In this devotional eulogy, Prasad Raaval recounts the final moments of Srila Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj, describing how the Maharaj responded to a chant of "Hare Krishna" just before his passing. He then offers a heartfelt tribute, highlighting Maharaj’s pivotal role in ISKCON’s expansion in India—from a handful of temples to nearly 700 entities—through his leadership as a long‑serving GBC member, BBT trustee, and chief architect of temple openings, book distribution, and the IOWP construction project. Raaval emphasizes the collective team effort behind these achievements, acknowledges past personal ups and downs, and urges unity among devotees to uphold Srila Prabhupada’s mission. He calls the audience to assume additional responsibilities, maintain organizational cohesion, and continue the sankirtana movement, assuring that Maharaj’s spirit remains present to inspire future work.
Chapters
Prasad Raaval. Some devotees were insisting that I say how Mahārāja departed, because I was only one with Mahārāja and some devotees wanted to know. I said, Whenever I have opportunity, I would say a few words. I have a long story, but I will make it short. As doctors were working on reviving his heart functioning, which I was watching, witnessing, and they were not succeeding. And I was wondering, is Maharaj still here or he has gone? So just to confirm, I shouted, "Hare Krishna!" Hare Krishna! Into his ears. And to my great surprise and pleasure, Maharaj opened his mouth wide open. And first moment of tongue. I of course could not hear the response, any response saying Hare Krishna, but that is what he meant to say. So those were last words that we witnessed, and this, the doctor confirmed that he, he was no more with us. Really, these are not just my words. I'm sure you all, all assembled here, Not only we heard that song, but I think those were the feelings of all of us. Certainly those are my feelings. Really, I could only simply weep. I will be missing him. I better control myself. So, uh, I am trying to speak Gopā for giving me Gopā, Kṛṣṇa, Gosvāmī Mahārāja, like Gauramukha, who remain friendly and Friendship, love, and for life throughout. Not for his disciples, but I have professed. Like that for, for me. We worked closely. He arrived in '73 or so. Yes. 1975, 1974, 1975. So from that time to— although there were some ups and downs in our personal relations, which is natural in this world, but we pushed through and Unity, diversity, we maintain that unity from diverse opinions, mine versus Maharaj, but that's not important. So, uh, when Maharaj, uh, came and Sri Aurobindo departed We had only some 7 temples in India. Just few days ago I heard— 7. 7. From Bhakta Rupa Prabhu. He said, "Now we have close to 700 entities which submit their accounts." In India, that means. So small, tiny, the huge, the big included. So ISKCON was in the survival mode and then the revival happened and finally thriving is happening. Especially in India, I would say. And credit for all this, of course, this is certainly team effort, and we are all team members of that team. But certainly this effort was led by Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj. There is no doubt. A number of temples opened. Maharaj was known for opening temples. Number of temples Maharaj personally opened, number of devotees He made, youths He trained and initiated them, number of books of Śrīla Prabhupāda distributed. Scientist, you was made trustee of the BBT, and he remained trustee for throughout his life. Through— was he made— he was— sorry, he's the longest, he's the longest GBC member, Iniska. Many came and they, for different reasons, they had to leave the body or they had to resign, but Maharaj stayed on. He stuck to his duties as VPT trustee, also a number of books. That's most pleasing to Prabhupāda, "Distribute my books." And book distribution is most pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda. I think Gopālakṛṣṇa Mahārāja has pleased Śrīla Prabhupāda the most by distributing Prabhupāda's books. A number of plates of prasāda distribution, Anāmṛti was part of that, and they were also Food for Life also. Building temples, not was he building temples in his own, but he was a big force behind IOWP construction. He gets a credit for where IOWP stands right now. So as we arrived in Bharat Maharaj, to Delhi, and there was an outburst, a number of devotees, I don't know where they came from, hundreds and thousands of devotees. I was surprised and pleased also at that. Coming here and additional thousands of devotees, this is a manifestation of glories of Gopal Kṛṣṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja. Giving confidence also that one time, "Oh, this Amṛska Mandīra, this is an American institution, and the CIA, and whatnot." But now the Indians, the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement has made deep roots. At grassroot level the preaching is happening, and thousands, of course, Gopākṛṣṇa Mahārāja, on this occasion we are witnessing, and this is all Gopākṛṣṇa Mahārāja. The movement has been built from revival, survival, to revival, to revival has happened. Now, do you all love Gopākṛṣṇa Mahārāja? Yes, Prasad Raṣad RAVAL. I would also want to thank If you love Gopābhadra Mahārāja, then I also love you. My love is conditional, so I love you also. And then Prabhupāda— I was remembering what Prabhupāda said in that regard. If you love me, your love will be shown how you protect his institution after I am gone. Prabhupāda said that. I was thinking, Prasad Raaval, I'm sure he said, or I'm saying on his behalf, that if you all love me, make sure whatever has been created, of course, with the team effort where ISKCON stands now, it is our duty prime duty if we love Prabhupāda, we love Prabhupāda, we love Prabhupāda, then we have, we have to do what? We have to cooperate with each other so that we bring Srila Prabhupāda's Hare Kṛṣṇa movement yet another level higher, higher. So of course we are here and we are doing śrīmad-bhāgavatam making our offerings. The best offering would be we do whatever is needful to be done in the absence of Gopal Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja. I also was thinking Prabhupāda again said, "How will this movement go on?" And Girirāja Prabhu, that time, was here, right here in Prabhupāda's quarters. "Oh, we will chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. We will follow four regulatory principles. We will do this, we will do that." Of course Prabhupāda was pleased with that answer, but not fully satisfied. And then Prabhupāda added, organisation and intelligence, or intelligently organising. So after Prabhupāda Viṣṇu Mahārāja's departure, we all would have to put our heads together and some kind of reorganisation, reorganisation, alignment, has to be worked on, and that is a homework of leaders in India, the bureaus, Gopalakrishna Maharaj's colleagues. Maharaj was chairman of that body for almost lifelong. All that is happening in India is also is the— Euro is behind, and Maharaj was the chairman, but he's no more. So all this, lot of things are going to be vacant, lot of vacancy is going to be created, and we do not, do not want to see any, any setbacks in absence of Gopalachandra Maharaj. We have to step forward, arise to the occasion, and be prepared to shoulder some additional burden so that Srila Prabhupāda's movement goes on and on and on and on. Param vijayate. Hare Kṛṣṇa saṁkīta. Happens. And by seeing all that, Gopāla Gosvāmī Mahārāja will be certainly pleased. He's very much in spirit with us, his body. Someone said, "Oh, Maharaj has gone back to Vṛndāvana." And I said yesterday, "This is Vṛndāvana. He has not gone back, but he has come back home to Vṛndāvana." So he's around, he's around. He's going to be watching what we do. So for His pleasure, for pleasure of Gauranga, for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada, and also for the pleasure of Gopal Krishna Gosvāmī Mahārāja, we have to take on some additional responsibilities to push on Srila Prabhupada's and Caitanya Mahāprabhu's sankīrtana movement. By doing so, that would be our best offering ever. Hare Krishna, Jai Maharaj. Jai Gurudev. Jai Gaurapada Kīja. Hare Krishna, Balarama Kīja. Lama Lama, I like it.
