Yadu das brahmacari joined Srila Prabhupada's Hare Krishna movement in 1975. After a couple of years serving at ISKCON centers in Costa Rica and Bogotá, Colombia, he joined the Spanish BBT in the late seventies. Then, in 1989, he moved to Sri Vrindavan Dham, where for several years he served as a teacher at Bhaktivedanta Swami's Gurukula.
Yadu was there, in United States of America, when my daughter took birth in 1985. Due to the close relationship I had with Ananda Vidvan Swami for more than 30 years, they became friends (he was the master, she, a pupil.)
Yadu das brahmacari was a natural pure brahmana who loved studying all of Srila Prabhupada´s books and devotional scriptures. In fact, since his early days in Srila Prabhupada's mission, he was well known for quoting slokas by heart, and delivering wonderful Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam classes. By the way, as he wrote us in 2011, "I'm eternally a disciple of Srila Prabhupada by gratitude."
In the mid nineties, Yadu began a personal undertaking to learn Sanskrit perfectly, as well as other devotional disciplines he would use in his upcoming preaching in Latin America, which he will start at the "ripe time", as he used to say. No improvisation, no political motives, no material motives. His studies encompassed many subjects, such as nyaya, alankara, astrology, psychology, group dynamics, history of religion. He was so diligent in his permanent self-education, that he went to Udupi (Madhva Sampradaya), and a town associated with the Sri Sampradaya (I can't recall its name right now), to learn how to defeat soundly the mayavada philosophy of Sankaracarya. Eventually, by the end of the naughties (2009), Yadu was a master at speaking fluently Sanskrit, Hindi, and Bengali. His whole idea was to learn as much as possible and then share it all with the devotees.
It is difficult for me to enumerate all of Ananda Vidvan Swami's qualities. He was very humble, a man of integrity, and his character was spotless (in fact, he was a long-life naistika brahmacari). Besides, Maharaja had an uncommon wit, a wonderful sense of humour, and a very compassionate nature. Additionally, he always showed a loving, caring nature for one and all, always ready to serve selflessly anyone who approached him. In short, Ananda Vidvan Swami was a paragon of virtues.
In 2010, Yadu das brahmacari, after 35 years of painstakingly preparing himself, accepted the sannyasa order. He took it from "a very respectable and respected" (as he put it) sannyasa disciple of Srila Prabhupada serving in ISKCON, who dutifully —a broadminded man—initiated him into the Gaudiya renounced order of life.
One year and a half before taking sannyasa, Yadu travelled by foot more than 2,000 kilometers in India, making a pilgrimage to the most important holy places related with Lord Krishna's pastimes, especially those of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. During this period he made the vow of chanting at least 128 rounds daily, a vow he successfully accomplished. Ananda Vidvan Swami developed a true ruci for Harinama, the constant chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord.
In May of 2011, Ananda Vidvan Swami returned to Costa Rica, fully prepared to preach. He took charge of the Hare Krishna farm at Cartago, which we successfully protected, as per Srila Prabhupada's Last Will.
Then, five or four months ago, Ananda Vidvan Maharaja started to experience an intense pain in his back. Also, to cough continuously. When the local devotees took him to a private clinic for a medical check, the doctors ordered an X-ray of his lungs. Their ominous diagnosis: lung cancer. To corroborate this terrible news, Maharaja took a sophisticated bone scintigraphy exam. Unfortunately, the cancer was not only confirmed, but it was spreading aggressively.
Too late for us. There was no room for chemotherapy or any other alternative cure.
Yadu, and then Ananda Vidvan Swami, happily and responsibly underwent many years (20 of them in India) of learning and austerities to become an ideal preacher of Krishna consciousness. But essentially, he wanted to really enter into the deep mood of chanting Hare Krishna, and then, share it with others, humbly following the same footsteps of Srila Prabhupada. But Krishna decided otherwise.
Once I read in a book written by Dr. O.B.L. Kapoor the following devotional figure: The sadhaka is like a bud of a very fragrant flower producing plant. The bud, under the light of the Moon, grows steadily and consistently with the passing of every day. When the flower bud finally blossoms fully, it diffuses its exquisite aroma all around. And then the gladdened gardener comes and takes the flower to the altar of his home.
Similarly, when pure devotion sprouts in the heart of a wonderful bhakta, the black bumblebee that goes by the name Krishna feels irresistibly attracted towards the aroma emanating from a fragrant flower, a flower saturated with exquisite scent of pure bhakti. Once Krishna finds such a wonderful flower, He never leaves it. In fact, the rays of unalloyed devotion, pure love, in any of His creatures is the thing Krishna lives for, and really, the reason He has created this world and all of us. Krishna is the Primeval God of Love! So, once the sweet smell of pure devotion emanates from the heart of His bhakta, Krishna immediately cuts that flower and takes it to His eternal home, Goloka Vrindavana.
Krishna couldn't wait any longer to take back home His beautiful devotee, Ananda Vidvan Swami!
His Holiness Ananda Vidvan Swami, amidst loud chanting of the Holy Names, peacefully and blissfully left his mortal body today at 7:03 p.m. He was only 58 years old.
All glories to the holy month of Damodara!
All glories to Sri Sri Radha-Govinda and Sri Sri Radha-Syamasundara!
All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada!
All glories to His Holiness Ananda Vidvan Swami!
