HH Jayapataka Swami is in critical condition from a serious stroke, please pray

[Sarva gattah]

January 11 - Report from Ratnavali dd:Narayani Mataji, Guru Maharaja's godsister had come to see Guru Maharaja before her departing from Mumbai. She teaches Bhaktivaibhava andBhaktivedanta courses in VIHE.

 

She came here to Mira Road for her health check up and as well as for giving seminars at Sri Sri Radha Giridhari temple. Last week when she arrived to Mumbai she had brought Mahagarlands from Sri Sri Radha Syamasundara, Radhakunda water etc and offered them to Guru Maharaja.

Today she sang eight very beautiful verses called Kevalastakam, glorifying the Holy Names for the pleasure of Guru Maharaja.

 

Guru Maharaja liked them very much and he asked for a copy of those verses. Guru Maharaja invited her to come to Mayapur for Bhisma pancaka, the last five days of Kartik month and to give seminar in Mayapur.

Here are the eight verses that she sung for Guru Maharaja:

 

 

 

LYRICS:

(1)

madhuram madhurebhyo 'pi

mangalebhyo 'pi mangalam

pavanam pavanebhyo 'pi

harer namaiva kevalam

(2)

abrahma-stamba-paryantam

sarvam maya-mayam jagat

satyam satyam puna satyam

harer namaiva kevalam

(3)

sa guru sa pita capi

sa mata bandhavo 'pi sa

siksayec cet sada smartum

harer namaiva kevalam

(4)

nihsvase nahi visvasa

kada ruddho bhavisyati

kirtaniya mato balyad

harer namaiva kevalam

(5)

hari sada vaset tatra

yatra bhagavata jana

gayanti bhakti-bhavena

harer namaiva kevalam

(6)

aho duhkham maha-duhkham

duhkhad duhkhataram yata

kacartham vismrtam ratna-

harer namaiva kevalam

(7)

diyatam diyatam karno

niyatam niyatam vaca

giyatam giyatam nityam

harer namaiva kevalam

(8)

trni-krtya jagat sarvam

rajate sakalopari

cid-ananda-mayam suddham

harer-namaiva kevalam

 

TRANSLATION

 

 

 

1) More sweet than all other sweet things; more auspicious than all other auspicious things; the greatest purifier of all purifying things-The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.

 

2) The entire universe, from exalted Brahma down to the lowly clump of grass, is a product of the illusory energy of the supreme Lord. The only thing that is reality, reality, again I say reality-The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.

 

 

3) That person is a true preceptor, or a true father, a true mother, and a true friend also only if they teach one to always remember-The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.

 

4) There is no certainty when the last breath will come and put an abrupt halt to all one's material plans; therefore it is wise to always practice chanting from very childhood-The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.

 

5) Lord Hari eternally dwells in that place where truly exalted, spiritually advanced souls sing in the mood of pure devotion-The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.

 

6) Aho! What a sorrow, what a great sorrow! More painful than any other misery in the world! Mistaking it as a mere piece of glass, the people have forgotten this jewel-The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.

 

7) It should be heard again and again with one's ears; It should be uttered over and over with one's voice; It should be perpetually sung and sung anew-The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.

 

8) It makes the entire universe seem insignificant as a blade of grass; it splendorously reigns supreme over all; it is full of eternally conscious divine ecstasy; it is supremely pure-The holy name of Sri Hari alone is everything.

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[Sarva gattah]

From HH Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja:

Yesterday late morning, I came to Bombay, and went to see Jayapataka Maharaja in the afternoon. Bhakti Purushottama Maharaja, Braja Hari prabhu and Sunil Madhav from Chicago, came along with me. While driving to the hospital, I was feeling quite depressed. Just to think of the person who used to be so full of strength and vitality lying on bed in this condition is naturally painful.

I was remembering those early days in Mayapur - going to swim in the Ganges with him. With steady, powerful strokes he used to casually swim across that river.

