Dear Maharajas, Prabhus and Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
- With deep sorrow, we would like to communicate the global devotee community the departure of HH Bhakti Madhurya Govinda Goswami Maharaja around 6.00 AM today the 14th of November, 2020 due to a second cardiac arrest and complications arising out his surgery for cervical spondylitis and a cardiac arrest. He had been unwell for quite a long time. He was Covid-Negative, when last tested a couple of days before being shifted from the hospital to the ISKCON Punjabi Bagh Temple where he had been based out of, for nearly 15 years. An ICU environment with full time attendants had replicated in his room and Srila Prabhupada’s Japa was going on.
Recently his spinal cord condition had worsened and three weeks back on Maharaja’s own preference, he was admitted to Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital, New Delhi for a critical surgery . The doctors had however warned us that there is a high probability of Maharaja being paralysed in the event of a surgery, even if successful, and so we ought to weigh both options and then decide.
Bhakti Madhurya Govinda Goswami was initiated by His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in October 1968. He is one of the original 100 disciples of Srila Prabhupada and started one of ISKCON’s first university preaching programs at the University of San Francisco, California; later continuing university preaching at his former university, the University of California, Berkeley. He opened the Berkeley, California temple in 1969. He has managed several of the centers in the U.S.
He had received his sannyasa initiation in 2010, was based out of the ISKCON Punjabi Bagh Temple in West Delhi and had been travelling and preaching energetically despite his advancing age and deteriorating health in India and other parts of Asia. He was also deeply attached to his Jagannatha deities and the Nila Madhava deity and is known for carrying them everywhere.
We request your intense prayers to one of Srila Prabhupada’s dear disciples by praying to Lord Narasimha Deva and your respective local deities, that if They so desire, Maharaja may continue his eternal service to Srila Prabhupada as desired by him.
Your servant
Rukmini Krishna Das (Temple President, ISKCON Punjabi Bagh)
Dr. Krishna Priya Das, Rishi Kumara Das and the Health Care team
Maharaj is my dear friend going back to the early 70’s. He is a good soul who always has a kind word for everyone he meets. His humor is always there, perceptive and revelational while at the same time very funny. His love for Srila Prabhupada is deep and genuine. I last saw him on the occasion of the disappearance observance of our beloved Srila Prabhupada at the Krsna Balaram temple in 2017. He was relaxed and his good old self and did not indicate any problem with his health. His departure is a sad occasion and I pray deeply for his well being and future service at the Lotus Feet of Srila Prabhupada.