HH Lokanath Swami: KARTIKA CAR CRASH CONCLUSIONS

[Guest guest]

Dear Maharajas and Prabhus,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

Hare Krishna.

 

__/\`o_

 

Please find below and also as an attached file:

 

HH Lokanath Swami's Car Crash Realizations

 

Maharaja dictated these statements to me and asked me to post them here.

 

Thanks again to all who prayed for his good health and helped him recovery

from the car crash.

 

Thank you very much.

 

Hare Krishna.

 

Always hoping to remain,

 

servant of the servant of your servants,

 

Ekalavya Das

 

www.pandharpur.org

www.padayatra.com

www.lokanathswami.net

 

KARTIKA CAR CRASH CONCLUSIONS

 

"After the car accident, I realized how tightly we are all caught by the

illusory energy."

 

Lokanath Swami's narrow escape from a car crash reveals to him spiritual

insights as to what is required for us to escape from this material world.

 

By Lokanath Swami

 

It was 4.20am as we drove along the lonely road towards Govardhana. The

early morning hours were cool and misty. Suddenly the driver of the Tata

Sumo spotted a tree lying across the road. He braked and swerved to miss the

tree, and as a result the car tipped over and rolled.

 

I was caught by my left hand, which was stuck in the side of the seat. The

weight of the car held me tightly. Although the rest of my body was free, I

could not move. I was desperate to get out.

 

There is only one other time I can recall being in a similar situation. It

was 15-20 years ago, when on that occasion my right hand was grabbed by our

padayatra elephant, Laxmi. The elephant held me in its grip for about 15

seconds. I was struggling, but there was no way I could free myself. Only by

the elephant's kindness was I released.

 

After the car crash, the other devotees in the vehicle jumped out, and

realizing I was stuck attempted to lift the car. After a few minutes, I was

pulled out, feeling relieved.

 

Caught by Illusion

 

As I contemplated the incident, I began to think more deeply. I realized

that, actually, I am caught by the illusory energy. And the grip of the

illusory energy is tight.

 

As Lord Sri Krishna explains:

 

daivi hy esa guna-mayi

mama maya duratyaya

mam eva ye prapadyante

mayam etam taranti te

 

[bhagavad-gita 7.14)

 

"This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material

nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can

easily cross beyond it."

 

Lord Krishna explains that His illusory energy is "very difficult to

overcome."

 

It is ongoing i I am in the clutches of the illusory energy. Who knows since

how long?

 

How can I become free? Only when I am as desperate, or more desperate, to

get out of illusion as when I was in the situation of the elephant's trunk

holding me or being trapped in the car. That is the price for my release.

Only when I can attain that much eagerness to be free from the illusions of

this world would I finally be released and relieved.

 

Denial is not reality

 

As I was experiencing this trauma, the thought also crossed my mind that the

accident had not really happened. That was not the reality. It was just a

kind of dream, and I was thinking, "Yeah, it hasn't happened. It was just my

dream or something of that sort. I was imagining I was caught in the

accident, but that's not true, I'm okay."

 

The situation was akin to a dream, when you are being chased by a tiger, and

then you wake up and realize that there is no tiger - that you are safe at

home.

 

But that feeling did not last long. Soon I was seeing my bloody clothes and

the devotees around me - concerned, shocked, scared, and caring.

 

However, I was not quite ready to accept reality. I was denying the event

had occurred, but I was caught red handed with the facts - blood red handed.

 

And, of course, the next thing was arriving at the hospital and meeting the

doctor.

 

Lord Krishna shows His hand

 

Devotees did not even have to make any endeavor to find a way for me to go

to the hospital. The ISKCON Vrndavana Krishna-Balarama temple vehicle was

right behind our ill-fated car ready to take me to the hospital.

 

Normally at that time of the morning there is no traffic on that road, but

the vehicle was arranged by Lord Krishna.

 

It is said that not one blade of grass moves without the will of the Supreme

Lord.

 

Lord Krishna, who had slapped me by putting me into that situation, also had

arranged immediate, on-the-spot transportation for me.

 

I was seeing the Lord's hand in the situation. Where could we have found a

vehicle at that time of the night? Usually it would have taken many hours.

