Phoenix
Phoenix
Once upon eternal time, in a
place where no materialists go
Confidential inquiries were made
about experiences below.
place where no materialists go
Confidential inquiries were made
about experiences below.
"Good brothers, ever in full knowledge,
with your faces radiating bliss-
You were rotting in the Iron Age;
Please tell me how you attained this."
with your faces radiating bliss-
You were rotting in the Iron Age;
Please tell me how you attained this."
"Yes," one said, "even my human birth,
I thought, would not steer my course from hell.
For it endured only a moment;
the chances of reaching here were nil.
I thought, would not steer my course from hell.
For it endured only a moment;
the chances of reaching here were nil.
But I once had the experience of
seeing a liberated soul.
Whilst thinking of him, death swiftly came,
and awarded me the supreme goal."
seeing a liberated soul.
Whilst thinking of him, death swiftly came,
and awarded me the supreme goal."
"It must be he!" cried another,
"whose pleading released me from sleep's tight hold.
I'd never rise to do my duty,
though time and time again I was told.
"whose pleading released me from sleep's tight hold.
I'd never rise to do my duty,
though time and time again I was told.
But his teachings I heard faithfully
I even distributed my share.
Isn't it wonderful that this dulled mind
Could become perfectly aware?"
I even distributed my share.
Isn't it wonderful that this dulled mind
Could become perfectly aware?"
"Yes, the influence of this saintly man
is overwhelming, I must agree.
The truth, as he explained it,
left no room for my quarrelsome tendency."
is overwhelming, I must agree.
The truth, as he explained it,
left no room for my quarrelsome tendency."
One said, "Friends, I am your servant,
and since in these stories we do delight,
Let us increase the ecstasy by
hearing how I was freed from my plight.
and since in these stories we do delight,
Let us increase the ecstasy by
hearing how I was freed from my plight.
My difficulties, not uncommon,
lay in the teaching I had received
Before our spiritual master
disproved the theories I believed.
lay in the teaching I had received
Before our spiritual master
disproved the theories I believed.
I had heard that after life was void
or, at best, an impersonal light
Into which we merged our identity.
So I lost concern for wrong and right
or, at best, an impersonal light
Into which we merged our identity.
So I lost concern for wrong and right
And did as my senses told me,
But became confused as things grew worse
Until I heard from him of karma
and Krsna, the essence of Vedic verse."
But became confused as things grew worse
Until I heard from him of karma
and Krsna, the essence of Vedic verse."
"And you surrendered?" was asked.
"For me such fortune would never come near.
But the few cents I had donated once
was enough to let me join you here."
"For me such fortune would never come near.
But the few cents I had donated once
was enough to let me join you here."
"It is his glory," they concluded,
"that we are now happy and free
from the perpetually disturbing
life of irreligiosity.
"that we are now happy and free
from the perpetually disturbing
life of irreligiosity.
Let us go on as he has taught us
in the selfless service of the Lord
Let us please him with the love
that long within our hearts was stored."
in the selfless service of the Lord
Let us please him with the love
that long within our hearts was stored."
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Nalinikanta dasa adhikari / Ratnesvari-devi dasi / Janapavana dasa adhikari / Danakeli-devi dasi / Visvaretaḥ dasa adhikari / Bhaktin Pam / Darpada dasa adhikari / Brad, Lou and Raina / Bhakta Malcolm / Dennis, Cindy and Woodstock / Henry Chaney and family
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