24 May 2021
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Back to Godhead, Devotee's, Guru & Disciple, Jayananda Thakur, Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: Back to Godhead Magazine, disappearance of Jayananda thakur, Jayananda, Jayananda das, Jayananda Thakur, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Ratha-yatra, Rathayatra Festival, Srila Prabhupada
Today marks the disappearance day of my dear friend and God brother, Jayananda das. He was such a beautiful devotee, the perfect servant of our Srila Prabhupada, and friend to all. His death was glorious as stated in a letter to Ramesvara das shortly after his death:
Jayananda’s death is glorious. It is very good that he had stated,what is the use of such a useless body, better to give it up. He has left his body very wonderfully, and he has been transferred to Vaikuntha. I have already sent a condolence letter for publication in Back To Godhead. Everyone should follow the example of Jayananda. I am very proud that I had such a nice disciple. If possible Jayananda’s picture should be hung in the ratha of Lord Jagannatha, and in all of our temples a day may be set aside for holding a festival in his honor, just as we do on the disappearance day of the other great Vaisnavas. (letter by Srila Prabhupada 77-05-11)
We have included some personal letters by Srila Prabhupada to Jayananda
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06 May 2020
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Jayananda Thakur, Kalakantha dasa
Tags: A Day in the Life of Jayananda Thakur, Jayananda, Jayananda and Srila Prabhupada, Jim Kohr, Kalakantha dasa, Srila Prabhupada
Yesterday was the disappearance day of Jayananda das Thakur. Jayananda was a very dear friend of mine and the closest thing I ever had to a brother in this life. He took me under his wing and nourished my Krishna Consciousness. I am eternally indebted to him for instilling in me a service attitude, and love for Srila Prabhupada. We honor the disappearance day of this extraordinary personality Jayananda das Thakur with the folowing post.
The Life of Jayananda Prabhu
by Kalakantha dasa
After the disappearance of Jayananda Das on May 1, 1977, His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada instructed devotees all over the world to commemorate the event every year as they would any great Vaishnava’s disappearance day.
Therefore we respectfully submit these pages to all devotees and friends of ISKCON as a means to remember and understand more about Jayananda’s devotional service. Of course, we will see how he joined ISKCON and how he left this mortal world. More importantly, we shall see the astounding qualities possessed by a true devotee, a sincere disciple and genuine servant of Srila Prabhupada.
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17 Aug 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Jayananda Thakur
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, devotee, Jayananda, Jayananda memorial, Jayananda Thhakur, Lord Krishna, Mayapur memorial, Srila Prabhupada, Veronica Chatworth, Visoka dasa
There is a new domain “Jayanandathakur.com” and the new and wonderful Jayananda website, http://www.jayanandathakur.com. We give many thanks to Veronica (Vera) Chatworth, for her expert service and love and devotion for Jayananda, and producing this amazing new website for displaying his recently opened memorial in Mayapur, and the memories and great photos and articles, etc. We pray that Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krishna give Their blessings to her for such sincere devotional service.
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04 May 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee Books, Devotee's, Jayananda Thakur, Vishoka das
Tags: A Day in the Life of Jayananda Thakur, Jayananda, Jayananda Thakur, Srila Prabhupada, Vishoka das
This is the New Book by Vishoka Prabhu
A Day in the Life of Jayananda Thakur
Authored by Vishoka Dasa
Many religions are thinking “my religion is the only way.” And thus there are so many holy wars and quarrels. They try to convert all others to their sectarian creed. In contrast, the wise saints of India have historically been the most tolerant and respectful of other religions, saying that the purpose of all religion is to develop love of God, not to fight and convert. One of the great saints of India came to America in the 70’s and transplanted a temple of Shree Shree Radha Krishna onto the streets of San Francisco, where Tom joined to be a monk, and he had the great experience of working with a man who became a saint revered by all peoples from all walks of life in San Francisco, who enjoyed his saintliness, regardless of their own particular beliefs. This is the mark of a true saint, and people can still appreciate the reality of a modern saint, even to this day, by the biographical reading of his saintly qualities of giving love of God to others, without motive to convert or change anyone’s faith.
