|
|
Haribol, Yashoda!
You were a good friend, an enthusiast, equipped with an enormously big heart, and you were helpful without limit.
You were my Sankirtan leader back in the early 80's, when I was also a Hare Krishna devotee, riding around in a crappy old bus, selling magazines on the streets and pavements of towns all around Sweden.
And when I came up with the idea that I would like to write and illustrate a book - "Den Rena Maten" ("The Pure Food") - you were my greatest supporter.
You and I moved into Govinda's, turned the place upside down, started a local "Krishnas Friends" group - a project that kept on for a long, long time, when both of us had already went on to other projects.
You had a fire burning within you - and you burned yourself out.
I miss you now.
|
|
|
|
You called me just a few weeks before you left us, and we had a lovely and inspiring conversation about God, Krishna consciousness, ISKCON, shamanism, other devotees, Conversations With God, what paths in life we choose - and many other things.
Knowing now what was about to happen, it feels as if you called me - as a dear old friend - just to check that I was fine, having a good life - before it was time for you to pass on.
You dedicated your whole life to helping, encouraging and leading others.
And you did it good.
|
|
|
And you struggled on - without end.
You never gave up.
Up until your last breath you filled your life with meaning, with purpose, with a goal.
If you said something should be done - you did it.
You were shortly someone one could trust.
You never demanded more from anyone than from yourself. Mostly you wouldn't demand anything. You just gave, smiled, and said something encouraging - so much so that most people who came in touch with you really wanted to help, and become as enthusiastic as you were. It seemed so fun to be that enthusiastic!
|
Mukunda dasa and Yashoda-dulal dasa, 1984,
holding the first newsletter for the Swedish "Krishnas Friends".
I designed and co-wrote the first newsletter, with you as my constant working partner and support.
|
Here we see you in Radha-Kunda - full speed ahead.
Where ever you went, you helped people - you organized, carried things, cooked food, showed directions - everything to help.
I don't think I have ever in my life met someone with such a limitless urge to help and serve others. Nothing was ever impossible, noone could ever disturb you - everyone who asked for help (or seemed to need help, although not asking for it) were gifts from God to you. You saw it as mercy - not problems.
And you were always kind.
Always pleasant.
Never self-sacrificing or a martyr.
Never patronizing or self-indulgent.
Helping without ever demanding anything in return.
Humble, without beeing compliant.
Simply - a very good person.
|
|
|
Yashoda-dulal dasa on the rooftop of a bus in Mayapur 1990.
As always - if there is a large load of trunks and bags thet needs to be taken down from the bus - who's immediately there to fix it?
Yashoda.
When we - the rest of the passengers - are mostly confused, tired and self-occupied, rubbing our aching behinds after a hard Indian busride, slowly climbing out from the incredibly uncomfortable bus - then you are already on the go, helping the rest of us, organizing, delegating, carrying.
|
Yashoda-dulal dasa in Radha-Kunda, 1990
In the front row - as usual.
|
|
|
This is how I prefer to remember you, Yashoda.
It's 1990, and we have come to the ISKCON Goshala, on our tour around Vrindavana.
It's springtime, and we are sitting down, tasting the milk from the beautiful cows.
As always, you are enthusiastic, and you present idea after idea about what we should do back at home, in Sweden.
Others may talk their mouths off - but you didn't just talk. You also had the power, the conviction and the ability to actually realize many of your ideas in real life.
I admired you for that - and I still do.
Much later in life, after collapses and crashes, weak health - physically and mentally - you would still be enthusiastic, goodhearted, listening and encouraging to people in your realm.
I admire you for that - even more.
Your friend - Calle Rehbinder
"Bhakta Calle"
|
|
