Can science prove God? God vs Doctors. Temple vs Hospitals. Is there scientific evidence of the existence of Krishna? Does Krishna exist? Is Krishna God? These are questions that often arise when we consider the relationship between faith, science and the events of our lives.

The last few days in our life were again so orchestrated that we experienced a few glimpses of an answer to all these questions.

Last time we had shared my uncle's episode in an article (A Witness To The Mercy), and had received many responses through comments, emails, or personally, sharing how inspiring and motivating it had been. This time we again attempt to present the incidents that occurred in our lives through my father a few days back.

We would again like to humbly present the events chronologically, as a witness to the mercy, without any mishandling of facts.

My Father

My father, Sri Subhas Kumar Mukherjee, is a very simple-hearted man, a proper householder taking care of his family. His life and thoughts revolve around the people he considers his loved ones. He had focused his life mostly on education and earning a livelihood for his family. Thoughts about spiritual quest didn't cross his mind earlier. In fact, he used to think these were impracticalities.

After we got connected with ISKCON, the topics of Krishna Consciousness were actively discussed in our family. But his mood was always against Krishna Consciousness. However, when my uncle was in his last phase of life, the evident mercies and protections of Sri Narasimha Dev inspired him to start chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Especially when devotees from ISKCON Jamshedpur performed special Kirtan and recited 108 names of Narasimha Dev in our home, we could see a positive change in my father.

We may say his journey in Krishna Consciousness began from that day. Today he is chanting 12 rounds of Maha Mantra daily. He is following the four regulations which are the pillars of civilized human life: (1) No Non-Vegetarian diet (still reluctantly), (2) No Intoxication, (3) No Gambling and (4) No Illicit Relation.

The reason for introducing my father is to make it very clear: he is just a simple jiva, not yet a seasoned Vaishnava devotee. He still is struggling with his conditioned life like most of us.

His Illness

My father had a habit of walking to and back from Dimna Lake every morning. Dimna Lake is approximately 4 Kms from our home. In the month of October 2021, my father observed a slight pain in his chest when he was out for a morning walk. In November 2021, as a part of a full-body check-up, we tried to get all medical tests done for him. All the tests came out fine and doctors assured him that he was having a healthy heart and nothing to be worried about. However, in case of any doubts, the doctor suggested going for an Angiography test.

In Feb 2022, my father was complaining that he was getting tired after walking for some distance. We didn't take that too seriously, as we thought maybe it was due to his age (he turned 71 in 2022). However, we told him to get a thorough check-up done by some reputed doctors in Kolkata.

In March 2022, while returning from the bank (less than 1 Km from home), he felt short of breath. He was experiencing so much difficulty that he couldn't walk to our home, which was only about 100m away. He sat on the floor of a nearby shop. Later he had to request someone to drop him home on a bike. He didn't tell us this whole story. He simply called us and said he wanted to visit Kolkata for Angiography.

7 March 2022

Both my parents visited TMH - Tata Main Hospital - for their regular check-ups. During that check-up, my father reported the incident of shortness of breath. Doctors checked his blood pressure and pulse. They found the pressure was a bit high but the pulse was 45. They immediately advised an ECG test. However, they couldn't identify anything significant from the ECG. But concerned about his low pulse, they advised him to get admitted for a thorough check-up.

It was approximately 02:00 PM. We were in the temple when my father called and informed me, "Doctors are asking me to get admitted immediately." I tried to give him moral support and assured him that I would be reaching Jamshedpur at the earliest. I had a call with the doctor to understand the situation better. He said, "there seems a blockage in the heart and the situation is extremely critical."

Our beloved Siksha guru, spiritual mentor, and guide, HG Vallabh Chaitanya Prabhuji, immediately gave us Sri Sri Radha Govind ji's Maha Garland.

We boarded the 05:25 PM train to Jamshedpur. Throughout the journey, we were chanting Hare Krishna Maha Mantra and reciting Narasimha Kavach Mantra. After reaching Tatanagar, I went straight to the hospital as I was planning to stay with him in the ward until he was discharged.

The Diagnosis

Father seemed healthy and normal. He was talking sense and gossiping with other patients. I saw a bedside table next to every patient and a small file where the nurses used to make notes about the treatment. There I could see that doctors had taken blood samples for various tests, taken chest X-Ray, ECGs, etc.

The next day, 8th March, my father was taken for an Ecocardiogram test. Later on, a doctor came and examined the blood reports, X-Ray reports, and ECO reports and said:

That day, my father's pulse again dropped to 51. When we reported this to the doctor, he asked us to get all the previous history of reports. Examining those reports, the doctor advised going directly for Angiography for confirmation.

