World Vaisnava Association Laments Loss Of Its President

July 11, 2003

The World Vaisnava Association Laments the loss of its President Parama Pujyapada Srila Bhakti Promod Puri Maharaj.

Born in the year 1898 in Jessore, our President and great distinguised Vaisnava Acarya and Founder of the Gopinath Gaudiya Math left this mortal world in Jagannath Puri.

He had inspired the founding of the World Vaisnava Association in 1994, which is a continuation of the same effort as previously organized by other Acaryas to create a common ground for different Vaisnava missions. Originally this concept was taught and organized by the great writer and Philosopher Srila Jiva Goswami 500 years ago.

Srila B.P. Puri Maharaj was widely acclaimed as the greatest authority on all branches of Vaisnava scholarship, and a devotional teacher with disciples all over the world. Guiding very affectionately young and old devotees from all over the world, Srila B.P. Puri Maharaj also had the very rare quality to be a master of many masters. He actually was a continuous base, consulted and visited by other spiritual masters and their disciples. He knew to encourage all, and his nonsectarian spirit could only remind us of the late Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Maharaj, his intimate friend who even attracted Srila B.P. Puri Maharaj amongst so many other prominent leaders and Gurus of the Vaisnava tradition.

His return to the eternal world of love one day before the Rasa Purnima which ends the beautiful Kartik season in the holy Dham of Sri Jagannath Puri Dham, close to the birth place of his beloved Guru Maharaj Srila B.S. Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada, leaves all of the members of the WVA in great distress. Where will we find such a wonderful caring leader again? Even though he has gone to serve his eternal Lord in his eternal abode, which is undoubtedly a very auspicious moment, nevertheless we are deprived to get his personal darshan now, and thus we are morose. The WVA will function until the managing committee of the WVA selects a new President under the careful guidance of Srila B.B. Tirtha Maharaj, the Acarya of the Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math who was the vice-president of the WVA and a dear servant of Srila B.P. Puri Goswami Maharaj.

This day also was the 15th day of the first WVA symposium. The last lecture was exclusively dedicated to remember Srila B.P. Puri Maharaj. The transcendtental Samadhi will be constructed in Mayapur by his devotees. Next to the holy Ganges and Sarasvati Rivers the Gopinath Gaudiya Math stands out where Srila B.P. Puri Maharajas personal deities are worshipped.

Known also as Guru Maharaj to his disciples, he left his own mission under the care of his beloved disciple Srila B. B. Bodhayanan Maharaj who just finished his first international preaching tour when we received the news of our guardian's departure.

I personally can only pray that by the grace of all the readers of this article, that I may never forget the humble kind and affectionate soul who was realized in all the perfection of spiritual love. More details and nectar on his life will be available on the Internet and through many other publications, CDs, Video and Tape recordings.

Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti

WVA committee coordinator.