By Deena Bandhu dasa
On the evening of Oct. 3rd, the body of H.H. Bhakti Svarup Swami Maharaja arrived at Delhi Airport from Kolkata. There were more than 100 devotees performing kirtan at the airport along with H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj and H.H. Lokanath Swami Maharaj. The Maharajas and senior devotees placed garlands on Maharaja’s coffin. Many VIPs were also present at the Airport who also placed garlands.
Then Maharaja was taken in an air-conditioned ambulance to Vrindavan accompanied by his disciples. When the ambulance started all the devotees started chanting and weeping with emotion. H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja and H.H. Lokanath Swami Maharaja followed in another car along with two buses with Maharaja’s disciples from Manipur and other places.
Hundreds of devotees were gathered in the night at the front gate performing kirtan anxiously awaiting Maharaja’s arrival. Many disciples who had come from different parts of India and the world were seen embracing in tears as they met their fellow godbrothers and godsisters. Finally at about 9:15 PM we heard the siren and saw the flashing lights of the ambulance.
The main gates swung open and the ambulance carefully navigated through as the devotees parted in front of it like the Yamuna giving way to Vasudeva carrying Krishna to Gokula. Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi Museum had been decorated with many flower garlands and mango leaves with a raised platform in the middle for devotees to take their final darshan of Maharaja. The ambulance pulled all the way up to the steps down to the temple and the coffin was slowly taken from the back of the ambulance.
Then bringing Maharaja carefully down the steps of the temple, the devotees took him on parikrama of Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir three times. His disciples sweetly chanted a nice Manipuri melody of Hare Krishna Mahamantra. The procession moved very slowly and reverentially around the parikrama path. After the third round, Maharaja was taken to the Samadhi Museum and there was a huge surge and rush.
The kirtan was stopped and announcements were made to make a line and come in orderly fashion. Someone was barking passionate orders and the atmosphere became tense, when some godsisters pleaded with us to start kirtan. So myself and some other godbrothers began to slowly chant the Manipuri melody that was the favorite of Maharaja. I could see him dancing in Kumbha Mela with his special yellow turban chanting this melody in my heart surrounded by his Manipuri Kirtaniyas.
The atmosphere was filled with anticipation as the devotees tried to carefully remove the nails holding the lid of the coffin. It seemed like an eternity, but finally the lid was open and tearful shouts of “Sripada Maharaja ki jaya!” rent the air. Slowly everyone came forward and offered garlands, flowers, and prayers and filed past. It took about an hour to for everyone to pay respects and then Maharaja was taken to an air-conditioned room in the Krishna Balarama Guesthouse where devotees and disciples kept a tearful vigil and performed kirtan throughout the night.
All night long devotees were arriving from all parts of the world and India. In the morning after Guru Puja kirtan, Maharaja was brought for final darshan of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Krishna Balarama, and Radha Shyamsundar. Again he was taken to the Samadhi Museum for devotees to take darshan and proceed to the buses and cars waiting to go to Radha Kunda. There was a huge caravan slowly snaking to Radha Kunda.
Arriving in Radha Kunda, a huge kirtan procession proceeded toward the Gopalji Mandir. The Ambulance arrived from a different side road just near the temple and Maharaja was taken inside the small temple. This temple had been built by the King of Manipur who had a dream that a temple should be built on the shores of Radha Kunda where the first rays of the rising sun strike the kunda. Thus it is situated on the northwest corner of the parikrama path. Later the king kindly donated this temple to His Holiness Bhaktisvarup Damodar Maharaja. You can see the picture of the King and Queen over the entrance to the temple.
After aratika and other ceremonies, Maharaja was taken for last parikrama of Radha Kunda and Shyama Kunda. In all about 600 devotees had gathered and it was quite a long procession. The main kirtan party was way in front and could no longer be heard. A small kirtan was going on near the coffin. Suddenly, someone grabbed me by the arm and begged me to lead this kirtan. I felt very happy in my heart to be able to perform this small service to the Lotus Feet of His Divine Grace. Gradually we made our way around the sacred Kundas.
Returning to Gopalji Mandir, we went through a side entrance to the temple that I had never seen before. There was a large courtyard surrounded by one and two story buildings on all sides. Devotees were already lining the terrazas vying for a view of the sacred body of Maharaja. On one side of the courtyard a huge pit had been excavated.
His Holiness Bodhayayan Maharaja, disciple of Bhakti Pramode Puri Maharaja of Gopinatha Gaudiya Math, kindly came to oversee the samadhi ceremonies along with His Holiness Gopal Krishna Maharaja. Bodhayayan Maharaja expertly assisted the disciples in performing all the neccessary rituals, while Gopal Krishna Maharaja worked with disciples making all practical arrangement including covering the expenses incurred. The two sannyasis together placed Bhakti Svarupa Damadara Maharaja in samadhi along with the disciples.