However, he said:

On 10th March, after the Angiography test, the doctor called me inside to show the report. He confirmed there were no blockages in the heart. However, he said my father's pulse had fallen to 44, and this time they could record and document the instance in an ECG. He tried his best to convey the seriousness of the situation through a series of medical terms which I couldn't follow much. All I could remember is 2:1. He concluded by saying that my father needed a pacemaker immediately, as the pulse was dropping all of a sudden and might make him unconscious. He also discussed this case with his superior for a second opinion and got confirmation.

He then advised the ward boys and the nurses:

• To immediately shift my father from the general ward to the CATH Lab ward.
• To keep him under 24 hours monitoring.
• Not to allow him to walk on his own even for the toilet.
• Not to allow him to shift to the general ward without a Temporary Pacemaker.

It was clear that the situation was not as simple as it had seemed earlier. It was a situation where we were forced by the circumstances to make a decision involving a risk to life.

The Day

After completing the formalities of payments and signing the declaration forms, all that we could do was chant the Holy Names of the Lord, the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. That was the first time we were forced by the situation to realize how helpless we are!

We had the money to buy a pacemaker, but we didn't have enough money to assure or guarantee a successful surgery.

When the time came and my father was being prepared for surgery, I gently rubbed Narasimha Dev Oil on him and silently prayed to Narasimha Dev. Soon he was taken inside the OT Room and we were sitting alone with beads in our hands, chanting. Rusha recited Narasimha Kavach Mantra.

It was about 01:30 PM when the doctor came out from OT and confirmed the successful operation. He said it was a "very smooth operation".

A sense of joy filled our hearts when we saw father coming out from OT, conscious and speaking sense. Today, he is discharged and is at home.

The Merciful Protection

As I was contemplating the series of events that had occurred, I realized how Narasimha Dev had personally protected my father.

The incident of the pulse dropping was so unusual that it had not been recorded in an ECG earlier. Since my father didn't have complaints of severe chest pain, dizziness or unconsciousness, doctors were not ready to put a holter. All the tests like TMT, ECG, ECO, etc. had come back without identifying the problem. The last confirmation test was Angiography to see if my father was having any heart problem. Even that came out negative for blockages. During the procedure, however, his pulse fell while it was being monitored, and the doctors were able to record the abnormality. They then recognised the need for a pacemaker.

Looking back, we cannot help but feel that the timing of this discovery was a manifestation of Krishna's and Narasimha Dev's mercy. Had the abnormality not been detected and recorded at that time, the doctors might not have recognised the need for a pacemaker. We do not claim to know the medical or divine causes behind every event. But as a family, we experienced this sequence of events as a powerful instance of Krishna's protection.

We do not want to over-speculate, but perhaps my father was destined to face such calamities and Krishna intervened through the circumstances and the medical care he received.

Also, as the doctors mentioned after the surgery, the entire procedure went extremely smoothly. We are grateful to Krishna for this outcome and to the doctors and medical staff whose skill and service helped make it possible.

There was another extremely strong and funny reciprocation from Krishna. Before getting to it, let us briefly explain our situation at home. After my uncle passed away, our home has become completely vegetarian, rather prasadaterian (we eat only Krishna prasad). However, my father still is not convinced of this change. To make the situation more difficult, there is constant opposition from some of our relatives. They believe eating fish and flesh will ensure good health. One of them even remarked that my father had to get a pacemaker because he was not getting non-vegetarian food.

sangat sanjayate kamah - our attachment develops based upon our association. Because of these kinds of associations, and because my father doesn't have many opportunities for close association with devotees, he is struggling with his determination on the spiritual path.

So, when my father got admitted, he was asked to fill out a questionnaire. One of the questions asked was about his diet - vegetarian or non-vegetarian - and he had marked it Non-Vegetarian. Sometimes, while trying to act smart, we attempt to outsmart the smartest - Krishna. But we forget that the supreme controller is Krishna. Not even a blade of grass can move without His will.

All the meals and snacks that were served to him for the entire 8 days in the hospital were vegetarian. On the 7th day, we saw he was given a sugar-restricted diet. So, we went to check if there were some medical observations or whether the restricted diet had been served by mistake. We were shown the patient-wise diet-plan catalogue. To our utter surprise, there it was marked "Vegetarian" next to my father's name!!!

Was it a typing mistake? We cannot say how the entry came to be made. But to us, it was the merciful protection of Krishna. Sometimes children want to do things that are not good for them due to immaturity or the influence of association, but a responsible father holds them back. This is how we experienced Krishna's care.

