Tribute To Brahmananda Prabhu

Dear assembled devotees,

Placing your lotus feet on my head, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, who

created all of you as saintly persons, though mostly coming from low births. Srila Prabhupada told us, "I have

created your good fortune!"

All glories to Brahmananda prabhu, who was one of a kind. There will never be another devotee exactly the

same as Brahmananda. He was unique. Even when I joined the movement in 1968, when there were only

about 150 or so disciples of Srila Prabhupada world-wide, Brahmananda was already an icon in the fledgling

ISKCON, which was destined to grow into the mighty movement that it is today. Estimates are that there are

between six and seven million followers of ISKCON today, counting those who come only for taking Prasad

from time to time, coming only for big festivals, Rathayatras, etc, or just dropping in to a temple occasionally,

the proverbial “fringies”.

Brahmananda was a great general in Srila Prabhupada’s ever-growing army. Newer devotees have heard

about his fame, but don’t truly know what his historic contribution to the movement was, for they never saw

him in action during his “golden years "as an active general". He has been “retired” for decades now, but

inwardly, inside, he has always remained a general in Srila Prabhupada’s army.

His love for Srila Prabhupada is (present tense) almost unparalleled. Only fools and neophytes go by the

externals by which they try to put a measuring stick to his love for Prabhupada by questioning “what did he do

for Srila Prabhupada? I never saw him do anything for the movement”. Such offensive, misplaced thoughts

should never be considered, for indeed, such persons never knew Brhamanda at all, so what right would they

have to put a pathetic, mundane measuring stick to his relationship with Srila Prabhupada and his deep

contribution to ISKCON?

Brahmananda had a deep and complex personality—definitely not linear! If he was in a stern or angry mood,

definitely you didn’t want to mess with him. In such moods he had a sharp tongue and could defeat almost

anyone. Then there was the other side of Brahmananda—soft, loving, very friendly, affectionate, and a heart

of gold. He was always kind and warm to me. One should not be fooled by his periodically demonstrated gruff

exterior. He was also often jolly, and when he was in that kind of mood, everyone relished his association.

Even if he was gruff, he acted in that way only out of his love for Srila Prabhupada. He was a transcendental

fanatic that Srila Prabhupada should always be pleased by our activities. “This is what Srila Prabhupada wants;

we must do it in this way!” He was completely, unconditionally surrendered to Srila Prabhupada during his

most active years in the movement. When Srila Prabhupada ordered Brahmananda to go to Africa to preach,

he didn’t hesitate. He pioneered the African preaching, opening the center in Nairobi. When Srila Prabhupada

came to Africa for the first time, he inquired, “Where are the blacks?” Brahmananda replied that they had

been preaching to the Indian community, but Srila Prabhupada was not satisfied with that answer. He said "It

is their country" (indicating the blacks). They must be invited also; so without hesitation, Brahmananda began

inviting some blacks to the temple. This is only one example of his surrender to Srila Prabhupada’s every

order.

Later, when he retired, he remained always loyal to Srila Prabhupada, his internal mood remaining the same.

We should over-look his mistakes or errors in his retired years, for they are over-shadowed by his greatness,

by his unswerving love for Srila Prabhupada.

We should consider how Krishna engineered his departure, along with Srimati Radharani, (Vrindavanishwari),

and Srila Prabhupada. The affectionate and concerned devotees were about to take him to a reputed hospital

in Delhi, even to the point of already ordering the ambulance. However, before he could reach the ambulance,

Srila Prabhupada came and took him to Goloka. Many decades ago, when very few disciples had yet left their

bodies, to us foolish young people, death seamed far away. Yet at that time, Srila Prabhupada promised

Brahmananda that "I will come and get you; do not worry"! So we see that certainly Srila Prabhupada made

good on that promise, to the point of stopping the devotees' ambulance plan. No one should have any doubts

about this. Srila Prabhupada has come to take much lesser persons, so how he would not personally overrule

the devotees by appearing suddenly and taking Brahmananda before he could be swept away from the Dham.

