My visit to Salt Lake City at the end of April was marked by death. It was scheduled long before Caru Prabhu’s sudden departure - the leader who had established both the beautiful temples of Salt Lake City and Spanish Fork. His memorial service fell exactly on the dates of my visit - Saturday at the temple in Salt Lake City, and Sunday in Spanish Fork.
I had heard about the huge Holi festivals Caru Prabhu had arranged and inspired in other temples around the US, and I had been looking forward to meeting him. Little did I know that he would depart just before my arrival. Now I felt inspired to watch some talks and podcasts with him in order to get to know him a little. An outstanding personality indeed! Several disciples of Srila Prabhupada attended the memorial celebration, and Anuttama Prabhu glorified him in a unique way: "He was so out of the box, that he didn't even realise there was a box!"
Also Agnidev Prabhu spoke to glorify him, and shortly after the program he had a stroke and was admitted to the ICU. After an attempt of a surgical intervention he did not come back to a conscious state. Agnideva Prabhu's three children arrived from Portland, and together with his wife and senior devotees they decided to switch off the ventilator and all life extending machines, as it was obvious he would not be able to recover; the stroke was in the brainstem and could not be operated on. A small group of devotees including myself were with him in the ICU ward when everything was turned off, and we chanted in kirtan until he moved on. He was struggling for around 60 minutes gasping for air when the nurses sedated him a little, so he could leave. It was an intense experience for everyone which stayed with me for a few days.
Also Agnidev Prabhu spoke to glorify him, and shortly after the program he had a stroke and was admitted to the ICU. After an attempt of a surgical intervention he did not come back to a conscious state. Agnideva Prabhu's three children arrived from Portland, and together with his wife and senior devotees they decided to switch off the ventilator and all life extending machines, as it was obvious he would not be able to recover; the stroke was in the brainstem and could not be operated on. A small group of devotees including myself were with him in the ICU ward when everything was turned off, and we chanted in kirtan until he moved on. He was struggling for around 60 minutes gasping for air when the nurses sedated him a little, so he could leave. It was an intense experience for everyone which stayed with me for a few days.
As we know, Krishna instructs us in verse 8.5. of the Bhagavad-gita to remember Him alone at our moment of death; this fact remains crucial to developing our relationship with Him – ultimately our saving grace at this final exam.
We may wonder what our destiny may be, if, by external circumstances, we are suddenly kicked out of our body, not giving us a chance to focus our mind on Krishna. In the purport to the Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.7.6), we find a nice and encouraging explanation to this question: Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura comments as follows:
‘Those great souls who have surrendered unto Me are always equipped with transcendental knowledge and detachment from the material world. Sometimes, being busy in their devotional service, they may appear to forget Me. However, a pure devotee who has achieved the platform of love for Me will always be protected by such sincere devotion. Even if such a devotee should suddenly give up his life while neglecting to fix his mind intensely on Me, such a devotee’s loving feelings are so powerful that they afford him all protection. Even if there is a temporary moment of forgetfulness, such devotion will bring the devotee to My lotus feet, which are beyond the vision of ordinary, materialistic persons.'
Krishna is a person, and as we have established a loving relationship with Him, He excuses our temporary and circumstantial inability to remember Him. A devotee’s loving feelings for the Lord are so powerful that they protect him and take him to Krishna’s lotus feet, even though there may be a temporary moment of forgetfulness.
Such is the mercy of the Lord – after all, He is a person Who understands
and excuses these external circumstances. However, our relationship with the Lord still must be infused with loving feelings, and the connection, strongly established in devotion. Not a cheap matter – it requires serious cultivation over many years to deepen any relationship. The above quote should not be used to encourage ourselves to have a lax and negligent attitude, thinking that we need not consciously try to remember Krishna after all; that He will understand, do the needful and accept us even when we are forgetful because of our negligence and slackness.
After spending a wonderful time visiting the devotees in Seattle, I arrived in Atlanta on the 6th of May...
Your servant, Devaki dd
We may wonder what our destiny may be, if, by external circumstances, we are suddenly kicked out of our body, not giving us a chance to focus our mind on Krishna. In the purport to the Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.7.6), we find a nice and encouraging explanation to this question: Srila Vishvanatha Chakravarti Thakura comments as follows:
‘Those great souls who have surrendered unto Me are always equipped with transcendental knowledge and detachment from the material world. Sometimes, being busy in their devotional service, they may appear to forget Me. However, a pure devotee who has achieved the platform of love for Me will always be protected by such sincere devotion. Even if such a devotee should suddenly give up his life while neglecting to fix his mind intensely on Me, such a devotee’s loving feelings are so powerful that they afford him all protection. Even if there is a temporary moment of forgetfulness, such devotion will bring the devotee to My lotus feet, which are beyond the vision of ordinary, materialistic persons.'
Krishna is a person, and as we have established a loving relationship with Him, He excuses our temporary and circumstantial inability to remember Him. A devotee’s loving feelings for the Lord are so powerful that they protect him and take him to Krishna’s lotus feet, even though there may be a temporary moment of forgetfulness.
Such is the mercy of the Lord – after all, He is a person Who understands
and excuses these external circumstances. However, our relationship with the Lord still must be infused with loving feelings, and the connection, strongly established in devotion. Not a cheap matter – it requires serious cultivation over many years to deepen any relationship. The above quote should not be used to encourage ourselves to have a lax and negligent attitude, thinking that we need not consciously try to remember Krishna after all; that He will understand, do the needful and accept us even when we are forgetful because of our negligence and slackness.
After spending a wonderful time visiting the devotees in Seattle, I arrived in Atlanta on the 6th of May...
Your servant, Devaki dd
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