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At 7.30pm on 14 November 1977, surrounded by devotees chanting at his bedside at the Krsna-Balarama temple in Vrndavana, Srila Prabhupada left this mortal world. While living, he had taught his disciples many lessons. Now he was teaching his final lesson: how to depart.

The New Zealand devotees heard the grim tidings from some of Tusta Krsna's men while on harinama in Auckland. The devastating news reached Australia shortly after the last visiting devotees had left New Govardhana. Temple leaders in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, New Govardhana and Auckland called all their devotees together and broke the news.

It was met, at first, with stunned disbelief. Then, as the shocking significance became apparent, the devotees were gripped with fearful, unrestricted grief and dismay. Without their beloved Srila Prabhupada, they felt weak and vulnerable. Many feared that without the strength of Prabhupada's personal presence, inauspicious elements could enter the Krsna consciousness movement. Some recalled how Prabhupada had described in his books that while the spiritual master is present, order and religious principles abound, but when he disappears, things once again become disordered. Was this to be their fate? How would they go on without him?

The days directly following Prabhupada's disappearance were filled with lamentation and confusion. Devotees could hardly speak on any other topic in the morning classes. This was the only thing that seemed to have any importance: Prabhupada is gone. What does it mean? What will we do now?

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The world had seen the passing of its greatest well-wisher and spiritual leader, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Certainly this was a great calamity. Yet the devotees knew that Prabhupada's departure was not the same as the death of an average person. Ordinarily, at the time of death the soul may travel anywhere in the universe according to his karma. But Prabhupada's destination was already settled because he was a great devotee. Prabhupada's whole life had been dedicated to spreading the holy names to every town and village. During his last days, Prabhupada had surrounded himself with the holy name; he departed hearing Hare Krsna being chanted.

And Srila Prabhupada passed away in Vrndavana. Even an ordinary devotee who left his body in Vrndavana hearing the chanting of Hare Krsna goes back to Krsna. So, not to speak of the person who was in the foremost Vrndavana consciousness -- Srila Prabhupada. So there was no doubt about Prabhupada's destination. He had returned back to Krsna.


- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu