Another Great Soul in Russian ISKCON Has Left Us
BY: JAYA MADHAVA DAS (ACBSP)
Oct 09, 2013 — MOSCOW, RUSSIA (SUN) — A day ago, Russian ISKCON lost one of its first sincere devotee brothers to cancer. His Grace Vishwamitra das has left the planet. It is with deep sadness that I'm now reporting the untimely death of this great soul. We lost yet another original senior devotee preacher in Russia.
His Grace Vishwamitra das prabhu (a Russian citizen) was one of the first serious, sincere Russians who was preaching in Russia, a pioneering devotee of the first preachers who was preaching here in the 80's in the former Soviet Union. He was a dedicated Prabhupada man.
He, like many other Russian devotees, faced so much trouble, persecution and hardship while preaching for Lord Caitanya and Srila Prabhupada to the Soviets. Things were difficult here at that time, to a degree that most devotees will never experience in their lives. In the 1980's, the KGB arrested Vishwamitra and his good wife for simply preaching Krsna Consciousness (underground) in the Soviet era. He and his wife spent many years in the Siberian Gulags operated by the former Soviety Union.
As an America devotee, living in Russia for many years now, I personally knew Vishwamitra prabhu. He and I talked when we met about preaching in Russia and the Soviet times. Here in Moscow he and his family were guests at my home many times in the past.
Please remember this great soul in your prayers to Srila Prabhupada and Krsna. Included below is a re-post translation from the ISKCON Russia website, www.krishna.ru.
HG Vishwamitra das ki jai!
HDG Srila Prabhupada ki jai!
Russia ISKCON ki jai!
October 8 left this world one of the first Soviet and Russian devotees Vishwamitra Prabhu (Vladimir Crete)
It's sad for the thousands of Russian devotees, as the followers of the 1970-1980's, and the followers of the current generation, the news came this afternoon
According to Krasnodar devotees in the temple which spent his last days Vishmavitra Prabhu, he dwelt almost unconscious, unable to even move. At about the third hour of the day under the merciful gaze of Krasnodar avadhuti Deities of Sri Sri Gaura Chandra and Roy, as well as the Deities of Sri Yoga Narasimha-Prahladananda, mother Anandachinmai and Krasnodar Vishwamitra Vaishnava Prabhu left frail body, returning to the spiritual world.
2 hours after this news, in Moscow's Cathedral of Sri Sri Dayal Nitai-and-Shachisuty held a memorial-cleansing ritual involving Gaura, the son of Vishwamitra Prabhu, during which the Pujari (priests) and the Mahabharata Vishnurata Prabhu Prabhu sang hymns and mantras are favorable and Purushasukty Vayshnavahomy, calling on the Lord's mercy and the great Vaishnava acharyas for the departed.
Currently in Krasnodar committed the necessary post-mortem procedures and preparation. Date of the funeral has not yet clarified. On one of the days of the week will take place at Moscow's Cathedral of large memorial evening dedicated to the memory of Vishwamitra Prabhu.
Recalling that recently Vishwamitra Prabhu, being in the Caucasian village Kurdzhinovo (Karachay-Cherkessia), I felt a sharp deterioration and appealed to the city hospital Cherkessk. He was diagnosed with "cancer of the stomach of 4 degrees." He was immediately taken two steps, and for a time his condition was serious but stable.
Famous Russian Vaishnava, one of the first followers of the Vaishnava tradition in our country Vishwamitra Prabhu (Vladimir Crete) is in hospital in a serious condition in Krasnodar
Sriman Vishwamitra Prabhu was behind the movement of consciousness of Krishna in the 80s. For the faith and preaching, he was arrested and convicted. In detention, he spent nearly six years.
Vaishnava physicist Vishwamitra das recalls life
Soviet Hare Krishna under Brezhnev, Andropov and Gorbachev
The long era of Brezhnev, nicknamed among our progressive-minded intellectuals and foreign ideologues "stagnation", had, nevertheless, the strongest, even fatal impact on the minds of millions of people accustomed mode of general secretaries feel like cogs in a huge machine, and quite willingly be content with this state of taking it for free.
In particular proceeded during those years, and religious life in which, despite the traditionally rigid filtering, somehow, retained freedom of faith sprouts, and a variety of ways. A toy in the hands of the regime and Hinduism was the interest in which has spread throughout the Soviet space after a visit to Moscow in 1971, the famous Vaishnava monk sannyasi Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. His memories of those days and impressions of the General Secretary Brezhnev shared with the corresponding portal Credo.ru former prisoner of conscience who spent at camp five and a half years, a physicist, a Vaishnava ( Krishna um) Vishwamitra Prabhu (Vladimir Crete).
Credo.ru: How do you assess the "Brezhnev" period of Russian history? Whether it was really stagnant?
Vishwamitra das (Vladimir Crete): Brezhnev's regime was to be built, which seemed outwardly respectable, even somewhat democratic, without the express and total persecution of dissidents, as under Stalin. Although, of course, the prosecution had. Take, for example, the case of Solzhenitsyn. But it still does not go to any comparison with the 30-40-ties of the twentieth century. It is felt that Brezhnev in his valued opinion in the West. I think he was sensitive to criticism of the West, listening to the calls to expand democracy in the Soviet society.
