By Devavati dasi
During the past 20 months, H.H. Bhakti Tirtha Swami and 7 of my dearest friends including the Mother of a devotee departed auspiciously from this planet. Being blessed with assisting as an in-home caregiver with 3 of the departures and staying in prayer, there have been many deep insights into dying before we die and extraordinary lessons in grateful, compassionate communication.
Thank-you dear Lord and Gurudeva for allowing me to remember the beauty and abundance that is present when all our loving relationships are honoured as sacred when gratitude is expressed to every living part of your creation.
Nothing is ever accomplished without the guidance and blessings of our loved ones ~ thank-you dear Lord for cleansing my foolish heart, prideful intelligence, and arrogant mind, thinking with my agressive and bold enthusiasm that all should have understood my aching heart and need for urgency. Now I understand Beloved Gurudeva that only you and our dear Lord understand my true heart.
Further lesson’s are revealed by knowing yourself first and believing in forgiveness, setting the stage to let go of the attachment to the story.
Know your friends and stay close to those who have faith in you for they will never turn their back on you.
Know the enemies of the mind and the unwanted things in your heart, so that you may forgive yourself and those that have hurt you the most.
In Bhagavad-gita Ch. 14 text 25, Srila Prabhupada explains in the purport:
… He takes everyone as his dear friend who helps him in his execution of Krsna consciousness, and he does not hate his so-called enemy. He is equally disposed and sees everything on an equal level because he knows perfectly well that he has nothing to do with material existence.
Another lesson is always go first, by being ever present to run after Guru and Krsna together, so we may joyfully join in the dance.
~ from the Woods and Groves of
New Vrindaban Dhama