath.

 

4th Feb 2006 Sri Advaita Acharya's Apperance Day

In the morning, Raghupati Prabhu came to see his dear Godbrother and in love

decorated his body with dust of Brijdham, sacred waters from Vrindavan.

Govind Pr entered SKP's room around 9 a.m. and seeing the situation started

intense kirtan. The BP was just starting to crash.

Maharaja had given instructions that as soon as the doctors diagnosed the

situation as precarious, he should be informed.

 

Govind Prabhu asked that Panca Tattva photograph be placed before his eyes.

So the photograph was kept near SKP on the bed. Around 10:15 a.m.

H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj came into the room. He placed Jagannath's Maha

thread on Stoka Krishna Prabhu hand, Tulasi leaf and sacred waters from

Vrindavan in Stoka Krishna Prabhu mouth. Devotees continued to intensely

pray to the holy name. H.H. Niranjan Swami Maharaj also entered the room. RM

instructed the doctors that they should monitor the BP every 10 minutes.

 

H.G. Nartaki Mataji came in the afternoon. She sat besides him like a loving

mother chanting for him. She placed Tulsi leaves and Ganga jal in his mouth.

This were the last drops of water which he drank. Ezikel Prabhu had brought

maha garlands from Vrindavan. H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj

placed each and every garland with love around Stoka Krishna Prabhu. He also

placed Srila Prabhupada's maha pillow cover on his head. Rose petals of Sri

Sri Radha Syamsundar was put all around his body and the room was suddenly

converted to the forest groves of Vrindavan.

 

H.H. Radhanath Swami Maharaj: (coming close to Stoka Krishna Prabhu ears)

Stoka Krishna Prabhu, this is Radhanath Swami. This is garland from Sri Sri

Radha Syamsundar.

Then after whispering more encouraging words to Stoka Krishna Prabhu, he

left the room.

 

H.H. Giriraj Swami Maharaj had called for encouraging Stoka Krishna Prabhu

for his final journey.

 

At 3:30 p.m., H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj again entered the room along with

some Brajvasis. Devotees were saying that it appeared as though, Srimati

Radharani had personally sent the Brajvasis to chant for Stoka Krishna

Prabhu. He held his hand, patted his head. After some time,

Madan Mohan brijavasi and Rameshchandra Goswami started singing the Hare

Krishna Mahamantra in beautiful Brajvasis melodies enchanting the hearts of

all devotees.

 

The doctors noticed that Stoka Krishna Prabhu's pulse was almost

non-existent. The kirtan became esctatic and the whole room became enthused

with spiritual energy. Maharaja came into the room. He started rubbing SKP's

hands softly. SKP then took a deep breath. Everybody sensed that this

great devotee who had sincerely served his Guru Maharaja all his life, was

about to leave his body in the most glorious way in the presence of devotees

and his spiritual master.

H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj was raising his hands and enthusing everybody to

chant louder. SKP was surrounded on either side of his bed by devotees. His

family was standing near his feet. The whole room was packed with devotees

and the air was permeated with the holy names.

Everybody was chanting the holy names at the top of their voices. The

devoted servant of his Guru Maharaja was now surrounded with garlands and

rose petals. Prabhupada and Panca Tattva were at his side. Srila

Prabhupada's chanting was also going on continuously near his ears.

 

At approx 4:30 p.m. suddenly SKP stopped breathing. Had he left already?

After approximately 40 seconds, during which the Kirtan rose to another

higher level never before experienced by the devotees. After a few seconds,

he again took a deep breath and then he left very peacefully

to attain eternal shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath.

H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj continued to encourage the devotees to chant

more. He placed Tulasi leaves on his eyes. Kirtan continued for half an

hour. Govind Pr then requested all devotees to leave the room so that SKP

could be bathed for the last time. H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj throughout

had maintained a grave mood throughout the entire episode. But when the

devotees had left the room and the curtains were closed, H.H.Radhanath Swami

Maharaj allowed a line of tears to gush down his cheek - partially

revealing to the onlookers, how much love the spiritual master has for his

disciple.

 

The brahmacaris then bathed SKP, dressed him in new clothes, decorated him

with Tilak. At around 6 p.m., the devotees brought his body out of the room

on a stretcher, covered with H.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj saffron upa vastra

cloth and Gopalji's shawl. He looked as blissful as usual, lying in peace

amidst rose petals and garlands. Then he was taken for parikrama of the

temple. H.H. Radhanath Swami Maharaj & Niranjan Maharaja walked along with

the devotees. SKP was placed in the courtyard and devotees started offering

flowers to this loyal servant who inspired all devotees

with his example.

 

Then Madan Mohan brajvasi began kirtans for the evening, he sang very sweet

and soft hare krsna mantra kirtana. After brajvasi concluded his kirtana

Niranjana maharaja took over the kirtana. Whole night devotees did kirtana

for stoka krsna prabhu.

 

5th feb.

 

The procession from the temple to cremation left at 7.00 a.m. amidst sweet

and soft kirtana led by gauranaga pr. it was 3 kilometere walk to cremation

ground, many hundreds of devotees had come to show their affection for

stoka krsna pr who passed so gloriously.

 

THIS WRITE UP IS COMPILED BY THE CARE TAKERS OF STOKA KRSNA PR WHO WERE

CONSTANTLY AT HIS BEDSIDE TILL DEPARTED TO THE SPRITUAL WORLD

 

We reqeust all the devotees to thank these wondeful devotees who served him

so lovingly and with great attention.

 

The doctors of Bhakti vedanata hospital, dwarakadhisha pr, giriraja pr,

vaishnava seva pr, madhavananda pr and visharupa pr.

 

At the temple for last 10 days Dr Acyutananda pr, Murari gupta pr took care.

 

In the hospital and in the temple these following devotees served Stoka

krsna pr with great care and love, Haribolananda pr and his friends,

Sadbhuja pr, Bhakta avnisha, and two care takers from the hospital sanjay

and rupesha mahtre

 

We thank Dr madhavacarya pr disciple of bhakti tirtha maharaja who gave

valuable advice in regards to taking care of stoka krsna pr.

 

Of course many devotees sponsored his treatment for all these months.

We thank these devotees for their kindness on stoka krsna pr.

 

"Stoka krsna pr's glorious departure ki jai"

 

Belgaum ratha yatra is dedicated in his memory