Product info. and links… More
04 May 2012
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Jayananda Thakur, Letters by Srila Prabhupada
Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, disappearance day, jayanananda thakur, Jayananda, Letters by Srila Prabhupada, Lord Jagannatha, Ramesvara, Ratha-yatra, Srila Prabhupada
Jayananda’s death is glorious. It is very good that he had stated, what is the use of such a useless body, better to give it up. He has left his body very wonderfully, and he has been transferred to Vaikuntha. I have already sent a condolence letter for publication in Back To Godhead. Everyone should follow the example of Jayananda. I am very proud that I had such a nice disciple. If possible Jayananda’s picture should be hung in the ratha of Lord Jagannatha, and in all of our temples a day may be set aside for holding a festival in his honor, just as we do on the disappearance day of the other great Vaisnavas. (from Letter by Srila Prabhupada to Ramesvara)
Letter to: Ramesvara from Srila Prabhupada
New Delhi 11 May, 1977
For full letter More
15 May 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Jayananda Thakur, Padmapani das
Tags: brahmacari, devotee, Jayananda, Lord Jagannatha, Padmapani das, Rathayatra Festival, Srila Prabhupada disciple, Visnujana Swami
Jayananda Prabhu: Staunchness Personified
By Sriman Padmapani Prabhu
The first time I saw Jayananda Prabhu was in 1974 in San Francisco. A number of devotees had driven down from Vancouver to participate in the Rathayatra Festival there. As soon as we arrived, the brahmacaris were sent over to help out at the cart site. There were many devotees there lifting wooden beams, hammering nails and working like mad to meet the deadline. Then along came a tall serious looking devotee who struck me as a genuine no-nonsense leader. It was Jayananda Prabhu. He immediately took charge and began engaging everyone in Lord Jagannatha’s service. Along with Visnujana Swami, I had never seen anyone with such a powerful devotional aura about him. There was no mistaking his total dedication to his service. In fact, I recall thinking to myself at the time, “This devotee is staunchness personified.” To this day, I always remember him in that light.
Every day we had to help work on the carts and around the grounds to help get things ready in time for Rathayatra. I heard that there were about 500 brahmacaris there from all over the U.S. and Canada. It seemed like total mayhem to me, but Jayananda always
looked like he knew what he was doing, so I assumed that everything was in complete control.
Jayananda Prabhu was all over the site and beyond during those Rathayatra Festivals, attending to every little detail and making sure that everyone was engaged and well fed so that we could try and keep up to his pace. But it was obvious to everyone that he was specially empowered to perform this service like no one else. Yet he made no big fanfare about it nor showed even a trace of false ego. He was just totally sincere and worked harder and longer than anyone else.
While working alongside him, I think that the best word which comes to mind in describing his attitude is “determined.” His mind was totally fixed on devotional service. His consciousness was unlike that of an ordinary conditioned soul, prone to wandering here and there. He was blessed with pinpoint concentration, which he fully engaged in the service of his beloved Srila Prabhupada and Lord Jagannatha. What a blessing just to be in his presence and watch him serve with such unparalleled devotional zeal.
Pd
07 May 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee's, Jayananda Thakur
Tags: GBC, Iskcon, Jayananda, Krishna-Mangala das, Mayapur, memorial for Jayananda Prabhu, Srila Prabhupada, Vishoka das
Memorial to be Built for Jayananda Prabhu in Mayapur
By Madhava Smullen for ISKCON News on 9 Apr 2011
ISKCON’s Governing Body Commission has accepted a proposal from Vishoka Dasa of New Vrindaban, West Virginia, and Krishna-Mangala Dasa of Russia that they establish a memorial for Jayananda Prabhu—considered a modern-day saint by members of ISKCON—although he passed away as far back as 1977.
“The GBC Body hereby thanks Vishoka Das and Krishna Mangala Das for their kind endeavors in this regard and offers its blessing for the successful completion of the project,” stated Resolution 303 in the official GBC minutes of this year’s meetings in Mayapur, India.
Jayananda’s Memorial, or Samadhi, will be located at the ISKCON Jagannath temple in Rajapur, near Mayapur. “As Jayananda prabhu’s service to Lord Jagannatha is universally recognized, the GBC felt that it would both be an extra honor and most appropriate for his Samadhi memorial to be located at the Jagannatha Mandir,” read the GBC report.