 

So many incidences flashed across my mind - once Radha Jivan lost his breath in the middle of the river and panicked and started to cry out for help, and Jayapataka Maharaja came to his rescue and carried him to the shore. Guru Kripa, (at that time a Swami), used to come to Mayapur with his tough group of devotees, called the Nama Hatta, from Japan. Often we used to sport on the bank of the Ganges.

 

One day I was forced to wrestle with one tough American devotee who defeated me and it was seen as a defeat of Mayapur. Jayapataka Maharaja could not tolerate that. He just stood up and challenged anyone from that group to fight with him. A devotee who was equal to his size accepted his challenge and they started to fight.

 

After a little struggle, Maharaja pin him to the ground and started to slam him again and again on the mud. We all, Mayapur devotees, felt that this was our victory in response to my embarrassing defeat. Once we got a false alarm that the Muslims attacked our Goshala and we all ran towards the Goshala with sticks and spears to protect our cows and on the head of our group was Jayapataka Maharaja.

 

Once someone brought a crossbow from America and we used to practice occasionally with that. Jayapataka Maharaja would always hit the bull's eye without fail. He disclosed that he used to be a champion shooter in his early days.

When we arrived in the hospital, we were informed that Maharaja was still taking rest. So we decided to go to the ISKCON temple in Mira Road and have darshan of Sri Sri Radha Giridhari and Jagannatha-Baladeva-Subhadra. When we came back, Maharaja was awake and greeted us with a happy smile.

There was a big difference between my last visit to him and this one. Although he lost a lot of weight he seemed to be doing extremely well. He was obviously happy to see us. With a big smile he started to speak, "Bhakti Charu Maharaja ordered me to stay. How could I disobey his order? Therefore, I am still here." Everyone began to laugh.

 

I corrected him, "No, I did not order you to stay but I begged you to stay. The devotees were praying for you all over the world. Thank you very much for listening to our appeals." He folded his hands and said, "The devotees are very kind. They are very merciful. I will do whatever Krishna wants."

I told him that I heard that the day before he went to Sri Sri Radha Giridhari temple and led a kirtan. He said, "Yes. For about five minutes I led the kirtan." Then he started to sing, "jaya Jagannatha, jaya Jagannath…." In order to show us how he led the kirtan. I told him that in a few days he would also be dancing while leading the kirtan. He laughed loudly and said, "Let us see what Krishna wants."

Just by being with him, the sadness that was prevailing in my heart disappeared and the whole mood became very jovial. I told him, "Let us go for a walk", and he told me that he started to walk holding on to the parallel bars. One of the devotees who were taking care of him told me that he was almost running this morning.

 

He mentioned how these physiotherapists are really making him work hard. They ask him to stand up and sit down or walk. But then he admitted that their treatment was very good and it is working.

 

One therapist is teaching him how to close his eyes and move his eyebrows. Then he mentioned that even such simple things became so difficult to do at times, as if he is learning everything from the beginning. I reassured him that the way his condition is improving, very soon he will become alright again.

He is having difficulties to move his right hand and right leg. The devotees helped him to sit on a chair and he seemed a lot more expressive and joyful being in that position. He remembered that when he was in the Hinduja hospital, I was singing some bhajan and he thanked me for that.

 

I was surprised that he could remember that because we were under the impression that he was completely unconscious at that time. I told him that his consciousness seems to be so clear and his memory so vivid. He agreed that with his mind he doesn't have any difficulty. He has difficulty only with his body. I felt very confident that his body would also become alright within a short time.

 

I remembered Badrinarayan Prabhu's comment, "It seems that Jayapataka Maharaja is an irresistible force of nature that can never be stopped." I remembered those Kshatriya warriors of the Vedic times who would be injured almost to the point of death, but then in a flash, they would recover from that injury and start to fight again as if nothing happened to them.

He mentioned that Sivarama Maharaja phoned him yesterday and how much he enjoyed talking to him. He feels very happy when senior devotees phone him or visit him.

Gopala Krishna Maharaja called and he told him that we were there with him and what a wonderful time he was having with us. A little after that, Guru Prasad Maharaja called from Mexico and Maharaja told him the same thing.

