Tribute to My Russian Godbrother
BY: JAYA MADHAVA DAS (ACBSP)
Jun 05, 2013 — MOSCOW, RUSSIA (SUN) — Ananta Shanti das (ACBSP) left his body in Moscow, Russia on June 2-3, 2013.
With great sorrow and loss, I heard of the passing of my beloved Russian godbrother, in hospital of a brain hemorrhage/stroke. It was sudden. The news hit me like a flash of lighting… I knew him in Moscow. Many know of his great service and trials in ISKCON in the former Soviet Union, and the torture he endured at the hands of the secret police here (the KGB). He suffered for Srila Prabhupada here in Russia in the hard Soviet times. He was a real hero for Prabhupada and Lord Krsna. He was not some ISKCON cult leader, wanting any recognition for himself or his programs.
When in ISKCON he was a real Prabhupada man and did selfless service that not many devotees would do for Srila Prabhupada, and that's a fact. He was a rare kind soul. He went through personal hell in prisons here and was the object of attack by the demons. He alone broke ground here in Russia and took great personal risks to preach for Srila Prabhupada. It took great tolls on him in the later years of his life.
When I first arrived here in Moscow to live long term in 2001, I made it my mission to seek Ananta Shanti das out. As my godbrother, I cared about him even though I had never met him. I wanted to thank him personally, and I did just that. I knew he had gone through hell by being put in prison here, pumped full of drugs, tortured and endless deprogramming, which took its toll on him. It was not his fault. He left ISKCON.
He was also mistreated in ISKCON, after Srila Prabhupada left the planet… this I know for sure. I knew his pain, and at this time I hope our devotees will appreciate each other more. I wanted him to know I cared for him, and eventually he came to my apartment to meet me. My late wife and I made prasadam for him, and showed him friendship and love. He lived on the outside of ISKCON, treating drug addicts as a profession. We became friends and he then communicated with me by telephone from time to time.
I tried my best to talk to him, but I could see he had been through way too much pain and now was distancing himself from ISKCON. Yet despite his attitude, I knew he was a Prabhupada man in his heart of hearts. I felt he appreciated my sincere efforts to make friends with him and encourage him back to ISKCON and somehow be re-engaged in devotional service. And even though he never said so, I know he said 'thank you' to me.
On this occasion of his untimely sudden death in Moscow, I ask the worldwide community of devotees in and out of ISKCON to remember him with prayers and gratitude for his selfless devotional service to Srila Prabhupada and ISKCON.
A funeral was held at our ISKCON Moscow Temple on May 5, 2013 at 11:00 AM.
All Glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada
ALL Glories to Prabhupada's great Russian disciple, HG Ananta Shanti das (ACBSP) Prabhu.
