The Glorious Departure of a Glorious Vaishnava

Devotees in Pennsylvania and all around the world are feeling deep sadness and a great sense of loss due to the sudden demise of His Grace Padmanabh Das Prabhu (Shri Prashant Patel, son of Shri Ashokbhai Patel and husband of Her Grace Prestha Devi Dasi), who left his body on October 16th, 2024, during the most auspicious Kartik month (as per the Braj Calendar) and on the highly auspicious day of Sharad Purnima, to return to the loving embrace of Lord Krishna in Sri Vrindavan Dham. He is a disciple of His Holiness Radha Govinda Dasa Goswami, a disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

Born on September 2nd, 1970, His Grace Padmanabh Prabhu was a true and dedicated servant of the Lord, whose life was a beacon of devotion, humility, and unwavering faith in Krishna consciousness. Being born in a family of Vaishnavas, His Grace Padmanabha Prabhu was in search of a spiritual oasis when he first arrived in America. By the mercy of devotees, he was soon introduced to Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON and Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Spiritual practices and knowledge came naturally to him, and he quickly became the pillar and pioneer of spreading the Hare Krsna message in Harrisburg, Reading, and nearby areas. He inspired many souls to follow the path of Krishna Consciousness. He was instrumental in the development of ISKCON of Harrisburg since 2003. He also served as a board member of Gita Nagari Dham for one year.

He was known as a learned, gentle, and humble devotee who always served others with a smile and a big heart. He had the special ability to bring a joyful presence to any gathering. No matter the challenges he faced, his spirit remained unbroken, and his sense of humor became a source of comfort and joy for those around him. You could always count on him to lift your spirits.

His presence among us will be deeply missed and irreplaceable. We take solace in knowing that his eternal journey continues in the service of the Supreme Lord, free from material suffering and immersed in Krishna’s divine love.

In this time of grief, as we pray for his peaceful journey back to the spiritual world, we offer our heartfelt prayers and kirtans for his eternal service to Lord Krishna. Let us pray for his swift journey back to the divine lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha Sharad Bihari and Sri Sri Nitai Gaurachandra.

We share the grief of his immediate family members and pray to Lord Sri Krishna to give them the strength and shelter at this most difficult time.

While we have all lost the association of this stalwart Vaishnava of Srila Prabhupada’s army, we must never forget the words of Srila Bhaktivinoda Ṭhakur:

“He reasons ill who says that Vaishnavas die
When thou art living still in sound!
The Vaishnavas die to live, and living try
To spread the holy name around.”
– from the Narada Bhakti Sutra

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.

A funeral service with kirtan will be held on Sunday, October 20, 2024, beginning at 11:00 A.M. at the following address:
Jesse H. Geigle Funeral Home
2100 Linglestown Road
Harrisburg, PA 17110