Remembering His Grace Gokulendra Das

By Partha Sarathi Das Goswami 

Gokulendra Prabhu (left in background) during a morning walk with Srila Prabhupada.

Gokulendra Prabhu, previously known as Greg, met Ksudhi Prabhu either in 1972 or 1973.  At that time, he was a student at Rhodes University which I think was one of the most prestigious universities. He would finish his lectures on a Friday night and would hitchhike all the way from Grahamstown to Cape Town, where we had a center. He would stay 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. I remember in 1974, we closed the center in Cape Town and drove to Durban via Grahamstown. On the way, we met him. Jagat Guru Maharaja and Pusta Krishna Maharaja preached to 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 longish hair. There were students around, but he didn’t mind. He just ignored them and shaved his head. From there, we went to Durban and then Johannesburg. Gokulendra Prabhu was a vital part of ISKCON South Africa.
He 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 in a Mercedes. Gokulendra rented a white Mercedes in Johannesburg, and we borrowed one in Durban from Bob Naran Das.

Gokulendra Prabhu (far right) on a morning walk with Srila Prabhupada in South Africa, 1975.

He played an integral part in Srila Prabhupada’s visit to South Africa. He assisted Riddha Prabhu, who did a lot of good advertising for Srila Prabhupada’s arrival and preaching programs in Durban.

After Srila Prabhupada left South Africa, the management changed, and Tulsi Prabhu, a very pragmatic leader, organized two collecting parties: Gokulendra Prabhu with an assistant, and I had an assistant. He bought two small, brand-new Toyota vans. We couldn’t return to the temple until we had collected at least several thousand Rands, which usually took 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. Gokulendra Prabhu continued collecting and was a very good collector.

He collected large sums of money for the temple in Cato Ridge and the Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple. At the same time, one of his friends, Roma, from Rhodes University, who later joined and became Rocani dasi, an extremely nice devotee. She joined by Gokulendra Prabhu’s association. Gokulendra Prabhu continued to collect vigorously and remained devoted to his service. He later married Jagannathesvari Mataji, 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 and selling paintings so we didn’t see him much.

Gokulendra Prabhu (left) at Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple in Durban.

I have no doubt that Gokulendra Prabhu will take birth in the Lord’s pastimes because of his surrender to Srila Prabhupada and his mission for twelve years. Krishna looks at your devotional service and sees what you have done. He doesn’t look at the negative things. Gokulendra Prabhu also had personal association with Srila Prabhupada. Can you imagine driving a pure devotee around? Gokulendra Prabhu would have taken 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 Vrindavana. This is confirmed in the Srimad Bhagavatam. Srila Haridas Thakura gives the example of Ajamila, who just chanted the name of his son Narayana a few times.

Srimad Bhagavatam 6.2.14:
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.”

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 his ISKCON, he honored maha-prasadam, 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. And Ajamila, of course, went back to the spiritual world, Vaikuntha.

Gokulendra Prabhu (right).

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. But I am convinced that Lord Caitanya will place him in the Lord’s 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!