A devotee passes on

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There is a difference between a normal death, and the death of a devotee. Certain symptoms manifest when a devotee has to pass away. The Lord arranges things in such a way that the devotee does not feel any pain. The devotee may even pass away smiling, and if bed-ridden, they may pass away in sleep. The passing away - cessation of breath - is the crucial moment, when the devotee usually is noted to be listening for the signal in form of chanting, loud chants of Haribol, Jaikara.....etc. When the dvotee hears the glorification of the Lord, he/she may simply surrender fully and leave. this happened in case of my mother recently on 13th February, as she was being taken from the hospital to our home. My mother was always in deep KRISHNA-BHAKTI-BHAVANAand woke up at 4.00 AM everyday, performed her Japa, and even at the hospital, I could see she would open her eyes at 4:00 AM in the ICU. The Lord was near.When she was told that we are going to take her to the house, she knew the time had come to fly away. On the way while listening to Vishnu Sahasranama, and amidst loud chants of Harinaam, she left the mortal body. Such deep peace descended as we drove slowly to our home, this time with her no more in the body. Amidsts loud chants of Harinaam, we took her to the crematirium, and completed the final rites according to vedic customs. This real life experience proves once again that Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is ever present especially when remembered at the time of passing away. With material eyes we cannot see anything, only the devotee and the Lord know what is happening, others are placed into maya. I could feel the dialoge she was having with the Lord, and without hesitation she left this mortal world. We are now conducting the Garuda Purana everyday till the 12th day passes, and then the performance of the Homa Yagna is to be completed.

The last lesson I learnt from my mother was to chant silently, with deep devotion, and surrender completely at the Lotus Feet of the Lord. From there, the Lord takes over.

We must also never fail in performing the prescribed vedic rituals such as reading the Garuda Purana and honoring a Brahmana who reads this scripture, and performing sacrifices such as Homa, Brahma-bhoj (feeding Brahmins) etc etc., when a devotee passes away in our midst.