Associating with His Holiness Visnujana Swami for my first year in Krsna Consciousness was amazing. Chanting with him all day every day was nonstop bliss. He used to say we should be so busy in Krsna Consciousness that we have no time for Maya.
I used to make the flower garlands for Sri Sri Radha Damodar which included picking the flowers wherever we were. Since I was serving Sri Sri Radha Damodar in this way Their pure devotee Visnujana Swami showed me favor. Most devotees that joined our party got shipped out to other buses. I got to stay a whole year.
This morning I was going through some files and came across this important verse from the Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila Chapter 22, text 100 describing the process of surrender. I always liked this verse because it describes the simple process of surrender; namely accepting things favorable to devotional service, rejecting things that are unfavorable to devotional service, and developing the faith that Krishna will give protection.“
’The six divisions of surrender are the acceptance of those things favorable to devotional service, the rejection of unfavorable things, the conviction that Kṛṣṇa will give protection, the acceptance of the Lord as one’s guardian or master, full self-surrender and humility.
One who is fully surrendered is qualified with the six following characteristics. (1) The devotee has to accept everything that is favorable for the rendering of transcendental loving service to the Lord. (2) He must reject everything unfavorable to the Lord’s service. This is also called renunciation. (3) A devotee must be firmly convinced that Kṛṣṇa will give him protection. No one else can actually give one protection, and being firmly convinced of this is called faith. (from purport)
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of His Grace Pankajanghri Prabhu, the beloved Nrsimhadeva pujari, and twin brother of His Grace Jananivasa Prabhu. He died of Covid-19 complications in Mayapur, India.
HG Pankajanghri Prabhu has Departed
By the GBC Executive Committee
Dear Devotees,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
HG Pankajanghri Prabhu, ISKCON’s most beloved Nrsimhadeva pujari, has departed from this world in Sri Dham Mayapur.
Having joined ISKON in the footsteps of his twin brother, HG Jananivasa Prabhu, in 1973, the two brothers dedicated their lives to serving the Lordships of ISKCON’s International Headquarters in Lord Caitanya’s divine abode of Sri Mayapur.
Pankajanghri Prabhu served not only the Lord, but devotees worldwide, who would turn to him in their time of need, begging him to offer their hearts’ prayers at Lord Nrsimhadeva’s feet. Every devotee who has visited Mayapur Dham will hold fondly the image of Pankajanghri Prabhu standing on Nrsimhadeva’s altar, offering prayers and puja on behalf of the devotees, and in turn, offering the Lord’s mahaprasadam to the devotees.
Not many of us, however, were aware that in the background, Pankajanghri Prabhu was also managing the pujari department for many years, ensuring that the service to Their Lordships continues efficiently while expanding and deepening exponentially. We are all indebted to Pankajanghri Prabhu for the great inspiration we derive from the beautiful darshans and festivals that can be experienced only in Sri Dham Mayapur.
Pankajanghri Prabhu also graced the devotees with weekly classes on Srimad-Bhagavatam and Caitanya-caritamrita. He was a founding board member and inspiration for Mayapur Academy, an international school for brahminical training, where he taught the proper mood and method of deity worship to hundreds of students as instructed by Srila Prabhupada.
Along with fifty years of steadfast service as a pujari, manager, speaker, and educator, Pankanjanghri Prabhu was also a dear brother, uncle, and friend to both the Mayapur community and ISKCON worldwide. Today is a heartbreaking day especially for the generations of Mayapurvasis who grew up in the affectionate shelter of such a loving and playful uncle.
It is rare indeed to find a personality with the combination of such dedication, humility, joviality, and kindness. As Srila Prabhupada himself said in 1976, “The two brothers Pankajanghri and Jananivasa – there is no comparison.”
We join the worldwide family of Vaisanvas, especially HG Jananivasa Prabhu and the Mayapur community, in grieving the loss of a beloved godbrother and friend while simultaneously feeling gratitude for the mercy of Sri Nrsimhadeva, who kindly brought His dear servant home to Sri Dham Mayapur for a glorious departure befitting a dedicated devotee like Pankajanghri Prabhu.
The Nine Processes of Devotional Service are described by Prahlada Maharaja in the 7th Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam, chapter 5, text 24-25. The great personalities who attained perfection by practice of the nine processes are listed below, followed by the complete text and purport, describing in full these nine processes. If I am not mistaken, this purport to text 24-25 from the seventh canto, chapter five, is one of the longest in the entire Srimad Bhagavatam. Stressing the importance of the verse.
Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one’s best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)—these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṇa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge. (SB 7.5.24-25)
HEARING (sravanam) Maharaja Pariksit(the last seven days of his life, he constantly heard the Srimad Bhagavatam).
CHANTING (kirtanam) Sukadeva Goswami(spoke the Bhagavatam to Maharaja Pariksit)
REMEMBERING (visnu smaranam) Prahlada Maharaja(never forgot Krsna despite constant tortures from his father- Hiranyakashipu)
SERVING THE LORD’S LOTUS FEET (pada sevanam) Laxmi, the Goddess of Fortune, is always engaged in serving the lotus feet of the Lord.
DEITY-WORSHIP (arcanam) Maharaja Prthu used all of his royal possessions in order to offer them in pure devotion to the Lord.
PRAYING (vandanam) Akura offered prayers to Krsna when he was traveling to Vrndavana in order to see Krsna.
EXECUTING ORDERS (dasyam) Hanuman, the intimate servant of Ramacandra executed all of Sri Ramacandra’s orders despite all kinds of difficulties.
SERVING AS A FRIEND (sakhyam) Arjuna was so close to Krsna, that the Lord offered Himself to become his chariot driver and serve Arjuna and his brothers in various ways.
COMPLETE SURRENDER (atma nivedanam) Bali Maharaja gave Sri Vamanadeva his entire kingdom, his possessions as well as his own body, although his own spiritual master was against it.
All these great devotees served the Lord according to a particular process, but every one of them attained salvation and became eligible to return home, back to Godhead
