Madan-mohan-mohini’s Memorial Program

Giriraj Swami: It is a great honor and privilege and pleasure to be with all of you to remember and express our appreciation and affection for our beloved Madana Mohan Mohini dasi. We did meet for the first time when she and her family came to Dallas and she was staying upstairs in Tamal Krishna Goswami’s quarters and she had a remarkable effect on the whole Dallas community. She elevated the Tamal Krishna Goswami consciousness. She helped many devotees in their relationship with Tamal Krishna Goswami and along with that, she helped many devotees improve their relationships with one another. Of course later, after she returned to India, every year, I would visit her, maybe twice a year and fortunately her family was able to arrange a flat for me on the same floor in the same building as theirs. I was literally less than, well just a few steps away and I am not repeating what others have said so nicely but I will just add a few things of my own.

So, one thing that she like me to do was to put my hand on her head. First time I did it, she said, “Not so hard.” Her body was so fragile and delicate. So, it became a regular practice and I would go into her room to see her. I would put my hand on her head. Although others have said it, I also have to say it that her family was extraordinary. Her father, Parshuram Prabhu, and her mother [Unintelligible 4:35–4:38] and especially her sister, Audarya Radhika; they did everything within their power, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week to make Mohini as comfortable as possible and to encourage her in her struggles and in her Krishna consciousness, and I agree with what His Holiness Bhakti Rasamrita Swami said that Mohini taught us, not only through her own example but through the example of her family members what selfless service really is and I am completely grateful and indebted to her family for the wonderful care they took of her, the wonderful service they rendered to her.

So, yes, she was extraordinary. I also am looking forward to looking more of her thoughts and realizations. It is a service that Audarya Radhika dasi will be taking up to help bring the rougher, unorganized writings of her sister, Madana Mohan Mohini, so that we can get more of her association and share, partake more of her wisdom and spiritual realization and determination in Krishna consciousness.

When she left, I knew without a doubt, I felt and I just knew without a doubt that she had gone to His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaja who was always in her thoughts. She was always in meditation on him and of course, being with Tamal Krishna Goswami Maharaja means being with Srila Prabhupada and the paramparā. So, on this occasion I pray to be able to serve her in separation, serve those who are dear to her—her family members, serve the causes that were dear to her including the Tamal Krishna Goswami legacy project. She was unique. I mean, there has never been anyone like her and there will be never anyone like her. She was just such an extraordinary, divine, special soul.

So, I think of what Srila Prabhupada said about when a Vaishnava departs that we feel simultaneously happy and sad. We feel happy because we know that the Vaishnava has gone to serve Krishna but we feel sad because we will miss the Vaishnava’s association. In the case of Her Grace Madana Mohan Mohini dasi, we also feel happy that she is no longer encaged in her miserable body which was becoming extremely painful for her towards the end. So, we are happy about that but we do feel sad because we will miss her physical association but we do have every hope to be blessed by her spiritual association here in this world and then in the next world.

So, yes, thank you for giving me this opportunity to express a little of my appreciation and affection for Her Grace Madana Mohan Mohini dasi. Hare Krishna.