Room Conversation With Dr. G. Ghosh of Allahabad – October 16, 1977, Vṛndāvana

Dr. Ghosh: Bowels move regularly?

Tamala Krsna: No. Actually we were just about to give him enema.

Dr. Ghosh: Enema.

Tamala Krsna: Yes. Just now we were going to do. He has not had any bowel movement in about six days.

Dr. Ghosh: So, really?

Tamala Krsna: But he doesn't eat anything either, very much.

Dr. Ghosh: Ha, but you can give an enema of glucose and a little salt.

Tamala Krsna: Oh. So we were going to do.

Dr. Ghosh: Glucose, you see? The bowel may be washed daily. That will also give him a little nourishment and as well as... You see? Keep his bowels going.

Tamala Krsna: I don't know if he wants to do it daily.

Dr. Ghosh: I will do it with my own hand. [Transl. I will. Let me see your tongue.] Quite good.

Tamala Krsna: The doctors who have been coming said that the heart was not bad and the tongue looks all right.

Dr. Ghosh: His urine should... Has it been recently examined?

Tamala Krsna: Yes.

Dr. Ghosh: I'd like to see the report.

Tamala Krsna: Where is that report? No one ever gave me this report.

[background discussion looking for report]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Has your wife come?]

Dr. Ghosh: [Transl. Pardon?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Has your wife come?]

Dr. Ghosh: [Transl. No, I came alone. They are all in Darjeeling. We went there recently. They will come. I just came alone.] I don't know how he... [Transl. From Lucknow I went to Dhubri. From Dhubri I went to Darjeeling.] I don't know. He went to my son-in-law's at Lucknow, got all the informations and then, oh, I don't know how he followed, how he could find me. He went to Loreto Convent there-two of my granddaughters are there-inquired from them, "When your grandfather is coming?" And they told him. And the next day we met him at Loreto Convent. [laughs] What was...? A wonderful thing. Then he gave me the message. I at once... Within two hours, I started, you see. Oh, it was a very travel from...

Tamala Krsna: How you came? By what means?

Dr. Ghosh: By that rocket bus. Sixteen hours it took us from Siliguri to Calcutta. Terrible, bone-breaking thing. I never did that in my life, sixteen hours by bus. In Calcutta, Calcutta the greatest thing. With Lord Krsna's blessings He could, how could get otherwise. This is the third flight that we got. I mean to say, we couldn't get before that. This morning we got a flight without a great...

Prabhupada: Rocket bus?

Dr. Ghosh: Hah, from Siliguri to Calcutta. It usually takes twelve hours, but the road was so bad that it took sixteen hours to come to Calcutta, from Siliguri to Calcutta. Then Calcutta we were delayed. We couldn't get the first flight, second flight... Couldn't rest. With greatest difficulty, third flight we came this morning. Otherwise we would have reached yesterday, last night.

Prabhupada: [Transl. Where did you stay? In our temple?]

Dr. Ghosh: [Transl. No.] Our name was in the waiting list. They would not give..., do it. Anyway, we have reached. [Transl. You relax.]

Tamala Krsna: Anyway, now it is good that you have come.

Dr. Ghosh: You should measure his urine.

Tamala Krsna: We do. We do that. We have kept a record for two months now of everything that he takes in and passes out.

Prabhupada: You can show him the record? Huh? [pause]

Hari-sauri: Pomegranate juice, then this...

Dr. Ghosh: Benadryl Expectorant.

Hari-sauri: This is Benadryl.

Dr. Ghosh: Benadryl. Expectorant. There are two kinds of expectorant. His urine report?

Tamala Krsna: I have just sent for the detailed urine report. I sent for it. It'll come. It will just be coming. Just coming. But daily, you can see, this is how much he's taking in, this is how much urine is going out.

Dr. Ghosh: Yes. Yes. Go through them. So first let me have a good wash.

Tamala Krsna: All right. So Bhakti-caitanya Maharaja, maybe you can help Dr. Ghosh to get into a nice room?

Dr. Ghosh: [Transl. I will just go and come back.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Yes, yes.]

Dr. Ghosh: [Transl. I am terribly tired.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. You go.]

Dr. Ghosh: Don't worry. No.

Prabhupada: Give him the best room. And have... Give him best wash.

Dr. Ghosh: Don't worry, don't worry. I will just...

Prabhupada: [Transl. You came here with so much inconvenience.]

Dr. Ghosh: Don't worry, don't worry. Please, please be comfortable. [Transl. I will come back after a while] I'll just go through them.

[break]

Hari-sauri: ...he died recently.

Prabhupada: He also died? He is the only person remaining. Otherwise, all my contemporary friends gone.

Lokanatha: Dr. Ghosh likes you very much.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Lokanatha: And there's practical liking. Not just words, but he wants to render services unto you. That is better.

