He told me he has to live in India because America is too WAY much MAYA for him. Well, he is probably right on that count.
He also helped me when Dayalu Nitai's HKC Jaipur guys attacked me. He said these guys are just another "bogus business men posing as devotees program." And they are exploiting people in the name of Srila Prabhupada -- just like the GBC. And he said that is why they all went running off with Radhanath's clone Bhakta das, because they are more with the pedophile guru's program than with your PADA Srila Prabhupada's program -- and they are simply cheating people that they are not sympathizers with the GBC's gurus.
So he helped me when these guys sent their goonda Prahlad das to threaten to kill me. He said he would act as my "look out" over there, and keep tabs on these folks. He said to me, everyone who loves to see pedophiles being worshiped "as good as God gurus" wants to kill you, there is nothing new about any of this.
And later he would make various snarky comments about the bogus gurus to add to things I was writing. So he wanted to help me in what I was doing. I don't know how he managed to live at an ISKCON temple, with his attitude against the gurus, but he managed somehow or other. Anyway, he was always telling me "make sure you chant your rounds" and things like that, because he had genuine concern for me -- and for many others.
In sum! He was a sort of mild mannered gentlemanly devotee with real concern for me and others, which seems to be in VERY short supply in many cases. So we will miss him for that reason alone.
In the end, everyone knows he was "a Srila Prabhupada man." He wanted to see things rectified in ISKCON, he wanted to have Srila Prabhupada re-established as the acharya, and let us hope that his wishes eventually manifest.
GOD SPEED SPIRIT SOUL!
ys pd]
Hare Krishna
May Lord Narasimha bless this noble saintly soul. With regards. Hare Krishna
Yasoda nandana dasa
Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
Subject: His Grace Mahasrnga Prabhu Departs
Dear Prabhus,
Obeisances.. all glories to Srila Prabhupada.
The passing of a great soul and our dear Godbrother, His Grace Mahasrnga Prabhu.. may he always be with Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krsna.
Vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ Our ultimate goal is Vāsudeva
Your fallen servant, Balaram das.
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Pancaratna Dasa <pancaratnadas@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, May 17, 2021 at 3:11 AM
Subject: Re: Mahasrnga
Hare Krishna.
Yesterday was Sunday so no one allowed to meet patients or doctors. I called in the morning and the doctor said they had still not moved to non covid wing but he is ok, same position. But at 2.30 am this morning, 17th of May 2021 the doctor from JNU Hospital phoned me to declare that Mahasrnga Prabhu (Michael Charles Crawford) left this world. He was in full consciousness, with Srila Prabhupada chanting in his ear. Remembering Lord Krishna he has returned home, back to Godhead.
He was Covid negative and the infection in his lungs was reducing slowly but he had stopped eating. He became very weak and though saying he would cooperate, he did not. At one point I told him we all want him to recover and he looked me clearly and said, but I don't want.
Today at 9.00 am we will collect him from the hospital and make arrangements for his funeral. He has left a last will, which we will see today and take care accordingly. Those that wish to see it, if you ask, I will send you a copy.
I will remember him, as the saintly person he was, he had no greed, no anger, no lust for this world. His only interest was his service to Srila Prabhupada. You all know better than me.
We all love him dearly and miss him. If you like to write a condolence I will see that it is read out in whatever small gathering we are allowed, as we are still fully locked down here.
Your servant
Pancaratna Das
BD Dasi: Today I am very sad to be losing the association of Mahasrnga Prabhu, Srila Prabhupada's disciple who did so much service over many years.
ReplyDeleteHe was a fun, kind-hearted, sincere devotee who left a deep impression on me... especially in my early days in ISKCON... that you can be a serious devotee and yet still fun to be with. I first met him in India, in Vrndavan, when I was leaving Vrndavan for Delhi and getting onto a bus with a group of devotees. I was in India without my husband on that trip and he made sure all was arranged nicely and that I was safe.
He stayed with us for a few days when we had a preaching centre in Geelong, Australia, (late 80s early 90s, I think). We bought some Prabhupada Room Discussions books from him, because he couldn't take them all back with him as his luggage was getting too heavy.
Often we would say "Happy Birthday" to each other as we shared 24th August as our birth date. He was so approachable and kind. I will miss him dearly, even though I am convinced that Srila Prabhupada has personally taken him to another service destination. Farewell Mahasrnga Prabhu, till we meet again at Srila Prabhupada's Lotus Feet.
Vyapaka Dasa : Dear Mahasrnga Prabhu,
ReplyDeleteIn an earlier email, Mandapa ji mentioned that we often jokingly sparred together and that was certainly true, even though you weren’t much of a match. We were told that you were getting out of the Coronovirus ward and transferred to a non-Covid ward. We were all so hopeful and planning on seeing you as visits were now allowed and we could bring you some of the dahl you loved so much.
And then you pull this! Do you think it is funny? If so, you are the only one laughing. The rest of us wallow in sadness at the loss of your association. In your humility, you likely don’t know how much you meant to us. But we can’t be too mad at you because you are now with Srila Prabhupada, continuing in his eternal service. If in the case another birth is required, I pity your new mother. As you exit the womb, I can see you holding Srila Prabhupada’s original Bhagavad Gita As It Is and saying: “Mom, you better not be reading that edited nonsense! If you are, put me up for adoption. So, safe sailing old friend. To new Krishna conscious endeavors, for sure. When you see Srila Prabhupada, please put in a good word for us all. And in case you forget, my name is spelt V-Y-A-P-A-K-A. You are my only chance of getting Srila Prabhupada’s mercy, so don’t forget; as I’ll never be able to follow in your Krishna conscious footsteps. Life is going to be awfully different not having you around. For the worse…. Seriously! Your sad friend, Hare Krishna
RD: Haribol Prabhuji Dandavats All Glories to Srila Prabhupada! When visiting Maha in Jaipur, he always pointed out to us (while inside his apartment), he purchased his place because it is just over the border line, right next to ISKCON Jaipur property. He was always providing original books for distribution here in India and storing them away from Jaipur ISKCON property at his place to keep the zonal wealthy guru Gopal Krsna Swami off his back. Keep up the good service! YS Rdasa
ReplyDelete[PADA: Yes, many of us ended up -- in or near -- an ISKCON managed property, instead of being able to make our own independent process separate from the GBC. It is a big problem.
Same thing happened in the Gaudiya Matha, their bogus gurus seized the property and then the rank and file could not build a fresh and independent organization from the ashes. It is really sad that it came to that. A newer devotee said he was in Alachua recently where a lot of these "retired" devotees are living now, and he said it is about as enthusing as visiting a mortuary, so he had to leave.
A lot of old "Prabhupada" people live there, but they cannot even get rid of a pedophile guru like Lokanath from being worshiped there. So we renegades have not been very organized, that is a fact. Then the GBC takes advantage of that fact, they see there is no organized opposition.
Meanwhile another elderly "Prabhupada lady" fell down and broke her hip, so she is in hospital. And two more devotees formerly from the New Vrndavana community report having cancer. One of them has come to the final stage of "not operatable," so he is evidently on his way out. The other is struggling. So it does look like our window of opportunity to pull something else together has been closing in fast.
And that is why we -- at least -- wanted to put out a lot of documentation on the history, so some of the newer people would take the correct idea forward after all of us are departed. And we feel that is going to be done, more or less at least. Anyway, we did what we could, and it is what it is. We just have to hope we will get at least some blessing from Krishna at the end of our road here.
So now that Mahasringa is gone, we need a new person to be standing around Jaipur temple with his original books. Let us have someone carry on with his tradition. ys pd