My dear Madhumangala prabhu,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I knew you from the early days in your life in Krishna consciousness. I visited ISKCON Port Elizabeth, and there you were, a very happy brahmacari of roughly middle age, who had given up everything joyfully to serve Srila Prabhupada and dedicate his life to him.
You were always a transcendental personality, beyond so many of the material designations and attitudes that typical people of this world are possessed by. You were always extremely happy to be a devotee and to be free from the mediocrity of material life. You were always a natural devotee who lived to
celebrate Krishna consciousness and give Krishna consciousness to others. I often thought that you must have been a devotee in your previous lifetime who lived to preach but somehow was not ready to go back to Godhead at the end of that life.
You never seemed to be caught between material life and Krishna consciousness, as sometimes happens to some other devotees. You never seemed to have any doubts that Krishna consciousness was the only way to live in this world, and you never had any interest in anything else.
I always appreciated your happy go lucky Krishna conscious mood, and how joyful you were to meet people and give them the opportunity to become devotees. I often wished I could have more of that type of mood myself.
So now you are gone. What are we to do in your absence? Somehow we must keep your legacy of preaching and jolly Krishna consciousness going, and try to give it to others. We must inspire the devotees by telling them that there is no good alternative to Krishna consciousness, and telling them how you
embodied this mood.
You are a very special soul, and I’m sure Srila Prabhupada is giving you his shelter right now.
Hoping this meets you well.
Your servant,
Bhakti Caitanya Swami