I told him that he should get well quick and go to Mayapur. All these years he had been traveling around the world. Now he should just stay in Mayapur and let the devotees from around the world come and see him. This is how due to so many devotees involvement Mayapur is going to develop. He accepted that proposal.

 

One of his disciples who is taking care of him jokingly mentioned that he has a ticket from Bombay to Kolkata, which will expire if he did not use it within a certain time. We all started to laugh and Maharaja also started to laugh. We expressed our concern that he would have difficulty going to him room on the roof of the Lotus Building. Bhakti Purushottama Maharaja suggested that he could stay on the ground floor of the Conch Building.

 

I reminded him that if he had to stay in the Conch Building, then did not have to stay in the ground floor. He could rather stay in my room because there he could go by the elevator. Maharaja jokingly reminded us that still he will have to climb half the flight of stairs because the lifts there do not go to the landing of the floors. We assured him that we could carry him in a palanquin. He accepted that idea.

Many devotees were waiting outside for Maharaja's darshan. Therefore, after spending about two hours with him, we left.

Bhakti Raghava Maharaja, who had been suspected to have a contagious disease called Chicken Guinea, was also in the Bhaktivedanta hospital, in a room opposite to Maharaja's. So, we went to see him.

Maharaja was sitting on a chair in front of his deities, chanting. When I tried to embrace him, Maharaja tried to resist because of his infection. But I insisted, saying, "I touch you to get purified myself." Maharaja looked very embarrassed and kept on saying, "please, please."

I met him after many, many years. We remembered the early days in Mayapur. We used to be so close and rendered so many services together.

His condition is much better now. In a couple of days he will be discharged from the hospital. He has many preaching projects developing in different parts of India, and he told us how he was going to spend time in different places and eventually come to Mayapur for the GBC meeting.

[Sarva gattah]

 

 

"Only by the prayers and causeless mercy of Krsna I am alive"!

 

 

Friday, January - Report from Ratnavali dd:

Guru Maharaja was invited today for the Bhaktivedanta hospital doctors' gathering which takes place once in 3 months. After the facial therapy in the evening Guru Maharaja was taken to the auditorium at 8pm. There were about 100 devotees present in the hall; 50 doctors, their family members, children and other devotees. Guru Maharaja was offered maha garland and as well as Bhakti Purushottam Maharaja.

Dr.Sita who is a dentist led Hare Krsna Kirtan very beautifully. Later all the doctors' names were called out and were introduced to Guru Maharaja. There were doctors from all kinds of fields like dentist, ophthalmologist, anaesthetic, surgeons, ayurvedic, ENT, spiritual care section etc.

Then Guru Maharaja was asked to speak few words. Guru Maharaja spoke and Dr Shiromani Mataji had to repeat as sometimes not everything could be understood clearly. I wrote down the notes and I am enclosing it below:

"I heard about this meeting couple of hours ago and I didn't have enough time to prepare. In Caitanya Lila, one of the associates name is Murari Gupta. He is not different from Hanuman. A physician by profession and he cured people both materially and spiritually. One time Caitanya had indigestion. He gave one glass of water from water pot and he cured him. Such a good physician. No medicine, water was enough! This is a great program combining spiritual care along with the material care. I came for annual program 9 years ago. That time I heard one patient saying how he was benefitted by being in the hospital but for the first time I get to see what is going on while I am convalescing here. This hospital gives the sadhus an alternative for a Krsna conscious environment and get whatever treatment one might need. Everyone as a grihasta gets to do some work, an opportunity to do your profession and at the same time to do devotional service with devotees.

Personally I am very indebted to Radhanath Swami and Radha Gopinath devotees who prayed for me. Now I hear from all neurologists that no one survived the stroke I had.

 

Only by the prayers and causeless mercy of Krsna I am alive. I am a patient of ophthalmologist, especially the left one. So they are keeping me under their care. I hope I don't have to bother anyone else.

Some children of the doctors come to sing kirtan for me. Usually my program is very tight.

Here is Bhakti Purushottam Swami. He just came from a trip to Middle East. He is one of the GBC's of Mayapur.