Jayananda’s Samadhi will be around seven feet tall, and constructed from marble. Early renderings of the design, by a professional devotee designer, show it to be a smaller version of the samadhis of Vaishnava Acharyas such as Rupa and Sanatan Goswamis, with a curved roof and latticed windows.
The Mayapur Samadhi Committee will work with Vishoka and Krishna-Mangala on the project, which funds are still being raised for.
“Jayananda is a great inspiration to ISKCON—devotees still read books about him and log onto websites about him, to get an example of how to be better devotees and servants of Srila Prabhupada,” says Vishoka Dasa, whose book, The Beautiful Life of Jayananda Thakur: Remembering an American Saint was published in 2001.
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18 Apr 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Hayagriva das, The Hare Krishna Explosion
Tags: Haight Street, hayagriva das, Jagannatha Deities, Janaki, Jayananda, Mukunda, Rathayatra, San Francisco 1967, Swamiji, the hare krishna explosion
The Hare Krishna Explosion
by Hayagriva das
Part II: San Francisco, 1967
Chapter 11
San Francisco Rathayatra
As the passengers file through the gate into the terminal, we all wait anxiously, wondering how Swamiji will look. Somehow, we cannot imagine him gaunt, disabled or feeble. It is difficult for us to accept that his body, the medium for his teaching, could in any way break down, in defiance of the great spiritual personality within.
He is the last off the plane, accompanied by Kirtanananda. Despite the severity of his stroke, he looks virtually unchanged, only a little weary. The girls rush toward him and burst into tears. We throw flowers taken from Golden Gate Park: rhododendrons and hibiscus. He smiles appreciatively, but says nothing, and this is strange. Instead of giving his usual airport talk, he looks to us to show him the direction out. He chants Hare Krishna softly, his fingers incessantly caressing the japa beads in the beadbag, counting the rounds.
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01 Apr 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in Devotee Books, Jayananda Thakur
Tags: Jayananda, Krishna, San Francisco temple, sankirtan festivals, spiritual relationship, Srila Prabhupada, The Beautiful Life of Jayananda Thakur, tribute, Vishoka das
The following is the introduction to the new book, soon to be released, on Jayananda Thakur, beautifully written by Sriman Vishoka Prabhu. Many of you remember Vishoka’s first book; “The Beautiful Life of Jayananda Thakur”, which was Vishoka’s tribute to Jayananda and portrays the beauty of something rarely seen-a genuinely happy man, experiencing a perfect life and death.
We will continue to post the chapters as they are released, so stay tuned.
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30 Mar 2011
by The Hare Krishna Movement
in The Hare Krishna Explosion
Tags: Buddhist, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Christian, gopis, Haight Ashbury, Harsharani, Janaki, Jayananda, Jewish, Lilavati, Malati, Moslem, Mukunda, Shyamasundar, Subal, Swamiji, Upendra, worship in seperation, Yamuna
The Hare Krishna Explosion
By Hayagriva Prabhu
Part II: San Francisco, 1967
Chapter 9
Mad After Krishna
Golden Gate Park is redolent with March flowers. The morning fog disperses early, and the days are cloudless and blue. Thousands continue to flock to San Francisco from the midwest and east, and our Sunday kirtans attract big crowds.
Sunday is always a day for strolling in the park, and as soon as we start ringing cymbals and chanting, people follow. Christian, Moslem, Jewish, Buddhist and ISKCON banners, flying from long poles, proclaim our ecumenism. We stake these in the field below Hippy Hill and set up the kettledrum. Haridas, Mukunda, Shyamasundar, Subal, and Upendra sit in a circle on the grass. We beat the rhythm slowly on the kettledrum, the cymbals clash, and the kelp horn announces the beginning of kirtan.
After we chant about an hour, Swamiji walks over from his apartment and enters the center of the circle, clapping his hands and dancing, appearing wonderfully bright in his saffron robes. He leads the chanting, playing his own personal set of cymbals, a large pair with slightly flared rims that resonate loudly. Although he is a half century older than everyone around him, his presence is dynamically youthful. As the kirtan soars, Swamiji is a child amongst children, dancing with hands upraised to the blue sky, placing one foot before the other, dipping slightly, encouraging everyone to dance.
Then something remarkable happens.
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