An Heartfelt Homage to Brahmananda Puri
Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2020 9:46 pm
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Video by Hari:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... 1095092964
https://cloud.mail.ru/stock/2TfrVDXidQggeAnuQB23M37M
Brahmananda Puri's sudden and unexpected departure from this world affected me very deeply and as I'm sure it has affected all of you as well who are participating in this broadcast. Brahmananda's qualities were very broad, very deep. As a person, as an individual, as a leader or even as a supporter of projects that had meaning to him, he was in many ways unsurpassed.
For me I saw that his devotion to the Mayapur Project, by which he assisted in the purchase of enormous amounts of land there, as well as other projects related to book production, were dear to him, and accomplished an enormous amount for that which he cared about at that time. And I saw him act in a manner which was devoted, selfless and, above all, filled with energy and enthusiasm to do the right thing.
Even though I started of speaking about those things. What I miss most was being able to again and again express my enormous gratefulness to him for being there when I needed him the most. Yes I needed assistance and he was there to deliver it. I tried to express that gratefulness again and again. We were seen that our relationship was confused by misunderstandings due to his inability to understand what I said in English. Sometimes him understanding complete opposite.
So now that he is in that plane where misunderstandings have vanished, I hope he understands my true purpose in all that I tried to say at that time. But the way I think of him most, the way in which I feel his presence most, is when I remember when I was in France alone and had an accident. I was in a (plaster) cast, I was basically helpless and I called to him and explained my situation. And he said: "Do you want me to come?" I said: "Well, if you can." He was on the next flight and rented a car, came and assisted me in a way which I will never forget. It was of the greatest importance to me, it assisted me in ways I could not imagine. And he staid there until I could be on my feet again and find further medical attention.
His loving, caring kindness and humor carried me through at a time when I really needed it. And, you know, when you try to make definitions of friendship, when you try to make definitions of love to be there for another person when they need it the most is a significant and very deep factor or demonstration of that friendship. And for me Brahmananda's demonstrating that at that time was magnificent. I could not find the limit to my greatfulness and my appreciation to him.
And I tried in the final days to, when I heard he was in the hospital, to send that to him again, I don't know if I was successful. But I know that sometimes people think that we will be remembered as individuals for the great big works we do that had enormous significance for lots of people or were remembered by lots of people. But other persons who have described what we're really remembered for when we're on the other side is that sometime it boils down to very small acts which had great meaning to one or two people here and there, small acts of kindness which ordinarily we would not consider.
That's how I think of Brahmananda, I can't stop thinking that way. I mean it doesn't matter the major things. They do matter, of course they matter, that's not what I mean to say. Forgive me for my lack of proper expression here. But I know these things matter too. But when I think about Brahmananda I think most about that personal connection, that being there when I needed him most, that loving kindness that was there.
Later on afterwords I tried to speak to him at various times and I felt his pain and all that he had to go through when struggling with very difficult situations. The basic way in which he was treated in his investment company at that time - no need to get into the exact details but he was not treated properly. And I felt so badly for him and wanted to support him in any way I could at that time. But I felt kind of helpless, because there are limits to what we can do, there are limits to how we can assist others.
Yet there is no limit to the amount of love we can share, there's no limit to the amount of appreciation we can maintain, the amount of appreciation we can offer, the amount of appreciation we feel deeply within. Because that appreciation we feel deeply within reflects towards the others who are the object of our appreciation, subject of our appreciation. It reflects towards them and they constantly are supported by it. And I know I have experienced that from him and I have certainly shared that with him because of my deepest and unrelenting appreciation for him as a person, for him as a friend, for him as a kind and loving being that truly is unique and unmatched in this world.
And I hate that the best way I have to appreciate him is in a forum after he is already gone. I am not a fan of get-togethers where we talk kindly about the dead when during the lifetime some of us didn't even care so much about the person. Yet when they die they somehow or another they become rather more significant. I never wanted that in relationship to Brahmananda or any of my friends. And yet putting aside that readysense to share in that way at this time, I find that my debt to him is so great that I will overcome all feelings of hesitation and offer my greatest appreciation to him for all of the kindness he showed towards me when we came to visit him in Moscow with his family or any time I came in connection with him. I will never forget him.
"I will never forget you Brahmananda for any reason whatsoever, and we will meet again. And thank you, that's all I can say. Thank you very much."
