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Subhangi Devi Dasi ACBSP
In 1974, Subhangi and her husband, initiated as Sarvabhavana Dasa, both students, enjoyed wonderful prasada and music at the Sunday Love Feast in Hamburg. Later, when they read in a famous German magazine that “the dangerous and fanatical Hare Krishna sect is forcing money from old people,” they decided to avoid the devotees. But when Sacimata Mataji ran behind them with an Isopanisad, calling, “You have to have this book. It will change your life! It’s free!” they started reading it daily.
We were both Christians and wanted to give our life to God. After reading the Isopanisad we followed everything that was suggested by the slokas, gave up bad association, and became vegetarian. In early 1975 we moved into the Schloss Rettershof, and that summer we got both initiated (by letter) and married.
Before I joined, I’d studied fine arts and dance in Paris, and I thought I would have to give up my attraction to those things, but “Subhango” is the name of Lord Caitanya when He dances in ecstasy in six groups simultaneously in front of the Jagannatha ratha in Puri. I got the name of the biggest dancer in the universe and understood that Srila Prabhupada knew me through and through.
But in 2007 I contracted Parkinson’s disease and was thunderstruck by the realization that Srila Prabhupada knew my future. “Subha anga” means “auspicious limbs.” My shaking left hand is so auspicious in my life, because it reminds me constantly, “Subhangi, you also have to die.” How auspicious and fitting my name is!
I met Srila Prabhupada for the first time in the Delhi airport. We had waited the whole day for him to arrive, and finally he landed. By 10 p.m. he had stepped onto a red carpet. When he came near, I pulled my sari down over my face to show my chastity. Suddenly, when I threw flowers before his lotus feet, I felt the same symptom of ecstatic love and excitement that the cows in Vrindavana feel when they see Sri Krishna – milk poured from their udders in love and happiness. That was my desired strong proof that He was my guru.
I was presented with an airline ticket to join my husband in India. We were both supposed to get brahmana initiation, but only my husband’s name was on the list. When asked why I was not going to receive it, Srila Prabhupada replied that He had been told by the head pujari that I was not chanting. My husband said I was chanting every morning at 2:30 a.m., when our son woke up. Srila Prabhupada said something important in reply: “I cannot undermine my own instruction that we have to believe and listen to the parampara in the temple, starting with the temple president to the temple commander, the head pujari to the pujaris, the head cook to the cooks, and so on. I cannot take the liberty to ignore this system. I have to accept their decision. Also, a wife is automatically a brahmana when her husband is a brahmana.” Then he added, “Do not worry. I shall give her brahmana initiation in Vrindavana in six months.”
Later that afternoon my husband asked me to check the Bhagavad-gita to see what the qualifications of a brahmana were. I was angry about the situation, but my anger vanished at once as soon as I saw I was not at all qualified.
Once, in Delhi, during guru-puja, everyone was singing. One by one we each lovingly offered flowers to Srila Prabhupada, and he was giving each of us a flower in return. My son crawled toward the vyasasana and swiped all the flowers down onto the floor – he was used to helping me in my daily service of cleaning the temple room. Now Srila Prabhupada had no flowers to give to the devotees. The pujari, Omkara, pulled my son away, and practically threw him into my arms and said, “Get out of here!” Srila Prabhupada said, “What you are doing? Let this child play!” I was a helpless mother being bossed around by the temple authorities, but Srila Prabhupada understood the difficulty and diffused the tension this devotee created. I was so relieved!
Once, in Vrindavana, I was sitting in the back in the temple room with my child on my lap during Srila Prabhupada’s class. My son woke up and started to scream. Srila Prabhupada said, “A devotee should scream for Krishna the way this baby is screaming for his mother.” Everybody looked at me, and I blushed and ran out of the temple room.
During a private darshan with Srila Prabhupada in Delhi in ’76, I kind of pushed my son to crawl toward Srila Prabhupada and touch His lotus feet, but he would kept crawling a little way, then turning back toward me. This made me wonder whether he would become a devotee. But Srila Prabhupada encouraged us, saying, “Your son will be very intelligent. Don’t worry.”
My husband, Sarvabhavana, and I asked, “Why are there so many fights going on in a spiritual movement like ISKCON?” Srila Prabhupada said, “Yes, it’s a spiritual movement, but we are all conditioned souls. So we have to be patient with each other.” I asked, “How can we understand the fighting among devotees who are all trying to serve one mission together?”
Srila Prabhupada said, “Both parties are wrong. The one who gives the insult or slap is not right and the other one who doesn’t take it humbly is also not right. If he humbly tolerates, then he can purify his karma from millions of previous births!” That consoled me so much, and I did not mind anymore being offended, often for what felt like no obvious reason.
Srila Prabhupada helped me at every step as he engaged me in his service. I have never had to worry about my material needs; miraculously, everything has always been provided, although sometimes with a little delay. Srila Prabhupada’s instructions in his Bhagavatam and his advice to my soul in the Bhagavad-gita, as well as Deity worship, loving service, and sadhu-sanga – these are his invaluable gifts to me and they are more precious than all the gold in this world.

HG Subhangi mataji is a disciple of Srila Prabhupada who was living in Sri Dham Mayapur. She left her body yesterday morning, 6th August 2023 at Sri Dham Mayapur.
She used to enthusiastically preach at the entry of Srila Prabhupada Pushpa Samadhi by distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books despite suffering from Parkinson!
She will be there in the Harinam eagerly distributing holy name, whether it is rain or shine, which she loved the most and was engaged in this seva till her last breath!!!
HG Shubangi mataji ki jai.
Today at Navadvip ghat, final rites are taking place with devotees lovingly chanting for her….!

Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=110962