Srila Prabhupada’s Disappearance day-26-10-2006 Fasting till Noon(some minute details of the last days by HG Anantacarya Das)

[Guest guest]

12 November l977

[From the diary of Anantacarya Das]

 

During the night, at about 1:00 A. M., I re-enter the room. Srila Prabhupada is

resting. Swarup Damodara, one of His personal servants, is tending closely to

Srila Prabhupada. Shortly after I arrive, Swarup Damodara is relieved by

Bavananda Maharaj who helps Srila Prabhupada turn over in bed. Bavananda begins

massaging Srila Prabhupada, and while Srila Prabhupada rests, the room is

completely silent. We chant Japa under our breaths. When Bavananda comes close

to help, Srila Prabhupada asks, "Who is it?" Later on I find out that some of

Srila Prabhupada's associates have talked him out of going on the parikram, and

He has agreed that we will go instead. The night is chilly. Today is Govardhan

Puja, and later on in the morning the Temple will be decorated.

 

Kaviraj (Shastri-ji, the doctor) comes in at 8:00 A.M. He takes Srila

Prabhupada's pulse and states that the pulse is perfectly normal again.

 

Kaviraj says that he has seen many, many patients, but never one with a body

like Srila Prabhupada's. One day everything will seem to be in disorder, but

the next day everything will be perfect again. Today there is no more high

blood pressure either. Kaviraj says that he will have to go to Jaipur to get

the ingredients for a special medicine. He is sure that if Srila Prabhupada

will continue to take milk, take the medicine (when it becomes available), and

(one other thing I couldn't hear), then Srila Prabhupada will be well.

 

Kirtan starts quietly, and most of us leave the room with Shastri-ji.

 

At about 3:50 P.M. I re-enter the room. There are about 10 devotees singing a

nice kirtan for Srila Prabhupada. Shortly thereafter, another devotee and I are

given a chance to lead the kirtan. He is playing the harmonium, and I accompany

him with a pair of karatals. We sing continuously until 7:00 P.M. During this

time Srila Prabhupada asks to be seated up in bed!!! He not only sits up in

bed, but also accepts a portion of choody noodles! He chews just a little bit

of it, and, after he is done, Upendra carefully distributes to us that which is

left on the plate. Needless to say, the devotees in the room waste no time in

honoring the Maha Prasad that has come right off the plate of the pure devotee!

Srila Prabhupada is always giving to us, no matter what his apparent condition.

 

Sunday, 13 November, 1977.

 

Upon entering the room at 1:00 A.M., I prostrate myself near the bed, and offer

obeisances to our Spiritual Master. The room is completely silent except for

two sounds: the very faint sound of Srila Prabhupada's breath as he sleeps, and

the slight rustle of Bavananda's beads as he chants silently. There are four of

us in the room: Srila Prabhupad, Bavananda Maharaj, Giriraj, and myself. I take

the opportunity to chant silently.

 

Srila Prabhupada sleeps well for awhile, but then he awakens. He begins to have

more trouble with his body. Bavananda does everything that he

can----rearranging pillows, massaging, moving Srila Prabhupada, changing the

blankets, but no matter what, Srila Prabhupada is still not doing well at all.

Bavananda gives the order the go wake up Upendra. Upendra is here in no time

and takes care of things nicely enough that Srila Prabhupada calms down and

goes back to sleep. He sleeps well from 2:00 to 3:00 A.M. Then he wakes up

again. For awhile he is cold, but then the quilt which is put on is too heavy,

and He asks that it be removed. He even pushes strongly against it. His left

leg is in pain, and he asks to be helped to pass urine. Things go from bad to

worse. He insists that all covers stay off.

 

We get Upendra up again, but then, in addition, we have to rush for Shastri-ji

and get him up too. There are more devotees in the room now too, since many are

now getting up early in order to chant some rounds before mongala aroti. In the

middle of all this action, Srila Prabhupada erupts with a very loud and

distinct "Hare Krishna". At that, Bavananda starts too chant out loud, but due

to the attention that he is giving Srila Prabhupada, he stops chanting a few

minutes later in order to concentrate on what he is doing for Srila Prabhupada.

At that, Srila Prabhupada again erupts with "Hare Krishna!" and Bavananda

chants even louder. Five minutes later, another "Hare Krishna!" from Srila

Prabhupada, and at that point Upendra turns around to us and says, "You may all

chant japa out loud". Kaviraj takes the pulse, looks over Srila Prabhupada, and

then leaves. Srila Prabhupada becomes a little quieter. I leave at 4:15 A.M.

