Dear Guru Maharaja

Hare Krishna

PAMHO AGTSP AGTHPS

I am currently in Portland, Oregon.

My father has had cancer for sometime and its turned to the point it looks like he will be leaving his body very soon. He hasn't eaten anything really for about 2 weeks.

HpS - Yes, we heard from Sugopi-radha Devi Dasi this morning during the FMP that he did depart!

He wears a Tulsi necklace that he let me put on his neck a few weeks ago. I read BG Chapter 2 today to him. If I chant Maha Mantra to loud it disturbs him, he gets a head ache. That's been something since I been a devotee and he has heard HK/HR. So I chant quietly under my breath and when he is pretty out of it I chant louder. I also am putting Ganga water that has had Tulsi leaves in it in his water.

Over all it seems like a fairly honorable death. He has gotten to say his peace with family members....

In the middle of this letter my father has left his body now. I was chanting, my mother was chanting, most importantly Srila Prabhupada japa was playing, he had a leaf of Tulasi in his mouth before his last breath.

HpS - Wow! I am really humbled! So nice!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Hanumat Preska Swami! All glories to the assembled devotees.

Yours,

Nanda-braja Das

HpS - Ask other devotees who are maybe more educated that us but as far as we know, this is a wonderful departure!

Srila Prabhupada said that it is like a close relative, father of some little girls, leaving from San Francisco in 1935 to go to work in China. Everyone is there saying "Good-bye", parents, wife, brother, in-laws, parents. There is an ocean of tears and smiles, but no one thinks that this is the end of him!

There will be letters.

Occasional screaming over the 10,000 miles of static filled phone calls, and in the end everyone will meet again with big reports and stories and gifts.

It is natural that we feel sad when a close family member goes, but it is with the above perspective!

When they go it is very important time. It is a big transition, no? They may be in-transit in the subtle atmosphere. Keep a picture. Chant with the picture there. After a ten(?) days have a festival and invite devotees to participate and offer Kirtan and first plate of Maha-prasadam to picture and describe departed family member and beg for well-wishes in the Kirtan.

Then it is very individual if we have more contact etc!

Send us photo for the Blog!