My beloved disciple, “ISKCON’s Mother,” Rajani Priya Dasi (Rose Forkash), passed away in her home in Carpinteria, California. Three months ago, we were pleased to celebrate her one hundredth birthday at my ashram.
You can read about Rajani Priya—and hear from her—on my website: https://girirajswami.com/blog/?p=16347
In a room conversation on January 20, 1977, in Bhubaneswar, Ramesvara dasa and Srila Prabhupada discussed Rose and her daughter, Lila-sakti dasi:
Ramesvara: We have one mother in Lo
We celebrate the auspicious occasion of the 85th birthday of our dear Rose Forkash.
When Srila Prabhupada first arrived in America, it took some time—almost a year—before people began to take his message seriously. But gradually, after he moved to New York, some young men and women did join him. And after starting the first center, on Second Avenue, Srila Prabhupada sent some disciples to San Francisco. Soon thereafter, he went, too, and it was there that he inspired and celebrated the first Rat
Yesterday eight of us Kuntidevi, Lavanga Manjari, Nanda Kishore, Kandarpa Manjari (his wife), Gopal (their son), Srimati (their daughter), Jivan Mukta, and I visited Rajani Priya Dasi (Rose Forkash) at Mission Terrace Convalescent Hospital, where she is staying temporarily. She was as Krishna conscious as ever and told us how she is getting staff, patients, and visitors to chant Hare Krishna. She explains the philosophy behind it and gives them pieces of paper with the maha-mantra written on it
