When Krishna Comes Calling
On the last moments of parents' lives. His parents
suffered from a debilitating disease which saw them gradually
waste away for 3 years. In fact, the author actually whispered
in his dying mother's ears to Go, not cling to life. His mother
was very devoted to Krishna in child-form. Hindus believe that a
sublime death is one when Krishna comes to take you away.
Dear mother, dear father,
When your Krishna comes calling
Don't look back
Don't hold back
Go, just go!
Lest you are inflicted
With yet another ordeal
Of birth and adolescence
Of procreation and grihasti1
Of schooling and commerce
Of relations and emotions
Of competition and achievement
Of duty and responsibility
Of desire and possession
Of fortune and misery
Of sickness and accident
Of old age and death
Go, just go!
Run away with your Laala2,
May we meet in some dimension,
And greet in acquaintance,
Rejoice for the enduring love,
And go our respective ways.
Don't look back
Don't come back
Please, dear father, dear mother.
By Pravin Gandhi
1 Grihasti: stage in life when a person is married and has family
2 Laala: fond name for the child Krishna
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