|
|
|
|
If you have a photograph of this devotee, |
Initiated
By: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Cause
of Death: Motor Vehicle Accident |
Sankirtan Van Accident in Western Pennsylvania
|
By His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada |
It was a great shock for me to hear about the death of Jananivasa and Will, so untimely. In such case we should hold special condolence meeting in our centers and pray for his being taken to Krishna Loka by the grace of Lord Krishna. After the demise of a devotee some special feast preparations should be offered to Lord Krishna and prasadam should be distributed.
Letter to: Bhagavan -- Calcutta 1 November, 1971
I have noted especially your description of the unfortunate accident which took place and which took away our friends Jananivasa das Brahmacari and Will Prabhu. So on one side we have to be very sorry if our dear friends are taken away from this world, and on the other side we should be satisfied that a pure devotee is never lost. He gets another good chance to cultivate Krishna Consciousness, or if one is advanced he goes back to Home, back to Godhead. But even if it is taken that a devotee is not mature, we should be confident that he will take birth in a rich or devotional family. So their human life in a very good position is guaranteed. A devotee's position is always better than an ordinary position. Karmis do not know what is the next life, but devotees know it as certain as anything that he is going to have a nice human form of body. So let us pray for the departed souls that they may be engaged again in Krishna's service. It will be a good idea in the future if our devotees take lesson from this unfortunate incident and take precaution not to drive late at night for any reason--no gain can come from such driving at night which will ever compensate for much great losses. Please advise your GBC zonal secretary that in future great precaution must be taken.
Letter to: Patita Uddharana -- Delhi 15 November, 1971
|
Memorial by Patita Pavana das Adikari |
My dear Jananivas das Prabhuji,
Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to our dear spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada. I assume that you are with His Divine Grace as I write this because you were always Krishna conscious, never having any other thought other than serving Prabhupada.
I remember when we met in the Brooklyn ISKCON temple and you invited me to come to Columbus to help your program of preaching to the students at Ohio State University. I had spent about two years with ISKCON Press, establishing the bookbindery with Vaikunthanath das Prabhuji. But when it was decided that the books should be bound in Japan, that service had been terminated. Satswarupa had dumped me off on the highway in the Boston snow with instructions that I should hitchhike to New York. In New York Bhavananda kept insisting that I get married, so meeting you was a Godsend for me. You told me that your name meant Jana-nivas or "Krishna, the shelter of all mankind." So I decided to take shelter of your Columbus Temple.
You had written an article that was printed in Back To Godhead entitled "Krishna Consciousness is the Absolute Necessity For Mankind." I always admired your uncompromising and determined preaching.
In Columbus, you had a house and a few Prabhus, so I set about preaching, helping to make devotees, serving Srila Prabhupada with you. One day while I was out preaching, a young hippy came up to me and asked "Can I come to live with you?" Sure, I told him, and that is how Dennis became Bhakta Dennis. After a few weeks with us, Bhakta Dennis, a sign painter by trade, said he wanted to leave immediately. I begged him to stay just to perform only one more service for Krishna: paint an important message upon your 1970 light blue Ford temple van, a very austere vehicle with only a one-man seat for the driver. We selected a bright yellow paint, and Bhakta Dennis painted "Chant Hare Krishna and Be Happy" in a fancy cursive script.
After painting the van, Dennis decided that he liked Bhakti-yoga after all, and decided to stay in the association of devotees. I had received a family gift of money from my Mother for about $500 so I suggested that we drive to New York and buy some paintings from the art department. I felt that your Columbus ISKCON center could use some brightening up.
After buying the paintings in New York, we got a late start. One of the artists did not have her painting ready at the promised time. So it was about six pm by the time we got ready to leave. We had to drive all night because you had arranged a University lecture program the next day. At about 2:00 am I was awakened by Bhakta Dennis at the wheel saying, "I'm dozing off." You were sleeping with your head on the same pillow as mine, and you woke up to say, "Get off at the next exit." In fact, we never made it to the next exit, but as it turned out, you exited this world that night.
The next thing I remember, I came to lying on the roadside pavement, my body paralyzed with pain. I had broken two vertebrae. I soon realized that Dennis had fallen asleep and had driven into the wall under a bridge. There was movement all around me, and the blinking red light of numerous police cars and an ambulance were illuminating the van. I looked up to see that the van had been crumpled like a crushed Coke can. I could see the distorted and misshapen letters, "Chant Hare Krishna and be Happy", on the side. When the paramedics came to lay me upon the stretcher, I pointed to Bhakta Will Prabhu, lying a few feet away. The paramedics returned my gesture with a grim look and shook their heads. I did not see you, but Bhakta Dennis described to me the terrible trauma - near decapitation - that you had to bear in order to leave this miserable material world. Both you and Bhakta Will left this Earth, leaving me bereft of your kind association the night. So I pray, I ! hope against hope, that you are with Prabhupada now.
Kirtanananda came out from New Vrindavana and picked Bhakta Dennis and me up from the hospital. Manasuchandra's father was kind enough to get the van towed to a junk yard. He got $135 for it which he apologetically gave to the temple. Your mother called to ask for a silver candle snuffer, which we sent to her. Mangalananda took care of me until I got the strength to begin movement, and we wrote the song "Lord Caitanya’s Moon Is Rising" together. Our GBC Bhagavan asked me to take over as temple President, but with my injuries I was not up to the job, though I tried. I transferred to Detroit and the center closed.
Looking back, I can understand how very rare a soul you were. You gave everything to Krishna and Prabhupada unhesitatingly. You sacrificed much, but your works in Krishna Consciousness cannot be ignored by the Supreme Personality Of Godhead Sri Krishna, and His dear most servant Srila Prabhupada. You have achieved Their shelter eternally.
Your humble servant and God-brother,
Patita Pavana das Adikari
6th of May, 2003
The above is courtesy of .