By Satyananda Krishna Das
Hare Krishna,
All Glories To Srila Prabhupada.
On 23rd March 2016 while the whole world was celebrating the most auspicious event in our calendar year Sri Gaura Purnima, one of the pioneer devotee of ISKCON Malaysia and a senior disciple of HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj, His Grace Govinda Sevaka Das passed away from this world surrounded by Srila Prabupada’s Kirtan and devotee’s Japa at 10.02 am at the age of 72.
HG came in contact with one of Srila Prabhupada’s disciple HG Gopal Prabhu and started practising Krishna Consciousness while associating with Srila Prabhupada’s early soldiers in Malaysia. His Grace started his preaching during his younger days from 1960’s where he formed his own troop of Sankirtan Devotees and conducted congregational chanting frequently in nearby premises.HG got the opportunity to met Srila Prabhupada during Srila Prabhupada’s visit to Malaysia in the year of. By the force of his family HG got married with Leeleswary Devi Dasi (Leelawathy) and while maintaining his family life he lost contact with devotees due to career relocation. He came in contact with HG RamCharan Prabhu and he begin his preaching activities again and in the year of 1981 he organized the first Rathayatra in Malaysia at Sitiawan,Perak.And during his tenure in Sitiawan many large programs was organized successfully and many leading ISKCON Sanyasis visited the tiny town through his arrangements. In 1986 he became the victim of Mycenae Gravis disease which hospitalized him for a year.HG gradually recovered and continued his preaching activities as his capacity permits. In 1996 he left Sitiawan and came back to his home town Kulim and continued spreading the Krishna consciousness.
HG’s health condition deteriorated from early 2016 which gradually became worse until the last moment. The last word he mentioned while he was conscious was “NarasimhaDev” and he was in Intensive Care Unit for the following 48 hours before gradually leaving the body on Sri Gaura Purnima Day. During his time he has conducted many Yajna’s, Samskaras, Deity Installations, Established Preaching Centre’s, Organized Preaching activities, Organized Ratha Yatra’s, and many more. One of the highlights of his life is that he had made many successful devotees during his lifetime. In 2015 at the age of 71 he climbed the thirumala hill (Around 3500 steps) by foot and had a wonderful darshan of Lord Balaji.
Through our grief and separation right now from a wonderful Vaishnava , let us all take solace hoping that HG will be placed in Nitya Seva of the lord under the guidance of Srila Prabhupada.
“He reasons ill who tells that Vaishnavas die
When thou art living still in sound.
The Vaishnavas die to live and living try
To spread a holy life around!
(Bhaktivinod Thakur)
Satyananda Krishna Das (BVVNM)