Srila Prabhupada Disciple (cont.)
Dhruva Maharaja das
Shortly after Srila Prabhupada’s departure in 1977, Dhruva Maharaja prabhu became temple commander of the Krsna-Balarama Mandir in Vrindavan. In 1981, he resided at Srila Prabhupada’s rooms at Radha-Damodara Temple. During that time he met several local Vaisnavas and developed an interest to learn more about Vraja Mandala and parikrama. A few years later he participated in Lord Caitanya’s 500th Anniversary Padayatra around India, beginning in Dvaraka and walking to Cochin in South India. After participating in and leading many padayatras during those years, in 1985 Dhruva Maharaja prabhu met and married his wife, Samapriya devi dasi. The couple returned to the U.S. and continued to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books and gradually phased into other seasonal businesses as well. They have spent the last 29 years traveling back and forth between the U.S. and India: Vrindavana (1985-89), Mayapur (1990-94), and Jagannatha Puri, where they built a home in 1994 and continue to visit up to the present. During this time, he also wrote and published two books on the holy dhamas: “Vrindavana Dhama Ki Jaya!” and “Jaya Jagannatha!”
After returning to Alachua from Puri in 2009, Dhruva Maharaja began developing eCourses to teach Srila Prabhupada's books online. Over the years the program has evolved to include eCourses on: Introduction to Spiritual Wisdom from India, Sri Isopanisad, Nectar of Instruction, Bhagavad Gita, and Srimad Bhagavatam. Recently, he and his wife conducted a Japa Workshop at Bhakti Bhavan and are now busy developing a similar online Japa Workshop in hopes to reach more people around the planet via the internet. Dhruva Maharaja prabhu stays inspired in Krishna consciousness by understanding that bhakti acts towards his eternal benefit, and if he doesn’t complete a task or surrender something in this lifetime, he will have to do it in another - so he may as well take care of it now. There is nothing in this world worthy of more attention.
by Sridevi dasi