On Saturday March 27 2010 I posted the following information regarding the passing of a dear Godbrother:

Dear Devotees,

Please accept my humble obeisances _/\ò_. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

It is with deep regret and yet with joy that we have to inform the devotees that His Grace Sriman Padma Locan Prabhu departed this world at approximately 6.53 AM this morning, dvadasi, March 27 2010 in the holy dhama of Sri Mayapur.

We request all the devotees to please pray for his entry into the eternal lilas of his spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, and Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Panca-tattva and Sri Prahlad Nrsimhadeva, the Deities he so lovingly served for many years here in Sri Mayapur dhama.

Padma Locan prabhu had been suffering an undiagnosed illness for more than two months. He was coughing blood and despite some preliminary X-ray and blood tests, plus the attention of several qualified devotee doctors, a clear diagnosis of his condition could not be given.

Padma Locan prabhu did not wish to go into a clinic or hospital for what would have been several days of scans and tests because it would have meant having to leave Mayapur. Many years ago he was informed by an astrologer that he would come near death during March of 2010, and that the worst period would be around 25th. If he made it through this period, the astrologer said he may then live for another 20+ years.

Padma Locan thus decided that he would wait until the main danger period passed before leaving the shelter of Mayapur. He was fixed in his determination to remain in the dhama and he told me a week before his departure that he was prepared to leave his body if that was what Krsna desired. If he got through the difficult period he would consider going to a hospital for tests but if not, he felt at peace with his decision. He told me that he was taking advantage of the critical situation to go deeper within himself in his relationship with Srila Prabhupada and Krsna, and that he had never felt as internally peaceful in his whole life.

He was thus quite prepared for whatever providence decided. On the Ekadasi day just prior to his leaving, he complained of some mental fog or static, and in the evening he reported to his main nurse, Ramadevi dasi, that was feeling cold. He had a semi-peaceful night and at 6.00AM he spoke very briefly with two devotee carers who had spent the night with him.

Then at about 6.40AM his breathing became rapid and at about 6.53 AM he left. To all intents and indications, he attained the highest goal, having departed in the holy dhama on the auspicious day of dvadasi.

Padma Locan prabhu had requested that his body be put in jal-samadhi, a system whereby one’s body is offered to Mother Ganga rather than being burnt and the ashes being put in. However, due to objections from local panchayat authorities we were not able to fully comply with this request. They only gave permission to cremate his body. It was  a difficult quandry since there was a strong desire to fulfill this last wish.

Head pujari Jananivasa prabhu intelligently came up with a solution. He suggested doing all the rituals for a jal-samadhi and then fully immersing his body into the Ganga. After this jal-samadhi ceremony was over, the body could then be cremated in accordance with legal requirements.

Padma Locan prabhu with twins Pankajanghri and Jananivasa prabhus

Thus on Sunday March 28, at about 6.00AM the devotees gathered at his room and brought his body in sankirtana procession to the Ganga.

First we stopped at a special tree which Padma Locan would hug every morning on his way to the temple. Then we took his body to the temple entrance where Jananivasa and Pankajanghri prabhus annointed it with auspicious items.

We then circumambulated Sri Sri Radha Madhava, Panca-tattva and Prahlad Nrisimhadeva and after that we took him into Srila Prabhupada’s Puspa Samadhi for a last darshan of His Divine Grace.

After circumambulating Srila Prabhupada three times, we then took the body to the banks of the Ganges.

The weather was fair and a strong breeze was blowing off the Ganga onto the shore as Padma Locan’s body was first washed with Ganga-jal, then covered with Ganga mud, then washed again, then covered with tumeric and then finally dressed in new cloth.

Vrindavan-lila mataji gave him a final darshan of their Govardhana shila.

Jananivasa prabhu led us in chanting the appropriate mantras for the departing soul and then the body was lowered into the Ganga. It was fully immersed for some minutes and that brought the jal-samadhi rites to a close.

A few minutes later his body was placed on the funeral pyre with all the auspicious items and cremated in the traditional way.

The whole event was very auspicious and befitting a senior Vaisnava of Padma Locan prabhu’s caliber. I have no doubt whatsoever that he went back home, back to Godhead to join his spiritual master and Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Madhava. Padma Locan prabhu ki jaya! Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

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