20250917 Vyāsa-pūjā Homage to His Holiness Bhakti Cāru Swami Mahārāja

My dear Godbrother Bhakti Cāru Swami Mahārāja,

Please accept my humble obeisances at your lotus feet. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Home base: Śrī Māyāpur Candrodaya Mandir.

Camp: Adventist Hospital, Penang, Malaysia.

17 September 2025

On this most auspicious day of your appearance, I would like to humbly offer my appreciation and homage at your lotus feet. Although you are not physically present with us, you are very much alive in our thoughts, our hearts, and in the movement you so gracefully helped build and protect.

I am blessed to have such a loving godbrother as yourself. I have always admired your gentle and refined nature. You had the rare ability to make people feel comforted, respected, and inspired all at once. When I was sick in 2008 with a stroke, you gave an order that I had to come back, as I was your brother. In subsequent health challenges, you always encouraged my caretakers and secretaries and sent your prayers for my well-being, although I don’t deserve it.

I had requested you to recover, but you did not do that. Maybe Śrīla Prabhupāda had wanted to engage you.

You were a perfect example of the ideal disciple, always trying to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission with your full energy and heart. You are the most Śrīla Prabhupāda-conscious devotee I know. You were always keeping Śrīla Prabhupāda at the forefront. Whether it was translating his books, filming his video series, developing the TOVP, troubleshooting ISKCON’s problems worldwide, or any of the countless things you did, you were always keeping Śrīla Prabhupāda at the forefront. Thank you for being my godbrother and giving me such nice association.

Your translation of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books into Bengali was a great gift to Bengali-speaking devotees. You preserved Śrīla Prabhupāda’s voice and mood so beautifully. You also personally served Śrīla Prabhupāda during his final days in Vṛndāvana, and that confidential service showed the depth of your love and surrender. You stood by Śrīla Prabhupāda in his physical presence and continued to serve his mission with full dedication until your very last breath.

As a fellow GBC member and godbrother, I witnessed your tireless efforts to keep ISKCON united and strong. You built temples, guided disciples and devotees in general, and inspired leaders with a spirit of service, not control. You gave everything to Śrīla Prabhupāda—your time, your voice, your words, your heart—and you never asked anything in return.

Now that you have left this world, your disciples have a big responsibility. They are fortunate to have received your shelter. I hope that they will carry your legacy forward through their actions. I hope that more of your disciples read Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books, get the degrees, and take up the responsibility of being dīkṣā-gurus—not out of ambition, but as service to you and to Śrīla Prabhupāda. You always reminded us that ISKCON must have strong leaders who are faithful to Śrīla Prabhupāda, and who live with purity, humility, and dedication.

And I pray that wherever you are, you are pleased to see that your mood and service continue through those who love you.

Your absence is a great loss for me personally and for all of ISKCON. But your legacy is not lost—it is alive. I will try my best to help keep your legacy strong and pure, as you lived.

Your servant,

Jayapatākā Swami

JPS/rrsdb