SCSM Reading Room

From: Sanatani Devi dasi
Date: February 26, 2010
To: Srila Giri Maharaja
Subject: From Sanatani

Dear Giri Maharaja,
Please accept my dandavat pranams to you and dear Lila Sundari dasi.

I want to apologize for not contacting you since the passing away of Sripad Siddhanti Maharaja. My life was in an upheaval and I thought many times of writing but never got to it. So, I’m sorry for that.

The last week of Siddhanti Maharaja’s life was extremely intense, as you can imagine. On Monday, February 1, we could tell it would be soon. By evening time, most of his organs had shut down. He was resting peacefully and was breathing slowly, but not with too much difficulty.

I was sitting with him counting his respirations of breath all day. I put on the tape of “Song of the Heart” for him to listen to. This was not his habit, actually, but I was determined that my voice was not the last thing he heard! So, he accepted and we listened to the kirtan, quietly.

At 9:45 PM on February 1, 2010 he took his last breath. I waited and checked his pulse and then called Janardan Maharaja who was in his room.
Per Mahananda Prabhu's instructions we bathed his body, and dressed him in nice clean and ironed clothes, put his brahmin thread back on along with many garlands and brought him out in a wheel chair for the devotees to see one last time.

We had a big kirtan and took him to the temple room for darshan of the Deities and Srila Gurudeva. After an hour of kirtan, the mortuary people came and took him away on a gurney in a nice blanket.

The next day we had his cremation services with many devotees coming to chant. The, day after the cremation Radhi arranged for a friend of hers to take Janardan Maharaja and myself by boat to the ocean to spread his ashes. Many devotees congregated above on the cliff to chant and watch. We placed his japa mala, neck beads and his 'calling bell' in the ocean, along with the many garlands he was wearing. I spread the ashes right on top of the water. Janardan Maharaja blew the conch shell and the devotees chanted loudly.

We took the boat back slowly afterwards and Janardan Maharaja said, he felt a heavy weight was lifted.

On Sunday we held a huge feast in his honor serving 33 preparations, including a fruit salad of only mango and papaya for over 100 people and avocado for over 100 people! It was glorious. His family came and spoke, as did many devotees.

I just wanted to tell you and Lila Sundari, how much he loved both of you. He spoke often about you and also your last email from January 31. I wanted you to know that he got it and I read it to him. He was not able to answer because of his condition, but he was so happy to hear from you and happy about Lila helping you with the electrical fixing at the rental house.

I am now in India at the lotus feet of Srila Gurudeva. Siddhanti Maharaja wanted me to come here after he passed away. My life is a bit crazy right now.

Anyway, I'm trying to make it through each day and I am grateful for the friends and well wishers I have in my life - starting with His Divine Grace,
and including the two of you.

I hope you are both well, and again, forgive me for not personally writing after Maharaja's passing. You meant so much to him.

With Affection,
Sanatani

From: Sripad Giri Maharaja
Date: March 8, 2010
To: Sanatani Devi dasi
Subject: From Sanatani

My dear sister,

Please accept my humble dandavata pranams.

No need to apologize. I have always found it remarkable that you have so much serving energy, always accompanied with a smiling face and gentle disposition. If I had one tenth of that my life would be so much improved no one would recognize me.

I can only imagine the stresses and strains associated with your dedicated service to His Holiness Sripada Siddhanti Maharaja. I know something of the breadth and depth of the affection he had for you and your family, and you for him. It has been my good fortune to witness some of these affectionate dealings.

It was also my good fortune to know that His Holiness was always my well wisher. Inexplicably he often expressed an appreciation for the content of my lectures and often embarrassed me by promoting me to others or suggesting to Srila Govinda Maharaja that I speak at some function. I can't remember a time when Srila Govinda Maharaja was thinking of coming to the USA that Siddhanti Maharaja didn't encourage him to visit us here in New Jersey.

As you know His Holiness was very straight with everyone to the point of being blunt. But everyone loves him and the younger devotees seemed to have a special attraction to him.

He was so much favored by Srila Govinda Maharaja that anyone would be jealous for such attention. The name he gave, Siddhanti, conveyed all there is to know about him. He showed the way of dedication that we would do well to follow.

Immediately upon hearing of his passing we put this notice on our website with a link to an article he had written.
NEWS: 2/5/10 On Monday February 1, 2010 Sripad Bhakti Premik Siddhanti Maharaja departed this mortal world after showing a protracted period of bodily illness. Sripad Siddhanti Maharaja was a surrendered soul devoted to the Divine Conceptions of Srila Govinda Maharaja, Srila Sridhar Maharaja and Srila Swami Maharaja. His humble mood and dynamic service capacity will be sorely missed. We humbly point to this article Sripad Siddhanti Maharaja wrote during Srila Govinda Maharaja's first world tour, when his name was Sriman Chidananda das Brahmacari. Sripad Bhakti Premik Siddhanti Maharaja ki jai! Gaura Haribol!

Your eloquent words describing his passing are very much appreciated by me. I have read them several times and would like to publish your email on our website for the benefit of others, if you permit. Your email is very instructive and I'm sure many devotees would be benefitted by reading it, just as I was.

You gave solace to His Holiness at a time when I'm sure his appreciation was magnified many times. By doing so, you gave much relief to us.

I pray this finds you well in all respects.

Affectionately,
Giri Maharaja