Remembering His Grace Gokulendra Das
By Partha Sarathi Das Goswami
Gokulendra Prabhu, also known as Greg, met Ksudhi Prabhu either in 1972 or 1973. At that time, he was a student at Rhodes University, which was then one of the most prestigious universities in South Africa. Greg would finish his lectures on a Friday night and would hitchhike all the way from Grahamstown to our centre in Cape Town. Jagat Guru Maharaja and Pusta Krishna Maharaja were cultivating him. He would stay over on Saturday nights, and after the Sunday feast, he would hitchhike all the way back to Grahamstown to continue his studies. This is how serious he was. In 1974, we closed the Cape Town centre and drove to Durban via Grahamstown to meet him. He left university and joined us.
Jagat Guru Maharaja took pleasure in shaving Gokulendra Prabhu’s long golden hair in the student washroom. It was the fashion then for men to have long hair. There were students around, but he didn't mind. Jagat Guru Maharaja just ignored them and continued to shave his head. From there, we went to Durban and then Johannesburg. Gokulendra Prabhu was a vital part of the development of ISKCON South Africa. One of his friends, Roma, also from Rhodes University, later joined and became Rocani Dasi, an extremely nice devotee.
Gokulendra had a very soft heart and was willing to help everyone. He liked being in the background. I saw him as my friend, and I hope he saw me as his friend. When Srila Prabhupada came in October 1975, Gokulendra Prabhu was the only licensed driver, so he drove His Divine Grace everywhere. Gokulendra rented a white Mercedes in Johannesburg, and we borrowed a yellow one from Bob Narandas in Durban.
Gokulendra played an integral part in Srila Prabhupada’s visit to South Africa. He assisted Riddha Prabhu with the advertising of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival and the various programmes in Durban. The advertising was well done and successful. After Srila Prabhupada left South Africa, the management changed, and Tulsi Prabhu, being a pragmatic leader, organised two collecting parties: Gokulendra Prabhu and me, and we each had an assistant. Tulsi Prabhu bought two small brand-new Toyota vans, and we couldn't return to the temple until we reached our target of several thousand Rands, which usually took about three weeks. So, we had a transcendental competition. Then Tulsi Prabhu came up with the idea of the Tent Campaign and put me in charge of that. Gokulendra Prabhu continued collecting and was excellent at it. He collected large sums of money for both the temple in Cato Ridge and the construction of the Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple.
Gokulendra Prabhu continued collecting vigorously and was devoted to his service. He later married Jagannathesvari Prabhu, another exceptional devotee from England, and they had a son. Bhagavan Prabhu named his son Diksa Guru. Then in 1985, the Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple opened. Gokulendra Prabhu got more involved in his business of selling paintings, so we didn't see him much.
I have no doubt that Gokulendra Prabhu will take birth in the Lord’s pastimes because of his surrender to Srila Prabhupada and the Mission for twelve years. Krishna looks at your devotional service and sees what you have done. Gokulendra Prabhu also had direct association with Srila Prabhupada. Can you imagine driving a pure devotee around? Gokulendra Prabhu will take birth in either Lord Caitanya's pastimes or Krishna's pastimes in some universe, where he will continue his devotional service.
When those pastimes are finished, he will go back to the spiritual world, Goloka Vrindavan. This is confirmed in the Srimad Bhagavatam. Srila Haridas Thakura gives the example of Ajamila, who chanted the name of his son, Narayana, a few times:
sāṅketyaṁ pārihāsyaṁ vā
stobhaṁ helanam eva vā
vaikuṇṭha-nāma-grahaṇam
aśeṣāgha-haraṁ viduḥ
“One who chants the holy name of the Lord is immediately freed from the reactions of unlimited sins, even if he chants indirectly [to indicate something else], jokingly, for musical entertainment, or even neglectfully. This is accepted by all the learned scholars of the scriptures.” ~Srimad Bhagavatam 6.2.14
Ajamila was not intentionally chanting the Lord’s name. He was just calling out to his son. Whereas Gokulendra Prabhu was wholeheartedly chanting the Lord’s holy name. He knew what he was doing, he wilfully accepted first and second initiation, he performed valuable service to Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON, he honoured maha-prasad, he was meek and humble, and he was loved by all who came in contact with him. I think his future is more auspicious than Ajamila's. And Ajamila, of course, went back to the spiritual world, Vaikuntha.
On this occasion, we thank Gokulendra Prabhu for the sacrifices and contributions he has made to Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON in South Africa. Naturally, he will be in our prayers, and I am convinced that Lord Caitanya will place him in His pastimes.
All glories to His Grace Gokulendra Prabhu!
All glories to His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada!
All glories to our Guru Parampara!
