24th Nov 2008 Night shift 6pm – 6am
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We reached the hospital at 7pm this evening. Hinduja Hospital is just 11kms
away from The Juhu Temple, yet it takes almost 1 hour to reach there because
of the traffic. This evening HH Bhakti Purushottama Swami, HG Braja Hari
Prabhu and HG Bhadra Balaram Prabhu were there with Guru Maharaja when we
reached the hospital. Maharaj was presenting the first copy of his book on
Sri Ksetra Parikrama to Guru Maharaja. This is a new guide book about Puri
Dham written by HH Bhakti Purushottama Maharaj. It was glossy and full of
colorful pictures.
Around 7.45pm before leaving the hospital Maharaj told me to daily read from
the book for Guru Maharaja. At 8pm when I went inside to see Guru Maharaja
his eyes were slightly closed. I offered my obeisances mentally. Then I
rubbed his hand gently and said, “Guru Maharaja, I am Maha Varaha here”. He
grabbed my hand. I asked him, “Should I read for you from the new book?”
Guru Maharaja nodded yes. After reading two pages from the book I had a
thought. What would I do if I were given a new book to read? I would first
glance through the book especialy of the pictures in the book. I told Guru
Maharaja, “Now we will go on Sri Ksetra Parikrama by looking at the
pictures. Guru Maharaja remained silent. I held the book in front him,
showed him all the pictures of the holy places in Puri Dham with brief
explanation. Guru Maharaja was looking at them very peacefuly with rapt
attention. He was also reading some of the explanations by himself. Couple
of times he signaled me not to turn the pages too fast. In between he
pointed his face couple of times, asking me to scratch his face. I realised
it is time to shave up his beard.
Miss Leena, the nurse who was there sitting and updating records on Guru
Maharaja file, was amazed to see Guru Maharaja’s responses to the book. She
switched on more lights to help Guru Maharaja to read the book by himself.
We went on the book parikrama for almost 40 minutes non stop. At 8.40pm few
other nurses came and stopped our parikrama. They told me to go out because
they need to change the physical position of Guru Maharaja. I kept the book
on the table where Miss Leena was doing her work and walked out of ICCU.
After 15 minutes I peeped through the entrance door. Miss Leena and another
christian nurse were glancing through the book with full attention. Jaganath
Swami Ki Jai!!
I waited outside with HG Sitaram Prabhu and Dr.Sagar for another 15 minutes
before I heard an announcement ‘Bed number 20’. When I went in Guru Maharaja
showed me a sign that he wants his dinner. I asked the nurse if I can feed
him now? She told me that there is a trace of food found in the trachea tube
of Guru Maharaja and therefore we have to consult with Dr.Hegde whether oral
feeding can be continued. I know the doctors don’t have a fix time for the
routine check up. So I suggested the nurse to call up the doctor immediately
as Guru Maharaja was feeling hungry. She answered, “I can’t do that and I
have to wait for the doctor to come.” I told Guru Maharaja the reason of not
feeding him. He asked by the sign of his fingers, “How much time?” I said
very soon. After 15 minutes Guru Maharaja slept off.
Meanwhile, I told everything to Dr.Acyutananda from The Bhaktivedanta
Hospital who just came in for an evening shift replacing Dr.Sagar. He
consulted few of his doctor friends. But we could do nothing. Dr.Hegde
showed up at 10.30pm and allowed oral feeding to be continued. Sitaram
Prabhu and myself went in again at 10.40pm to feed Guru Maharaja. Guru
Maharaja was still sleeping. I woke him up and asked if he wants to have his
dinner. He nodded yes.
We had vegetable soup and milk for him. While feeding vegetable soup, Guru
Maharaja asked with his hand sign, what is that in the other container which
was kept on the table at the end of his feet?
I said, “Milk from the temple, we will give you once you finish eating this
creamy soup.” He agreed. After feeding about 10 spoons of soup he started
coughing. Nurse advised us to stop feeding. I asked her, “What about the
milk?” She said,”Nothing. Do not feed anything more otherwise he may vomit
them out. We have to do the suction after some time.” I told Guru Maharaja
about it. Guru Maharaja asked me what is the time now by pointing at the
watch. I said “11pm.” He told me to give him a massage. Before giving the
massage I cleaned his mouth and started the massage from his face, then both
hands and ended with his legs. When I was massaging his feet, he asked me
for his milk again. I reminded him that he cannot consume anything now until
the suction has been done. At the end of the massage he fell asleep. It was
11.20pm.
25th Nov 2008 – 5.45am
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Sitaram Prabhu and myself went in to see Guru Maharaja. He was fully awake
and looked very fresh. Guru Maharaja asked, “Wath tang nau?” This time not
with his fingers sign but he spoke. We were surprised. He repeated the same
thing. Though it was not so clear but we understood his question, “What time
now?” We answered, “It is 6am.”
I told Guru Maharaja, “We are in Mayapur now and going to attend the mangala
arati program.” He nodded his head. We held Sri Sri Radha Madhava picture in
front of him and sang the full mangala arati song. He kept gazing at Their
Lordships till we finished the full song. Then we took him to have the
darshan of Their Lordships Sri Sri Panca Tattva. Guru Maharaja raised his
left hand and showed a sign to put the picture on his forehead. After Sri
Panca Tattva darshan I held Lord Narasimhadeva picture in front of him and
as we all know Guru Maharaja likes to perform mangal arati to Lord
Narasimhadeva, I asked him, “Do you want to do the arati for Lord
Narasimhadeva?” Guru Maharaja nodded yes. We sang Narasimha prayers for Guru
Maharaja. Jaya Bhaktavigna Vinasaka Narasimhadeva Bhagavan Ki Jai!
At the end of our morning program I told Guru Maharaja it is time for us to
go and Dharesh Prabhu will be coming in soon to be with you. Guru Maharaja
spoke again, “I can’t hear you.” This time he spoke better. He spoke very
clearly. I repeated to him the same thing. He said,”Dharesh! Dharesh!” Again
it was very clear. I told him, “Yes, Dharesh is out there waiting to join
you soon. He then grabbed my hand to bid farewell. When I was about to go
out, a nurse passed by. I interrupted her by asking, “Does Swamiji has the
speech valve fixed on him?” She said,”No.” We were so happy with the clarity
of Guru Maharaja’s speech without the speech valve. We went out so happily
discussing about the steady day by day progress of Guru Maharaja.
Your in the service of Guru Maharaja,
JPS Servants