I was just informed that my godbrother Aniruddha just died of a heart attack in Honolulu. Aniruddha was an old friend of ours. My wife and I spent a lot of time with him when he was staying in Honolulu in 1974, while we were the head pujaris there. He was full of good advice about upgrading kitchen service, and was a treasure trove of Prabhupada stories. I also have a good story about Aniruddha that I have told very often, and which I think shows a quality in Srila Prabhupada that our Swami also exemplifies.
As Srila Prabhupada was leaving after a visit to Honolulu in May of
'74, a few of us stayed in the airport terminal with him, while most of the
devotees stayed out on he sidewalk and kept a kirtan going. While
Satsvarupa Maharaj was reading ISKCON-related newspaper clippings,
Srila Prabhupada interrupted him: "I hear Aniruddha is here in Hawaii,
but he has not come to see me. Do you know?"
One devotee volunteered that Aniruddha was outside with the kirtan
party. Prabhupada: "He may come inside; there is no difficulty."
The devotee scampered out to retrieve Aniruddha but returned empty-handed.
Prabhupada: "No, you don't understand. He may come inside; there is NO
difficulty!"
This time the devotee ran out, and Aniruddha, who apparently wasn't spiritually strong at the time, came in wearing cut-off jeans, a T-shirt, and a stud in his left ear. He folded his hands and offered pranams to Srila Prabhupada.
"So, Aniruddha, how are you?"
Aniruddha blushed and replied, "Actually, Srila Prabhupada, not so good."
After Srila Prabhupada insisted that Aniruddha sit on the seat next to him (the rest of us were sitting on the floor at Srila Prabhupada's feet), they exchanged small talk for a minute or two. Then Srila Prabhupada turned to us and said, "In Los Angeles temple, he is the beginning."
It was clear that Srila Prabhupada's vision was different from ours. The feeling I heard expressed among devotees was something like, "Poor Aniruddha; Prabhupada loves him so much but he just can't surrender!" Srila Prabhupada was not unaware of Aniruddha's difficulties; he simply saw, like Raghunath Bhatta Goswami, that the problems were ephemeral, but the service is eternal, the essence of any devotee's identity.
Thanks for that info Babhru. I remember him from Hawaii and LA. Prabhupada loved his disciples and appreciated those who did valuable service. I see how much mercy our Swami received from his important service to Prabhupada, and receiving his and SM's blessings. We are all reaping the benefit from that now. Somehow if we can render some meaningful service to Swami we can also make rapid advancement. I missed the boat with Prabhupada, I was too neophyte and dull. Now Prabhupada has sent someone I am inspired by, so I am praying to take advantage of his wonderful association and do some meaningful seva.
More and more of our godbrothers and sisters are "moving on", which tells us how short our life is. We are not far behind, so let us take full advantage of what little time remains!
said, "In Los Angeles temple, he is the beginning."
How sweet to here that bhakti is what the whole movement was about and our Guru Maharaja has continued this tradition.
Thank you Guru Maharaja for allowing my association.
I do hope to continue in Your and His service with only this in mind.
Please any offenses that I have cause You and His Divine Grace in my short sighted approach to spreading Guarangas message.
Yours in service and friendship.