Few Realizations

During these 8 days in the hospital ward and while observing a few patients, we had many experiences which we would like to share.

Understanding duḥkhālayam

Sometimes when we are lost in material life, tasting occasional happiness, we miss realizing the harsh reality of life.

These 8 days in the hospital ward, watching the agony and suffering of so many patients and their family members, and hearing about the complications of their illnesses, reminded us of the truth that this world is duḥkhālayam, a place filled with miseries.

The sooner we get out of here, the better for us. We sincerely pray that these memories and realizations stay alive in our hearts, so that we may strive hard each day to get out of this place of suffering and return to a place filled with bliss.

Calamities are means of surrender

The sudden change of events was definitely a calamity and obstacle for our family. However, we came to understand it as a divine blessing. During these 8 days, our entire family was engaged completely in Krishna Consciousness. We had no side talks, no prajalpa. Whatever time we had, we spent with our japa malas.

The happiest moment for us was to see my father. He used to wake up by 04:30 AM every day, when it was kind of dark in the ward and patients were sleeping, and chant his rounds. It may be a normal thing for many devotees, but a person who had no faith in chanting even 3 years back was now waking up in the morning and chanting. It was a remarkable change. It is truly said that all the situations in the material world are so orchestrated that we get an opportunity to take shelter of Krishna.

Experiencing the Presence of Krishna

There is absolutely no doubt that we are extremely unqualified to speak on this high subject matter and humbly beg forgiveness for drawing any wrong conclusions. Please feel free to correct us if you think we are wrongly speculating.

Maharaj in another lecture explains what is the meaning of taking shelter or surrender.

When a devotee surrenders to Krishna, Krishna protects him. It is His promise:

HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj says:

This is so true. We admit we have still not reached the stage of chanting pure rounds. Still, we could feel the protection and presence of Krishna. Someone may question: How did Krishna protect? If He had protected then why did father have to undergo the surgery?

We must understand that the protection and presence of Krishna are not just about saving the gross body. When we are in close vicinity of roses, we feel their presence by their aroma. Similarly, the presence of Krishna spreads the aroma of calmness. In the absence of Krishna Consciousness, we may experience anxiety, depression and frustration - kuntha. But in the presence of Krishna, we can experience calmness even amidst the greatest turmoil - the state of no-kuntha or vaikuntha.

Yes, there were situations when we were confused momentarily while making decisions, but there was never a time when we were afraid, hopeless, heartbroken, depressed, anxious or frustrated.

Moreover, we must also understand that we all are carrying a huge pile of karma with us since time immemorial. We all have to suffer the reactions of our activities, but Krishna mercifully makes them manageable. As we stated earlier, my father's pulse was abruptly falling. The situation was unusual and had not been detected in earlier reports. Apart from this, the overall condition of the heart had appeared normal. Thus, the problem might not have been suspected from the earlier tests. During angiography, however, the devices were monitoring my father when the pulse dropped, and the doctors were able to identify the problem.

Perhaps his karma was to become unconscious and face some fatal consequences. But things turned out in a way that was safer for him. We experienced this as the protection of Krishna.

All that we want to say is that if this can happen with us, who are still struggling with sadhana, we cannot even imagine what level of protection and mercy is bestowed upon those who are completely dedicated to Krishna's devotional service. All we need is to develop firm faith in Krishna and take His shelter by chanting His Holy Names.

The Bed Near the Window

My father was shifted from ward 4A to 3A, for closer monitoring. His bed in 4A was in between 2 beds and a little congested. However, in 3A, he got a bed near a window. I thought to cheer him up by mentioning how wonderful the location was. My father smiled back and said, "it is nothing compared to home - only fools will be happy in a hospital bed."

It then struck me that our material world is not much better than this hospital ward. We all have a place to stay and sleep, food to eat, and associates to talk with. Some get better facilities, like a "bed near the window", while others are deprived of them, like those with a "bed between beds". All we are engaging ourselves in is trying to change our respective bed locations. We don't understand that our sufferings will not disappear even if we have a good bed. This is a futile endeavour, as confirmed in the revealed scriptures.

Instead, we must try to get out of this hospital once and for all and never return. Once we are free from diseases, we will be free from the hospital ward. To be free from disease, we must take medicines and treatments as prescribed by doctors. Similarly, to be free from the material world, we must follow the directions and instructions of scriptures and our spiritual authorities.

