On the left Rasapriya prabhu.
By Radhikakrpa Devi Dasi
“My father though a materialistic person had an auspicious departure from this world, he left with eyes open and a smile on his face ,” recounted His Holiness Giriraj Swami in the discourse he gave on the 7th of Jan. 2012 in Punjabi bagh, Delhi. He added that his multimillionaire father had served the Lord indirectly as he loved and cared for his son. Maharaja further quoted Srila Prabhupada who had often said that, “those who are surrendered to the guru and Krsna, their parents would have a nice auspicious departure from this world .The parents of my disciples will realize their good fortune at the time of their passing away.’ ”
These lines of Maharaja refreshed my memory. Two years back I had been into a similar situation. My father-in-law then aged 75years was pronounced to be suffering from stomach cancer and declared by the doctors with a mere living time of six more months. I and my husband being into ISKCON for the last 13 years knew well by Srila Prabhupada’s mercy not to panic but to start the preparation for the inevitable. We turned to our spiritual father HH Gopal Krsna Goswami Maharaja for guidance. “Give Charanamrta to him daily and make him chant,” Maharaja ji instructed.
Rasapriya prabhu’s (my husband) father was a hard core materialistic person who wanted to die in his office chair. I clearly remember once when invited by Guru Maharaja ji to visit Vrindavan he replied back that it was yet too early for him to retire from his factory and office. Maharaja understood his nature but still blessed him , very calmly he asked my father-in –law to repeat the Mahamantra after him. Rasapriya prabhu’s father was totally unaware of the mercy flowing to him. My husband adhered to the spiritual father’s words. He religiously started getting ‘charnamrta’ from the Sri Sri Radha radhikakraman Krsna Balrama temple and fed him daily. Days went by and his health started deteriorating. Our chanting and prayers intensified.
Then one day at about 3am my husband’s phone rang; the voice at the other end was of the man who was taking care of my father-in-law at night. He asked my husband to come immediately as his father wanted him by his bedside. Rasapriya prabhu rushed not forgetting his beads and a small chip recorder of the Mahamantra in Srila Prabhupada’s voice. On reaching his ailing father’s bedside, he caressed his forehead lovingly. His father said that it seemed that he was leaving .Rasapriya prabhu asked him not to be afraid and requested him to chant with him and both of them chanted for nearly twenty minutes.
Rasapriya prabhu remembered that he had stored some charanmrta in the refrigerator which he immediately poured a drop of with a small ‘tulsi’ leaf into his mouth. A copy of third Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam was there in his book rack which Raspriya prabhu touched to his forehead. He placed the chip recorder next to his ears playing the Mahamantra in the pure voice of Srila Prabhupada.
My husband settled in a chair next to his father’s bed and started chanting his rounds as it was nearly “Braham muhurta” by then. His chanting was audible to his father’s ears as well. He watched his father relaxed now, the anxiety and fear he was feeling prior to his arrival had vanished now. He could hear very mild snoring. Two hours passed by and he finished his rounds sitting there. Rasapriya prabhu returned to his room to take rest for awhile.
Nearly at 8.45 am my husband asked me to go to my father-in -law’s room but then again he himself rushed there. As he reached there his sister who was in the doorway asked Raspriya prabhu to see what had happened. Rasapriya prabhu touched his father who had turned cold. He had left in his sleep while listening to the ‘mahamantra’ and with ‘charanmrta’ gone down his throat; the last thing he took on this planet. His eyes were half open and no sign of pain was on his face; very relaxed he looked . The pancreatic cancer that he was suffering from is quite painful and agonizing.
We were satisfied ; the mercy of the pure devotee of the Lord had flowed to him. The two things Guru Maharaja ji had requested for him were administered to him at the departure from this world. Srila Prabhupada ‘s words are not to be doubted ;they stand as pure as 24 carat gold or rather much more than that. His words are invaluable….they are precious……they are the only truth.
Truly speaking the narration by HH Giriraj Swami extremely inspired me to share this real life experience with the world. All glories to Vaisanvas! All glories to pure devotees!