Hare Kṛṣṇa!
It is with a heavy heart that we, at ISKM, announce the passing away of Jayapradā Mātājī from Kursk, Russia. Our sincere condolences go to her family members — Āśrayātma Prabhu (husband), Narottam Prabhu (first son), Sanat Kumāra Prabhu (second son) and their daughter (we don’t know her name, sorry about that).
She passed away in a car accident while she was in a taxi from Moscow to Kursk on the auspicious Mokṣada Ekādaśī. We are very sorry to know the manner in which she passed away.
Our only solace is that she had accumulated a lot of devotional credit as she was very seriously enthusiastic in serving Vaiṣṇavas and help expand the preaching in Russia.
In 2016, when we visited Russia, she hosted us at her home and took care of us so nicely like a mother. We have made a small compilation of photos of Jayapradā Mātājī and her sons taken during our 2016 visit to Russia. They were such nice memories!!
During our recent European preaching expedition in November 2018, it was initially part of the plan to go to Russia but later it was canceled. If we had gone, we would have stayed at her place again. But by the will of Providence, it did not happen.
Although one may be a great scholar of Vedic literature, Kṛṣṇa’s plans are very bewildering and difficult for even demigods and great sages to understand, what to speak of ordinary human beings? But one should not lose faith. How Kṛṣṇa protects the devotees is beyond our power of comprehension. We see only from a limited perspective of the body. Only Kṛṣṇa accompanies us in our journey through the multitude of species. Only He knows past, present and future of every living entity. He knows exactly what He is doing. Therefore, we can never claim to understand Him.
But one thing is for sure. Her devotional credit is going with her and by the mercy of Śrīla Prabhupāda, Śrī Śrī Gaura Nitāi and Lord Kṛṣṇa, she is only going to advance on the path back to Godhead.
Bhagavad-gītā 2.40: “In this endeavor (of devotional service to Kṛṣṇa), there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.”
It is only for nondevotees that death is inauspicious. For the devotee, it does not matter if one lives or dies. Either way, one continues his devotional activities.
Incidences like these are also good lessons for all of us that this material body, to which one is so attached, is so fragile. Within a moment, a lifetime worth of plans and achievements can be undone. We have to think of Kṛṣṇa at the time of death; and death can knock at our door without warning. So we have to become extra serious and careful in the execution of our devotional service, being fully engaged and avoiding offenses.
