H.H. Lokanath Swami's offering for H.H. Bhakti Tirtha Maharaja

[Guest guest]

My Dear Bhakti Tirtha Swami Maharja,

 

Please accept my most humble obeisances at your eternally spiritual Lotus

feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, our savior.

 

I have written down a few of my thoughts which I would like to share with

all of you who are gathered here today.

 

So finally the inevitable has happened.

 

The thought that we would not meet again together in Mayapur, at Gita Nagari

or at the Divnomorsk festival in Russia is unbearable. I had read the

announcement of your ambitious travel plan sometime at the end of the last

year. To my sorrow, that didn't materialize. Then you also surprised me by

choosing to end your manifest pastimes in the West; you didn't come to

Mayapur. I had planned a trip to come to US in the beginning of June, but

that was cancelled. In the meantime you departed, so I never got a chance to

see you. And I was full of woe. It was overwhelming. But you read my mind;

you knew how I was feeling, that I did not pay you a visit or even speak to

you on the phone prior to your departure, so instead you kindly came to me,

you paid me a visit in a dream. There were just the two of us honoring

prasadam. When I saw you next to me, my first surprised question to you was,

"Maharaja, what happened? We just had the news of your departure. Was that

real? How come you are still here?" And you responded, "I am on my way out".

You did not say, but I understood, that you were there not because you

needed to be, but because I needed you to be there. Then I took advantage of

your presence and, knowing that it was my last chance, I started glorifying

you. Although you were unwilling, I made you hear me speak of your

extraordinary contributions.

 

And the dream ended there.

 

The next morning, I was startled to read the report on Bhakti Charu

Maharaja's latest conversation with you wherein he quotes you, "Don't worry,

even after I leave, I will come to you. We will continue to communicate with

each other. You know that the physical plane is not the only plane for us to

relate to each other." Thank you, Maharaja, for taking the time to pay me a

visit on your way back home. You read my mind and paid me that much needed

visit. I was relieved.

 

I would like to tell of another of my recent dreams about you. That was

around Nirjala Ekadasi time. The dream started with a temple inauguration

somewhere on this planet. Gradually that led to an experience of the

spiritual world. I was in a place with temples everywhere, surrounded by

forests and gardens. The grandeur and beauty was spectacular. I have seen so

many temples like that, in South India and elsewhere, but this was another

kind of experience altogether. It was out of this world. Many devotees were

there, some of them ISKCON devotees. I especially remember Ravindra Svarupa

prabhu and Devakinandan prabhu. Everyone was in an ecstatic mood, jubilant

and blissful. Sri Sri Panca Tattva was there. Then, the scene changed, to

another temple, another scene, another set of Deities, bright and effulgent;

a sublime scene that I had never seen in my real life or in any dream

experience. So while I was experiencing this scene, thinking that also to be

the spiritual world, then suddenly at some distance, I heard loud and clear

- you were speaking. In a deep and grave voice you were addressing a large

assembly of devotees. I was jubilant to know that you had attained the

spiritual world. I started exclaiming, "Oh, he is here! He has reached! And

in the dream you were the resident and I was just a visitor. I came back

down to the earth and the dream ended.

 

As I got up, I was wondering whether this dream was an indication of your

departure. Then immediately I downloaded the daily update from your website.

I was relieved to know that you were in Gita Nagari having a pizza party

with Radhanath Swami Maharaja.

 

I had been thinking of communicating or writing to you for another reason.

Since I knew that you were on the way to Krishna, I thought that you could

take a message or complaint back to Him: "why are you taking away our best

men?" They are needed the most as they are contributing the most.

 

As I have been composing this letter, I have been thinking, how pleased

Srila Prabhupada must be with you. In every way, you have fulfilled your

duty to him; as a preacher, as a public relations man, as an author, as a

guru, and as a Godbrother, you have set an example for us to aspire to.

 

Your departure is going to cause a vacuum. For the first time, I am

realizing how much of a vacuum. The things that you did are things that no

one else could do. You were truly unique. Who else could do such kind of PR

amongst the dignitaries -- I mean who else could sit down with Nelson

Mandela and talk to him, give him a piece of advice? Who else could be the

adviser for so many kings in Africa, and statesmen and professionals all

over the world? Who else is going to do so many radio talk shows, or dynamic

TV appearances? And who else is going to write the books for becoming a

spiritual warrior and providing enlightened leadership? And who else is

going to dance in kirtan just like a bolt of electric lightening? And you

used to be beaming as you smiled. Who else is going to match your smile on

the backdrop of the black complexioned face, with the reddish lips and

whitish teeth? - that was unique to your style. We are going to be bereft of

all these things and many more.