To emphasize this point, and to encourage all of the followers of Srila Prabhupada, here are two narrations of

Srila Prabhupada coming to take devotees into his eternal shelter. First, there was an initiated male devotee

who had served many years in ISKCON, and like so many others, gradually he fell away. His devotee marriage

failed, and he was out in the material world making a living at a non-devotee job. He married a non-devotee,

and had children with her. With the influence of unstoppable time, he naturally grew older, then falling ill with

cancer. He was hospitalized in intensive care. It was clear he was going to die. His wife, children, and non-

devotee relatives all came to "see him off". He was in a deep coma. Suddenly he opened his eyes wide,

exclaiming "Srila Prabhupada!" and then he was gone. The non devotee relatives asked their daughter, "what

was that all about?" They were both amazed and confused. She replied, "Oh, he used to be a Hare Krishna". So

we must see that Srila Prabhupada didn't even care that the fallen disciple had drifted away. He only felt deep

gratitude for his years of dedication in helping to build this movement when Srila Prabhupada needed the help

the most. This is Prabhupada—always grateful, which is one of Krishna's outstanding qualities as well.

Brahmananda could be as soft as a puppy or as terrifying as Bhima. Once, probably in New York, a demon

entered the temple. He was making his way towards Srila Prabhupada. It was evident that he may have had in

mind to do some physical harm to Srila Prabhupada! In a calm, cool voice, Srila Prabhupada pointed at

Brahmananda, saying, “He will kill you if I ask him to!” The demon backed away like a shamed dog with his tail

between his legs. That was Brahmananda and a glimpse of his relationship with Srila Prabhupada. He would do

whatever Srila Prabhupada asked, unconditionally.

Brahmananda was a formidable personality. Even in the early days of the movement he had a “presence” like

a watch dog, perhaps a German Shepherd or a Pit Bull, but he would keep this side of his personality checked

much of the time. Still, you could feel the vibration. He was one of the sannyasis who formed a “stockade”—a

wooden fort made of heavy upright logs bound together. The stockade was their dandas. It was quite

intimidating. No one got through this fort to Srila Prabhupada without the blessings of the sannyasis in those

days, at least in some circumstances. Even after I was a five year devotee, who was a little senior in those days

because the movement was still so new—I was very intimidated by the sannyasi fort, as were many other

devotees. Of course the key, upright, very powerful log in the fort was Brahmananda. In Los Angeles, even

though I was semi-senior, I was afraid to enter Srila Prabhupada’s garden for darshan. I probably could have

without any problem—other devotees with less seniority than me were there, but I was admittedly

intimidated; so I peeked through a knot hole in the fence instead. In spite of this periodically manifest mood of

intimidation, if Brahmananda smiled, it would melt your heart. He was a thoroughly good person, not matter

what was his style of delivery.

Brahmananda will go down in history as one of the foundational pillars in the founding of this movement.

Unfortunately, only one book of his association with Srila Prabhupada has been published, that I am aware of,

that chronicles the early days in New York. He probably had at least four more books in his heart of most

relishable pastimes with Srila Prabhupada. Much of this can be restored by interviewing his beloved brother,

Gargamuni Prabhu in Vrindavan, which should be done without delay!

Time is of the essence! Our God Sister, Daivi Shakti in Vrindavan (c/o Krishna Balaram Mandir), must be fully

supported by ISKCON in her efforts to preserve the Prabhupada remembrances by disciples, which have been

recorded for many years in Vrindavan, but are languishing, growing mold in boxes. This should be rectified

without delay. She told me she needs both financial assistance for the project and help cataloguing the

recordings, some of them quite old now. If it is already in progress, then Jai! However, more support is

required. Every year now at least one or more Prabhupada disciple leaves their body, and a reality check

reveals that the number per year will inevitably go up very soon! Please join in the effort to preserve Srila

Prabhupada’s legacy. Perhaps there are sufficient recordings of Brahmananda that another book could be put

together soon.

Srila Prabhupada lives forever, and his followers live with him. Let us join in remembering Brahmananda with

love, and upgrade our efforts to preserve the Prabhupada remembrances for all future generations.

Respectfully submitted,

Your eternal servant,

Bhakti Madhurya Govinda Goswami (formerly Makhanlal das)