I remember a glorious soul and hope I will never forget him.

I do not really know what to say, it is almost unbelievable that he has left. Although I'm sure his destination will be infinately more agreeable than Kali yuga on Earth, still I feel the loss.

I was fortunate enough to get his association, especially in the early days. I remember as a new devotee visiting the Edinburgh temple. The day after I arrived we were driving through the city and someone pointed and said 'there's Tribhuvanath, the temple president'. When I looked I saw a bald headed monk in saffron on a motor-scooter, tearing past us on his way for some service to Srila Prabhupada.
His devotion to Prabhupada was unimaginably great. He was always kind and balanced, what I remember most about him was his smile, his tolerance and his quickness to laugh.

About two years ago I renewed my association with him when we met a various festivals. I was there more or less to enjoy, he was there as always in the service of his guru maharaja. He came into the tent where I was talking with some persons and began to talk to me. There was no judgement, no pretensiousness just kindness. He treated me as if we were god-brothers and was encouraging to me. He was a most intelligent and broad-minded devotee and I loved him.

I guess the passing of such great souls shows us our own mortality. It reminds us that how we spend the time we have on Earth determines whether our next birth will be another of suffering or one of liberation. I don't know how to glorify him enough because I remember the heart of the man, how soft yet uncompramising, how accepting yet clear as to the truth. I remember his sharing and I remember his chastisment. I remember a glorious soul and hope I will never forget him.

This news, both tragic for us, yet glorious for him. It is the time when he will reap the rewards for a life in the service of Guru and Gauranga. It was my good fortune to be able to know him and call him my friend. The world seems vacant in his absense.

by Janakaraj das

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