By Sri Radha Govinda Dasi
A writer, speaker, movie maker and fighter of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON is no more with us.
The cremation took place in the all auspicious holy dham Mayapur yesterday the 17th of Feb at the Ganga, while some 150 devotees sang the holy name.
His desire to leave his body in Sridham Mayapur was fulfilled and his inspiring association will be greatly missed.
A few months ago on the Mayapur Forum there was discussion on devotees getting sick, their health care and death; Jnanagamya prabhu, in his usual combination of utmost sincerity and witty mood, wrote “Do Not Remove from the Dham! Just chant and be happy until I wake up or start to get cold and smell worse than I regularly do. Then burn away.”
Humourous, dedicated, practical and compassionate; befitting his name, Jnanagamya Prabhu had a very deep love for Srimad-Bhagavatam. He prepared and delivered well scripted classes with great attention to details. With loving gratitude he would recite the “om ajnana timirandasya” prayer followed by the English translation each time he gave class and he would often comment that it’s important to say the translation as it helps to enter a meditative mood.
He attended the Bhagavatam class regularly and after the class he often gave the speakers a very encouraging comment or would ask a practical question based on the class. He would also sometimes add a point or two in very sincere and humble way, which showed his undivided attention and a mood of helping and serving in any way he could. By his example, he truly inspired others to attend the class and study and prepare for the same.
It is only due to Jnanagamya Prabhu’s persistent efforts, encouragement and determination that women are allowed to give Srimad-Bhagavatam classes in Mayapur, fulfilling Srila Prabhupada’s vision. It wasn’t an easy task. We are extremely grateful for his humble and thankless service convincing not only the management but also encouraging the ladies to give lecture.
He often brought up realizations or points about how the best way to study was to prepare for giving classes, and how everyone should try to do it. He believed that if women preachers are given the chance to speak and are trained in such proper devotee environment, then they would feel more prepared to capitalize on other opportunities when presented.
He was very sensitive to the needs of the devotees and was willing to go out of his way to fight for a cause. He did not mind to speak up what he thought was right, which was a sign of his humility: He did not care about being appreciated or honored; but it mattered more to him to say the right thing.
He would generously contribute to different outreach project like food for life or book distribution. He was seen personally distributing Bhagavad-gita on Gita Jayanti with great enthusiasm. He said he had enjoyed the experience very much.
Even with his failing health, he would be seen at Mangala arati and Srimad-Bhagavatam class. He loved Srila Prabhupada’s class on Ekadashi so much that he is said to have been very disappointed when Prabhupada’s class was not shown. He would say that he had been waiting for fifteen days to watch the video class in the temple.
He was creative and passionate, his trailer of the movie “Celibate in Chelsea”- a Romantic comedy film, is hilarious and reflects his humouristic and artistic side. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF520mkrNVk
Praying that a shadow of a fragment of his good qualities may fall upon this worthless but grateful servant of his, I remain his servant
Sri Radha Govinda Dasi
Jnanagamya prabhu may not have a physical samadhi in his honor, though much deserved, but his legacy lives on as one of the stalwart pillars of Srila Prabhupada’s mission. His towering presence was not merely physical; he was conspicuous by his humility. He served anonymously in so many capacities as a tireless servant to countless projects. He was an artist, craftsman, writer, teacher, husband, father, friend, uncle who dovetailed his entire adult life for Srila Prabhupada. He was so much the unsung hero. And he was very forgiving and funny. His deep laugh resonates with me today. I had the good fortune of being with him in Mayapur a year ago last January. He had been writing his six hundred page tomb of “Chelsea.” Since the film had not manifest, he had turned his vision into a book. His desire was to share Krishna consciousness with as many people as possible in any way that was practical. He never gave up. Jnanagamya prabhu is one of those foundation stones of Iskcon. I will miss his avuncular presence very much, and, at the same time, I am certain that his destination is most auspicious.
Dear Assembled Vaiñëavas,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Çréla Prabhupäda.
Jnanagamya Prabhu and I first met in 1966, almost a half century ago now. We were college students at Florida State University, shared some classes, and were immediately attracted to one another due to a shared sense of bizarre humor. I was an English major and he was an art and cinematography student. He produced some strange and humorous art, ala Andy Warhol, in which he developed an evil cartoon character called Mickey Rat, who was the personification of commercial cynicism. Later, he became inspired to make some films. I was the writer and actor; he the cinematographer. We won some student film awards: In Lieu of McLuhan, Legend of the West, Flyboy Oboy were the titles. In Legend of the West, the chief character goes through an identity crisis in which he finally opts to become a robed religious leader (foreshadowing perhaps?!). The charismatic leader suffers a falldown, literally and figuratively, down a hill, with a dog tearing at his robes. We shared all the rites of passage of the 1960s: communal living, forays into LSD-induced mysticism, organic gardening, etc.
