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Srila Prabhupada's health was poor and Bombay in May was hot. The monsoons would soon come and make things worse. Prabhupada had occasionally talked of travelling to a place better for his health, but nothing definite had ensued. One gentleman suggested Hrsikesa, on the banks of the fast-flowing Ganges river, and Prabhupada took the advice seriously. Within a week, he and his party were situated in the heavenly, idyllic setting. But not for long.

After one week, a violent storm, a forerunner of the monsoons, hit Hrsikesa. Prabhupada's health turned and he asked that the devotees take him immediately back to Vrndavana, lest this be the end. Prabhupada saw certain symptoms, like swelling of the feet and hands, as bad. He spoke of his will, talking definitely of things that before he had only alluded to.

In Vrndavana, Srila Prabhupada spoke unexpected words: "If death takes place," he said, "let it take place here." Seeing his demeanour and hearing these words, some devotees cried.

On 18 May 1977, Srila Prabhupada wrote Hari-sauri:

For ten days I was staying in Hrsikesa, in a very nice house on the side of the Ganges River, but my health was not good and so I have come to Vrndavana where I will stay indefinitely.

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Hari-sauri found the devotees in Australia and New Zealand to be quite shaken by the departure of the last three GBCs -- albeit under differing circumstances -- all in one year. The high level of enthusiasm and stability evident when Hari-sauri accompanied Srila Prabhupada to Melbourne one year before was now somewhat depressed.

Small temples like Adelaide and Auckland were floundering. Numbers were down in Sydney, although Melbourne temple still appeared quite stable. The basic spirit, however, was good. Hari-sauri considered that the best he could offer now would be to keep the zone together -- continuing the spirit of co-operation by regularly meeting with the devotees and keeping up their preaching mood.

One day in late May, while travelling in New South Wales, Hari-sauri made a routine phone call to Sydney. There was a message for him -- "All GBCs should go immediately to Vrndavana." Hari-sauri jumped in the van, drove to Sydney and two days later arrived in Delhi. There he received grim news: "You'd better get to Vrndavana right away; Prabhupada could leave at any time."

Shocked, Hari-sauri drove to Vrndavana in the heat of the blazing summer sun. By the time he arrived, however, it appeared the immediate crisis in Prabhupada's health was over; he had been the last of all the GBCs to be informed. Some devotees had already gone back to their respective zones. From Tamal Krsna Goswami, he learnt of the recent events:

Srila Prabhupada had been preaching in Bombay, but not eating. He had gone to Hrsikesa and had gotten worse. Since returning from there, Srila Prabhupada had made definite plans for a will to be drawn up -- not with the attitude that the end had come, but in the spirit of "preparing for the worst". Srila Prabhupada had requested Tamal Krsna to ask all the GBC men to gather in Vrndavana to make these last arrangements and to be with him.

"Prabhupada has tried so many medicines," Tamal Krsna Goswami told Hari-sauri, "from so many doctors. But his real faith is in the chanting of the holy names of Krsna." To this end, Prabhupada had asked that small groups chant kirtana and recite Srimad-Bhagavatam constantly in his presence. This, he had said, was the medicine for the disease of material existence.

One by one, Prabhupada's senior disciples had come, bringing gifts and reports of the positive developments in their zones. Bhavananda and Jayapataka, from Srila Prabhupada's beloved Mayapur project; Kirtanananda from New Vrndavana, and many others. Ramesvara's reports from North America, where book distribution was steadily increasing, was especially enlivening to Srila Prabhupada. Many devotees had prayed and petitioned for Srila Prabhupada to stay.

"Either way," Prabhupada had said, "I have no objection." Whatever happened, he pointed out, he was not afraid of death. Wherever he was, there was Vaikuntha, especially in Vrndavana, surrounded by loving devotees. Krsna had his plan; it was ultimately up to Him.

Many important questions had to be asked. Satsvarupa dasa Goswami was the spokesman for the GBC members. He had felt uncomfortable asking questions about what should be done after Srila Prabhupada's passing, but they had to be cleared up. The topics had been introduced one by one: How long should the GBC members remain in office? How could first and second initiations be conducted in the future? How should books be published in Prabhupada's absence? Srila Prabhupada had given his answers.

Finally the will had been drawn up, making specific mention of provisions for the protection of all ISKCON properties through specified trustees. The Governing Body Commission (GBC), would now be the ultimate managing authority of the entire International Society for Krsna Consciousness.


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