Śrīla Prabhupāda Departs

At 7:20 p.m. on November 14, 1977, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder-acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, departed from this world. At the time, he was in his quarters at the Krsna-Balarama temple in Vrndavana, India, surrounded by loving disciples chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. The chanting continued throughout the night as devotees performed the last ceremonies for their revered spiritual master. The following morning, the devotees took Srila Prabhupada's body on procession to the main temples in Vrndavana, the holy city most sacred to Lord Krsna, and finally they performed the burial ceremonies in the temple's outer courtyard.

Vedic tradition prescribes that when an exalted spiritual personality departs, a wake and cortege be held to honor him. Accordingly, soon after Srila Prabhupada's departure, his body (dressed in simple saffron robes, garlanded, and seated on a palanquin) was taken into the temple, before each of its three altars, and then carried several times around the temple. After placing the palanquin on the vyasasana (the seat of honor used only by the guru), the devotees remained in the temple throughout the night, chanting Hare Krsna and singing songs of bereavement. Guiding the ceremony was triḍanḍi svami Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja, a disciple of Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaja, Srila Prabhupada's respected Godbrother.

The next morning, at daybreak, devotees carried Srila Prabhupada on his palanquin through the streets of Vrndavana, giving the residents a chance to see him for the last time. Srimad Narayana Maharaja led the chanting as the procession visited each of the eight main temples in the holy city. When the procession returned to the Krsna-Balarama temple, devotees performed the final ceremonies and interred Srila Prabhupada's body. Srila Prabhupada's disciples then began a daily program of twenty-four-hour chanting and offerings of flower garlands, incense, and other tokens of devotion at Srila Prabhupada's samadhi (tomb). The morning ended with a devotional feast in his honor.

All over the world, Srila Prabhupada's disciples felt profound shock and grief when they heard of his passing. For them, the most beloved person in the universe, the dearmost teacher and friend, the very source of spiritual life and knowledge, was now gone. Many wept for hours, and others wondered how the Krsna consciousness movement could go on without its powerful founder and guide.

As the days passed, devotees sought solace in the timeless philosophy Srila Prabhupada had preached so untiringly. Buoyed by this philosophical understanding and consoled by many sincere friends and well-wishers, devotees resolved to work together even more vigorously to spread the teachings of their beloved preceptor.