At Death's Door

Between Life and Death

Duration of Life is Destined A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Life cannot be prolonged by heart transplant. You cannot increase the duration of life. One can perhaps give some relief to disease, that is another thing, but the duration of life is destined. From the dead body, one cannot bring life. Similarly, it may appear that one is prolonging the duration of life by medicines or heart transplant, but that is not the case. more

Prabhupada: There was a big emperor, Kulashekhara, Emperor Kulashekhara, he was a great devotee. So he wrote some poetry. Formerly, kings were so advanced, rajarshi. They are king, at the same time, saintly persons. In the Bhagavad-gita also it is said imam rajarshayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]—this science of Bhagavad-gita was learned by the rajarshis. People were happy therefore. The head, or the executive, they were all saintly persons. So this Kulasekhara, he writes in the beginning of his poetry, "Krishna, O Krishna..." Krishna tvadiya-pada-pankaja-panjarantam. The pankaja means lotus flower. So Krishna's lotus feet is just like lotus flower. The lotus flower has stem down, and the swans, they take pleasure to go down the water and entangled by the stem. Have you seen their pleasure? Yes. That is their great sporting, to be entangled by the stem and come out, in this way, go deep, this is their sporting. So this Kulasekhara is praying, "My Lord Krishna, let my swan of mind be entangled with the stem of Your lotus feet." Krishna tvadiya-pada-pankaja-panjarantam adyaiva: "Immediately"—vishatu—"let enter." Who? Adyaiva vishatu me, "My," manasa-raja-hamsah, "my mind, which is just like a swan." So why adyaiva, immediately? He says that prana-prayana-samaye, "At the time of death," prana-prayana-samaye kapha-vata-pittaih, "when the physical condition of the body will be in disorder," kapha, pitta, vayu will not be in order.... Prana-prayana-samaye kapha-vata-pittaih kanthavarodha, "At that time I shall not be able to speak. I'll 'ahn, ahn,' but that's all. So I may not be able to chant Hare Krishna. Better I am now in good health, so let my mind be entangled in the stem of Your lotus feet." Very nice poetry.

krishna tvadiya-pada-pankaja-panjarantam
adyaiva vishatu me manasa-raja-hamsah
prana-prayana-samaye kapha-vata- pittaih
kanthavarodhana-vidhau smaranam kutas te [Mukunda Mala Stotra 33]

"At that time I may be not able to utter 'Krishna' or think of You, and now I am healthy, let me finish this business." That means "Let me die immediately. Now I'm healthy, I'm quite fit." This is the ideal. Ante narayana-smritih [Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.6]. At the time of death, if one remembers Krishna, then his life is successful. Immediately he goes to Krishna. Just like Ajamila. He chanted "Narayana," and immediately his path to Vaikuntha become clear. So this practice means, whatever we practice all through life, there is chance of coming that remembrance at the time of death, and then it is successful, life is success. If at the time of death one can remember Krishna, then his whole life is successful. Our one student, Karttikeya, his mother was very fortunate. So his mother had nothing to do with this Society, but the boy was attached, and she heard several times "Krishna," that this boy is attached to Krishna. At the time of her death, she asked her son, "Is your Krishna here?" and died. Just see how fortunate she is. She simply uttered this word, "Is your Krishna here?" then she died. Very fortunate. So on account of her son she got salvation. Otherwise, Karttikeya told me that he went to see his mother, and the mother was going to ball dance, and the mother did not receive him well. "All right, you sit down. I'll come again." She was such lady. But by Krishna's grace, at the time of death, she inquired her son, "Is your Krishna here?" Very fortunate.

George Harrison: When my mother died I had to send my sister and father out of the room, because they were getting emotional, and I just chanted Hare Krishna.

Prabhupada: She chanted.

George Harrison: I did.

Prabhupada: Oh, very nice, so she could hear?

George Harrison: I don't know, I don't know, she was in like a coma or something. It was the only thing I could think of.

Prabhupada: When it happened?

George Harrison: In 1970. It was the only thing I could think of that may be of value, you know.

Prabhupada: Anyway, if she has heard Hare Krishna, she'll get the benefit. Either she chants or somebody chanting, if she hears, shravanam kirtanam, both the same thing. Little chance. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. So let us practice in such a way that at the time of death we may remember. That is success. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. So you are reading Krishna repeatedly? Krishna book[1] you are reading repeatedly?

George Harrison: Well, you know, I read it every so often. I always take the Gita with me wherever I go. I mean that's the one I just keep all the time. But you know, I'll just sometimes read a little of something, a little bit of something else. I've never been a great reader.

Prabhupada: [laughs] No, you have got chance here to think soberly. But on account of your chanting "Krishna" so many people are chanting.

1. George Harrison sponsored the printing of Krishna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, widely known simply as "Krishna book". Back to Text