 

At 6:45 A.M. I re-enter the room. About 20 devotees are being led in a nice

kirtan by Satswarup Maharaj. Srila Prabhupada is now worse. Now he has a cold,

too. Now a cold on top of everything else. Srila Prabhupada's sister arrives,

dressed all in white, and goes to the head of the bed to see her brother. She

reaches out her hand to give him a long, consoling touch.

 

She then proceeds to the foot of the bed, reaches under the covers, and touches

his feet before she leaves. At about 8:30 A.M. I leave the room.

 

At about 9:00 P.M. I re-enter Srila Prabhupada's room. There are about 15 to 20

devotees gathered around the bed including Kaviraj and another elderly

gentleman friend of Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada is being massaged on one

leg with looks like an oil of some kind, and a compress is being applied to the

other leg. He doesn't seem to be doing well at all. Many devotees are staying

and not leaving to take rest. At about 10:30 P.M. He begins to sleep very well.

He is on his left side and sleeping silently. By 11:00 P.M. there are only four

disciples left in the room: Swarup Damodara, Jagadisha Prabhu, a bramacari(who

is reading under a lamp in the corner), and myself. Swarup Damodara is sitting

quietly in the corner keeping an eye on Gurudev; Jagadish is seated quietly

against the wall; the bramacari is reading; I am chanting Hare Krishna. At this

point, the only sound in the room is Anantacarya whispering the Hare Krishna

Mantra.

 

The night is getting cold outside, and Swarup Damodara wants to stop a cold

draft which is coming in on Srila Prabhupada by way of a French window near the

bed; but it won't close. So I go outside and push while Swarup Damodara pushes

from the inside. Somehow or other we manage to get it closed without waking up

Gurudev.

 

Later on, at 11:40 P.M., Srila Prabhupada awakes and asks to be rolled from his

left side onto his back. Swarup Damodara helps him roll over to His back, then

gives Him his medicine, and then fixes him up with the urinal. While He is

being moved to his back, Srila Prabhupada's feet become uncovered, so I go over

and tuck in Gurudev's lotus feet under the blankets.

 

Monday, 14 November, l977.

 

It is now 12:15 A.M. Gurudev is still sleeping soundly. Bavananda shows up

promply at 1:00 A.M., and he takes up his vigil in the chair by the foot of the

bed. At this point I take the opportunity to also go over close to the bed so

that I can be closer to Srila Prabhupada while I chant the Maha Mantra very

softly. For the next hour and a half I stand right there, next to Gurudev,

looking at his lovely head and face. He is resting so nicely, and for that hour

and a half, I can't see anything else. I stand in one spot and meditate upon

his lotus face and head. Bavananda gets up and goes over to sit by the far wall

with some other devotees who have now begun to arrive in the early morning

hours. (It is now about 2:00 A.M.) So somehow or other I am alone at the bed

with Gurudev as I chant softly for Him.

 

Little do we suspect that this will be the last night that we will be able to

be with our spiritual master by his bedside.

 

It is now about 2:30 A.M. and, insofar as there are more devotees in the room

to keep Srila Prabhupad company, I depart from the room.

 

All Glories to our inconceivably merciful and infinitely wonderful Spiritual

Master!

 

At about 10:15 in the morning, I am passing by the windows of Srila

Prabhupada's room and hear a loud kirtan going on in the room. Due to the

strength of the kirtan I find myself thinking that now Srila Prabhupada is

feeling better, but shortly later one of the devotees tells me that his

condition is as critical as ever. Again at about 12:00 noon I pass the windows

and the kirtan is still good and strong. Prasadam today is at 1:15 P.M., and as

we are taking prasadam, a server walks into the center of the prasadam room and

says, "I don't know how many of you have already heard about it, but Kaviraj

has said that Srila Prabhupada has only five more hours in his body". At that

announcement I begin to gulp down the remaining prasadam on my plate and then

double time to Srila Prabhupa's room. I am afraid that the room will be so

packed that I will be too late to get inside, but upon arriving, the room is

about 1/3 filled with 25 to 30 devotees who are gathered close to the bed,

chanting strongly. Our Spiritual Master is in what looks like a coma: He is

not moving: His facial expression is like that of a trance. He is lying on his

back with his head tilted back and to the side. His lips are parted, but there

is no movement, and his eyelids are closed down tightly. Gurudev's bed is a

nice large bed.