In the summer of 1971, I joined ISKCON in Tallahassee, Florida. John (Jnanagamya) was in New England working a summer job. When he discovered that I had moved into the temple, he was aghast. He told me: “We can do this later when we’re old. Now is the time to make films and become famous.” Finally, he agreed to read the Bhagavad-gita. He stayed up all night reading it. The next morning he showed up at the temple, raving about the universal form, saying that he wanted to join us and that he was convinced that Krishna was God and that Srila Prabhupada was his guru. He told me, “I just want to get high!” The temple devotees were a bit dubious, but admired his enthusiasm. He chanted for eight hours on beads that day, non-stop. However, there was a problem: the GBC had shut down all the temples in Florida except for the Miami temple, and we were pulling up stakes and traveling to Dallas in a few days in a U-Haul-It van. “You can’t do this to me!” he said. On the day we departed, he packed a bag, kissed his wife (soon to become his ex-wife) goodbye, and left all of his art, home, cars, etc. behind. He jumped into the U-Haul-It with the rest of us, shaved up in New Orleans, and later joined us in Dallas, where he assisted Vamanadeva Prabhu and others in various construction products, which was just one of his many talents: artist, carpenter, builder, gardener, cinematographer, writer, educator.
He had absolute faith in Srila Prabhhupada and was full of enthusiasm for Krishna consciousness. His enthusiasm and conviction continued throughout his life. The faith and steadiness of many others wavered. They came and went, but he was staunch for life.
At the end of Srila Prabhupada’s lecture in Dallas in 1975, when he spoke on Krsnadäsa Kaviraja Gosvami’s attachment and feeling for Radha-Madana-mohana (CC Adi 1.15), some questions were raised at the end of the class. Among them was this one by Jnanagamya Prabhu, who was feeling inspired with feelings of gratitude towards his spiritual master:
Jnanagamya däsa: How can we repay you?
Srila Prabhupäda: You don’t require to repay. (chuckles) I am not giving you anything. It is Krishna’s property. You repay to Krishna. Chant Hare Krishna and He will be repaid. Nobody can repay. That is the… Therefore, it is better to remain always obliged. That’s all. That’s all right? Chant Hare Krishna.
“Nobody can repay.” That was the fact, and at that moment, as Srila Prabhupada said it, Jnanagamya felt it deeply. And he acted on it lifelong–steadily.
Jnanagamya Prabhu remained always obliged throughout his life. He traveled widely and rendered services involving the creation of diorama museums in Detroit, in New Delhi, construction projects in New York at 55th Street, in landscaping and gardening at Bhaktivedanta Manor and Caitanya College. He served in Iran and Italy. Wherever he went, he used his prodigious energy and enthusiasm to create and construct for Srila Prabhupada.
We kept in touch by e-mail and the occasional visit. On his last visit to the UK, we traveled together to Cambridge and wandered about, accompanied by his Gaura-Nitai Deities. He wanted Them to see the sights, he explained. It was eccentric, perhaps whimsical, but nice: he set them up wherever we went and talked to Them respectfully. He had genuine affection for Them.
Our relationship was unique. We made a vow in college that he could say anything to me, and I could say anything to him. Total honesty. We followed that vow always. We lived together for some time in Freeport, Long Island, in 1988. He built me a place to live in his garage. He was having some personal struggles at the time. As he built the dwelling, I read to him from Caitanya-caritamrta, and when he neared the completion of the construction, I remember how he dissolved in tears hearing about the mercy of Lord Caitanya. He fell to the ground weeping, and after that, he was back on track again, full of enthusiasm and hope. Many people found him tough to get along with. He was very opinionated and independent, but he was a loyal friend through thick and thin. When others scorned and rejected me, he was there for me, and I was always there for him when he needed me. He accepted criticism and chastisement from me and I from him. He always credited Candrika and me for bringing him to Krishna consciousness, even though it was actually Srila Prabhupada who had truly captured his heart. His exterior could be rough, but his heart was always in the right place, full of affection and appreciation for Srila Prabhupada.
I talked to him on the phone about a week or so before he departed. I told him that I loved him and hoped that he would stay. He asked me to pray either for a quick recovery or a quick departure. He did not want to leave Mayapura under any circumstances. He was unafraid and ready to go, fully convinced that he was not that lump of pain he resided in. Like all of us, he had suffered many disappointments in life. Yet, his faith was absolute; he left in that place where Mercy reigns supreme. It was a great victory. He will be serving again in some capacity, wherever Srila Prabhupada needs him, I am sure. I am shattered that he is gone. May all of you confer your blessings on this sincere soul and my dear friend. Hare Krishna.
Your servant,
Rupa-vilasa dasa