Email from Padmapani
Tribhuvanath das and Padmapani das in Bombay, 1978
Dear Sriman Patita Pavan Prabhu,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Thank you VERY MUCH for your kind reply. So nice to hear from you. Kindly accept my apologies for the delay, but I just discovered your message. (I normally use another e-mail address, so don’t check this one very often, not expecting too much mail here.)
Nonetheless, it was TRULY GREAT to hear from you again. Thanks so much. I’m very happy to have made contact with you again after all these years. I always wanted you to know how deeply touched I was by your kindness and selfless service so many years ago. After I met you, things improved, I teamed up with Tribhuvanatha Prabhu and went to the Middle East for five years, etc. Of course, I’m such a lowly creature that everything I try to do for Srila Prabhupada is so full of faults that it’s not even to be considered service. My only genuine hope in hell is “hope against hope,” and the mercy of great souls like your good self upon my ever-fallen head.
It was a real joy seeing those photos of you — perched on a motorcycle (with black jacket), in front of the Taj Mahal with your dear family, etc. No matter what, due to your naturally exuberant and effulgent nature, you’re always preaching the sanatana-dharma as revealed to us so mercifully by our beloved eternal father and spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada — ki jaya!
As mentioned, I followed your instructions and typed in those early Prabhupada articles online. Now I think that they’ve made a book with them somewhere, but the ones you sent from the International Institute of Indology were the first to make their way onto the Internet for all the world to read, thanks to YOU! All glories to your kindness and service.
I’m surprised to hear that you’re past 60 already — however, from your photos, you still radiate the same youthful spiritual energy, as always. In fact, one of my favorite videos online is one of you at the London Rathayatra in ‘73 (I think), dancing like a transcendental madman for Srila Prabhupada. I’ve also seen video footage of you in the early New York temple, sitting before Srila Prabhupada in perfect yogic posture, appearing like the full Vaikuntha man that you are. Obviously, you’re no ordinary soul, and in fact, have blazed a trail further and faster than most of us could ever imagine in our wildest dreams. So I’m very grateful to you for your sweet and humble attitude towards this tiny insignificant younger godbrother of yours, who is hanging onto your dhoti as you ride your motorcycle back to the Spiritual Sky!
Good news that you and Hansadutta are friends. He is certainly a dear son of Srila Prabhupada and has rendered mountain loads of service to His Divine Grace. I’ll always remember the Kumbha-mela in Allahabad in 1977. Srila Prabhupada was there, and everyday the brahmacaris and perhaps a sannyasi or two would go out on hari-nama through the calvacade of babas, Sivaites, yogis, bhogis, etc., etc. etc. One day Hansadutta Prabhu led the kirtan down by the Triveni in the hot mid-day sun. At that time, we used to wash our dhotis in the river and let them quickly dry on the sands, if need be. Well, someone stole Hansadutta’s dhoti, but he continued to lead a rip-roaring kirtan in his kaupins. (We called them “brahmana underwear” back then.) He was completely detached and the kirtan was out of this world — and I was thinking, “Wow, this guy is cool!” He probably doesn’t know or remember me, but of course, we all know and remember him. Tribhuvanatha always spoke highly of him too. So it’s nice to see that you’re hooked up together in Srila Prabhupada’s service. Your websites are both very nice. Congratulations!
By the way, I’m so glad that you mentioned your dear wife, Raagini. I remember her well. We had some interesting conversations there in India during that two or three-day stay in the hotel (or whatever it was). Please offer her my sincere respects. Wonderful to see that you became a father too. Lucky girl to have you as her “Dad”!
As for Bobby Weir, that’s great preaching indeed. There are probably two people in the western world whose charts I’d like to know: Jack Kerouac and Jerry Garcia. To me, those two personalities had such a major impact on the counterculture and modern world history. Of course, Bobby Weir is kind of like Robin to Batman in that regard, but who can deny the incredible influence of the Grateful Dead? They somehow almost single-handedly kept the 60’s alive for 30 years. So you have certainly made a significant connection there, Prabhu. I’m sure that you’ve made many others too, and therefore I must commend you for your sincere and bold spiritual endeavors. Bobby Weir is one lucky dude to have met and befriended you. I hope that he’s had some delicious prasadam and has developed an appreciation for Srila Prabhupada, somehow or other. That would be a great blessing for him indeed.
I’ve been working on the Net for many years, trying to humbly spread love of Prabhupada, as best I can. But I’m hoping that perhaps soon I can take a break from the Internet and, like you, focus on writing and publishing with old-fashioned ink and paper. You’re a great inspiration in that regard because you’ve been doing it all along, whereas for me it’s only been a dream so far. However, life has been very interesting anyway, so I’m hopeful that Krishna and Srila Prabhupada will please kindly use me in Their service to whatever individual capacity I can muster to please Them. Kindly give me your blessings. (Thanks in advance!)
Well Prabhu, I’m really glad that we connected once again. I’m happy to know that you’re still out there, doing your thing for Srila Prabhupada and Krishna, as always. I humbly wish you and your family the very best in every respect.