 

It is sizeable enough that, even though Gurudev is lying in the middle of it,

there is plenty of room for several devotees to sit on the bed along side of

Him. Upendra, Bavananda Maharaj, and other close disciples of Srila Prabhupada

are seated on the bed. Caru das, the president of the Berkeley Temple, is

seated on the floor at the foot of the bed, massaging Srila Prabhupada gently.

Tears are coming down his face as he gently strokes the legs and feet of his

Spiritual Master. Other devotees are crowding around all sides of the bed,

getting as close as they can, and singing kirtan continuously. All Srila

Prabhupada's personal servant's are in attendance and they have worried looks

on their faces(Bhakta Caru Maharaj, Upendra das, Bavananda Maharaj, Swarup

Damodara das). The room is starting to fill up fast as the word gets around the

Mandir about what Kaviraj has said. Everybody is now pouring into the room to

chant for Srila Prabhupada---brahmacaris, matajis, children from

the Gurukula, Sannyasis, visitors,---everybody. Hamsadutta Maharaj sits on a

corner of the bed down by Srila Prabhupada's feet, and takes over the kirtan.

He leads the kirtan nicely and keeps up chanting the right prayers(Pancha

Tattva Maha Mantra, Hare Krishna, Samsara Dava). He asks for a prayer book and

then leads us in the complete set of Govindam Prayers. We don't know all the

words, of course, but he is singing them, and then we all join in for the

refrain(Govindam Adi Purusam, Tam aham bajami---).

 

The room is now getting stuffy because so many devotees are packed in. We open

all the doors and windows and turn on the fans. More people from outside the

Mandir are now showing up. Srila Prabhupada's sister is already here, seated on

the floor next to the bed. For the many hours to follow, she almost constantly

remains close to him. No matter what happens next, she will do her best to

hobble along to be with Srila Prabhupada. Some of Srila Prabhupada's elderly

vaishnava friends are arriving and a bench is brought in for them to sit on.

The room is jammed. Kirtan goes on without ceasing as Hamsadutta leads us

through the afternoon hours. The afternoon is filled with devotees coming and

going and chanting. Some of the elderly Vaishnava gentlemen later on decide to

leave, but the real frail short one stays on, sitting politely on the bench and

quietly chanting japa. A real Vaishnava gentleman, chanting Hare Krishna

continuously. Will I ever, in this lifetime, be able to

appreciate what a merciful privilege it is---to be allowed to associate with

the wonderful Vaishnavas in this room?

 

At 5:00 P.M. Kaviraj arrives and proceeds to the bed. The devotees crowd close.

In no time he has searched for Srila Prabhupada's pulse, but then reaches for

his stesthoscope. He moves it around from point to point on Srila Prabhupada's

chest and midsection, and then says something to Bhakta Cara Maharaj with a

worried look. Only a handful of devotees could actually hear what Kaviraj said,

but somehow or other the word is passed around--only 3 more hours, that's all.

Kaviraj asks that some of Srila Prabhupada's books be placed nicely around his

head on the pillows and some pictures of the Dieties also be placed on the

pillows at the head of the bed. The books are placed nicely, and the diety

pictures are now leaning against the pillows and bedstead. There are also japa

beads lying near his head. So his lovely head and face are framed with some of

his favorite transcendental paraphernalia. It is so beautiful to see the head

of Gurudev surrounded that way.

 

By now it has sunk into us what is happening, and Pradyumna and others have

begun preparations for the Samadhi. There is talk of palanquin, fresh saffron

cloth, garlands, etc. Hamsadutta looks very worried but keeps right on going

with dedication and devotion. Srila Prabhupada is now occasionally swallowing

with his mouth closed. His breathing is noticeable by the slight rise and fall

of the sheet which covers his frail body. He is given some kind of liquid by

Bhakta Caru, but I am too far away to see exactly what it is. From 5:00 to 6:00

P.M. I am appointed guard duty and sit in the vestibule. People from the town

are arriving, and I can't tell who to let in and who to keep out. Everyone is

extremely determined to see Srila Prabhupada and beg to please be let into the

room for one last Darshan with him. At 6:00 P.M. I leave guard duty and

re-enter the room. Now even the Matajis are crowding right up to the bed in

order to be as close as possible to Srila Prabhupad. ISKCON

photographers are carefully taking photographs and motion picture films. As

before, may of us are crying. As for Bavananda, his eyes are continuously

filled with moisture. Upendra too. We are all pressing toward the bed to see

Gurudev. Now he is motionless again.