 

Especially I am going to miss you during the kirtans, the long kirtans. I am

sure you remember that historic chanting and dancing in that kirtan in New

Vrindavan some ten years ago. We had Mangala arati and Tulasi puja and the

kirtan continued. It had to continue because you were the leading dancer

inspiring everybody. Although I was leading kirtan I was just a puppet in

your hands. And it was the good size kirtan hall, good number of devotees.

You were unstoppable, moving and running from one end to another end and

making rounds causing waves and turbulences in that spiritual nectarean

ocean of devotees. In the beginning, some devotees were getting ready to sit

down for japa after Tulasi Aarati. You and others lifted them up, gave them

the boost, threw them in the midst of the kirtan. There was no japa period

that morning. You had stolen the show. It went on, merged with the greeting

of the Deities and Guru puja and then the kirtan was further continued and

that went on and on. That kirtan was what it was, it went on the way it did,

because of you. Your enthusiastic dancing was compelling me, inspiring me to

go on and on and on. You were contagious. There was no class that morning

and the kirtan continued till breakfast mahaprasade govinde prayers. And I

can recall many many such kirtans all over, that we did together. If you

were in the kirtan, no dull moments were there. You would naturally take

charge of the dance aspect of that kirtan. The very last time we were

together was in New York June 2004, Rathyatra kirtan. I was leading kirtan,

you were leading the dance. That is my final memory of you.

 

Such a high spirit of dancer -- you were put in a very awkward situation for

the last almost one year. However that didn't dampen your spirit a bit. On

the contrary it was going higher and higher. I think you must have been

anxious to get out of that uncooperative body, so that you could continue

your dance with the Lord.

 

You have set the highest example of our experience of Vaisnava departure.

Especially the trials and tribulations you were put through and how boldly,

with a smile on your face, you have faced it all. You will be a difficult

act to follow.

 

"Dhiras tatra na muhyati"- A sober person is not bewildered by such a

change. You have translated that statement of Sri Krishna into action. All

is well that ends well. You have passed all the tests including the hardest

test of death. You have closely followed the example of the final lesson set

by Srila Prabhupada. Of all the outstanding services you have rendered, your

departure service, if it could be so described, is the most outstanding of

all. This is going to increase the faith of the devotee community globally,

giving them a spiritual boost, and confidence in the progress of their

Krishna Consciousness.

 

You have left a legacy of Love behind. Your love and compassion for the

devotees and for humanity at large was made clear in all your statements. In

your last class, your final public appearance, you said, "Since I've tried

to publicly love everybody. Remember, my basic posture and prayers was to

experience whatever was necessary to become totally pure, to encounter

whatever could help me to impact upon the society in a more, for lack of a

better word, effective way, so that I could help minimize suffering for a

quantity number of devotees. Mainly to somehow be used to make spiritual

life a little more joyful, a little easier, to help devotees to have a

little more faith and literally to take on sufficient karma that would allow

me to take on that that could remove some of the blocks of many devotees. I

tried to enter somewhat more into the mood of Vasudeva Dhatta. My perception

of that was as to die as grandfather Bhismadeva, up to the last breath, to

try to be sharing, hearing, learning, and giving, and to allow my life

hopefully, and most importantly my process of death, to be a major amendment

to the Vaisnava community."

 

When you ended each one of your letters, you were always writing - "With

love - Bhakti Tirtha Swami". And when you wrote that, it was not just words;

it was the real feelings of love.

 

You have left behind the treasure of your books, which will continue to

inspire the devotee community as well as the public at large.

 

In your letter to the GBC and in your final class at Gita Nagari, you listed

your concerns. I have duly noted the contents of those addresses, and I will

do my part in a humble way to address those issues or concerns to the best

of my ability.

 

I want to express my admiration and appreciation for all those who were

around you, who were assisting you, all your disciples and other devotees.

And especially I want to thank Radhanatha Maharaja and what he did, how he

sacrificed everything else that he had on his agenda to remain with you.

Radhanatha Maharaja was in the right place at the right time; I wish I had

been there too. That kind of association is very much needed, and Radhanatha

Maharaja provided that. We all couldn't be there with you, but at least he

was there on our behalf.

 

I love all your disciples and followers. If I could be of any service or any

help to assist them in any way, I would be more than to willing do so. I

will consider it as my service to you.

 

Krishna is yours, you are with Krishna. Please keep us in your prayers to

Krishna.

 

With all my love & affection,

 

Your insignificant brother,

Lokanath Swami