Yesterday, a person that I used to distribute books with in the Smoky Mountains left his body due to cancer. When he found out he had cancer he immediately knew how to prepare his consciousness for this inevitable event. Spiritual life prepares one for life and the death of the body. He immediately moved here to the Holy Land of Mayapura and focused exclusively on his spiritual life. The last few months he was bedridden and not able to take care of himself. There was, however, constant medical care in addition to spiritual care consisting of reading spiritual literatures (mostly the pastimes of the Lord) and melodious chanting of the Hare Krishna Mantra. Yesterday at 1:30 he left his body surrounded by 40 or 50 devotees chanting their hearts out to help him with his departure. It is said in the Gita that if one dies a natural death thinking of Krishna his eternal soul will certainly return to the spiritual world.
SO after his departure the devotees were both joyous and griefstricken. Grief stricken because we have lost a good friend and joyous because he lived and died in such a way that he was able to be transferred to the spiritual world after his death. After his departure there was a cremation ceremony on the bank of the Ganga. It was again a joyous and difficult situation.
Also today about 3000 devotees arrived from Mumbai and the place is buzzing with the transcendental sound of the holy name. We will be visitng many of the Holy placers where the incarnation of Krishna named Lord Caitanya exhibited his activities. The essence of the yatra will be lots of devotionally infused Kirtan (melodious chanting). I will try and post some pictures during the excursion.
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