 

Kaviraj walks in at about 7:50 and goes to the bed. He bends over for the pulse

and we all push forward even more. I cannot see what is going on, so I stand on

a chair in the back of the room, but still I cannot see Srila Prabhupad. But I

can see Kaviraj, and instantly upon checking for the pulse he says something

swiftly like "finished" or something to that effect.

 

He (or Tamal?) immediately gives the order for loud, loud chanting of the of

the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. We all erupt with the Hare Krishna Mantra with an

almost hopeless frenzy. Now it really begins to sink into us what has happened.

Kaviraj has said that it's all over. Many of us start sobbing. There are

devotees frantically chanting, crying, sobbing, breaking down completely. One

boy goes into a crying convulsion and has to be dragged to a corner where he

collapses in convulsive sobbing. Devotees are crying, sobbing, chanting, and

running in every direction. Tamal orders us to leave the room. I go upstairs to

cry alone. The night is filled with close and distant sobbing, women wailing,

bells ringing, and even the dogs are barking and howling.

 

I go back downstairs about 3/4 of an hour later. No more matajis, children, or

visitors are present. The devotees in the room are now the saffron clothed

ones. Mostly leaders in the Hare Krishna movement. Kirtan is continuing nicely.

Srila Prabhupada has already been clothed nicely in saffron, garlands of

flowers are placed on him, and a lovely bouquet of Tulasi manjaris is laid

across his chest. There is sandlewood pulp covering his forehead and a large

tulasi leaf fixed in the middle of his forehead.

 

His skin has now turned pale, but one look at that powerful face and you know

that whatever are the conditions, He is still the boss, still the Spiritual

Master. Saffron material is now covering his form, and a saffron colored

"swami" hat is covering his head. We bring in the palanquin, and he is picked

up from the bed by four or five devotees and placed securely in the seat of the

palanquin. Other Vrndaban Vaishnavas now come back in, led by Narayana

Maharaja. They pay their heartfelt obeisances, and place flower garlands around

their beloved friend. They are clearly much affected by the departure of

Gurudev, and offer their most reverent obeisances to him. At this point I am

crying almost all the time.

 

Tamal Krishna states the plan for the next couple of hours: "The palanquin will

now leave for the Temple Room where Gurudev will see the Dieties and an Arotik.

Then a Gurupuja, an offering of flowers by devotees, and then chanting until

the samadhi is ready". The palanquin containing Srila Prabhupada is lifted, and

with strong chanting is carried out of the room. Srila Prabhupada in his

palanquin is then taken around the around the outside of the Krishna-Balaram

Temple 3 times. Three times around the circumference of the Temple Building

with the devotees following and chanting. It is a joyous, happy kirtan. Round

and round the Temple with Srila Prabhupada, and then he enters the temple as

our transcendental leader to see the dieties. First the palanquin is placed in

front of Gour-Nitai with the devotees singing joyously for their Gurudev. On to

Krishna-Balaram: and then to Radha-Krishna. The kirtan is strong and jubilant.

Then the palanquin is lifted and Srila Prabhupada is

taken around the inside of the Temple, then outside, and then re-enters again

and is placed before the Krishna-Balaram Dieties for continued jubilant kirtan

and dancing. The devotees are singing and dancing and circumnambulating the

palanquin. The devotees circle close to the palanquin and drink in the nectar

of close darshan with Srila Prabhupada. We go around many times, circling

closely. Now the palanquin is lifted and proceeds to the Vyasasan where both

palanquin and Gurudev are placed right on and in the Vyasasan.

 

He is in his palanquin which is on the blue velvet asana, with lion figures on

both sides.

 

Gurupuja begins. Omkara dasa does the arotik while Hamsadutta leads us in a

rip-roaring kirtan. Really rip-roaring. After the Gurupuja, we prepare for the

offering of flowers (marigolds) to Srila Prabhupada. The first devotees to

offer flowers and obeisances to Srila Prabhupada are: His sister; His Vrndaban

friends; Tama Krishna Maharaj; then Upendra; Pradyumna, the ISKCON swamis and

Temple Presidents. Some of the Gaudiya Math (?) offer garlands of flowers and

decorative spiritual paraphernalia.

 

We offer the marigolds by circling motions and then shower them on Srila

Prabhupada. Then each devotee (after offering his flowers) prostrates himself

before the Vyasasan. While this is going on, Narayana Maharaj leads us in a

very, very nice kirtan. He is leading us so very, very nicely, and from his

leading chant, one can appreciate how much he is devoted to Srila Prabhupada.