Also I thank all the doctors who come during parikrama to Mayapur and take care of the devotees all over the world. I see how they are busy here and yet they take time to come there to Mayapur."

Bhakti Purushottam Maharaja then spoke appreciating and thanking all Bhaktivedanta hospital doctors for giving their time and nice care for our Guru Maharaja since the beginning of this episode at Hindhuja hospital.

After Maharaja spoke, Guru Maharaja wanted to sing a kirtan for the pleasure of the doctors. Everyone was so happy to hear Guru Maharaja singing.

 

All the devotees got up and started dancing. Guru Maharaja sang little longer than at Radha Giridhari temple.

 

The photos and video clips will be posted on web. The prabhus surrounded Guru Maharaja in the inner circle and the matajis on the outer circle dancing. It was a very blissful event.

 

 

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[Sarva gattah]

 

 

There are 2 types of stroke.

 

 

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<!-- END TEMPLATE: bbcode_quote -->Friday, January 16 - Report From Mahabahu Govinda Prabhu:

Before I write my report I'll make a brief summary of the BVA (Brain Vascular Accident) (Stroke):

There are 2 types of stroke.

1. Isquemic: Blood clot that obstructs a brain artery causing the deactivation of several neuronal areas.

2. Haemorrhaghic: It's the "breakage" of an artery causing blood shedding in the regions in which it doesn't correspond.

From these two types, the one that generates a high mortality before the first 30 days is the haemorrhagic.

The places of injury can vary; but the most dangerous is the one at the brain trunk, being this the place where the cranial pairs arrive, and it is also the center of various important functions; amongst them, the deglution (swallowing) and respiration.

A fonoaudiologic evaluation was executed; in respect of his musculature, it was found the following:

Left Hemiface: A decrease in its tonicity; lip got down; left eye with short mobility.

Right Hemiface: Muscular insufficiency on cheeks, slight movement on his left eye. Incapability to enact facial expression movements, such as: smile and expressions of sadness. This is produced by the limitation in orbicular muscles, risorio muscle, amongst others having alterations.

This makes the face to appear stiff and having a little facial expression. In addition, the speech sounds not very clear at times (dysarthric), product of the muscular alterations.

It has been decided to begin the treatment with three sessions a day, half an hour each.

Presently, 10 sessions has been already performed. There are improvements in his facial symmetry, eyes closing, right eyebrow movements, right cheek functionality and slight improvement in lip seal.

The sessions will continue in this frequency. Advancement has been noticed, but it's necessary to continue. Positives factors are that he is young and that the BVA type is starting to respond to the stimulation.

Guru Maharaja is now in a rehabilitation stage; from now on only achievements should come.

Therefore, patiently one has to wait for the improvements step by step. It's understood that all the improvements are the result of a team work of devotees, doctors, diversity of therapies and prayers.

Everybody united towards the same cause to which everyone had contributed.

Please Keep praying.

[Sarva gattah]

Monday, January 19 - Report from Ekanath Gaura Prabhu:

Revati Raman prabhu has come to Mumbai to visit Guru Maharaja for a couple of days. He had come from Delhi after attending the Indian RGB Meetings.

This was the first RGB Meeting that Guru Maharaja had missed to take part, so Revati Raman prabhu was giving him a summary of the meetings.

After this Guru Maharaja was taken to physiotheraphy department. At 1.45pm when the session was about to finish he was informed that a group of 40 devotees from Ukraine are waiting in the Jagannatha Vallabha gardens to have a short darshan with him. They are Radhanatha Maharaja's disciples who had come for a spiritual trip to Mumbai, Pune yatra and also Mayapur.

As they were in Mumbai they were brought to have a look of the Bhaktivedanta Hospital and were eager to have darshan of our Guru Maharaja. They have been instructed previously by Radhanatha Swami Maharaja to pray for the recovery of our Guru Maharaja from the stroke.

Ukraine devotees where performing bhajans while waiting in the gardens for Guru Maharaja. Guru Maharaja spoke about how he is, his present situation, how he has been taken care nicely in Bhaktivedanta hospital and how he recovered miraculously with the prayers of the devotees and the causeless mercy of Krsna.