How Sense Gratification Can Trap Us

The next bed neighbour of my father was Mr. Chatterjee, approximately 75 years of age. He was admitted to the same ward for the last 10 days.

We observed a remarkable trend in him. Throughout the day he was active, joking with nurses and fellow patients. But as soon as the doctors came for a visit, he used to pull a bedsheet over himself, lie down and hardly speak or respond to the questions the doctors asked. As soon as the doctors left, he would be back to normal.

He had kept a hired attendant to look after him, whom he used to give money to get him paratha, non-vegetarian food, fried snacks and tea. Every time he used to eat so many items as if he was having a party. He once told my father that his family members were having fever, so he had to extend his stay in the ward.

One day his daughter or daughter-in-law came to visit. She appeared shocked as to why he was still in the hospital. She went and questioned the nurses, to which the nurse replied, "the doctor had discharged him 5 days back, but every day he is extending his stay by one more day." The nurses further reported, "... he never eats hospital provided food, but gets street food from outside." Patients of the entire ward were seen laughing.

Although it was a funny situation, if we think deeply, we all may fall into the same category. We all are extending our stay in this material world by one more life, just because we are attached to sense gratification. The sense of enjoyment is so strong that we do not want to Return Back Home - Back to Godhead.

Krishna and His associates, and all our bona fide acharyas like His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, repeatedly appear and, just like doctors, try to give us the medicine of the Maha Mantra and help us return from this material world. But we ourselves extend our stay, simply because we remain attached to material enjoyment.

Whose Shelter Do We Seek?

My father and another patient were brought to the CATH Lab to get the analysis report reviewed by the HOD of the Cardiology Department. I was accompanying my father, and the other patient was accompanied by his daughter. It was about 01:00 PM. We were asked to wait in the lounge for our turn. The nurse arranged our files sequentially as we had reached the lab. In the first place was my father's file, and the next file was this other patient's.

While we were waiting, we found senior doctors rushing into OT Rooms. A nurse came to us and said there was some complication in the ongoing pacemaker surgery, hence, we must expect a delay in seeing the HOD. He would see our files after the OT was done.

The waiting lounge was silent, and the AC was cooling the room. As I hadn't slept for nights, slowly I had dozed off sitting on the chair. It was about 3:30 PM when I woke up hearing the voice of his daughter. She was speaking to a senior nurse to push her file forward. It seemed the nurse shared the same apartment, so they had known each other for a long time. The nurse assured her that as soon as the doctor came out from OT, he would look into her file first.

Hearing this, with a sense of pride at having won a battle, the daughter came and was speaking out loud: "if you sit silently nothing will work, you will have to speak up and approach someone who is influential ... – uthiye thoda chahal pahal kjiye (wake up and do some activities)". I knew she was referring to me, as I was the person with Shikha, Kanthi mala and chanting beads. She wanted to explain to me what she considered the practical way of life. I won't lie, for a moment I felt insecure. I woke up and continued chanting japa.

Almost 1 more hour passed away, and the doctors came out. The nurse did try to push her file as promised, handed it to the doctor, and started to brief him, while my father's file was on the table. I do not know what crossed the mind of the doctor. He went straight to the table, kept her file aside and took my father's file, reviewed it and checked my father first.

This is not a race to win or lose. But the point that struck me was that, normally in our day-to-day dealings, we take shelter of so many people whom we think are powerful or influential. Be it in our office, school, college or any part of society, we often seek the help of people who can influence a situation. But we fail to take shelter of The Most Powerful, The Most Influential, The Most Charismatic, The Most Mystic, The Supreme Personality of Godhead - Krishna. He is the one controlling the entire creation. He is the one who is in actual control of every situation.

So intelligence lies in understanding this fact and taking His shelter, understanding that He is the Supreme Cause of all causes.

Whose Protection Can We Ultimately Rely On?

One of the common conceptions, or rather misconceptions, is that if we have children and money, our old age is secured, for they will be there to look after us.

This expectation does not always match reality, as we can see when we observe the difficulties people face in old age.

During our 8 days in the hospital ward, we found many elderly patients suffering and being accompanied by paid attendants. Some were crying with agony and pain, with no one immediately available to hear them. Their sons and daughters were tied up either in their jobs or families. They might be calling frequently or sending money, but they were not by their side.

When COVID's first wave was creating a worldwide disturbance, one of our colleagues who is posted in America lost his mother. She was in Hyderabad (India). It is natural that when someone is seriously ill or approaching the end of life, they may wish to have a close family member beside them. Who else can be closer to a mother than her only son?