After the men have offered flowers and obeisances, then the matajis offer. At

the end, Tamal announces that the townspeople of Vrndaban have requested to

please let them have darshan once more with Srila Prabhupada, so now instead of

proceding directly to the samadhi, Srila Prabhupada will wait in the Vyasasana

during the night and then proceed to the seven temples of Vrndaban in the

morning. After the parikram of Vrndabn in the morning, He will return for

samadhi. We are ordered by Tamal to stay up all night with Gurudev for

continuous kirtan. Srila Prabhupada is now being fanned by camara while the

kirtan goes on.

 

IT IS NOW 12:30 A.M., 15 NOVEMBER 1977.

 

The kirtan goes on, and the nightime is beginning to get very cold. By 1:30

A.M. the population in the temple room is beginning to thin out and there are

only a few of us who are actually doing kirtan. There are about 20 to 30

devotees in the temple room, but many are chanting japa. I am beginning to get

tired myself, so I quickly dash upstairs for a cold shower and then dash back

to the kirtan. At about 2:00 A.M. the air has become penetratingly cold. Four

or five of the younger "Indian" ISKCON devotees and myself are now clustered

together up close to the Vyasasan in order to keep the kirtan going strong.

Also up by the Vyasasan are two of the older dedicated "Indian" devotees who

refuse to leave Srila Prabhupada even though they can hardly stay awake, and no

matter how cold it gets. The little frail one sits motionless in front of the

Vyasasan with only a chowda wrapped around his shoulders. Pradyumna sits with

us and chants on his japa beads. He is looking quite worn

out, but stays with Srila Prabhupada. The "Indian" ISKCON devotees lead the

kirtan and keep it going nicely. Also, there are a few matajis in the rear of

the temple room, chanting japa.

 

Viraha Prakash Maharaj is now standing at attention by the side of the Vyasasan

steps. About 3:00 A.M. I am asked to fan Srila Prabhupada with one of the

Camaras. I step up next to the palanquin at Srila Prabhupada's right side and

relish every moment of being able to whisk Srila Prabhupada. I am talking to

him silently, and the tears won't stop rolling down my face. It is just dark

enough that the devotees (I hope) cannot see that I am crying.

 

Srila Prabhupada is so kind that even though he finally decides to leave us, he

still mercifully stays with us for an extra night so that we may have one last

chance to see His Divine Form, chant kirtan for him, and whisk him with the

Camara. By 4:30 many of the devotees are beginning to return to the temple

room. Srila Prabhupada's sister also returns at this time and politely sits on

the floor near the vyasasan. She obviously wants to sit even closer to Srila

Prabhupada (on the mats up front with us) but this carpet is filled with male

devotees, so she humbly sits down over to the side on the cold floor, next to

one of the pillars. At this point the women come forward and offer incense to

Srila Prabhupada. At 4:45 I volunteer to whisk Gurudev again, and take the left

side this time. How nice it is to be able to fan Him during his last hours with

us.

 

By 5:00 A.M. everyone is back. As mongol arotik starts a little later, many

devotees turn their backs to Srila Prabhupada in order to pay prostrated

obeisances to the Dieties. Narayana Maharaj and his associates remain

motionless and do not budge. In no time at all, Narayana Maharaj is laying it

on the line to Gopal Krishna Das---the devotees are to stay at the Vyasasan

facing Srila Prabhupada, and there is to be a simultaneous arotik for Srila

Prabhupada at the Vyasasan while the arotik also goes on for the Dieties. Gopal

Krishna quickly gets everything arranged nicely, and a nice arotik is held at

each of the three altars plus at the Vyasasan. Narayana Maharaj leads the

kirtan and winds up everything with repeated and resounding "Jaya Gurudevas",

one after another. Afterward, there also is an arotik for Tulasi Devi.

 

The Parikram begins at about 6:45 A.M., and the palanquin is lifted from the

Vyasasan and carried to the center of the courtyard of the templeroom where we

circumnambulate Srila Prabhupada with more chanting, of course. We then proceed

through the front gate of the Mandir, down the road to Vrndaban, and parikram

to each of the (7)? Temples of Vrndaban.

 

Narayana Maharaj is arranging everything nicely, leading the procession,

leading the kirtan, and seeing with great attention that everything goes along

perfectly for our Gurudev. Narayana Maharaj is now conducting the parikram,

acting on our behalf as our very capable leader, and seeing to it that

everything is conducted nicely for Srila Prabhupada. For the next 6 hours, he

is indefatigable, watching everything, and continuously providing the devoted

and competent leadership needed so that all the details of the parikram and

samadhi are executed perfectly.

