771113 - Letter to Prabhus from Ramesvara

November 13, 1977

From: Ramesvara

ALL GLORIES TO SRI GURU AND GAURNGA!

LATEST NEWS ABOUT SRILA PRABHUPADA!

Dear Prabhus,

Please accept my most humble obeisances in the dust of your feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! Yudhumanu (LA SKP Leader) just returned from India with excerpts from Jayadvaita Prabhu’s diary describing the critical situation which was taking place on November 11th. His notes are reprinted below exactly as Jayadvaita recorded them.

“This morning Tamal Krsna Gosvami, Bhavananda Gosvami, etc. were trying to convince Srila Prabhupada to drink milk in small quantities for strength, as the Kaviraja recommended. His Divine Grace refused: ‘It is too much botheration.’ After all arguments failed, Jayapataka Swami put forward an argument that we want to serve Srila Prabhupada so, he should let us. Srila Prabhupada said, ‘I am allowing you, but you are all going away.’Jayapataka Swami said that he had to go to Mayapur for the court case, but Srila Prabhupada was unimpressed. ‘No, even when you were here.’ (i.e. ‘even when you were here you didn’t stay for kirtan with me full time.’) Then Srila Prabhupada said again, ‘You are considering me infectious, therefore avoiding.’ “

“In the last two weeks, Srila Prabhupada’s physical health – what was left of it – has deteriorated even more. He has not translated or gone out (on palanquin to see Sri Sri Krsna Balarama) for the last week. He is taking treatment from an apparently excellent Kaviraja from Calcutta. This is the last doctor Srila Prabhupada is going to accept treatment from. Either his medicine will be effective and afford some physical strength, or else – unless Krsna intervenes in some extraordinary way – Srila Prabhupada’s next program will be to cease external affairs such as eating, and leave this material world. His Divine Grace has made it quite clear that this is what he considers to be the only proper alternative.”

“Initially the kaviraja’s medicine showed some signs of effectiveness, but then His Divine Grace grew weaker, and this morning he complained of severe pressure in his chest. The Kaviraja then said that his heartbeat was much weaker and was skipping beats. ‘It is the pulse of a man with perhaps two weeks to live,’ the Kaviraja said.”

“But the latest report, about an hour ago, is that when the Kaviraja examined Srila Prabhupada this afternoon, he found Srila Prabhupada’s heartbeat and pulse completely reverted to normal. The kaviraja is amazed. He has never seen anything like it! He can only attribute it to Srila Prabhupada’s own desire or transcendental lila. The situation is still touch-and-go, but some hope is there.”

“This afternoon Lokanath Swami came and Srila Prabhupada decided to go on parikrama by bullock cart to different tirthas. He agreed that he could start with parikrama around Vrndavana ‘as an experiment’. The kaviraja said Prabhupada wouldn’t survive even an hour of such a ride, and everyone tried to dissuade him from going. But he was firm. ‘There is no risk. I think it will help me recover. If I recover, that is good, and if I die, death is inevitable in any case and it will be glorious.’ He decided to go to Govardhana Hill and circumambulate (9-hour trip), camp overnight and return the next day. The devotees went out to rent the bullock cart and the managers started arranging for the parikrama. The kaviraja said that if Srila Prabhupada went, ‘You will never see me again.’ Finally, late this evening, Srila Prabhupada agreed to the pleading of Tamal Krsna Gosvami and Bhavananda Gosvami and decided not to go. The parikrama party will still go out, but Srila Prabhupada will remain here. This is only a brief description of events that covered many hours. I can’t even describe the emotional atmosphere. When Srila Prabhupada agreed not to go, Tamal Krsna was in tears. Srila Prabhupada told Krsnadas Babaji, ‘Just see how much they love me.’ And he told Bhavananda Gosvami, ‘You have suffered so much for me. I cannot do anything that would put you into distress’ (like going on parikrama).

“The most important factor in Srila Prabhupada’s health definitely seems to be the kirtan and how much the devotees, especially the senior devotees, display sincere, genuine affection and desire that Srila Prabhupada stay. Srila Prabhupada’s condition is transcendental. When the devotees come and have kirtan with real sincerity, Srila Prabhupada seems to increase in his will to recover. Without that transcendental encouragement he seems less inclined to stay.” “In summary, Srila Prabhupada’s health is worse than ever and again his departure seems imminent, unless Krsna intervenes. The next three or five days seem crucial – either His Divine Grace will show signs indicating hope of recovery or else he will prepare for departure. This seems to be the situation, to the best of my imperfect understanding. Also, the absence of senior devotees is still very conspicuous.”

“Yudhumanu Prabhu (who, like all senior devotees visiting Prabhupada at this time, spent most of his stay in Prabhupada’s room) reports the kaviraja explaining that Prabhupada’s kidney is so diseased and giving so much pain that any normal man would be screaming. There is so little covering on his bones that it is causing a burning sensation. To counter this, Bhavananda Gosvami applied mustard oil on Prabhupada’s arms and told His Divine Grace that this oil is to be applied every day, morning and evening. Srila Prabhupada replied, ‘Day and night are the same to me.’ “

More than ever before, we need to offer Srila Prabhupada genuine, loving devotional service if we are to have any hope for Prabhupada to stay with us. Every devotee in every corner of the world must understand the urgent need we all share at this time, and (as we all have personal relationships with His Divine Grace) every devotee must make a superhuman effort in his chanting, his prayers, his book distribution and other service, to convey that need and that love to Srila Prabhupada. And every zone must go on sending senior men to be with Prabhupada in India at once!

Your most unworthy servant,

Ramesvara dasa Swami