We tend to justify such situations by saying that family members are helpless. But the point is: who is protecting us during our difficult times? Our plans for old age, based solely on having children, cannot guarantee that we will always have someone by our side.

There was this old man who was admitted. He was accompanied by 3 family members - we suppose his wife, his son, and his brother. They additionally hired an attendant too. Since that corner of the ward was empty, management allowed his relatives to stay for a night. It was about 02:30 AM when there was a sudden cry and mourning. Nurses and doctors on duty rushed to the bed and declared the patient dead. While other patients had either 1 relative or 1 attendant, this person had 3 relatives and 1 attendant. Despite having family members around him, financial resources and qualified doctors nearby, the moment of death came, and nobody could prevent it.

Therefore we must always understand the fact that nobody and nothing from this material world can give us ultimate shelter or protection. It is Krishna who is our true well-wisher, our shelter and our ultimate protection. When we don't realize this or have faith in Him, we look for protection from the material world in terms of money, relatives and family. We can and should have loving relationships with relatives, family and friends. But if we imagine that these relationships alone can guarantee a happy and secure life, we are placing our faith in something that cannot provide such a guarantee.

Therefore, it is an illusion to believe that money, a large family, well-wishers, friends and a huge group of influential contacts saved in an iPhone can make us completely safe and secure. We are safe till the time we are meant to be safe, and we will be comfortable till the time we are meant to be comfortable. When we are meant to suffer, nobody can remove all the suffering that is destined for us. And at the right time, at the right moment, we will be separated from this body, while all these so-called assets and well-wishers will remain behind.

Prahlad Maharaj confirms this in Srimad Bhagavatam:

Therefore, with all the time and energy left in our quota, let us take shelter of The Supreme Personality of Godhead, not merely to extend our lifespan, but to take us out of this world of repeated birth and death and full of miseries.

The scriptures prescribe the chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra as the yuga-dharma for the age of Kali:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram, Ram Ram Hare Hare.

Conclusion

Looking back at those 8 days, we remember the uncertainty, the medical examinations, the sudden discovery of the heart condition, the pacemaker surgery and, above all, the many moments in which we felt Krishna's mercy.

We do not claim that this experience is scientific proof of Krishna's existence, nor do we suggest that faith should replace medical treatment. The doctors, nurses and medical staff performed their duties, and we remain deeply grateful to them. But the events also strengthened our conviction that Krishna is the Supreme Controller, that nothing happens without His sanction, and that His protection is not limited to the preservation of the material body.

Sometimes Krishna's mercy is experienced through circumstances that we cannot fully understand. Sometimes He protects us by changing the situation; sometimes He gives us the strength and calmness to face it. And sometimes He uses a difficult experience to bring our attention back to Him.

Our prayer is that we may never forget these lessons. May we develop firm faith in Krishna, take shelter of His lotus feet and sincerely chant His Holy Names. That is the real protection we should seek.

Before ending this article, I would like to offer my heartfelt gratitude towards all the doctors, nurses, technicians and ward boys who are tirelessly serving the patients, my office management for granting me leave, my office team-mates for supporting during my leave, my brother- Anupam Banerjee and his good wife, Tandrima Banerjee, who were tirelessly supporting us in spite of their hectic professional life. My mother, for teaching me how to serve selflessly and for tolerating me and all my demands, My wife, Rusha for being my strength and for her service.

Finally, we are eternally grateful to all the devotees who have sincerely prayed and blessed my father, HG Vallabh Chaitanya Prabhu, HG Chaitanya Madhav Prabhu, HG Kanai Nathshala Prabhu, for praying, blessing, and guiding us in every phase of our life, Ritesh Prabhu, Bidit Prabhu, HG Tushtha Gopal Prabhu, HG Sevakanth Krishna Prabhu, Sabita Mataji, Tamoghna Prabhu, Vinod Chopra Prabhu & Sangeeta Chopra Mataji, Arindam Prabhu, Dibyendu Prabhu, Munmun Mataji, Srinivas Prabhu, Priyanka Mataji, Kamalesh Prabhu, HG Sudevi Mataji, Anjana Mataji, HG Vipul Prabhu, HG Parth Govind Prabhu, HG Dinabandhu Baishnab Prabhu and all the members of ISKCON Dumdum congregation and ISKCON Jamshedpur congregation for their endless encouragement and prayers, our beloved Guru Maharaj- HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj for His mercy and shelter, Srila Prabhupada for descending and creating a genuine family for us in the form of ISKCON, and finally All-Merciful Sri Krishna for orchestrating everything and for staying by our side always.

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