Temple Bulletin: Tamal Krishna Goswami passes away.

[Guest guest]

Its with deep sorrow that we inform you of the passing away of His Holiness

Tamal Krishna Goswami in Mayapura on March 15, 2002.

 

His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaja, ISKCON Governing Body Commissioner

and initiating spiritual master, was accepted as a disciple by His Divine Grace

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1968. He quickly emerged as a leader in

ISKCON, establishing temples around the world. As one of Srila Prabhupada's

most trusted disciples, he also worked closely with Srila Prabhupada as his

personal secretary. A brief biography of Tamal Krishna Goswami is available at

http://www.goswami.com. More information about the unfortunate accident is

available below, in a communication brief released by His Grace Anuttama

Prabhu, ISKCON Communication Minister.

 

There will be a special meeting held at the ISKCON, Potomac temple on Saturday

5:30PM to pay tribute to Maharaja. Sunday morning lecture will be readings from

the book "Servant of the Servant," a book written by Tamal Krishna Maharaja of

his experiences while serving Srila Prabhupada. The Sunday evening class will

be given by His Grace Priyavarta Prabhu, a senior disciple of Tamal Krishna

Goswami.

 

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Anuttama (das) ACBSP (IC N.America)

15-Mar-02

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TAMAL KRISHNA GOSWAMI PASSES AWAY IN MAYAPURA ON MARCH 15

 

Mayapura, India. At approximately 7 a.m. local time, His Holiness Tamal Krishna

Goswami left his body after sustaining injuries in a car accident. He was

traveling in a taxi with two devotees, bound for the Calcutta airport after

leaving Mayapura at 4:15 in the morning.

 

Vrindavanesvari Dasi of Auckland, New Zealand, the wife of Kalasamvara Dasa

also passed on. She was born on this date, March 15, in 1961. Kalasamvara

Prabhu was injured, but not severely. The status of the taxi driver is not yet

known.

 

The taxi had driven approximately halfway to Calcutta before the accident

occurred. It was reported that the driver ran into a tree while trying to avoid

a truck on the road. Tamal Krishna Goswami, Vrindavanesvari dasi, and

Kalasamvara were taken to the Anulia Hospital in Ranaghat.

 

Announcements were made at the Mayapura temple shortly after the accident, and

several carloads of sannyasis and godbrothers rushed to the hospital. At the

temple it was initially reported that Tamal Krishna Goswami and other devotees

were unconscious from the accident. Tamal Krishna Maharaja's and

Vrindavanesvari Dasi's passing on was announced at approximately 7 a.m.

 

The accident occurred at Phuliya, near Shantipura, about sixty kilometers from

Mayapura. This very sacred place is mentioned several times in the

Caitanya-caritamrita in connection with the pastimes of Srila Haridasa Thakura.

Phuliya is the place where Haridasa Thakur lived in a cave and chanted 300,000

names of Krishna daily. There Haridasa also resisted the temptation by Maya,

and this is also where he was beaten in twenty-two marketplaces for his

devotion to the holy name.

 

All seminars and courses in Mayapura have been cancelled for the day. The

devotees will be holding kirtanas and glorifying Tamal Krishna Maharaja in

special meetings throughout the day. Speakers have noted that today is the

anniversary of the disappearance of Jagannatha Dasa Babaji Maharaja and

Rasikananda Prabhu.

 

During a mid-day session of remembrances by senior devotees, Kesava Bharati

Prabhu read from Tamal Krishna Goswami's will, which had been forwarded by

phone from Dallas, Texas. In the will, Maharaja had stated that he wanted his

body to be placed in samadhi at Govardhana; but he specified one alternative,

namely, that if he were to pass away in Mayapura, then his body should be

placed in samadhi in Mayapura.

 

"Tamal Krishna Maharaja was a great pioneer," said GBC Chairman Giridhari

Swami, a close friend of Tamal Krishna Goswami's. "He led the society and the

preaching for Srila Prabhupada. He served on the first GBC body. He was

empowered to purchase the first land for Mayapura, he infused energy into the

book distribution in America through the Radha-Damodara party, and he was the

first to go to China."

 

"Maharaja had not been to the Mayapura annual meetings for several years

because he had taken a leave of absence from the GBC to complete his doctorate

work," Kesava Bharati Prabhu said. "Every evening after the meetings this year,

a large group of devotees, including many sannyasi godbrothers such as

Niranjana Swami, Radhanath Swami, Sivarama Swami, B.B. Govinda Swami and

Jayadvaita Swami, packed into his rooms and chanted together for a couple of

hours. Tamal Krishna Goswami was absorbed in a mood of relishing the chanting

in the dhama. Just as he was leaving this morning, he spoke to me again about

this chanting. He said that kirtana is so wonderful; it is the way to purify

our hearts and solve many problems."

 

Tamal Krishna Goswami was completing his doctorate work at Cambridge

University. According to Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu, Maharaja was completing the

last chapter of his Ph.D. thesis, which is about Srila Prabhupada. He was

serving as the Governing Body Commissioner for Taiwan, China, the Philippines,

Fiji, Texas, Mayapura and Calcutta. He was the author of several books on

Krishna consciousness. He was 55 years old.

 

"A prominent limb of Srila Prabhupada's legacy has left the world," said

Radhanath Swami. "The list of Tamal Krishna Goswami's accomplishments is so

vast; he was empowered by Srila Prabhupada to accomplish many difficult,

difficult tasks."

 

Submitted by Anuttama Dasa

ISKCON Communications Minister

 

 

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----- Festivals over the next week ------

Mar 18 2002, Monday Appearance Sri Purusottama Dasa Thakura

 

*** NOTE: All times are for Washington D.C, USA, EST ***

For festival information for your city please go to http://www.iskcondc.org and

click on 'Calendar'

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Temple details:

 

Web Address : http://www.iskcondc.org

Email : iskcondc (AT) prastha (DOT) com

 

Mailing Address:

ISKCON, 10310 Oaklyn Drive,

Potomac, MD - 20854.

Tel: (301) 299 2100 Temple

(301) 765 8948 Congregation Services

 

President: Sri Trikalajna dasa Phone:(301) 299 2100 EXT 208,Fax:(301) 299 5025

 

We have 7 aratis (deity worship) a day (4:30AM, 7:15AM, 8:15AM, 12:30PM,

4:15PM, 7:00PM [sunday 6:30PM], 8:45PM) and a daily class in the temple at

8:00AM. You are welcome 7 days a week, the temple is open from 4:30AM until

9:00PM. Breakfast is at 8:45AM and lunch prasadam at 1:00PM. All are welcome

(FREE)

 

We have a special program every Sunday evening beginning 5:30PM. This includes

a Bhagavad Gita class, kirtan (devotional songs), arati, and a sumptuous

vegetarian feast. If you would like to sponsor the feast or receive further

information please call 301-299-2100 or send us an Email.

 

We also offer a variety of pujas, samskaras, grain ceremonies, mundans etc. and

have qualified priests to perform them. For details please call Sri Trikalajna

dasa on 301-299-2100 EXT 208 or send us an Email.

 

Remember to visit Govindas, our gift shop, located right behind the temple, for

all your devotional needs, reading material, music CDs, tapes and deity

paraphernalia. The shop is open every Sunday from 5PM to 9PM, and any other

time on request.

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