DISAPPEARANCE OF YAMUNACARYA

 

A few days after the departure of Mahapurna, Alabandara's body was afflicted with sickness once more. Despite the intense pain he had to undergo, he still took his bath and went to the temple to see Lord Rahganatha, the Lord of  his heart. He took a little mahd'prasdda and then returned to the dsrama, where he called for all of his householder disciples to come to him.First of all, in a mood of great humility, he begged them to forgive any offense that he might  have made towards them. He then asked them to take care of the brahmacdrx and sannydsl disciples who were living at the dsrama. Finally, Yamunacarya gave his last instruction to his householder disciples. "Every day you  should rise early and go to the temple to worship Lord Rahganatha, smelling the flowers that have been offered to His lotus feet. In this way your mind and intelligence will become purified, and you will become fixed in your devotion  to Lord Narayana. In addition you should always be devoted to your spiritual master and be attentive in serving guests.When the householder disciples had left, Alabandara sat in a lotus position and concentrated his mind on the  feet of Lord Hari. The remaining disciples began to chant the holy name of Lord Narayana in congregation, accompanied by the sweet sounds of the flute and other instruments. As Yamunacarya became even more deeply  immersed in thoughts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, tears of ecstasy ran down his cheeks and his body began to tremble. In this ecstatic state of devotional love the great dcdrya gave up his body and returned to the  lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, his eternal, beloved master.Immediately the kirtana stopped, and many of the disciples began to cry aloud in lamentation, while others fainted and fell unconscious to the ground. After some time the  sannydsis and Yamunacarya's son, Purna, collected themselves and began to make preparations for the funeral ceremony. The body was washed and dressed in new clothes before being placed on a decorated pa¬lanquin.  Then, in slow procession, they carried the palanquin down to the banks of the Kaveri River, followed by almost all the inhabitants of Sri Rahgam. There, amidst great lamentation, the body of the pure devotee was buried, as is the  custom for those who have achieved the perfectional stage of devotional service.