 

So, before I could even complain, Krishna was already showing His kindness.

 

Krishna's natural healing arrangement

 

Then we were on our way to the hospital. Although we had an idea of its

location, set back from the highway, we missed it and past it by about 5km.

We had to turn around.

 

During the extra time before we reached the emergency room, some thoughts

were going through my mind. I was contemplating that by Krishna's natural

arrangement the process of curing, healing, recuperation and repair had

already started.

 

I was thinking that repair to the body doesn't depend so much on the doctor

and the hospital. For a period of time the body is in a bewildered state,

but soon the internal assessment of the damage is complete. Immediately, the

elements and forces within the body, combined with nature's intelligence,

gets into action to begin repairing the body.

 

Yantrarudhani mayaya [bg.18.61]

 

The soul is seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.

 

The body is like a machine. It is the only machine that heals itself.

The human body is an amazing machine made by an amazing Creator.

 

Stitching the body back together

 

As I was on the examination table, the doctors were doing their job. They

were stitching the wounds. I was under a local anesthetic, so I was fully

awake and aware of what they were doing.

 

I saw them with a needle and thread stitching closed the holes in my body -

just like one stitches holes in the cloth. Then I was reminded and further

convinced of Lord Krishna's explanation in the Bhagavad-gita in which He

compares the body with a garment:

 

väsäàsi jérëäni yathä vihäyai i [bg.2.22]

 

"As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly

accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones."

 

 

The healing

 

I was filled with pain. I visited the doctors almost every day. They were

not doing much, just changing the bandage and applying some ointment. The

healing was not in their hands. And certainly, I wasn't doing anything - I

don't know how to heal.

 

I was just lying silently and tolerating the pain. My activities were mostly

resting, and taking some prasadam occasionally. Sometimes I was meeting

visitors. I was not involved with healing or curing. The doctors'

involvement was minimal.

 

When I was wondering why healing was so slow, and wasn't there any way to

expedite the process, I realized that nature takes its own time. It has to

bring in building materials and create new cells. Some cementing is

required, and then the next cell is produced. The cement, bricks, and a

process of production and construction is required to form the new skin,

even down to the small protruding hairs. It's amazing. What a work!

 

Maintain the shape, leveling it, filling in the gaps. I was closely watching

and appreciating. It is ongoing. Even while I was asleep, the building work

continued. And nature doesn't stop until its goal is reached - constantly

endeavoring, thinking and planning. There is a whole timeline for the

reconstruction of the damaged body parts.

 

It's Krishna's intelligent design behind all this - a complete intelligence

in this operation constantly in action.

 

Blessing in Disguise

 

Because my hand was out of action, my assistant, Abhinanda das, was my

helping hand, for which I am very much grateful and thankful to him. Whether

putting on tilak, putting on a dhoti, or getting up from lying down, I

needed someone's help. I was thinking how our Krishna-given hand is so

useful in extending all sorts of assistance. We just take it for granted.

 

When I had to depend on others, I realized how much help the hand provides.

Of course, Krishna has given us hand and many other parts. We should thank

Him many times over for what He has given us.

 

This Kartik, I was thinking of maintaining seclusion. After my parikrama

duties, and some obligations at the Krishna-Balarama temple for classes or

kirtans, for the rest of the time I had an idea of being by myself for

personal studies, etc. However, as the news spread of the accident, I was

constantly overwhelmed by devotee visits and association.

 

For the past 20 years, I have been visiting Vrndavana during Kartik, and I

never had so many guests as during this Kartik.

 

So, man proposes and God disposes. That is the conclusion.

 

I wanted to be by myself in seclusion, but that didn't work. With the

accident also came a blessing in disguise. That blessing was devotee

association. Day and night for more than a week, I was constantly being

visited by devotees, including seniors and juniors, leaders and lay

devotees. I felt as I was in a fortunate position.

 

And, of course, there was also so much telephone calling and an overwhelming

number of emails.

 

Healing relationships

 

As I was healing, I also was thinking that this was a procedure for the

healing of relationships.

