I would like to inform you that great Arjuna passed away. I just spoke to his daughter Sulocana and his wife Sarada. He passed away at his home around 03.00 AM pacific time. His house had regular Dharmacakra on every Saturday. He attended this Dharmacakra, but during it he started to feel uncomfortable. He has been suffering from brain cancer since a long time. He did great work for the Marga in Los Angles. He put his whole energy in to establishing Ananda Dhama Master unit. He worked day and night to run that project. He was also running weekly yoga class for many years. He created many Margiis and sympathizers. He was great lover of prabhat samgiita. He will be missed by many people. He must be on Baba's lap now. I know his wife Sarada since my arrival in Taiwan in 1979. She used to give yoga class regularly and brought a lot of people to Ananda Marga. I send my deep condolence to his family. He was one of my best friends, I had been talking to from time to time. He always loved to talk to me even though he had so much pain. He was very senior Margiis of USA.
Acarya Iishvarakrsnananda Avadhuta
Acarya Iishvarakrsnananda Avadhuta
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ReplyDeleteDear Sisters/Brothers, Namaskar
ReplyDeleteIn the month of November Dada Marmadevananda told me over the phone that brother Arjuna’s health is quite unstable and I should come to LA earlier as I had planned. My trip to LA was in the month of January 2008. I thought it is matter of only couple of months I will see him soon and didn’t think that he will leave us so soon and I will not get a chance to see him any more. Just a couple of days back I got the message from Dada Gunakarananda that Brother Arjuna has left this physical world.
I really feel so sad by the thought that I can not see him any more when I go to LA. I was closely associated with him for last fifteen years.
I was the first person to work in the LA MU for about one year right after they purchased it. Since then I had a very good relation with him. We both got along very well. He was an ideal Margii. He was so organizational minded that he would spend entire summer vacation working in the MU even putting his family obligation aside. I remember that the first year 1993 we had a very good crop but it was not certified as an Organic farm even though we had not used any chemical fertilizer or pesticides. We were selling the peaches in the farmers market. Even coming from India I would never do that what Arjuna was doing. (It is common in India to shout saying your stuff is best in the market to attract the customer.) He would stand up and shout very loudly saying, “The best peaches in the world, sweeter than sugar” and so on.
Apart from his summer vacation on every Saturday and Sunday he would go to the MU and work. And during week days when he could not go to MU he will always be thinking about the MU and the organization. He had very good knowledge about farming. He was a High school teacher where he taught Arts and Gardening to the students. He was a real Karmayogii. He was so active prior to the diagnosis of brain tumor, it was really painful to see that such an active person having hard time to walk and get up.
When he was admitted in the Hospital and was going to get the brain tumor operated, we local dadas were visiting him every day. I was the one who stayed in the night with him when he got operated as Sharada was also sick and had to stay home. I accompanied him to the operation theater and waited until he came out of there. It was about one o’clock in the morning when he came back to his senses. He was trying to say some thing then I responded to his call. He said in very feeble voice, “Call Sharada.” I said that it was too early to call, then he said "Call Dada Devashraddhananda.” I repeated the same thing. After a while he said “Call Dada Udayananda.” I said that he should not talk as doctor has asked him to refrain from talking. After half an hour his voice was clear. I was so surprised that he would cut a joke when he said, “Dada, it was feeling like picking eggplants during the operation.” I was so serious because of the situation, but he was so humorous that it made me laugh.
He had so much love for Prabhat Samgiit and Kiirtan. He had learnt it from a Bengali sister Mala Ganguli. He used to sing it so well. I used to accompany him on Tabla. He would sing so perfectly on beats that even many Indian dadas and didis who sing well wouldn’t be able to do. I always enjoyed playing Tabla with him. Since I was living just ten minutes from his house, we would get to gather on many occasions and sing Prabhata samgiita and kiirtan.
It is Dhruva Satya, the universal truth that we all have to leave this world one day but when someone near and dear to us leaves from this world for ever, we certainly miss him or her so much.
Arjuna, I will miss you so much, you were a very good friend. I will always remember you. Whenever I needed anything you were always there to help. You are gone physically but will always be in my heart. I am sure you will rest in BABA’S eternal lap.
With Tribute & Loving Memory
Ac. Hitendrananda Avt.
New Delhi, India,