Prabhupada: And Krsna has made him happy in all respect.

Lokanatha: Yes. He was mentioning to me that.

Prabhupada: From monetary point of view, from family life, position. He is the biggest medical practitioner in Allahabad. Everyone knows. Even in the street, Dr. Ghosh they know. So take care of him very carefully.

Lokanatha: Yes, we'll take care of him. I'll promise. Actually, his daughter was very much reluctant that he should not go or should not go immediately. But he did not hear her. He just decided to go. But I had to promise his daughter that I would take care of him. She was saying that he should not also become patient along with Srila Prabhupada, as he is old and like that. We'll give him good room and nice accommodation.

Prabhupada: Attendant, whatever he wants.

Tamala Krsna: Yes, Prabhupada. Right now we're arranging a good room. He'll have his bath, meals. He asked for some fruits, so we're arranging. Don't worry. We'll give him everything nicely as your dear old friend. I think you should begin now, Srila Prabhupada. I think we should begin to give you this enema now.

Prabhupada: Begin.

Tamala Krsna: Okay. [break]

Prabhupada: [indistinct]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Lokanatha Maharaja, Trivikrama Maharaja and Sridhara Maharaja are taking care of Dr. Ghosh.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Did he eat anything?]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. He took some fruits after taking his bath. He ate little not much.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Why fruits? He didn't eat anything whole day.]

Dr. Ghosh: [Transl. Today you had motion with the help of enema.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Yes.]

Dr. Ghosh: [Transl. You have to eat little. Can't you eat little curd etc. Curd is nutritious. Little curd. You should make curd with lemon.] That will be nice taste with a little sugar, chana. And save his urine for tomorrow's examination. And just now I'll go to the doctor and speak to him about it, and I'll take the urine tomorrow myself, and I myself will also see. Yes. That is very important, you see? All this swelling must be reduced as soon as possible. [Transl. You have to eat nourishing food. Some time ago...do you have vomiting sensation?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. No.]

Dr. Ghosh: [Transl. You have no appetite?] Anorexia, what you call. [Transl. You have to eat. Little curd. Little yogurt.] Yogurt, stir it up with a little sugar and lemon juice. [Transl. Like that you have to eat.]

Upendra: Lemon water? Doctor, we gave him some orange juice previously...

Dr. Ghosh: Very good.

Upendra: But just after the orange and sweet lemon we gave him, this is when his urine became very... Just afterwards his urine became...

Dr. Ghosh: Not due to that. We'll see to it. I'll stay on and just see what there is. He must have enough nourishment, and this swelling must be reduced. To strain the [indistinct] is too weak.

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Massage, we are giving him massage.]

Dr. Ghosh: [Transl. Beg a pardon?]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Massage is given.]

Dr. Ghosh: Massage is good, but gentle massage. The object of massage is to improve the circulation. To improve the circulation. So massage should be from below, upwards towards the heart. From below, upwards towards the heart. All these... There is a way, proper way of doing a thing, and wrong way of doing a thing. So the right way of doing a thing is massage... The object of massage is to improve the circulation. And the way is to squeeze the blood towards the heart. You see? This is first squeeze, squeezing motion. You see every tip of the finger is like... So that this swelling will also be reduced if you do it properly. This is called petrissage: squeezing towards the heart. Every nerve and muscle should be petrissage. And then this, just like twisting gently, very gently, always towards the heart. Squeeze the blood towards the heart. That will improve the flow and deportment. Petrissage first, then efflurage is like this. [demonstrates] And deportment. Chest should also be just like this. There's hardly any muscle left. And stomach, just like the hands of a clock. From right to left, like that. This is the way how peristalsis occurs in the intestine. You see? Towards the rectum always, like the hands of a clock. Not this way, anticlockwise. Just like that. Legs too. Similarly, from below, upwards. That is very important. That will reduce the swelling and improve the circulation. Please. Gentle. Should be very, very gentle. You know? Left side is more so. And you should change him from side to side. His body shouldn't be kept in one position for a long time. That is increase the hypostasis and increase the... Look at this.

Prabhupada: Who is taking the...

Trivikrama: Chanting, you want?

Prabhupada: No. The instruction.

Upendra: We're all watching, Srila Prabhupada-Bhakti-caru, Upendra, Bhavananda, Satadhanya.

Dr. Ghosh: Just put the pillow. That will facilitate. Yes, like that. Always upwards.

Lokanatha: Isn't it too high?

Dr. Ghosh: Towards the heart. Gentle. Very gentle. And then you can just... Very, very gentle. If you just hold it a little, so that he has... [slapping sound] Like that. Just for two minutes, three minutes, but frequently. Yes, frequently. Both hands, both legs. Then at the back, too, you rub with a little spirit and powder. That also improves the circulation. A little powder, talcum powder, will help the hands to play freely. You see? Instead of oil, a little powder will be better in this way. Yes. And he should be changed from different position. Posture should be changed frequently.