The whole time, I was watching Bhaktisvarup Damodar Maharaja’s face. He looked so peaceful, it was hard to believe he had left his body. Many devotees also commented on this. It was as if he had closed his eyes during a lecture, our hearts kept praying that Maharaja would just open his eyes and finish making the point he was lecturing on.
The whole time kirtan was going on sometimes led by Lokanatha Swami, sometimes Navayogendra Swami, and sometimes Bhakti Caru Swami.
Maharaja was then lowered into the deep pit. Many other ceremonies were to be performed. All around was the open human pathos that one is priviledged to see in India. Two brahamacaris embracing each other and sobbing in tears, a devotee engineer and his wife holding on to each other weeping uncontrollably, the husband wailing over and over again, “I lost my father!”
Finally, Maharaja’s transcendental form was covered with rock salt. And then the devotees began to shovel the earth back into the pit. Everyone lined up and came forward to place his handful of earth. Many Prabhupada disciples who were now preaching in other institutions also were present to mourn with us the incredible loss of one of Srila Prabhupada’s most stalwart preachers.
A fabulous feast was served to one and all. And this was amazing considering the amount of devotees and the lack of time to prepare. Everyone was fully satisfied.
Thus His Holiness Bhaktisvarup Damodar Maharaja achieved his samadhi on the holy banks of the most sacred Radha Kunda.
Srila Bhaktisvarup Damodar Maharaja ki jaya!
Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!
One thing in my distress I forgot to mention was that my dear godbrother, Bhojadeva Prabhu, who had taken the brunt of the grenade blast in Manipur and had been critically injured, travelled with great trouble to be there in Radha Kunda to put Maharaja in Samadhi. Later he made gave us a very deep realization in the Smriti Sabha organized in Krishna Balarama Mandir. Everyone in their sraddhanjalis had been asking why Maharaja had been taken away just when his preaching work was bearing fruit. He had meditated on this and his realization was that his work was complete since the perfection of our lives is to carry out the order of our spiritual master and his whole life was dedicated to that so his work was perfect.
We cannot forget the sweet kind countenance of Srila Bhaktiswarup Damodar Maharaj. He told me once how during Srila Prabhupad’s last days, Sripad Maharaj was taking his turn in the middle of the night keeping company with Srila Prabhupad. Srila Prabhupad softly asked Sripad Maharaj, “So, are you convinced?” Sripad answered “yes”. Srila Prabhupad was asking a dear disciple whether he was convinced of Sri Krishna. This was Srila Prabhupad’s mission, to convince us of Sri Krishna and His service. Like a patient teacher, Sri Gurudeva played his role of entering into our hearts and minds to transform us into servants of the vaishnavas and God, even on his deathbed.
Sripad took so much joy in fulfilling his service to Srila Prabhupad. This was evident by his consistent happy mood in his service activities. I recall when he told me that they were celebrating his 60th birthday in Manipur. That was 9 years ago. Time passed by as if in the blink of an eye. Now, he is part of our memory.
I hope that the bhaktas in positions of authority will see that the Bhaktivedanta Institute will continue. It need not have only one stream but be many streams, some small and others great, entering into the mood of education for humanity that was the hallmark of Srila Prabhupad’s efforts. Srila Prabhupad knew that humanity was being cheated by “leaders” in various fields. Not only in politics, but especially in science, Srila Prabhupad consistently called the bluff of so-called scientists who gave an opinion that had no foundation in reality. Mental speculation was treated like the braying of donkeys by His Divine Grace. Srila Prabhupad asked Sripad if he was convinced. On this and every level, the devotees must cultivate the vision of Krishna Consciousness through Guru-Shastra-Sadhu. If we are sincere, then Krishna from within will illuminate us (jnana dipena bhasvata). The Bhaktivedanta Institute is intended to engage scientific, political and religious leaders in discussion of the transcendental viewpoint that is always available as an alternative to the whimsy of mental speculation. The Bhaktivedanta Institute must therefore remain true to the heart of Srila Prabhupad. Sripad gave his lifeforce to this end. Along the way, he helped to deliver Krishna Consciousness to his homeland in Manipur, and to aspiring bhaktas all over the world. We are therefore so grateful and worship the lotus feet of Srila Bhaktiswarup Damodar Maharaj. He extended the mercy of Srila Prabhupad and now the community of devotees must carry on with the memory of his gentle force, his happy smile, and even the suffering that he must have endured by the blast in Manipur this past Janmastami. That pain, seeing other vaishnavas suffer, must have been far greater that the mere physical suffering of a heart attack. I loved Sripad for his friendship, even from afar. His memory will continue to purify me and give me more resolve to serve Sri Guru Vaishnava. Jayate Srila Bhaktiswarup Damodar Maharaj!! We will miss you deeply. Sincerely, Pusta Krishna das