Yamuna Devi Dasi - Serving Vani & Vapuh

Giriraj Swami recalls first meeting Yamuna Devi in Brussels in October 1970, where the room was suffused with devotion to Srila Prabhupada. Later, during travel through Cairo (amidst military tensions), he recalls Yamuna's protective and determined mood. In Bombay, she quickly picked up a new melody for the Gurvastakam, following Prabhupada's instruction: "Learn to listen. You cannot follow nicely unless you hear nicely, and you cannot lead nicely unless you have learned to follow nicely."

In Allahabad (1971), Yamuna was advised to sit apart from the men during lectures. When Prabhupada noticed her missing and asked why, she wept. Srila Prabhupada told her: "Those who think that association with the spiritual master is physical, they are no better than a mosquito sitting on the lap of a king... physically very few occasions... but they were very intimate."

This was a turning point for Yamuna. She realized that she must prepare for the time when Srila Prabhupada would no longer be physically present, and explore her relationship with him in separation through vani (instructions).

Yamuna Devi placed great emphasis on cleanliness as a form of worship. Srila Prabhupada trained her strictly: if there was a black spot on the bottom of any pot in the kitchen, he would chastise the servant. He expected his cooker to shine like gold.

Yamuna recalled cleaning Prabhupada's desk in Vrindavana perfectly, only for him to find dust inside the hinge of a staple gun and ask, "Havent I taught you to clean? When will you learn how to clean?" She took these as sweet lessons in high Vaishnava consciousness, which she continued to practice with joy throughout her life.

On December 20, 2011, Yamuna Devi peacefully departed, her hand in her bead bag, with a slight smile on her face. She was the personification of rapt attention to Srila Prabhupada's words.

By Giriraj Swami