The following eulogy was given by Srila Acharyadeva at the funeral service of his godsister and disciple, Shyamapriya Devi Dasi. Having left her body on April 16 after a long battle with cancer, the well-attended funeral service was held in Gainesville on April 20, 2009.
To her friends and well wishers, Shyamapriya was "Mamma Shyama," a devoted soul who ran Srila Acharyadeva's tape ministry for several years and, for the past twenty years, dedicated her life to developing ISKCON's prison ministry. Having kept regular correspondence with hundreds of grateful prisoners, she even successfully arranged for Gaura-Nitai deities to be placed in several prison chapels.
Last fall, a friend of Shyamapriya's had posted a message on the HdG Istagosthi requesting financial support on Shyamapriya's behalf, knowing well that she was too humble to ask for it herself. Fighting cancer as a single mother, supporting her 13-year-old daughter, and undergoing chemotherapy, Shyamapriya was very grateful when Srila Acharyadeva responded to her need and offered to cover the difference of her monthly bills. Several months before her death, she organized a Nama Initiation ceremony and feast for Bhavananda das (Bhakta Bob) at Acharyadeva's home in Gainesville. Even throughout her illness, Shyamapriya always kept a positive attitude, maintained her service with the prison ministry, and tolerated life's difficulties with seldom a complaint. Having comforted her and glorified her for dedicating her life to Srila Prabhupada's service, Srila Acharyadeva had visited her in the hospital two days before her passing.
To Shyamapriya Devi Dasi, in memoriam, we offer our humble obeisances and appreciations.
Mamma Shyama listening and intently watching Srila Acharyadeva speak at Bhavananda das's Nama Initiation ceremony on February 23, 2009.