For the past few weeks I had been trying to contact Paul, a manufacturer I am a UK distributor for, and not getting any reply. I was starting to get worried when I received a call from Paul saying, “I just wanted to say thank you for all those videos you sent me. I truly needed them, thank you so much. I just wanted to say good bye and it has been great knowing you for over 3 decades.” I did not understand and was very much confused.
He continued, “I have some sad news, I have but a few days left now. I have cancer and have been given three days to live.”
I could not believe it! Was I imagining it? I was truly shocked and in total disbelief. Paul continued by telling me that he had been feeling true solace hearing the Maha Mantra. I went on to say, “Can you do me a favour?” I asked him to repeat after me, ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare’. Paul agreed. I asked if he was up to saying more and he replied, “Yes, I find these words very comforting.” I told him if I was near-by I would put some sacred beads around his neck and give him some dust from the birth place of the lord.
Paul was very content chanting the lords names with me and I was touched, as despite being weak, as Paul cried out for our Lord’s love I could actually feel his sincerity. I could feel him calmly preparing to leave his body, it was surreal. I told him his sincerity was most certainly putting him in a better place and will help him with his onward journey and to have no fear, as it is never too late to take shelter with God. `
Paul asked me about all my experiences in Hospital. I confirmed that I had most certainly seen God and I felt his love and kindness to me and truly felt protected by him. Paul went on to say, “Yes, I have the same feeling now. I feel so overwhelmed by your love in helping me. As, Mik, I am dying, I can see all I have achieved materially has just come to this. I can see death in front of me.”
I could not believe all I was hearing, as I could hear someone who had never shown any interest in God actually taking shelter at this Moment. It was sad in a sense as I wished he had taken to faith earlier as I did try many times, sending him books and encouraging him to seek God. I think this helped his sincerity manifesting itself in the end. Paul went on to say he felt his whole life coming in front of him and could see his mother and father who had passed on some years back. I said, “Try your best and chant, that’s all I have to give to you and it is up to you to continue.” he said, “Yes I will. I will chant.”
I wondered if it was almost impossible? How will he chant, it is not easy for devotees to always remember the lord at such times let alone someone who is showing a keen interest at his last moments? I left it at that. Paul contacted me a little later to say that lying on the bed, he had not much else to do but to chant. He expressed how he felt so peaceful, like he had nothing to worry about and he was on the right path. I sent him a few more videos and he particularly liked the ones where devotees would preach to the public about chanting. He said, “I can see now how this is so important.” One of the last things paul said please carry on sending the videos out to others like me as I would have never searched for them my self. I found this particular message very powerful and meaningful.
Two days later I heard from a mutual friend that Paul had left his body. His family have asked me to write something for his funeral and said I should mention how he took to chanting, which is what I will do. I reasured his family that Paul is most certainly on the right track and will be taken care off. I am now very gently in the process of encouraging them to also chant.
Instances like these bring me closer to the lord as even after decades of chanting the Holy Name myself I realise more and more that one has to do so in the mood of service, every mantra chanted allows us to deepen our own connection with the lord himself. We are so fortunate to be able to speak directly to him in such a deep personal way. Time is most certainly ticking away for all of us, one thing is cetain is death but we have nothing to fear as we are on the path back home it is up to us to carry on chanting the holy name no matter what. And if for some reason we stop just carry on.
Hare Krishna
Source: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=108427
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