![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-2sWCNyKtPbE\/VZPXJA-d41I\/AAAAAAAAQos\/8NNgApiRkNI\/s0\/2015-07-01_14-03-42.jpg\")
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Bhakta Craig and his wife Bhaktin Debbie Escalante joined ISKCON quite suddenly, without prior Sunday feast attendance. They simply appeared one day. In my recollection, they received harinam initiation during the ceremony where I received brahmanical initiation, which was in 1976 in Seattle. Through a letter, Srila Prabhupada gave them the beautiful names \u201cKurma-rupa dasa\u201d and \u201cDasarathi devi dasi\u201d. <\/p>\n \tBefore joining ISKCON, the Escalante had been living in the US Pacific Northwest. They owned a teepee, which was later set up at ISKCON\u2019s farm in Bridesville, British Columbia. While spending a few months there, I asked if I could sleep in their teepee since they were living elsewhere at the farm. Kurma-rupa was very amused to hear that the resident peacock thought the teepee was its home. He was a really good-natured devotee.<\/p>\n \tDasarathi dasi was a nice, quiet person who made beautiful flower vases for the Deities. But ashram life is not for everyone. One day, her father came to the temple to bring her back to the family home. I happened to walk by and saw them on the front porch of the Seattle temple having what looked like a normal conversation. Then I learned that in fact, they had been saying their good-byes, which was startling for its lack of any drama. This was the Kurma-rupa I came to know: unruffled and composed. I know he was sad because he told me, but he simply soaked his clothes in saffron dye and embarked on the next chapter of his life. <\/p>\n \tFor a long time in ISKCON, there was a current of less-than-desirable attitude towards those of the female gender. Kurma-rupa was always a gentleman. I remember thinking that he was already like a sadhu: calm, content, and thoughtful. He had an easy smile. We were all very busy serving Krishna, and it was refreshing to hear him say to others, \u201cLet me know if you need any help\u201d. I would be remiss if I did not add that as a young man, Kurma-rupa was very handsome, imbued with good karma in many ways. He was a strict brahmacari yet would greet everyone with a smile, just because he was a genuinely kind and polite person. He took to Krishna consciousness naturally while keeping his individuality intact. <\/p>\n \tEventually, everyone but the Hamsadutta disciples moved from Seattle to the east coast. He lived in New York until moving to Vrindavan. On the few occasions when I saw him again, he smiled warmly and I almost expected him to say, \u201cLet me know if you need any help\u201d. Without much interaction, he was like a lifelong friend. A well-wisher, for sure.<\/p>\n \tKurma-rupa has always been on my list of top-five favorite devotees for his generosity of heart, cultured manner, and for having a strong sense of purpose in his life. He was a unique devotee and a superb human being who I was privileged to know. <\/p>\n With heartfelt wishes for a speedy journey back to Godhead,![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-wEvcgssZhsc\/VZPWqrHTJHI\/AAAAAAAAQok\/L1Qz2wzAUCY\/s0\/2015-07-01_14-01-46.jpg\")
By Dharini dasi<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nDharini dasi
\nPortland, Oregon<\/p>\n\n