While Guru Maharaja spoke in English it was translated simultaneously in Russian. Later Guru Maharaja asked the devotees if they had any questions for him.

The devotees asked him as they are making a visit to Mayapur Dham sooner what should be their mood. Guru Maharaja described how Lord Nityananda took Srila Jiva Goswami on a spiritual tour to Navadvipa Dham and He was revealing the dham to Srila Jiva Goswami.

Also Guru Maharaja described partially about the 7 visions of the Dham that was revealed in a dream to Srinivas Acarya. In his first vision he saw the adbhuta mandir with the dome, Sri Sri Panca Tattva and the devotees.

In the second vision he saw many levels of walls surrounding the temple which were made of gold. Taking part at least once in Navadvipa Dham parikrama can give one the love of Godhead.

Although Guru Maharaja has been attending regularly the Navadvipa Dhama parikrama since 35 + years, every time when he takes part in the parikrama he gets newer and newer realizations of the dham.

The devotees asked if he had any special realization when he was unconscious during the stroke. Guru Maharaja replied yes but he couldn't reveal it as Srila Prabhupada had instructed not to disclose intimate things openly.

Guru Maharaja was appreciative of Bhaktivedanta Hospital project. He said that every month there are 25 new devotees being made in the hospital. He recollected two incidents which he heard from the devotees in the hospital.

One person when he was trying to save a pigeon fell down and got his hand fractured. He was later admitted into the Bhaktivedanta hospital. He became a devotee after that. He saved the bird and he was gifted with Krsna consciousness!

Another lady was very averse to ISKCON. Her father had lung cancer and was admitted in this hospital in ICU. As he was recovering he got exposed to Krsna consciousness and the devotees were lovingly taking care of his body, mind and soul.

Seeing this reciprocation and getting to hear Bhagavad Gita the lady changed her opinion about ISKCON and became a devotee. Bhaktivedanta Hospital Ki Jai!

(Described by Ekanath Gaura prabhu and written by Ratnavali dd)

Video links of kirtan and class:

Dear Devotees,

Hare Krsna. Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Srila Gurudeva.

Here is the URL for the videos when Guru Maharaja gave lecture to the hospital doctors. Tirthatma Nitai prabhu has kindly edited and posted it here. Special thanks to Ekanath Gaura prabhu to send the files to Tirthatma Nitai prabhu.

Kirtan:

http://www.jayapatakaswami.com/guru_maharaj_kirtan_jan09.html

Class:

http://www.jayapatakaswami.com/guru_maharaj_darshan_jan09.html

Your humble servant,

[Sarva gattah]

 

 

H.H. Jayapataka Maharaj told us how grateful he was for all the devotees for praying for him. This great general of Lord Chaitanya’s army is back. Back from the dead to lead his troops against Maya's temptations and tests.

By Abhijit Toley - January 25, 2009

 

 

Applause. The kind that bursts out from the hearts of the audience after a moment of stunned silence.

 

The kind that seems to last forever. The kind that no one wants to ever end.

 

The kind that follows a moment that everyone wants to etch into their memories for all time to come. The kind that typically follows an awesome performance that touches the hearts of the audience very deeply. Today, I was part of one such applause.

 

I am writing this while watching His Holiness Jayapataka Swami who is sitting in a wheelchair about twenty-five feet from me. It’s the 22nd annual Pune Yatra, in the bungalow of H. G. Krishna Chandra Prabhu in Pune, India. It’s as if the celestial giants have descended upon earth.

 

What else would you say if you are amidst HH Radhanath Swami, HH Bhakticharu Swami, HH Jayapataka Swami, HH Chandramouli Swami, and HH Bhakti Vishwambhar Madhava Swami?

 

A couple of days ago, on the first evening of this four-day Yatra, HH Radhanath Swami Maharaja indicated at the possibility that perhaps HH Bhakticharu Maharaja might join us all.

 

This news was received very enthusiastically. But when he also told us that perhaps HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaja might also join us, the cheers were uproarious.