Gotta run — am continually swamped with e-mails these days, and also care for my dear mother, who chants Hare Krishna everyday and who has a photo of Srila Prabhupada above her head at all times.
Best wishes — and if we don’t cross paths again in this lifetime, then at least know for sure that you always have my godbrotherly love and respect. Take care and thanks again.
Jaya Srila Prabhupada!
Your servant,
Padmapani das
(P.S. Attached is a photo taken in Bombay, 1978. Ah, the good old days!)
Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 17:39:59 -0700
From: pavandas@sbcglobal.net
Subject: From Patita Pavana (Uddharana) das Adhikary
To: jayaprabhupada@hotmail.com
My dear Padma Pani das Prabhuji,
Please accept my humble obeisances at your feet. All glories to Shrila Prabhuipada. I have noticed from your e-mail address that you are yet and forevermore a Prabhupada faithful. Many are the bakasuras, putanas, and aghasuras on the path to bhakti in Vrindavana dham who will readily waylay a devotee seeking salvation through the service unto the twin lotus feet of his Guru Maharaja.
The loss of faith of many has been a source of pain and shame, but it only strengthens the fact that we’ve got to carry on this wonderful service unto Shrila Prabhpada unto our last breath. It is wonderful that you have found me through the wonderful website which I would be proud to host and maintain. In truth, however this is the brainchild of Mother Dasadasanudasa devi dasi, the wife of Bhima Prabhu and living in Malaysia. She has created and maintained this World Sankirtan Party site under guidance of Hansadutta Prabhu. In fact, it is one of the few places that will indeed play host to my rambling Pavan’s Press.
Hansadutta agrees with most of the stuff I write, but he is kind enough to give me some leeway in the struggle of the individual soul’s pursuance of sanatan dharma, a divine realiziation that is perfected in the deeply personal concept of the Absolute Truth held by Vaishnava acharyas of this our ISKCON-Gaudiya line. In other words, the goal of life is service unto Prabhupada that is pleasing to His Divine Grace’s twin lotus feet.
Prabhu, Hansadutta was astute enough to find a statement from a rittwic representative of the bona fide Shri Ramanuja Sampradaya. This fellow, named Tatachar, is a Sanskrit school Principle I believe, and has initiated thousands.
The devotee who obtained this document is none other than the remarkable Madhu Pandit das who has created a beautiful ’skyscraper go-puram‘ mandir in Bangalore, based upon the hard line premise that Tatachar pursues. All ISKCON initiates are the Founder-Acharya’s disciples and denying a soul his right to serve Prabhupada is tantamount to theft.
Regarding Bob Weir, he’s a pretty good friend. My book Motorcycle Yoga reminded him of his first trip to India to put Jerry’s ashes in the Ganga. Placing Jerry’s remains in the holy Ganges was Weir’s idea, but Weir admittedly ‘can’t figure out where the idea came from’.
Weir became my astrological client, and I warned him an Amerivcan rock and roll star would be soon murdered. I guided his tour astrologically for a while. Then, a few weeks after I reported my fears to Weir, Dime Bag was shot dead by a ‘fan’. Weir came to respect my abilities. So I invited Weir to go to India with me and I’d find him villages he can play to, places where they’d never heard of the Dead, the last ones on Earth. ‘Nothing I want more, Pavan.’ he told me. The last time I saw Weir was when he came to visit me at my store to pick up a Shiva Linga. I’ve spoken to him since. Also Robin Williams stopped in my store to get his Shiva Linga after reading my book.
Raagini sends her best. We have crossed 60 years now, but nonetheless my chart shows I shall be making great changes soon. Whatever, the stars foretell, the Golden Age will soon be upon us. The question will be if we ourselves have done what we could for Prabhupada’s mercy.
I have the following books available:
1. What Is Your Rashi (The Lunar Foundation of Vedic Astrology) (from Bodhi Tree)
2. Motorcycle Yoga $16
3. Touring the Land of Krishna, 2nd Ed $15
4. Shri Chanakya Niti Shastra With Commentary (about $25, short run ed.)
5. Horoscope For Disaster: A Vedic Astrological View of Eclipses and Planetary Fights (about $30 short run ed.)
6. Shri Pushpanjali (a collection of Prabhupada’s flower-like analogies) $15
Shipping is extra.
I am still doing horoscopes, also.
My dear Prabhuji, I do thank you for the kind words. I do remember that you hand had swollen from filaria, a very dangerous problem, and that the West was incapable of treating you, hence I sent you some pills that were common in India, but unknown just an airtplane ride away. Shocking.
Anyway, all’s well that ends well, and if we can end it all with chanting of:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
…then this life will be sublime. All glories to Shrila Prabhupada.
Your seternal servant,
Patita Pavana das
Tags: Bob Weir, Grateful Dead, Hansadutta, Jerry Garcia, Kumbha-mela, Padmapani, Patita Pavana, Tribhuvanath
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