автор: Sandipani Hume

Tribhuvanatha dasa (born Thomas Kevin Hegarty) appeared in this world in 1952. He was born in Longford, Ireland. Despite many serious challenges in his upbringing, he was noted for his determination and his forbearance amidst the difficulties he faced. He was always known to be a very discerning person with a deep capacity to tolerate trying circumstances. In 1968, at the age of 16, he left home to work in London, trying to make a life for himself there.In 1969 he encountered the Hare Krishna Movement and started practising and studying Krishna consciousness, bhakti yoga. He was an astute student with a very logical and analytical mind. He quickly became very expert at understanding and explaining the ancient Vedic texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, Isopanisad and the Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana). Shortly after joining the Krishna consciousness movement and the Radha Krishna Temple ashram in London, he met the founder, Prabhupada, whom he immediately accepted as his spiritual master. Overwhelmed by the genuine spiritual love given to him and his fellow community members by Srila Prabhupada, he accepted initiation from His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, formally becoming his disciple in 1970. Thus, Srila Prabhupada became his life»s inspiration. As a full-time member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness he helped to share Bhakti yoga with people around the world. He was instrumental in opening new projects and temples in the UK at a time when the ancient Vedic culture was not familiar to people. Although his early education had not been elaborate, he soon became a well-renowned and respected spiritual leader, scholar and musician. By the grace of his guru, he quickly learnt whatever he needed and was invited to speak at many events and major universities around the world. He spent the majority of his life as a monk and was appreciated for his personal touch in his caring and philosophical guidance on real-life issues. He travelled to many countries in the world inspiring people with his talks and his singing of kirtan (devotional mantra music). He was instrumental in the opening of temples, cultural centres and farm projects in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Middle East and Africa, thereby changing the lives of thousands of people. He participated in the opening of eco-farms and rural non-profit spiritual projects and was also a major influence in the opening of spiritual orphanages in Africa where the children get a home and an education both in spiritual and material knowledge. In other words, his life»s mission was to serve Krishna and to serve others on their journey in life.In the last few years of his life, he encountered serious health difficulties, being diagnosed with cancer, but his spirit shone greater than ever. He explained that he was not fearful but grateful and said that death is comparable to a changing of dress and that the soul is eternal. He left his body in 2001 at the age of 48. Many people around the world take him as a guru or a spiritually inspirational figure. He credited all of his life»s successes to his spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada.