The Passing of a Great Sa'dhaka

The Passing of a Great Sa'dhaka

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Namaskar. It is with deep pain that I inform you about the sad demise of a very great devotee of BABA, Shrii Virendranath Patra. All who knew him would only address him as Patra Da. He was a very senior devotee of Baba. He passed away on 25th December at 2.34 AM in Samastipur, Bihar.

Among four of his children, three of them became wholetimers of Ananda Marga and two of them are still serving His Mission. One of the three had passed away. The youngest daughter who was living with parents also died of cancer. It had also been her deepest dream to become a wholetimer. She wanted only to follow in the footsteps of her brother and sisters. She could not envision any other life for herself.

BABA usually did not accept so many children from one family to become wholetimers for Him, but in the case of this particular family, BABA gave no objection.

Once it so happened that the laokiika son of Patra Da, already an avadhuta, was holding an important post in the organization and was in-charge of organizing the garden tours and deciding who should accompany BABA while walking through His garden. As Patra Da was his own laokiika father, so this dada was hesitating to recommend his name for participating in BABA's garden tour.

When the dada was reading the names of the margiis he had approved, BABA asked the Dada, "I heard that Patra has come. Why have you not included his name amongst those to accompany ME on the garden tour? Go and call him immediately." Baba waited until Patra Da came and then only He began His walk, surrounded by HIS devotees, through HIS glorious garden at Madhu Malainca – Lake Gardens.

After the garden tour was completed, BABA spoke in a most cordial, loving manner to Patra Da and said to him: "Virendra, you might be feeling very sad that I have taken three of your children as wholetimers. Aren't you?"

Then Patra Da very devotionally replied to BABA, "Baba, they all are YOUR children. I was only their temporary caretaker. Now they are with their real Father, so why should I feel sad?"

Later Patra Da received a very rare Microvitum Sadhana from Baba. After initiating him, Baba commented that He initiated a real Mahatma (great soul).

Patra Da was a very simple person with high thoughts. He was very affectionate to all the workers, irrespective of their age or post in the mission. He was the personification of simplicity, devotion and sacrifice to Baba and His cause.

On December 24th 2007, in the afternoon after his lunch, he started to feel pain in his stomach and body. He was fully conscious and told his relatives in Samasthipur that he should go to the hospital. Then he was admitted to the hospital. By midnight that night his condition had become very critical, and he was brought to the ICU. It was there at 2.34 am, while repeating his Istamantra loudly, that he breathed his last.

With deep pain in the heart, we have to accept that we have lost a truly great devotee and a most active Karma Yogii in the form of our beloved Patra Da. He will be remembered by many with great respect, affection and love. Our only refuge, our only solace, is that his noble soul will be accepted by Beloved Baba in His loving shelter.

In Him,
Sudhiira'nanda-- Parama Pita' Ba'ba' Ki - Jay !!!