How KGB reacted to visit Prabhupada?
Very much open persecution was not. Anyway, at first. As for us, of the Society of consciousness of Krishna, then for the time being we are not too bothered. Prabhupada visited Moscow in 1971, and it fell into the field of view of the KGB, and then came the first disciple of Prabhupada Anatoly Pinyaev (spiritual name - Anantashanti das). It is clear that the KGB knew about it, because what came to Prabhupada's disciples, Anatolia brought some things. Then the KGB could stop this, but it's just watched without seeing some kind of danger to the Soviet system.
Sometime in the late 70s. came a spiritual teacher Swami Harikesa. In 1979, I became acquainted himself with this tradition. Among the devotees were rumors that the KGB knew about all this. But, anyway, we were until a certain time has not been touched. Grounds and really was not - the movement was limited and very few.
All zaburlilo, from the 80th year. Came a galaxy of young and fiery preachers - Vladimir Devjatkin, Valentine Yaroshchuk, Sergey Kurkin, Sergey Devices, Sergey Zuev, Olga Kiseleva, Vladimir Kustrya, many more. Started quite a powerful sermon in Moscow. And not someone somewhere, namely the intelligentsia, for various institutions, agencies, elite homes, like home architect, home of composer, etc. There is already the KGB became worried, and in September 1981 and deported Harikesa Swami Kirtiradzha-dasa (U.S. Prabhupada's disciples, who helped in the spiritual life of the Soviet Vaishnavas) out of the country when they tried to arrange a meeting in Riga preaching to the masses. Then, a month or two, we have conducted preaching from door to door.
When the authorities began to terror and what is that?
The first defeat suffered at the end of 1981 the KGB apparently came from the state of covert surveillance and persecution began in the form of threats. We were called to the party committees, the local committee, and then the bodies. Began many hours of questioning, during which we were requested to stop preaching. Drummed into us that we are engaged in illegal religious activities. And as Vaishnava went underground, but did not stop preaching, had already begun and massacres, and searches. It did not come for sometime in April 1982, when the criminal case was opened on me and Sergei Kurkina. Under this pretext began searches in ten places at the same time in different cities. I Kurkina and took on his own recognizance. In the end, it ended in arrest.
As for the identity of Brezhnev, then it is difficult to judge about it fully, I never met with him and did not communicate. I can only judge by the atmosphere that prevailed at the time. Although the persecution began, trying to save face remained. Yet there was no ship was not even known whether the case comes to trial. Lawyers assured that all will end well, that we are, they say, let go, or poderzhat a couple of months in jail, but because just let go, because the court - it is an open challenge to public opinion.
Indeed, the Court before Brezhnev's death was not. We were kept in the "Sailor's silence." But here's the Brezhnev died. The radio airplay in the morning of the funeral march. Then, almost all at once like a chain broke, because Andropov came to power. Apparently, the above given command to end it all, "Krishna consciousness." The case to court, and before the New Year, the first process. This took place in Moscow, not counting the 7-8 high-profile processes in other cities of the Union. The outcome, in fact, was a foregone conclusion. Andropov was a man more determined than Brezhnev. If Brezhnev still had some intelligence, some understanding of what you can not just violate the principles of morality, public opinion, humanity, that all of these complexes Andropov did not suffer. Once something is in the way the Communist dictatorship, it is necessary to tear down and destroy. Were given according to the case - and away we go ...
We do not just condemn - the court has turned into a parody. Witnesses were forced to give statements that were necessary investigation, and to do so not somewhere behind the wall, and quite publicly. The courts were closed, but still there is someone from the family was sitting, and the reporters - only 15-20 people. And right at them, witnesses unashamedly blatant pressure exerted. What sort of democracy and the principles of justice! One girl brought and literally dragged into the courtroom almost a hair, as the heroine of Mahabharata Draupadi, and threats forced her to testify against us. However, this was not already the era of Brezhnev and Andropov. So when Brezhnev at least such arbitrariness's not.
What is your opinion of the CPSU General Secretary Brezhnev as a person and as a leader of a great country?
After all, this was a man who understood the importance of public opinion. It is one thing - the dictatorship of Stalin, and another thing - the era of Brezhnev's stagnation. Perhaps the era of Stalin was the last great dictatorship in the history of mankind. I wish that this does not happen again. Yes, of course, was a Pinochet.
In general, the Kali Yuga (the modern era "of quarrel and hypocrisy," according to the Vedas - Ed.) Such things do not go, because there is no such condition, there is no such strong personalities that can rule the millions of people.Andropov also briefly held. At him, and it was an attempt. Again came the softer mode Chernenko, who was the prelude to thaw Gorbachev. When Chernenko all remained in their places. This secretary-general was very cautious and did not want to change anything. But Gorbachev, being progressive, started reverse process - rehabilitation. Vaishnava were let out of prison. The processes have stopped. However, in 1985 there was another process, but it was prepared long before that moment - the inertia, so to speak.
Gorbachev era was not too long. Then came another dictator, which is more subtle, but artfully restored a strong board of the Center is not alone, but relying on a certain class to the environment.
Source: Interviewed by Vladimir Yakovlev, the portal Credo.ru
