On June 15 at 10:45 PM Tapasa Prabhu, leader and TP of ISKCON Stockholm, Sweden, and a veteran Scandinavian devotee, left his body surrounded by devotees chanting the Hare Krishna-mantra. His departure is truly a loss to ISKCON devotees in Sweden and Scandinavia who had his association for close to 45 years.
Tapasa Prabhu was born in Norway in 1956 outside of Bergen. His first contact with Krishna consciousness was in 1970 when he got the record My Sweet Lord with George Harrison which made him curious about Indian spirituality. In 1979 he met for the first time devotees of Krishna in London where he received a book, Teachings of Queen Kunti, which he read. Krishna gradually deepened his faith in different ways and he started to visit the ISKCON temple in Bergen regularly in 1981. He mentioned that it was actually a special mercy, because that temple existed only for a short period, just when he was ready to take advantage of it.
In the beginning of 1982 he moved to Korsnäs Gård, Sweden, the temple of Gandharvika-Giridhari outside Stockholm. He stayed there for three months and then moved to the Oslo temple in Norway which he was connected with for the next many years.
From the beginning of his life as a brahmacari, he distributed Srila Prabhupada's books, being on the streets of cities and villages of Norway often 8-12 hours six days a week in any weather condition with deep faith and dedication to the movement of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya. At this time he became known among the best and most steady book distributors in Europe and trained and inspired many more devotees to take up this service. All those who associated with him at this time were always impressed by his deep philosophical understanding and intelligence.
Finally in 1995, due to health reasons, he stopped street distribution and moved to Stockholm, Sweden. He also got married to Lajjavati Devi Dasi at that time, and the couple stayed and served together until his departure. At first he did various communication services but a couple of years later he took up the responsibility of temple president in Stockholm. At that time there was a big crisis in the movement in Scandinavia due to the main leader, Harikesa Swami, leaving his services in ISKCON. Some devotees lost faith, some left the movement, some became critical, etc. In that situation, with very little support, Tapasa Prabhu stood strong and struggled to maintain and eventually adapt and develop the preaching in Stockholm to the new times. His mood was always that, ”If there is no one else ready to support the different projects of Srila Prabhupada, I will try, because his mission must go on with all its projects nicely.” He sacrificed himself and also his health in this way for many years. Eventually the situation stabilized, and Tapasa Prabhu was more relieved to preach and take care of the devotees and lead the congregation, which was his real heart.
Somehow or another (by Lord Krishna’s desire?), from 2020 his health deteriorated. He got shingles, then a stroke and 1.5 years ago he was diagnosed with idiopathic lung fibrosis, an incurable, terminal lung disease with a mortality rate greater than cancer. When he got this information, the disease had already affected 40% of his lungs.
Over the last two months the disease escalated to its last stages. Still Tapasa Prabhu maintained a clear consciousness with focus on Lord Sri Krishna, Srila Prabhupada and his spiritual master (His Holiness Radhanatha Swami), and many devotees came and paid him a last visit. On June 15th he left his body at home with big tulasi plants around him, while the holy name was being chanted by the surrounding devotees. He received holy waters and tulasi leaves in his mouth and dust from the holy places on his head. His departure was very peaceful. In his last half hour he just slowly and softly breathed out while still being conscious.
Lajjavati Devi Dasi: ”We beg the devotees for blessing this kind soul, who always wished well for everyone and tried to serve and support the devotees more than he actually could. Please bless him, so that Krishna, if He so desires, will make his spiritual journey back to Him completed now and accept him eternally in His loving pastimes! He has truly given his everything in the service of the devotees in Srila Prabhupada's movement practically to his last breath. Thank you so much!”
Praghosa Dasa, GBC secretary for Scandinavia: ”Tapasa was a super steady devotee who served for well over four decades in ISKCON. He was a staunch book distributor in his early days, and for the last many, many years led ISKCON's efforts in Stockholm as temple president.
I last met him in April and he was struggling with his breathing then, taking oxygen etc. But he was in good spirits and was remarkably stoic in his approach to his physical demise. We had a long chat about many things but his overriding concern was for Krsna consciousness to flourish in Sweden and for the Stockholm temple to go from strength to strength. (Recently the temple had been renovated and while still small, is a much better facility today than it was before Tapasa organised the renovation)
Tapasa was loyal and faithful to Srila Prabhupada through and through and firmly adhering to Srila Prabhupada's instructions. It was this unwavering faith that allowed to easily manage any all challenges that were visited on him either personally, or in his service, or with his relationships with others – he simply never faltered. Rather he always saw such challenges as an opportunity to both deepen his faith and also improve, in particular, how he interacted with others.
