Jayananda Prabhu, or formally Jayananada Dasa Brahmachari or Sri Srimad Jayananda Prabhu, is a legendary Vaishnava for anyone familiar with the Hare Krishna movement.
A disciple of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Jayananda Prabhu became dear to everyone he met, even to those who were initially antagonistic towards him!
I once met an old hippie in Puerto Rico who had met Jayananda, and this old gentleman couldn’t stop talking about him, “the saint in your movement” well over 50 years after he’d last met him! A hard-nosed city official famous for browbeating the devotees, refusing permission, hassling them, when she learned that Jayananda had departed, broke down and cried!
Often referred to as “Johnny Ananda” Or “Joy Ananda”, even “Jolly Ananda”, Jayananda’s infectious enthusiasm brought many lost souls to the spiritual path, starting with lines like “hey, can you hold this nail for me?” while under a cart with only feet visible. His deep humility and pioneering service continues to inspire millions around the world even today, over 50 years after his departure.
Jayananda Prabhu was not a “big leader” or a “Guru”, and didn’t hold any official position. But anyone who served with him reveres him to this day.
These are some of Jayananda Prabhu’s divine qualities:
- Attraction for Sri Krishna
- Ever Enthusiastic
- Deep Humility
- Service Attitude
- Freedom from Fault-finding
- Loved – Dear to Everyone
- Inclusive – Expert at Engaging Everyone
- Frugality
- Driven to Organize Ratha Yatra
- Solid Relationship with Guru
- Fearlessness
- Ever Surrendered to Guru and Krishna
In this ISKCON Oakville Sunday Feast Class, we will learn more about this divine personality who departed young, before his spiritual master, starting with a prayer for his mercy.
Jayananda Prabhu earned a degree as a Mechanical Engineer, but preferred to drive a cab instead!
He gave everything he had to his spiritual master, because “I knew he didn’t want to cheat me so I wanted to work for him.”. And work he did!
This is what Srila Prabhupada wrote in his Preface to the Nectar of Devotion:
The Nectar of Devotion is specifically presented for persons who are now engaged in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. I beg to offer my sincere thanks to all my friends and disciples who are helping me to push forward the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in the Western countries, and I beg to acknowledge, with thanks, the contribution made by my beloved disciple Śrīman Jayānanda Brahmacārī. My thanks are due as well to the directors of ISKCON Press, who have taken so much care in publishing this great literature. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Preface, Nectar of Devotion, https://vedabase.io/en/library/nod/preface/
ISKCON Oakville Sunday Feast Program
iGita Yoga Studio, 65 Speers Road, Oakville, Ontario L6K 2G3, Canada
DATE📆: Sunday, 9th June 2024
TIME⌚: 4:00 PM. ET Canada/USA/ 3:00 PM. CT USA/ 1:00 PM PST USA/ 9:00 PM UK/ 5 AM MYT/ 2:30 AM IST.
Class will be broadcast live on the ISKCON Oakville Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/iskconoakvillepage/
I will also record audio and send to those who have elected to receive recordings of classes delivered.
Whether or not you can attend the class, here is an article that is a must-read! https://krishna.com/life-jayananda-prabhu
In fact, Jayananda Prabhu is a great saint born in America, and we should aspire to follow in his footsteps, so we pray that he may be merciful unto us all.
Hare Krishna!
Freedom through Genuine Spiritual Progress 