06/14/98 - 1868

An Auspicious Death

USA (VNN) - by Papaharini devi dasi and Gaurangi devi dasi

Dear Devotees:

All Glory to AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, the living siksa guru for the next ten thousand years. I would like to share some family news: This last Monday, June 8th, 1998, our beloved Grandmother and friend- Nona, passed from our view at the age of 94. I am sharing this because the circumstances surrounding her departure are wonderful.

I had been at her bedside almost daily (after driving to her home) for the last three weeks. This last Monday, I arrived to find her breathing down to one breath every 40-70 seconds. Between each breath, it seemed a lifetime before the next. I was given time alone with her and put Srila Prabhupada bhajans on her headphones, Krsna book at her shoulder, tulasi beads on her wrist and a Laksmi-Nrsimhadeva picture above her head on the bed. I chanted Nrsingha prayers in kirtan for a long time and chanted japa for two hours. My daughter Gaurangi devi arrived later as Nona was departing and performed a wonderful last rights for Nona. Nona took two long exhales and left through the mouth.

My daughter had flown in from Los Angeles wearing her tilak and sari, with Rukmini-Dwarakadisha's garland, and Nona received a Giriraj maha tulasi and Sri Vrindaban dust in the mouth, along with Radha-kunda water sprinkled all on her body. We sang prayers by Lord Siva as He prays for Srimati Radhika's favor. The coroners came shortly (not our arrangement), and they were (surprisingly) two angelic women, who were very intrigued by our ceremony in process, and slowed down to listen. I helped wrap the body for the bag as my daughter continued the prayers and translation. The home nurse was seen seated cross-legged on the couch, meditating with her eyes closed listening quietly to the bhajan.

The coroners respectfully left the bag unzipped to her neck, showing the beautiful fragrant rose, gardenia and carnation garland around her head. We helped load the body in the van, the sparkling full moon shone down in a warm sky. I noted how the evening was quiet and a soft breeze was blowing.

The body left, still warm, to our dismay. Still feeling her presence- as the coroner's process was their own, we sat up all night in the living room and read nearly a volume of Krsna book and kept the bhajan tape going softly, (Nona's daughter had gone to bed), while watching the (nearly) full moon set at dawn.

Today, Friday, June 12th, there was a Christian-type church ceremony with the community in attendance. It was interesting because I shook hands with the grown children of the friends of Nona's who had all departed years before. These "children" were all over 75 years old. Five devotees were in attendance and we were pleased to find the tulasi mala and garland still on her dressed up body. The great grandchildren (Gaurangi and Manjari dasis) got up and sang a bhajan for the gathering. I quoted Gita in my offering and felt the atmosphere blessed with auspiciousness. May we all be So fortunate to just have one or more devotees nearby when we pass on to help with the discussion between the Yama-dutas and Visnu-dutas.

Respectfully submitted,
Papaharini devi dasi
Gaurangi devi dasi