Initiated By: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Initiated Name: Jayatirtha dasa
Year of Initiation: LA 1970
Date of Death: December 13^th, 1987
Age at Death: 39
Cause of Death: Homicide
Survived By: Manjuali Dasi

Bhaktavasya Dasi

Sita Sundari Dasi

Kuaii (Son)

Murdered on his birthday, Friday the 13^th

Memorial By Gopinatha devi dasi

Dear Jayatirtha Prabhu

Please accept my humble obeisances, All glories to Srila Prabhupada, all glories to you. So many years have passed since we have been together. Not a day goes by that I don't think of you and your many kindnesses to me. Please forgive my many offenses and bless me that I may one day be a devotee and a fit disciple of my spiritual master

I remain always,

Your servant,

Gopinatha devi dasi

Memorial By Batu Gopal Das

I picture Jayatirtha prabhu in 1977 or 1978, lying on a couch at Srila Prabhupada's Devasadhana Mandira in Detroit. It's the middle of the night. I'm sitting up with Jayatirtha prabhu who is in agony because of a kidney stone. I'm holding a cool washcloth on his forhead and he is moaning in great pain. But he is preaching.

"Batu," he whispers through clenched teeth, "how much pleasure did you get from your kidneys today?"

"None," I admit.

"Exactly," he says. "This is the proof that this material body is meant only for suffering. Only a very few small parts of the body are able to give pleasure. But every part is able to give excruciating pain. Always remember this."

Again I remember Jayatirtha Prabhu, years before, in Los Angeles. I'm visiting from Cleveland and have dropped in on him, unannounced, to see the Spiritual Sky factory and warehouse. He's a truly important devotee in our movement, with large responsibilities and frequent association with Srila Prabhupada. The transcendental business he is managing is bankrolling many important ISKCON projects and is supporting many temples. Really and truly, he's a Big Shot, and certainly very busy. But, although taken completely by surprise, he welcomes me warmly as though he had long been anticipating my visit. He offers refreshments and sweet words and clears his afternoon schedule to personally show me around not only the Spiritual Sky business, but practically everything going on at ISKCON LA. He introduces me to other devotees as though I were his intimate friend, and an important Somebody, doing noteworthy service to Srila Prabhupada in the far-off Midwest. He even glorifies me in front of powerful, important devotees like Karandhar Prabhu. I am both embarrassed and grateful --chastened and challenged. I think, "When I get back home, I'd really better start doing some service."

I remember, years later, sitting with Jayatirtha at Bhaktivedanta Manor. In one scene, I'm sitting with Danavira and Virabhadra Prabhu (now Maharaja). In another scene, later, I'm with Vipramukhya Prabhu and Rohininandana Prabhu . In both scenes we're talking about the Bhakta Program and the Guest Program. As usual, Jayatitha is giving all possible encouragement and facility--his enthusiasm seems boundless, effervescent. He is assuring us that there is no greater service than the service we are doing. That Srila Prabhupada is deeply appreciative of our efforts and that he, Jayatirtha, is committed to doing everything necessary to help us make these programs a great success. He is also coming out with a dazzling stream of creative new ideas for improving and expanding our programs. "Have you tried this? Have you thought of that? Why couldn't we do such and such?"

Listen brothers, this is no exaggeration. In the whole world, Jayatirtha Prabhu is the greatest supporter of these programs for making devotees. I remember the astonishing numbers of devotees made and trained during those years. That was not possible except for the empowered service of His Grace Jayatirtha Prabhu.

Let no one doubt how dear to Srila Prabhupada is Jayatirtha Prabhu. We need not doubt for a moment that he has and will receive all of Srila Prabhupada's mercy and protection. Our only prayer, is that soon, in that purified ISKCON to come, in the spiritual world, we will again get to sit with Jayatirtha Prabhu, and make plans for serving Sri Guru and Gauranga.

His Grace Jayatirtha Prabhu ki jaya!

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