My Dear Guru Mahārājā,
Please accept my humble obeisance at your lotus feet. All glories
to Śrīla Prabhupāda and all glories to Gurudeva.
"I went to your country with a mission and you all good souls were sent by Kṛṣṇa to me"- Śrīla Prabhupāda.
One of the good souls sent by Kṛṣṇa to Śrīla Prabhupāda is "His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārājā" who has been serving Śrīla Prabhupāda as a "Selfless Worker" over the last three decades.
His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārājā was glad to see that his name – Gordan John (Gour Dhan Jan) already suggested what Śrīla Prabhupāda confirmed, that he and two other devotees were formerly associates of Lord Caitanya and that they had taken their birth in the west to facilitate spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness around the world.
The first most important was the service as the president of ISKCON Montreal. His Holiness was engaged in the service of printing books and dispatching them to other ISKCON centres around the world. In a letter dated 6th October 1968 Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote him,” I am interested in starting the press, so if you can manage it will be very nice”. His service to the Bhaktivendata Book Trust continued in India and continues until today as he is one of the trustees of the BBT.
His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami is 12th sannyāsī disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda would be henceforth known as “Tridaṇḍi Bikṣu Jayapatākā Swami”.
Jayapatākā swami soon began to oversee construction work in Māyāpur and the artistic lotus building was built but envious circle began to give the devotees a lot of trouble. With permission from Śrīla Prabhupāda and the police, His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārājā kept a gun for protecting ISKCON devotees and property. As a devotee who was with him at that time remarked, “He (Jayapatākā Mahārāja) was a great shooter”.
With the permission of Śrīla Prabhupāda, Jayapatākā Mahārājā applied for the Indian citizenship. This meant that he could not leave the country. He has been spreading the Kṛṣṇa consciousness around the country and the world.
Jayapatākā Swami Mahārājā is the world chairman for “Food For Life”, and ISKCON’s food relief programs. The descendant of Advaita Ācārya himself, selected His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārājā to be in charge of the annual Śāntipur mass prasāda distribution program.
Many years of spiritual servicing, Guru Mahārājā helps and being help to the unconditioned souls to realize the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even though his physical condition is not so good, but guru Mahārājā has the stand and give moral support to all the devotees.
15th Aug 18 he had the transplant surgery. After a great struggle he came back to save the unconditioned souls like me.
Guru Mahārājā personally loves attending Ratha-yātrās. Simply because he likes lord Jagannātha, it was during the Ratha-yātrā in San Francisco that time he first came into ISKCON and his first service was to build Jagannātha’s Ratha cart. Thus he believes that it is by the mercy of lord Jagannātha that he is a devotee.
Śrīla Prabhupāda gave Jayapatākā Swami Guru Mahārāja to relive the unconditioned souls from the suffering of materialistic world.
There is no words to say, his glories are unlimited. I am the very lucky person to have him as my guru and my dear spiritual father.
Your’s servant,
Bhuvana Mohinī Rādhā devī dāsī (dīkṣā)
Śrīraṅgam, Trichy