From the Editor

Deadline

SOMETIMES THE ARTICLES in BTG weave themselves around one theme without our intending it. We just put the articles together into an issue, and at the end we find that a theme has emerged. So it is with this issue.

The theme this time is death. Śrīla Prabhupāda in his article talks about it. Ravīndra Svarūpa tells of his encounter with it. On page 41, death comes looking for a devotee in South Africa. In our article on Tulasī Devī, death comes again.

So for this page I knew fairly well what I would write about. Death.… death … But what would I say? How would I deal with it?

Simple: I put it off.

I knew I had nothing profound to say—the profound points are made elsewhere. And I didn't want to say anything trite.

So I answered my mail. I cleaned up my office. I plunged into managerial decisions. Made some phone calls. Cleaned my office again …

And now it has come: the deadline.

And still, I confess to you, I’m not ready. I don't know just what to say. I don’t feel prepared.

Hare Kṛṣṅa, Hare Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa Kṛṣṅa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Well.… That's always the right thing. Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa and you'll think of Kṛṣṅa. And when you think of Kṛṣṅa, your problems are solved. And if they're not yet solved, then you chant some more.… Hare Kṛṣṅa. Hare Kṛṣṅa.… and your mind starts to become clearer. The dust disperses, the mirror of the mind starts to unfog … Kṛṣṅa Kṛṣṅa, Hare Hare.… You start remembering that Kṛṣṅa is everywhere as the all-pervading Brahman, that He's within your heart as the Supersoul, and finally that in His most attractive, most splendid feature He’s the Personality of Godhead, the eternal form of bliss and knowledge. Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma.…

Kṛṣṅa Himself is known as Rāma, meaning “the reservoir of all pleasure,” and He also appears as the incarnation known as Śrī Rāmacandra—or, more simply, Lord Rāma.

Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. In each incarnation, Kṛṣṅa reveals Himself to His devotees, performs wonderful pastimes, gives sublime instructions. He attracts the mind. And when we're attracted to Kṛṣṅa—when we revive our Kṛṣṅa consciousness—we’re restored to our natural, eternal relationship with the ultimate source of all existence.

What then do we care for other things? Let us go on chanting and hearing the glories of Kṛṣṅa—all the way to our … to our … to our deadline.

Hare Kṛṣṅa, Hare Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa Kṛṣṅa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

—Jayadvaita Swami