Letter to a Seriously ill Disciple
In my Facebook notes I share a letter written to a disciple who is very sick and may soon leave his body. I pray it will be of some inspiration to others faced with similar circumstances now – or in the future.
Dear Bhaja Govinda dasa,
Please accept my blessings. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
The devotees have informed me of your health crisis and explained everything in detail. Like all the devotees I am sad that you have to go through all these physical difficulties; the pain, the anxiety, and the possibility of having to leave your body. At the same time it is to be expected. You are not alone in having to undergo these material sufferings. In due course of time, all of us will succumb to some disease, some accident, and eventually death.
The good news is that we are all devotees and we know these sufferings are only temporary – like the coming and going of the yearly seasons. So we tolerate. We simply tolerate. And we know and have faith in the scriptures that because of our devotional service – our practices in Krsna consciousness – we will achieve a much higher destination in the future. That is sure and certain. So no matter how bad things become for our bodies we remain detached and hopeful. Always positive.
You are going through a real life drama. It’s one thing to read about such things in the newspapers – or even the sastras. But it’s something else when these things actually happen to us … to you. It requires that you go deep into your Krsna consciousness and find the spiritual strength to go on – to maintain your enthusiasm and faith despite all the pain and anxiety. To face death is no easy thing – even for a transcendentalist.
Nevertheless, we are prepared for such things. From the day we joined this ISKCON movement we have been preparing ourselves for the inevitable: that one day we will leave these bodies. All our chanting, all our hearing, all our service and association is meant for this; to be Krsna conscious when we go through disease, old age and death. So take strength in your previous devotional activities. By doing so your knowledge will turn into realizations.
Try your best to cure yourself. That is your duty – to maintain your life as long as possible for service. But if after all is “said and done,” and it is not possible to stop your disease, then be strong and resign yourself to the fact that you will have to leave your body. Make that your focus. Accept the fact and immerse yourself in hearing and chanting. That’s all we do at the last stage of life. That’s all we can do. And it’s very, very potent. Because of the circumstances, we hear and chant very seriously as that time and the quality of such devotional service is very, very potent.
In conclusion: don’t be afraid, don’t be in anxiety. You are not alone in what you are going through. Many devotees have been – and will be – in similar situations. Be strong, positive and hopeful. Try every means to cure yourself. We all pray that something will work! We’d like you stay with us some more years and continue with your valuable services. You have done well in this lifetime. I have received many nice reports about the various services you have rendered. Surely the Lord is pleased with you! But if all means to cure you fail – then bravely and with courage, face death. Just like Dhruva Maharaja. When death came to take him, death bowed at the feet of Dhruva because he was such a great soul. Then Dhruva stepped on the head of death to enter the Vaikuntha airplane that had come to take him back to the spiritual world.
I am thinking of you – and praying for you. I am praying that you’ll always remain Krsna conscious. I am praying that the Lord will watch over and protect you. I am praying that when the time comes – the Lord will take you home.
I would like you to personally keep in touch with me. So please feel free to write to me anytime you wish. I’ll help you through all this.
I am always and forever,
Your ever well wisher,
Indradyumna Swami