Good example of a senior disciple of Prabhupada who also taking siksa to continue..

[krsna]

The auspicious passing of Kavidatta prabhu

by Radhakanta das

 

Posted November 3, 2004

 

Kavidatta Prabhu, a siksa disciple of Srila B.V. Narayana Maharaj and disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, has passed away from this world at 3:20 p.m. on this auspicious day, the disappearance of Srila Raghunatha das, Srila Raghunatha Bhatta and Srila Krsna das Kaviraja Goswamis. He peacefully passed from thisworld, surrounded by about 15 devotees who lovingly chanted to him while he listened to Srila Prabhupada chanting japa on his headphones.

 

For the past three days there has been non-stop kirtan by his bedside in the hospital in San Francisco. Many devotees would come and go, and some would stay all night with him, doing kirtan and readings. On his bed devotees placed so many auspicious articles, photos of our guru varga and Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. Placed on a small table over his bed was Sri Radha Govinda Salagram-sila, Govardhana-sila and Tulasi Devi. Radha kunda water, Yamuna water, caranamrita, Vrindavana dust, maha-prasadam, and so many other auspicious articles were brought by all the devotees to sanctify the atmosphere.

 

It was wonderful to see such a beautiful and natural outpouring of love and affection that the devotees showed for him in his last days. By Srila Gurudev's mercy and the mercy of Srila Prabhupada this all became possible for Kavidatta Prabhu in his final hours.

 

An hour or so before his departure, songs of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur were sung, expressing the mood to attain Radha dasyam and manjari bhava, ending with Radha kunda tata and the Hare Krishna maha mantra. As Srila Gurudeva has requested we have placed tulasi in his mouth in the end, as well as yamuna jala, and chanted to him as he left. His breath became less and less, indicating to us that he was about to leave. The devotees gathered closely next to him and chanted the maha-mantra very blissfully and lovingly as he took his last few breaths.

 

We will all miss him very much. We feel blessed to have known him and, especially in the last few days, blessed in witnessing such a wonderful and auspicious passing of a vaisnava from this world.

 

Kavidatta prabhu began his service to Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON when he was only a teenager of about 16, and thus has practiced Krsna consciousness for over 30 years. He was a veteran of the Radha Damodar travelling sankirtan party and was very fond of Vishnujana Swami and also Jayananda prabhu. He was dedicated to the service of book distribution, was very fond of reading, preaching, playing the mrdanga and doing kirtan.

 

In the last 3 years he has been a strong part of our local sanga and its gatherings, always attending the programs, even though he has been ill on and off and in a failing health condition.

 

All the devotees liked Kavidatta prabhu because he was simple, sincere, dedicated, and very humble and pleasant with everyone. Even though he was a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada, he showed respect and affection to all devotees, young and old. He never talked bad about others and always had positive things to say.

 

He had love and affection for his diksa guru, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, for Srila Bhakti-raksaka Sridhara-deva Goswami, and Srila Narayana Maharaja. He expressed his respect and affection for Srila Gurudeva and was a very good example of a senior disciple of Prabhupada who was also taking siksa to continue his advancement in Krsna consciousness.

 

He knew the value of sadhu-sanga and took it with every opportunity. If he had not been so dependent on the kidney dialysis machine he would have joined us on the Vraja Mandala parikrama and Navadvipa parikrama. Now he will get the chance, as Srila Gurudeva has blessed him, to get more and more high-class association in his next life and continue to develop on the path of bhakti.