Dear Maharajas and Prabhus

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I am
very sad to get this news, although I expected it for some time. HG Somaka
Prabhu was a dear friend. Although I did not have the fortune that all of
you have shared, in knowing him from the beginning; whatever time I had with
him, I felt his genuineness, sincerity and sobriety at every moment that I
was with him. He was very concerned and determined to establish realistic
standards for leaders, and fought against any kind of hypocricy amoungst
leaders to present themselves as something they are not. We shared this
sentiment, although he was bold enough to express it.

I have met very few devotees who had so much drive to get things done, and
not waste time. I always seemed that Somaka P was living his last day in
this body; he was so decided to use every moment to exract the maximum
benefit for Krsna.

Somaka Prabhu had so much desire to do those things which Srila Prabhupada
instructed, that most of us find easy to discard and not practical. His most
vivid example is trying to launch the self-sufficient communities in S
America. He will always be my source of inspiration as I continue to try to
do those things amidst the unbelief of others.

I am sorry that I did not contact him again after our last conversation in
March. I already missed is association so much, and now I feel separation
from a friend who will always inspire me, and that inspiration will be the
fondest memory I can possibly maintain of such a great and noble vaisnava.
Only thing that I am happy about is that Krsna has taken him and relieved
him of the suffering that his body was giving. Sometimes we want someone who
is dear to us to stay longer, but Krsna is very merciful to His devotees,
and does not want them to suffer too much.

I hope that he will bless me with devotion to Krsna, and that, coupled with
the inspiration that he has given me, will be another eternal debt that I
have with the vaisnavas.

Your servant,

Guru Prasad Swami