 

And why not? HH Jayapataka Maharaj is a darling of all the Vaishnavas. Srila Prabhupada declared that he is an eternal associate of Lord Chaitanya. Prabhupada gave him Sanyaas when he was just 21.

 

He took up, and continues to execute, major responsibilities in Srila Prabhupada’s mission, including the Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir and many others. He is pretty much the spiritual master of the whole Navadwip Dham! One can’t think of Sri Mayapur Dham without thinking of Srila Jayapataka Swami Maharaja. His glories are unlimited.

 

Not for nothing did Srila Prabhupada give him the name Jayapataka – the victory flag – signifying the victory of Lord Chaitanya’s Sankirtan Movement. Param Vijayate Sri Krishna Sankirtanam.

 

But recently, by the inconceivable will of the Lord, this glorious and extraordinarily brave soldier of Lord Chaitanya was put into a precarious situation. In the Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari Temple of ISKCON Juhu, Maharaja had a severe stroke of brain hemorrhage.

 

Doctors said he had no chance. And even if he did survive, he would be no better than a vegetable. Devotees all over the world were shocked! The whole Vaishnava community of ISKCON united in their prayers to the Lord to let Maharaja stay longer on this earth and shower upon everyone his matchless association and mercy.

 

Kirtans roared all over the world. HH Radhanath Swami Maharaja dedicated the Karthik Vrindavan Yatra to HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaja, where all devotees prayed fervently to the Lord for Jayapataka Swami Maharaja’s recovery. Thus there was hope, but the situation was still critical, and tense.

 

Over the next few weeks, I kept myself updated about Maharaja’s health by visiting www. jpsoffice. com. His condition has been steadily improving. According to the doctors, that’s a miracle.

 

But for Krishna nothing is impossible. And how could it be, because He is the cause of all causes. Just before the Pune Yatra, only once, this thought had struck my mind: How nice will it be to have HH Jayapataka Maharaja with us in the Yatra?

 

Surely, due to these recent events, devotees all over the world remembered the glories of Maharaja and thus got purified.

 

Maharaja is still recuperating, but things look in control now. He traveled for around four hours in an ambulance from Bombay to Pune just to give us his divine association. This is an example of his unlimited mercy.

 

He addressed us briefly yesterday evening. He told us how grateful he was for all the devotees for praying for him. We were all touched. And then again, today while HH Radhanath Maharaja was showering us with the lotus words from his lotus mouth during the Srimad Bhagavatam class, entered the scene HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaja.

 

As was planned, HH Radhanatha Swami Maharaja stopped his class and handed over the Vyasasana to HH Jayapataka Maharaja.

 

Maharaja’s speech is not completely back yet. So he had a devotee repeat his words, although one could understand quite a bit of what he spoke directly. Just his presence was electrifying.

 

He spoke about his last year’s Bangladesh trip, his various helicopter rides, and also he spoke very fondly about his recent stay at the Bhakti Vedanta Hospital in Bombay.

 

His every word was nectar for all the devotees. He informed us that every month around twenty-five patients become devotees in the Bhakti Vedanta Hospital. And then, out of his natural humility, he said that now that he had also been a patient in that hospital, he might also become a devotee.

 

More than once, my eyes were moistened by his words. He spoke for about an hour. The devotee who had made tens of thousands of devotees was all the while exhibiting his natural humility. Who can fathom the glories and sweetness of a true Vaishnava?

 

But what was it that was touching everyone’s heart? I had not been able to put it in words. That thought was there somewhere in my sub-consciousness, but I had not yet expressed it in words. HH Radhanath Maharaja had hinted at it more than once.

 

This was a historic event, he said. But exactly what was historic? After enthralling the devotees by his humility, love, and humor, even in his far-from-perfect medical condition, he ended with: “It’s good to be back in the preaching field.”

 

That was it! That was the historic event. This great general of Lord Chaitanya’s army was back. Back from the dead. There was no chance for him, but here he was. Inspiring devotees, distributing Krishna Prem. Once again! “It’s good to be back in the preaching field”, he said.

Stunned silence. Applause!<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->