Tapasa is a genuine example of such a hard working and dedicated devotee, who was a real hero on the battlefield, even though many may not have known him.
At the end of our meeting in April I asked him to give me even 10% of the strength and courage that he was displaying in navigating his transition from this world to the next. Tapasa Prabhu ki jai!”
Janesvara Dasa: ”The passing of Tapasa Prabhu is a big loss for the Swedish and Scandinavian yatras. He was always there with his strong conviction in Krishna consciousness, knowledge of sastra and devotion to the sankirtana mission of Sri-Sri Nitai-Gaurasundara, the Deities in the Brahmakunda Centre in Stockholm which he lead for several decades. He was a fantastic book distributor, and he was good in cultivating people and leading them to become devotees and initiated. He was an excellent cook and a wonderful and ecstatic kirtana leader. Whenever he came over to Almviks Gaard and gave lectures, it was a very solemn, interesting and enthusing time. One of my best kirtana experiences was with him as a kirtana leader and myself playing mrdanga on a Gaura Purnima festival.
I am convinced his next destination is wonderful where he can continue to serve Srila Prabhupada and Sri-Sri Nitai-Gaurasundara. Tapasa Prabhu ki jaya! Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!”
Mahabhavi Dasa spent the last days with Tapasa Prabhu up until his departure. He relates: ”His Grace Tapas Prabhu was a remarkable devotee who dedicated himself to the mission of Lord Caitanya. He left his body on the evening of Sunday 15th of June.
In the early 90-ties I had the opportunity to travel up and down Norway with Tapas Prabhu for some years, distributing Srila Prabhupadas books. His name Tapas (austerity) suited him well. He was very austere and dedicated to the mission of Srila Prabhupada. His sankirtan party was very regulated, ricing early every day at 4 am, run out in the cold to the shower area at the campus, then concentrated japa for two hours followed by morning program with Bhagavatam lecture and prasad. Morning prasad was kitcheree and that was also what we packed in our lunchbox. Then we would be out for sankirtan for 6-7 hours. In the evening we would pack our books for the next day, do our individual reading of Srila Prabhupadas books and take some milk, and sometimes, not so often, he would make his favourite evening prasad for all of us- puris and banana chutney. Tapas prabhu was an expert cook, and he would cook and eat prasad with great happiness.
He had solid understanding of bhakti as practised by Lord Caitanyas followers, and His lectures was filled with deep realisations. His lectures would be so interesting that we never wanted him to stop. We could just sit and listen and listen to his sharp finetuning of relevant philosophical points, and although traveling sankirtan was austere, his dedication, enthusiasm, friendly behaviour and profound knowledge of the scriptures made travelling sankirtan under his care a very easy and blissful experience. There was no room for giving in to maya.
Later I got married, had children and got entangled in many different activities in this material world for many years, but then, when time was ready in my life for gradually retiring from family life and enter the vanaprastha lifestyle, I was able to remember the blissful days of my time with Tapas prabhu and the solid training under his care for some few years. Thus, I had some strength to go in the direction of renunciation and again dedicate myself to the sankirtan mission.
Again I would distribute Prabhupadas books and this time, with the help of others, also try to start a temple in Bergen, his home town. We moved to Bergen in 2018. In 2022-2025 we bought a building in the centre of Bergen, we renovated it and installed the murtis of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai. Tapas Prabhu came many times and visited us in Bergen. Bergen was his hometown, and he was very happy to see that a temple manifested here. His kind visit was of great inspiration for us. He was very personal in his dealings, and he was always very willing to help solve any issue that we were facing trying to establish a temple here in Bergen. I could always turn to him for guidance and words of encouragement. To not have his association anymore is an unbearable loss.
I feel very blessed that I was given the opportunity to render some service to him and his wife at these last moments – cooking, shopping, whatever was needed. Tapas prabhu was very sick with lots of pain and feelings of suffocation due to his lounges not working properly. But even at this most difficult situation, about to leave his body, he was sound in mind and was communicating with the world and visitors, giving his association and assistance with whatever needed. Such dedication! His whole life was a brilliant example of a dedicated servant in the sankirtan mission.
I feel totally indebted to Tapas Prabhu. He was like a father and friend for me. His association is deeply missed.
All glories to Srila Tapas Prabhu.
Your servant
Mahabhavi das