Trivikrama: How often?

Dr. Ghosh: Can you turn to one side gentle? I would like to see his back.

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Srila Prabhupada, Dr. Ghosh is asking can you turn on your side?]

Dr. Ghosh: [Transl. Please turn little. Slowly, slowly. Let me see your back and hips.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. Which side of the hips would you like to see?]

Dr. Ghosh: Any side. Left side will be better because heart is on the left side. That will be less... Yes. Turn him on his left. That's fine. That's fine. Grape juice? Grape juice he doesn't like? Grape juice? That's more nourishing than that pomegranate juice, but pomegranate juice very good for sick feeling and all. Grape juice also. Little Horlicks. Changes, change every hour or two hours. Just a few teaspoons. And chana and a little dahi. You see all these he must be getting. Anyway, his urine should be had the first thing he took. There are too many people in this room. Let him have more oxygen. If you don't... More oxygen. More oxygen.

[window opens]

Bhavananda: But then he's afraid of draft. Draft.

Dr. Ghosh: No, no. No draft. Fresh air. No draft.

Prabhupada: You can open it.

Bhakti-caru: We opened it, Srila Prabhupada.

Dr. Ghosh: [Transl. No appetite? You don't feel like eating anything? You can take little Horlicks.] Just a few teaspoons.

Prabhupada: [Transl. If I take it, I get cough.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. If he drinks milk he gets mucus. Yesterday I...]

Dr. Ghosh: We'll see to that. I am here.

Bhakti-caru: Sixty cc. Only sixty cc milk he took, and he started coughing the whole night.

Dr. Ghosh: [Transl. Okay I will see to that. Try a little yogurt mixed with water. Little curd] solid curd, make it with lemon. Add little sugar in it. Keep it ready. [Transl. I just go to the city and come back.] Massage upwards towards the heart. [Transl. Like this. Whenever he coughs turn him to the side] ...preferably on the left side, preferably on the left side, like this. This is an ideal position for him. I would like to go and see the doctor who will examine his urine tomorrow. [Transl. I go to the city and see. And prepare some curd and I will feed him.]

Bhakti-caru: [Transl. When will you return?]

Dr. Ghosh: [Transl. Half an hour or one hour I will be back.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Did you take prasad?]

Dr. Ghosh: [Transl. I have taken. I ate. Don't worry.] Don't worry about me. He asked me whether I have brought my wife with me or not. [laughs] I have come running, leaving everything.

Upendra: Said you want to see Prabhupada.

[background discussion about arrangements] [kirtana]

Prabhupada: [Transl. We have a car, no? Car?]

Bhavananda: Car. Yes, car is here for him.

Prabhupada: So, car is reserved for his use?

Bhavananda: He is going for the urinalysis.

Prabhupada: No. In our car he is going or not? How he is going?

Bhavananda: He's not going yet, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: So car must be ready.

Bhavananda: Yes. I'll go and make the arrangements.

[long pause] [kirtana]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Prabhupada, how are you?]

Prabhupada: Doctor, urine examination?

Bhagatji: [Transl. Kirtanananda Maharaja gave Abhirama the test report. If it is lost then I can make a duplicate copy and bring it tomorrow.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Take him to him.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Whom?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. The Doctor.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. I will take him in the morning. He might have gone to Mathura. He practices there. Dr. Gopal is there. We can talk to him.]

Prabhupada: He wants to see doctor... [Transl. Massage should be given upwards. He showed. Not like that.] Where is Tamala?

Giriraja: Call Tamala Krsna. Call Tamala Krsna. The doctor said that it should help the blood to go to the heart, so it should be always towards the heart.

Bhagatji: [Transl. Upwards. Towards the heart.]

Giriraja: Prabhupada started telling him it should be towards the heart.

Bhagatji: [Transl. Prabhupada, Srila Prabhupada, Rama dasa Sastri has come. Can he have your darsana?]

Prabhupada: Huh?

Bhagatji: [Transl. Can Rama Dasa Sastri have your darsana?]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Okay. Sastriji forgive my offense.]

Rama Dasa: [Transl. What are you saying? You look very weak. Your body has become thin. I pray to Mahaprabhu that may you live forever. You have worked hard for the benefit of the people of the whole world. All glories to you the exalted soul.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. That doctor Ghosh has come.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Yes.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Has he left?]

Bhagatji: [Transl. He was standing outside.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. We have to take instructions from him.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. I will call him.]

Prabhupada: [Transl. Tell him that the person who gives massage has come. You please come and show him.]

Bhagatji: [Transl. Okay.]

[kirtana] [end]