Friday 26 May 2017

Sunday, May 21st, 2017

Omaha, Nebraska

The Attempted Suicide

Today was a day off.  Our alternator needed replacing.  The mechanic (not the boss) took $30 off the price from his labour because he liked our project of walking across America.

I was resting my gout foot (the left one) at our host’s home, Vanamali and family.  We sat together along with my crew of two to discuss the episode of Chaitanya, the Great Walker, and his dear associate, Sanatana.  Sanatana had traversed the jungles of Jarikhanda (Bengal), had bathed in some bad water and for lack of good edibles, he felt sick and contracted an infection.  The symptoms were painful itching sores, rashes and who knows what else.

The disease was challenging enough to the point where Sanatana wanted to give up his life.  At the upcoming Rathayatra festival in the eastern town of Puri, Sanatana thought to throw his wretched body before the wheel of one of the chariots.  When news reached Chaitanya, he approached Sanatana with compassion but firmly denounced such a plan as suicide.

“Your body does not belong to you so you have no right to leave your body.  Your body is sold out to others, in benevolence.  Besides, I have plans for you—to excavate the places where Krishna had enacted His historical pastimes.”

Sanatana heard the words of his master, Chaitanya, and as he did so, Chaitanya offered an embrace which Sanatana felt bad about.  “I’m diseased!”

Chaitanya was not deterred and forced the hug, saying that Sanatana was a good soul.

An exchange with the Great walker.

May the Source be with you!


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