From Laghu Hari Das
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Dearest Maharaj. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Your Divine Grace. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I offer my respects and prayers at your lotus feet and to those of your magnanimous disciples.
We always were attracted to your out-of-this-world kirtans and classes even before we personally knew you. By the grace of Krsna, Sunil Mohan Prabhu was able to render some medical services to you over the years which gave us the opportunity to develop a closer relationship with you. By this, you began to so warmly reciprocate with us and treated us so affectionately.
It was by the kind arrangements of Swarup Damodara Prabhu and Vibhu Caitanya Prabhu, that we were allowed to serve you. They know that our fallen condition can only be redeemed by the mercy of the Vaisnavas, and had therefore given us the privilege of serving the Vaisnavas at our home.
Hence it was our greatest fortune for Sunil Mohan and me to be able to serve you too. To know that you have so many advanced devotees yet you bestowed upon us this unlimited mercy is an unfathomable gesture on your part. Your mood was so relaxed and jovial with us…
I recall our Pizza party with HH Indradyumna Swami. Manjula, Jharikanda, and I were encouraged to make wide varieties and you made the exception that day to partake because of the association of IDS and to reciprocate with all of us.
Last April when you stayed with us as Sunil Mohan monitored your situation… knowing that we had lost our diksha guru Maharaj you gave us comforting reassurance and fatherly affection that helped heal the void.
After your incomprehensible festival schedule in Europe after COVID, and the blissful Ratha Yatra at Sandton and thereafter New Jagannatha Puri Snana Yatra, it was our privilege to be able to serve you as you took rest and attended to your medical treatments.
It was in April that we learned of the devastating news, which you did not want to be revealed but would do so in your time. We respected that but were traumatized by the looming crisis that we knew we would be facing by the loss of yet another great soldier in Srila Prabhupada’s army. We had hoped that you might begin medical treatment. We were depressed to know this then and prayed that you may get some reprieve through Krsna’s arrangement. Yet there was indeed Krsna’s arrangement unfolding…we just did not see it then. Sri Krishna wanted you back and you wanted to go back too to be with your beloved Lord. You had a plan and that plan was meticulously aligned with Sri Krsnas.
Apart from Srila Prabhupada, you have given the world so much of the Holy name. How will our hearts melt in joy, how will we dance and forget ourselves now? How will we feel the ecstasy of kirtan?
You are one of the greatest inspirations to me and my family and thousands of people.
Although I tried to serve you knowing my own imperfections, you accepted it with so much appreciation that my heart melted.
You have such great humility that you accepted all that we tried to serve you. Your early morning japa as you walked in the passage upstairs was a most sublime experience. It also made me focus carefully on my own japa. Your wisdom is vast and you know exactly how to respond to devotees according to their ability and level of understanding. You also intelligently comment on a vast number of topics and are easily able to answer our questions and doubts. Although you interacted with us in such a personal and humble manner, I knew that you are a very advanced and senior devotee that traverses the earth simply bestowing your mercy upon the fallen souls and bringing them back to the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada.
You said “ISKCON is a great movement” and in there is the “opportunity to get the mercy and blessings of the great Vaisnavas”. This is true because by your divine association, we have been blessed by you. Your presence has uplifted me from the depression that I felt, made us feel closer to you, and simultaneously increased my love for my Guru Maharaj, as I see the truth of his instructions that serving the advanced devotees of the Lord is the source of enlivenment. I also want to add that ISKCON has given us so many spiritual uncles and aunts from whom we can take shelter. Thank you for allowing us to join your disciple’s class. All this is a manifestation of your compassion upon us as you know we needed such mercy and help. Please forgive us for any offenses we committed in your service.
HH Kadamba Kanana Swami Maharaj ki Jai! Srila Prabhupada ki Jai!
Your servant
Hemangi Devi Dasi
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Dearest Maharaja
All glories to Kadamba Kanana Swami Maharaja
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Maharaja, you have left such a magnanimous footprint all over the world. You have set in motion another wave of Bhakti worldwide, in the footsteps of Srila Prabhupada. Who can forget for generations to come the ideal servant of Krishna that your life exemplified? Go well our dearest Guru Maharaj. The Vishnuduttas, the angels and the demigods are raining petals on your path to Golok.
From
Roshni Nagaser
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Hare Krishna
When I started my service making pizza at the temple Maharaja was the first Swami to come by. I will never ever forget that first eye contact – looking at Maharaja, I felt being at his feet, he understood what trauma was in my mind. All Maharaja said was “Keep chanting mataji, all will be well””
Krishna Bhagwan bless you His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami. I feel so blessed and honored to have had your association and Blessings.
Chandrika
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To my dear Kadamba kananda Swami Maharaj.
Thank you for serving Shrila Prabhupada’s mission with so much love and dedication.
Despite the difficulties that you have faced with your health you still continued to serve the Lord.
Your kind, loving nature has attracted so many of us in South Africa but most importantly the chanting of hare krsna was always emphasized through your vibrant, jumping, Ecstatic and powerful Kirtans which were very close to my heart.
