Posted 24 March 2009: “Why are our ISKCON devotees working in stores, especially in dangerous places where they can get robbed, shot, and killed? Why isn’t the GBC providing their devotees with varnasrama farms and restaurants to work in? Why do we keep finding that the devotees of ISKCON and / or the new gurus are doing menial tasks, working for karmis, some are even working in karmi restaurants, or worse we saw two devotees working in a karmi liquor store and so on, one devotee we know has a job mopping up blood, and picking up the bloody body pieces and dirty surgical rags after surgeries in a hospital, instead of being engaged in samkirtana and being trained to preach and so on? This is certainly another indication that the new gurus are not very potent.”
Dear Devotees,
It is with sadness and heavy hearts that we bring this horrible news that our dear friend Hari Kirtan aka Harish, age 24, is no long with us on this planet. Harish is from Mayapur gurukula and a disciple of his Holiness Bhakti Tirtha Swami.
Harish was working at a store in Atlanta, Ga USA and as the sun was setting at 8:01 pm March 22, 2009, he was robbed and shot, which instantly took his life. The emergency medical unit was contacted, but it was too late. The shot took his life instantly. The police and investigating detectives are looking for the men connected with the incident.
We have contacted his cousin brother in Mayapur and requested him to convey the new to his family. He leaves behind his elderly mother, and a younger brother. He had been the sole bread winner for his family. Being the eldest son in the family, he took a job to support his mother, and his brother’s education.
Harish was brought to Mayapur gurukula by his cousin brother in 1996, where he was accepted as a student and continued his studies until 2002. He served in Mayapur mentoring the youth and being a perfect role model. He is fondly remembered for his humility and his contagious smile. He came to the US in April of 2005 for the passing away of his Spiritual Master, and stayed on to render service in different temples in the US. He served in the Alachua temple as a pujari and a cook, then moved to California to continue with his studies, and finally moved to Atlanta, which became his home.
Harish never failed to keep Krsna in the center of his life. He always attended temple programs, and enjoyed being part of the kirtans and bhajans. He always kept his friends close and always reminding them of their spiritual life.
All of his friends and the youth in Atlanta will really miss him and will keep the laughter and spirit Harish showed in our hearts. Although he maybe gone, he will always be with us, in spirit and in every memory we have of him.
We ask for your prayers for Harish, that he is gone to the Spiritual World, where the elements of this material world will not longer affect him.
Your Servants
Vedasara Das, Uttam Das, Jagannatha das, Nirmal Das, Svarupananda Das, Candra Shyam Das, Indrajit Das, Gaur Pran Das, and Yasoda Priya Devi Dasi.
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