Dear Gopal Krishna Maharaja;
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada
We all know that once we are born we have to depart, the question for us all is, what do we do with our time between those two events — birth and death. Well, you have emphatically answered that question for us all Maharaja in the most perfect of ways, by showing us all for well over 5 decades now, what the absolute perfection is as far as use of our time is concerned in this world — selfless service to Guru and Krishna.
Such selfless service on the level you constantly displayed, requires one to be indifferent, if not hostile, to personal comforts and benefits. This was a particular glory of yours, as you were all but free of personal self-interest, an ambition I can only dream of.
Another incredible glory of yours was your very natural ability to not see yourself or consider yourself the way so many thousands of others saw you. It always reminded me of Krishna’s pastimes in Vrindavan compared to His pastimes in Dwarka. Most times when I met you in public you were always surrounded by loving and dedicated disciples who rightly saw you as saksad hari and you reciprocated accordingly. At the same time I could always sense and indeed understand, that you were so attracted to just sitting and associating with your close associates and your peers in a relaxed and informal way, chatting about Srila Prabhupada’s mission and how we could ever solidify what has been achieved, while simultaneously ever expanding our ISKCON family.
A combination of those glories resulted in you achieving more for your Guru Maharaja than anyone could have ever imagined in their wildest dreams. Listing all that you have done for Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON would make this little homage to you into a book as voluminous as the Srimad Bhagavatam! In short though may I just mention 3 things — the millions of books you inspired to be produced and distributed, the thousands of devotees you inspired to join and dedicate their lives to the service of Guru and Gauranga and the dozens of beautiful temples you inspired to be constructed so that you could invite Srila Prabhupada and Krishna to reside in and for millions of jivas to take darshan of.
However for me personally Maharaja I will always remember your very intimate encouragement in my service, even in the often arduous circumstances of trying to resolve very difficult challenges in ISKCON. At those times there would always be so many conflicting ideas being passionately expressed but you were always the epitome of good grace and manners such a sweet and kind gentleman.
Yes, once we are born we have to leave, but nonetheless I will miss you dearly Maharaja
Still, I hope and pray that sometime in the future I’ll have the privilege of your association once again and will get to see your cheeky boyhood smile that always lights up the room!
All my love Maharaja
Your bereft servant,
Praghosa dasa
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