A great soul departed

While attending a summer festival on our ISKCON farm near Prague/Czech Republic, the sad news of HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja's departure reached us. Immediately on the same day, we scheduled a little memorial ceremony, where Jaya Gurudeva Prabhu - a disciple of Srila Prabhupada - offered some words in Maharaja's glorification, and also Radhika Mataji (Madhava Prabhu's wife) and myself spoke. We concluded with a puspanjali ceremony and kept his picture at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada for the rest of the festival.

Today, the 13th of July, Maharaja's body is placed into samadhi in Mayapur, and I am once again reflecting on his greatness.

I met Maharaja the first time when he came to Australia just before Bhavananda Maharaja stepped down - maybe in 1986. There were some rumours going around, that Bhakti Charu Maharaja could be the "next zonal acarya" in Australia and New Zealand. I had not taken initiation of Bhavananda Maharaja yet, and I felt attracted to Bhakti Charu Maharaja's mood - he was so different from what I had experienced: so humble! Maharaja kept himself in the background - something I had not seen before in a leader. I was contemplating the idea of accepting him as my spiritual master, but then he didn't come back to Australia for some time, and all the devotees including myself took diksa of Bhavananda Maharaja.

HH Bhakti Charu Maharaja took birth in the city of Comilla in Bangladesh, and later moved with his family to Kolkata where he grew up. He is THE personification of Vaishnava etiquette and culture - the topmost expert within ISKCON in this field. It is said that Vaishnava etiquette is like the most valuable jewel - the diamond which beautifies a devotee. A Vaishnava's behavior directly reflects how much he has actually internalised our philosophy and practically demonstrates Mahaprabhu's instruction of 'trinad api sunicena'. Maharaja was exactly that - a perfect example of demonstrating and practically living our Vaishnava philosophy!

I remember attending a seminar on Vaishnava etiquette around 30 years ago in Mayapur, which was offered by Maharaja. I think he was the first person emphasising this aspect of devotional life and offered education in this field.

Over the years I had many opportunities to receive his wonderful association - in Mayapur and also in Bangladesh. He served as the Co-GBC for Bangladesh, and many times I met him there, and we also did some pandal programs together. I had the good fortune to visit two times the temple in Ujjain which he established, and I offered some programs there. His disciples are imbibing his mood, endeavoring to bring everything to a first class standard, while setting a nice example of Vaishnava hospitality and culture.

Maharaja is also known for his good cooking. Around 25 years ago, I was in Mayapur and was cooking for some of the GBC's. One day I could not find a kitchen which I could use, so I was bold enough to approach Maharaja and asked him whether I could use his kitchen in his quarters. He graciously agreed. While I was cooking there, he came with a group of his disciples and taught them how to cook some preparations. He spent quite some time in the kitchen, teaching them with so much patience and devotion how to cook certain preparations. I was deeply impressed, thinking how amazing it is, that a person like him who is so busy with so many important things can still find the time to personally teach his disciples how to cook! I couldn't help but remembering how Prabhupada used to do the same thing....

It will take me some time to realize that Maharaja will not be with us any longer in his personal form - not in Mayapur, and not in Bangladesh or anywhere else. I cannot imagine Mayapur without his presence, or Bangladesh. In both places he has been such an integral part of the Vaishnava community! We will all dearly miss him....!

Your servant, Devaki dd