Amogha Virya Das Departs

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Amogha Virya, an initiated disciple of Srila Prabhupada, left this planet July 22, 2003, at a hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. Other devotees had not been informed of the critical nature of his disease. Staff workers in attendance at the hospital said that he was prepared for death. Although other devotees were not near, the hospital staff reports, Amogha Virya, towards the very end, fell on his hands and knees in prayer. Shortly afterward, he fell over and never regained consciousness.

 

 

 

 

Through the years, Amogha Virya spent considerable time in hospitals. One devotee who knew Amogha Virya quite well and had visited him at several hospitals observed that the illness sent to him must have been a very special benediction.

 

"When I went to see Amogha at the hospital," said Krishna Das, "I was amazed to be greeted by patients chanting the Mahamantra. Even when he was in great personal distress, Amogha never stopped preaching to others. He was such an intense and sincere devotee that this must have been Krishna’s way of sending a preacher to those inside the hospital system." It was also noted that Amogha Virya was generous in distributing prasadam brought from the temple for him. He would give it to as many other patients as possible.

 

Amogha Virya’s last temple days were dedicated to the Rupanuga Vedic College in Kansas City, Missouri. He had a spiritual passion for arotiks. He would often lead the kirtans and would inspire the devotees to chant with incredible feeling and enthusiasm.

 

Also, during classes, either in Srimad Bhagavatam or Gita, Amogha Virya’s encyclopedic memory was a great resource. He could remember the smallest details about almost every story in the scriptures. If the devotee giving class momentarily forgot the name or some information from a little-known tale, Amogha Virya could be relied on to supply the smallest details. He could also be counted on to explain the spiritual point of these stories.

 

A special memorial service is being planned by Rupanuga Vedic College. It is also planned that Amogha Virya’s body will be cremated and the ashes dispersed in a sacred river in India. Amogha Virya’s relatives were content that his remains be taken care of by the devotees. They believed that Amogha Virya felt closer to the devotees than to his own biological relatives, and they wanted to respect this sentiment, which had been with him throughout his spiritual life.