Your kirtans were always like an explosion of an explosion and I am most certain that kirtans are still carrying on in the spiritual world as we speak, Like you said death is a change in service.
It is with utmost disappointment and sadness that we have lost you today but in saying that it is also with utmost relief that there is no more suffering in your material body. My lord Krishna has gained such a precious dear soul.
I will miss you dearly but you will always be remembered through your books, lectures, instructions, and kirtans.
You have done Srila Prabhupada proud.
You always said that :
Everything + Krishna = Vrindavan and for me, that stood out.
Till we meet again back home back to Godhead.
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Our Humble pranams to Srila Prabhupada, we like to thank Kadamba Swami for the knowledge of Krishna Consciousness, his divine kirtans, and his ardent teachings that has touched our hearts and souls, may we forever be yr shining devotees in this material world, and may all yr merits be rewarded in the spiritual world at the Abode of the Supreme Lordships.
With love humility and gratitude
Your humble servants
Aradhana Krishna and mum
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Hare Krishna Dear Devotees, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
My name is Bhaktin Shakti Krishnan, daughter of Hari Das and Hari Priya Dasi who are disciples of His Holiness Bhakti Caitanya Swami.
Speaking about the types of association with sannyasis/spiritual masters one can associate in Vapu meaning in the actual physical presence or in Vani which is via their teachings. Nowadays we are all at an advantage in having access to various media online which is ultimately easy access to taking Vani association.
Although I have had some association with His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami in the form of Vapu, it has been limited. However, I have benefited a great deal from his Vani (association by teachings). This type of Vani is not to be underestimated as I have personally experienced Maharaj’s impact on my Krishna Consciousness over the years in addition to taking Vani association from Srila Prabhupada on a daily basis.
Maharaj has dedicated his life to propagating the holy name of the Lord. He has personally served our South African Yatra and will continue to do so via the Kadamba Foundation. For those of you who may not have heard about this, The Kadamba Foundation is a non-profit organization, founded by Maharaj to manage, promote and publish his media, like books, music, and videos. Proceeds from sales and donations go towards African preaching projects under the care of “The Peacock Tree” trust, also founded by Maharaj. If you would like to know more and assist in some way to this cause you can view the website: kadambafoundation.com.
Just this foundation alone shows Maharaj’s dedication and mercy for our country, and we know that we need it considering the state of the country and the mentality that kali yuga brings to human beings. It makes me appreciate Maharaj so much for giving us his mercy and association, the last time he was in our temple he was so ill and I did not realize how badly ill he was and how quickly we would lose his Vapu association, I wish I had a little more time with him.
I have however had the good fortune of associating with multiple of Maharaj’s wonderful disciples namely, Yadurani, Rukmini, Surabhi Kunja, Jarikhanda Sevaki, Tarana Caitanya, Radha Raman, Adi Purush, and many more. I am witness to Maharaj’s impact on his disciples, as these friends of mine are so honorable and their devotion and service are so sincere and enthusiastic. Although I empathize with all of Maharaj’s disciples on the loss of his Vapu association I am confident that they will make him proud in following his instructions in line with the teachings of Srila Prabhupada in assisting people like me to make some advancement in my sadhna to get closer to the Lord. They are all truly inspirational to me.
In Maharaja’s last message, he reiterated what Srila Prabhupada had mapped out for us, which is to follow the 4 regulative principles (no eating of meat fish, and eggs, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication) and chant 16 rounds of japa of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra. So let us beat kali yuga and do this together. I also pray that our yatra can come together and improve our book distribution which was a service that Maharaj was passionate about and so nicely followed in the footsteps of Srila Prabhupada in doing this.
My heart goes out to all Maharaja’s disciples and I would like to share this snippet which comes from Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Tusta Krsna — Ahmedabad 14 December 1972:
“Next you ask if I am present in my picture and form. Yes. In form as well as in teachings. To carry out the teachings of the guru is more important than to worship the form, but none of them should be neglected. The form is called vapu and teachings are called vani. Both should be worshiped. Vani is more important than vapu.”
I will miss Maharaja’s live ecstatic kirtans, he was ISKCON’s Rockstar. He will be rocking on in Goloka Vrindavan now… waiting for us… so let us do our best to get there and serve the Lord with him too.
Rock on dear Maharaja! All glories to His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami Maharaja! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! And all glory to the assembled devotees!
Hare Krishna
Your servant
Shakti
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Dear Maharaja
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Your Holiness. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Please allow me to thank yourself for having allowed me to do some small service for Your Holiness when I first met Maharaja in the Hillbrow temple in 1993. Through the years Maharaja always encouraged me. Most recently when Your Holiness became very ill, you remembered me when I wrote to thank you for all the positive input in my life. The messages Maharaja sent me, I pray to keep vividly alive in my mind. Thank you so much for making time for me Maharaja.
Your servant
Marie Viljoen