-------
Brahmananda Puri, who was initiated by Hari was hospitalized in Moscow with pneumonia as a result of COVID-19. He passed away on the morning of December 14th. Brahmananda Puri was involved in publishing Srila Prabhupada’s books in the former USSR, and put much effort into developing Sankirtana in the 1990. > https://iskconnews.org/senior-russian-v ... away,7631/
Video by Hari:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... 1095092964
https://cloud.mail.ru/stock/2TfrVDXidQggeAnuQB23M37M
Brahmananda Puri's sudden and unexpected departure from this world affected me very deeply and as I'm sure it has affected all of you as well who are participating in this broadcast. Brahmananda's qualities were very broad, very deep. As a person, as an individual, as a leader or even as a supporter of projects that had meaning to him, he was in many ways unsurpassed.
For me I saw that his devotion to the Mayapur Project, by which he assisted in the purchase of enormous amounts of land there, as well as other projects related to book production, were dear to him, and accomplished an enormous amount for that which he cared about at that time. And I saw him act in a manner which was devoted, selfless and, above all, filled with energy and enthusiasm to do the right thing.
Even though I started of speaking about those things. What I miss most was being able to again and again express my enormous gratefulness to him for being there when I needed him the most. Yes I needed assistance and he was there to deliver it. I tried to express that gratefulness again and again. We were seen that our relationship was confused by misunderstandings due to his inability to understand what I said in English. Sometimes him understanding complete opposite.
So now that he is in that plane where misunderstandings have vanished, I hope he understands my true purpose in all that I tried to say at that time. But the way I think of him most, the way in which I feel his presence most, is when I remember when I was in France alone and had an accident. I was in a (plaster) cast, I was basically helpless and I called to him and explained my situation. And he said: "Do you want me to come?" I said: "Well, if you can." He was on the next flight and rented a car, came and assisted me in a way which I will never forget. It was of the greatest importance to me, it assisted me in ways I could not imagine. And he staid there until I could be on my feet again and find further medical attention.
His loving, caring kindness and humor carried me through at a time when I really needed it. And, you know, when you try to make definitions of friendship, when you try to make definitions of love to be there for another person when they need it the most is a significant and very deep factor or demonstration of that friendship. And for me Brahmananda's demonstrating that at that time was magnificent. I could not find the limit to my greatfulness and my appreciation to him.
And I tried in the final days to, when I heard he was in the hospital, to send that to him again, I don't know if I was successful. But I know that sometimes people think that we will be remembered as individuals for the great big works we do that had enormous significance for lots of people or were remembered by lots of people. But other persons who have described what we're really remembered for when we're on the other side is that sometime it boils down to very small acts which had great meaning to one or two people here and there, small acts of kindness which ordinarily we would not consider.
That's how I think of Brahmananda, I can't stop thinking that way. I mean it doesn't matter the major things. They do matter, of course they matter, that's not what I mean to say. Forgive me for my lack of proper expression here. But I know these things matter too. But when I think about Brahmananda I think most about that personal connection, that being there when I needed him most, that loving kindness that was there.
Later on afterwords I tried to speak to him at various times and I felt his pain and all that he had to go through when struggling with very difficult situations. The basic way in which he was treated in his investment company at that time - no need to get into the exact details but he was not treated properly. And I felt so badly for him and wanted to support him in any way I could at that time. But I felt kind of helpless, because there are limits to what we can do, there are limits to how we can assist others.
Yet there is no limit to the amount of love we can share, there's no limit to the amount of appreciation we can maintain, the amount of appreciation we can offer, the amount of appreciation we feel deeply within. Because that appreciation we feel deeply within reflects towards the others who are the object of our appreciation, subject of our appreciation. It reflects towards them and they constantly are supported by it. And I know I have experienced that from him and I have certainly shared that with him because of my deepest and unrelenting appreciation for him as a person, for him as a friend, for him as a kind and loving being that truly is unique and unmatched in this world.
And I hate that the best way I have to appreciate him is in a forum after he is already gone. I am not a fan of get-togethers where we talk kindly about the dead when during the lifetime some of us didn't even care so much about the person. Yet when they die they somehow or another they become rather more significant. I never wanted that in relationship to Brahmananda or any of my friends. And yet putting aside that readysense to share in that way at this time, I find that my debt to him is so great that I will overcome all feelings of hesitation and offer my greatest appreciation to him for all of the kindness he showed towards me when we came to visit him in Moscow with his family or any time I came in connection with him. I will never forget him.
"I will never forget you Brahmananda for any reason whatsoever, and we will meet again. And thank you, that's all I can say. Thank you very much."
-------
Brahmananda Puri, who was initiated by Hari was hospitalized in Moscow with pneumonia as a result of COVID-19. He passed away on the morning of December 14th. Brahmananda Puri was involved in publishing Srila Prabhupada’s books in the former USSR, and put much effort into developing Sankirtana in the 1990. > https://iskconnews.org/senior-russian-v ... away,7631/