 

Through the years, I felt that some of my relationships had developed stress

and strain, ill feelings and misunderstandings. During this week, when

devotees were coming to visit me and contact me, the rough spots in our

relationships dissolved. We were ready to forgive and forget by transcending

misunderstandings.

 

By the expressions of concern and well wishing, I experienced not only a

healing of my body, but also a healing of my relationships.

 

Calamities can be blessings

 

This calamity was a blessing for bringing the family of Vaisnavas together.

Healing relationships brings Srila Prabhupada's family together.

 

We had a similar realization and experience during Srila Prabhupada's final

days. Having Prabhupada in the center was drawing everyone closer to him and

at the same time closer to each other.

 

These calamities have a positive role to play. They bring out the best in

the devotees.

 

During the calamities in the life of Vaisnavas, the whole community also

comes together. Everyone wants to be on the good side of the person.

Devotees begin thinking in a positive way and begin glorifying that

Vaisnava. We should glorify that Vaisnava while he is still present, and not

glorify him only after his departure.

 

Monkey on the stick

 

I also thought that I was the "monkey on the stick." Usually the farmer

hangs one monkey on the stick. He may be a dead monkey or an artificial

monkey. When other monkeys see it, they are careful to stay away from the

farmer's agricultural produce. They become careful and cautious.

 

By my accident, other devotees should be reminded to be careful so that they

are not caught in such a position.

 

Words of Wisdom

 

tat te 'nukampäà su-saméknamäëoi i [sb.10.14.8]

 

"My dear Lord, one who earnestly waits for You to bestow Your causeless

mercy upon him, all the while patiently suffering the reactions of his past

misdeeds and offering You respectful obeisances with his heart, words and

body, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful

claim."

 

These were the words of consolation of one of my visitors, a dear scholarly

devotee. He reminded me of the above statement. He quoted the verse and

explained patiently. This patient listened humbly and attentively. Now the

verse was making more sense than ever before.

 

I had no complaint. I just deserved it. I should patiently suffer reactions.

It is Krishna's merciful arrangement.

 

Many devotees were thanking the Lord that He had arranged for me to leave

the accident with only a hand injury, and not the head or heart. Although we

deserve so much more, it is common for Krishna to give just a token

punishment.

 

Dangerous Place

 

His Holiness Kavichandra Maharaja was my co-passenger in the same ill-fated

vehicle. Kavichandra Maharaja was ready to get the resolution passed by the

Indian ICC or GBC that we should have competent drivers throughout ISKCON

and never drive over 70-80 km/hr especially in India.

 

Certainly, we could minimize the number of accidents and deaths of ISKCON

devotees by taking the necessary precautions. But you could never make this

world accident free. You can't change the nature of this world.

 

padaà padaà yad vipadäà na tenäm

 

"In this material world, there is danger at every step."

 

Padayatra Ki Jaya!

 

Abhaya das wrote me an email from America:

"In ISKCON there are many preaching fronts that we need to put more energy

into. It seems one that we neglect is explaining the evil of the automobile.

Padayatra ki Jai!"

As opposed to automobile traveling, padayatra travel is much safer, with

many other advantages as well.

 

Time is Krishna.

 

It is like my life has been extended. It has made me sober. It has made me

think, reflect and transform. I need to get my act together. It has brought

me a little closer to the Lord and to the devotees.

 

Time is limited. There is no more time to be frivolous or fooling around.

 

The woods are lovely, dark and deep and miles to go before we sleep. It is

long way away from "back home".

 

NOW is a time to develop more detachment from worldly involvements and

thoughts. It would be nice to develop love of godhead and the mood of pure

unalloyed devotional service. Do not postpone till later times.

 

The situation reminds me of an analogy. Just as a rich man who has a lot of

money at his disposal doesn't have to be so worried how often and how much

he spends, but the poor man has to think twice while spending every penny

because he doesn't have so many pennies at his disposal, I feel that I am

becoming a bit elderly, and just got a little extension of time here on this

planet. One in this situation must be very frugal while spending that time.

 

Time is Krishna. It should be spent to gain Krishna - and nothing else.

There is no time for anything other than Krishna's interest.