 

It certainly is quite an impressive procession as it moves along down the road.

The procession actually consists of two parts. First, there is a large group of

devotees consisting of Narayana Maharaj and most of the Sannyasis (and others,

too). This group leads the procession and also leads the strong kirtan. Then

there is a gap of about 20 yards to the next group which consists of the

Palanquin with Srila Prabhupada, the palanquin bearers, close attendants,

devotees, and others. Immediately following this group are the matajis, and

then several rickshas carrying Srila Prabhupada's Sister and some of the

children from the Gurukul. There are eleven dandas gliding through the air.

When one looks toward the palanquin, he usually sees Citsukananda bearing the

load up front and Vishnu Tattva Das supporting the rear of the palanquin.

Although they are from time to time temporarily relieved, these two boys are

seen carrying the heavy palanquin for most of the procession. And it is

indeed heavy. Some boys who try to carry it cannot even get the carrying bar

up to their shoulder so that it can move, and, as a result, are not able to

share in this mercy. For the entire procession, Bavananda Maharaj is

inseparable from Srila Prabhupada's side.

 

Tamal Krishna is also there at the palanquin, taking part of this part of the

procession and giving the directions and leadership to the second group of

devotees. From time to time the going gets a little rough. At this, there is

anxiety written all over Upendra's face, because there isn't much that he can

do about it. Nevertheless, Srila Prabhupada and his devotees sail through the

streets of Vrndaban. The streets are lined with people shouting "Hari Bol!"

"Hare Krishna!Jai Gurudev!". Families are coming out on the rooftops to see

the procession, and the townsfolk of Vrndaban, young and old, are paying

standing obeisances to Srila Prabhupada. We stop in front of each of the

Temples and there are resounding "Jai Gurudev"s.

 

At one point on the road (not to far from the mandir) there is a young woman

standing at the side of the road watching the procession go by. After the last

devotee walks by, her eyes begin to get wide, and they light up with amazement

and veneration. She follows the procession down the road with her eyes, and

then turns and walks to the center of the road. She bends down, and with hands

outstretched, palms down, she rubs her hands in a circular motion in the dust.

Lifting her hands she then, again in a circular motion, smears the dust of the

lotus feet of the Vaishnavas all over her cheeks. At that point, with eyes

still as wide as large coins, she beams with a smile, and with that smile

radiates to us that she understands that it is not everyday at 7:30 in the

morning that a person gets a chance like this!!!!! A little farther down the

road, another young woman, dressed in the finest of exquisite garments, steps

from her house into the street ditch in order to see the

palanquin go by. When she recognizes who is in the palanquin, then, regardless

of the finery she is wearing, she immediately bends her knees into the gutter,

brings her head and arms to the ground, and pays obeisances to Srila

Prabhupada. How is it possible to keep from crying when one sees just how much

Srila Prabhupada is loved and revered by everybody.

 

We return to the Mandir, and the samadhi begins immediately. Srila Prabhupada

has a bathing ceremony, a change of garments, flower garlands, puja offering,

prasadam offering, and is finally covered with salt and then sand. It is a

lengthy and beautiful ceremony, and does not terminate until 1:00 P.M. in the

afternoon. The temple bell is ringing continuously, and the kirtan goes on

without interruption. At about 1:00 P.M. the samadhi ceremony ends, and the

devotees take Prasadam.

 

These pages began as a diary---but somehow or other turned into something like

a partial report of some of the details of the past few days.

 

In consequence, even though it is clear that I am certainly not competent to

write about those events, I am begging the mercy of our Gurudev and the

Disciplic Succession to allow me to write down as a diary this little bit of

information for those devotees who were not able to be with their Spiritual

Master during his last days with us. Please, Srila Prabhupada, forgive my

offenses. It is only by your mercy that I can possibly do anything. You have

given me so much, and I have given you so little.

 

Namah Om Vishnupadaya Krishna Presthaya bhutale, Srimate Bhaktivedanta Swamin

iti namine.

 

Namaste Saraswati Deve Gauravani pracarine, Nirvisesa sunyavadi pascatya

desatarine.

 

Anantacarya Das.

 

Krishna-Balaram Mandir, Vrndaban, India.

 

17 November, 1977.

 

 

CHANT HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE

HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE AND BE HAPPY

Your humble servant

radhabhava gaur das

 

 

[Srimanta]

All glory to Prabhupada.

 

What a grace Prabhupada has to His devotees. Today I am fasting even not knowing His Disappearance day.

 

Jay Prabhupada