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"The light that burns twice as bright..."

Tribuvanatha Prabhu left his body early on Tuesday 16th October 2001. Earlier in the year, he had been diagnosed with stomach cancer while on a preaching tour of Africa, and had made several trips to Brazil for alternative treatment.

Tribuvanatha was in Brazil with his close friend and associate Giridhari, who had gone there to assist him. Around 2.45 in the early morning, Tribhuvanath had asked Giridhari to bring him some milk to drink. Some minutes later, he complained that his breathing was becoming difficult. Giridhari then started to chant as Tribhuvanath "seemed to slip into a trance-like state." His eyes opened wide and he seemed to be staring across the room. At 3.00 he closed his eyes and breathed his last. Giridhari says: "He looked very innocent and childlike."

Devotees everywhere have been very moved to hear of his passing, and have been glorifying him as a great and special soul with a very bright future.

Tribhuvanatha's body is being flown back to Bhaktivedanta Manor, where in the next few days there will be a festival of remembrance and celebration of his life.

Tribuvanatha is an early disciple of Srila Prabhupada from Bury Place days, and is famed for his exuberant kirtana. A past president of the Govindadwipa, Ireland, and Birmingham temples, he was a very active preacher, and led a festival party travelling throughout the UK, Ireland and Africa.

(Riddha prabhu is one of Tribuvanatha's close godbrothers. In an interview he spoke of Tribuvanatha's less-well-known preaching.)

Tribuvanatha was a pioneer of preaching in the Middle East. He told me just a few weeks before he left of how Srila Prabhupada explained Krishna's special mercy received by one who preaches in Arab countries.

In the 1970s, Tribuvanatha and some of his godbrothers such as Mahakratu and Padmapani risked their lives preaching in numerous Arab countries such as Lebanon and Syria. They survived heavy bombardment during the Yom Kippur war. Then, due to the mercy of Tribuvanatha, the first Arabic Bhagavad-Gita was produced in Palestine.

At that time, because the devotees were so successful in their daily activities, they came under the watchful eyes of the PLO, who mistook them for Israeli spies. Tribuvanatha was wrongly arrested in Damascus and imprisoned in a terrorist cell, with only enough room to lie down. He was tortured and interrogated for one month, finally being released without charge, after which he made his way back to the UK.

Tributhanatha was one of the most dynamic and best-loved devotees in the UK and Irish yatras, famous for his qualities throughout the Hare Krishna world."

Devotees of the British Isles count themselves as being fortunate that they were able to be blessed with the company of someone obviously so dear to Lord Caitanya and Srila Prabhupada.

Friday 19th October

9am - 12noon - Funeral rites for Tribhuvanath in a marquee at Bhaktivedanta Manor. Devotees will be able to pay final respects, offer flowers, etc.

Afternoon ceremony at the crematorium.

Saturday 20th October

10am-2pm Memorial ceremony for Tribhuvanath Prabhu at Bhaktivedanta Manor

Evening Maha Harinam in London

CHAKRA 17 October 2001