By Dharmatma das
My wake-up call came late one evening at home. a trip, a sudden hard fall, brief unconsciousness, laying in mud and incredible pain. The Orthopedic specialist said,”It’s a dislocated shoulder and you’ve torn the rotator cuff in two places, and that’s the good news. The bad news is that you won’t believe how much it will cost to fix. “Do you have a medical plan? “If not you’ll have to pay the full amount up front.”
So, my wife and I are on our way to India again, excited to meet our son Dhruva in Vrndavana and to attend our son DrdhaVrata’s wedding in South India. By now I’ve communicated with some of the wonderful devotees at Bhaktivedanta Hospital. “Yes, our expert Orthopedic surgeons can take care of your shoulder and the cost will be this amount, everything inclusive. “My Lord, I thought, that’s a fraction of the western doctors charges.”
We arrived at the hospital in Mumbai early on December 28th. Immediately devotees from the Spiritual Care Department welcomed us and before we knew it the paper work was done, we were settled in our room and given prasadam. Very quickly after that tilak adorned doctors and nurses took me through all the pre-op procedures and tests.
I felt very safe being wheeled into the operating theater hearing Srila Prabhupada chanting from speakers in every room and space in the hospital. Imagine our amazement when during recovery there was a knock on our door and Lord Jagannath appeared on a beautiful throne before us. Kalindi and Gaurangi matajis bring Him to every room every day giving darshan and maha prasadam to every patient.
The hospital is a full service medical facility with state of the art equipment, expert doctors and health care staff. More importantly, the entire hospital is a temple. From the wonderful murti of Srila Prabhupada in the entry hall, Krishna lila art in every room, sweet, kind and helpful doctors and nurses and the holy name spoken by everyone even those who clean the floors. I awoke in pain one night and called for the nurse hoping for more medication. As it was too soon for another dose she sweetly said that the best medicine she could give me was to chant Hare Krishna.
Doctors and nurses start each of the daily three shift changes by first cleaning Srila Prabhupada’s vyasasan, surroundings and reciting Sikshastakam prayers with folded hands. Many of those entering the hospital also stop and offer pranams. Words cannot express the wonderful service they are doing. Not only do they heal suffering bodies but they give the medicine of Krishna consciousness to all who enter.
Our humble appreciation and thanks to everyone we came in contact with. Especially his holiness Radhanath maharaja who has infused his wonderful qualities into the hearts of all the devotees and workers there. His kindness and compassion for everyone is apparent throughout every corner of the hospital.
They fixed my shoulder but also gave me a greater appreciation of the mercy of Srila Prabhupada.
Your servants, Dharmatma das, Dvijapriya dasi