In Memoriam: Gopinath Acarya Prabhu

By Abhay das

On February 7th, Bhaimi Ekadasi, Srila Prabhupada disciple Gopinatha Acarya Prabhu disappeared at New Govardhan Farm in Murwillumbah, New South Wales, where he had cared for Krishna’s land, cows and bulls for decades. Well known in the seventies and early eighties for his dedication to book distribution, he later became one of our movements great teachers of simple living and high thinking.

I stayed on New Govardhan for a number of years and was fortunate to have had his association. I wanted to share some of my experiences of this great soul. There are many others who knew him better than I and hopefully they will come forward with more remembrances.

Gopinath Acarya Prabhu had the personal association of Srila Prabhupada during his visits to Australia, and his angelic countenance (He joined ISKCON in 1973 at the tender age of 16) can be seen next to His Divine Grace in photographs and on film, often offering a camara.

During his early years, he immersed himself in book distribution. After some time he started to plot how to increase his preaching by selling complete sets of Srila Prabhupada’s books to the public. He studied the techniques of encyclopedia salesmen and created innovative brochures and sales strategies that resulted in many books going out. He never did things by half measures.

At one point in his preaching, he became convinced that there had to be living examples of what Prabhupada was advocating in his books. He decided to move to the Hare Krishna farm acquired by ISKCON in Northern New South Wales, Australia, called New Govardhan.

Gopinath Acarya was a very intense individual and was always busy engaged in some type of service. He was a very strict brahmacari sadhaka who never missed Mangal Artik and rarely talked to souls in female bodies. Despite his disciplined nature, he had a beautiful smile that could melt your heart and electric blue eyes that seemed to have light streaming out of them. Needless to say, as a dedicated cow man, he was kind to souls in the bodies of female cows.

He tried his best to follow Prabhupada’s instruction to not depend on the materialistic civilization by working hard to grow food with the help of bullocks and care for and milk cows, thereby “Solving the problems of life”. He could quote relevant passages from Srila Prabhupada’s books and letters by heart, and by the way he would repeat them you could see that they were part of his DNA. He would patiently explain in his gentle voice to anyone who would listen the importance of self-sufficiency. Often while driving on to the farm you would see Gopinath Acarya in his straw hat and saffron cloth holding a new farm visitor captive, giving them an education on the importance of protecting the cows and would later lead them to the pasture to do some seva.

One incredible thing about Gopinath Acarya is when his service was to cook offerings for Radha Govardhanadhari during the mid-nineties, he would only use what came directly from the farm, the majority of which he produced himself. Jananadada Maharaja (a prabhu then), a bramhacari named Murari and I knew when Gopinath would cook, and we would always be sure to be there when it came off the altar.

He would make a sabji of spinach, sweet potato, and chickpeas, all grown by him on the farm in paddocks tilled by his bullock team. The sabji would be cooked in sweet ghee made from butter that he personally churned, made from milk that came from the cows that he maintained. He would make the chapatis by grinding wheat by hand that he had sowed and harvested. He would also make an incredible cake made from buckwheat he also grew that he would sweeten with raw bush honey from the farm’s own beehives. And of course, every meal was served to the Lord with freshly boiled milk from his cows.

What was particularly wonderful was that he didn’t use the stoves the other Pujaris used for cooking, he would cook it all on cow dung in these little bucket stoves he would set up outside the Deity kitchen. Tasting that Prasad was unlike anything I ever experienced. The three of us would be grinning ear to ear, completely intoxicated.

He would then come out and join us after the transfer, and as we ate he would talk about the importance of offering the Deities only things that were produced on the farm. I remember him saying “You can offer the deities milk and fruit from the market, but Govardhanadhari is hankering to taste what is planted and grown by His own devotees and bulls on His own farm. He is hankering to taste that offering!” he would exclaim. I also remember him once saying “Srila Prabhupada has said that the flavor of Prasad made with ingredients grown with love by the devotees is celestial”. We practically experienced it.

Another sweet recollection I have occurred when, due to domestic conflict, I had been exiled from my domicile. Not knowing what else to do, I drove to the farm for shelter. It was dusk, and I pulled up to the bottom paddock where the cowshed was located. I got out of my car and could make out Gopinatha Acarya walking towards me as if he was expecting me.

He waved at me as if to say “come on”. I walked back with him and sat down next to a cow dung-splattered bullock-cart and told him my woes. With a smile, he said that I must stay with him. He said, “Tonight, you will live like a real cowherd boy”. He put some sheets and a blanket on an old rope bed. As he made the bed, he smiled and softly said “Family life, so much trouble, so much trouble”. He heated some milk and gave me a large lota full with ample amounts of farm honey. He said he would often drink only cows milk for weeks and was quite satisfied by it. He quoted Srila Prabhupada, “Milk is the miracle food for babies and old men” as we lay on our cots looking up at the stars.

When I heard the news of his passing, at first it didn’t really register, but then I spontaneously broke down and wept. I have had a number of dear Vaishnavas in my life depart, but I never had a reaction like that. I realized that many of the things he said entered deeply into my heart and actually formed my world view. His dedication to Srila Prabhupada was infectious. Gopinath Acarya would make a philosophical point with so much conviction it had the power to change your own beliefs.

One exchange I will always remember was when I was standing with him on one of the temple roads looking down at an emerald green pasture filled with the bulls and cows under his care. He gestured with his arm to the scene and quoted from the Caitanya Caritamrta. “When Lord Caitanya was having a reading from an astrologer, the Pandit said by seeing the special position of planets in His chart, it indicated He was the all opulent Supreme Personality of Godhead. But Lord Caitanya replied, Sir, I think you are mistaken, for I know that I have attained the fortunate position of a being born as a devotee brahmana because in my previous life I took care of cows.”

That moment has always stayed with me.

These are just a few drops of the ocean that was the character of this great saint.

I don’t know much, but I know Mother Bhumi must be lamenting that the lotus feet of Gopinath Acarya Prabhu are no longer walking on her surface.

All glories to Gopinath Acarya!