Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja (To Bhakti dāsa, a terminally ill devotee): Don’t fear death. Death simply means that you will have a new body, and by that new body you will be able to serve Śrī Kṛṣṇa and perform bhajana with great determination. Because of your activities until now, such as your chanting of the holy name, Kṛṣṇa will arrange to give you a pure devotee with whom to associate. We should not fear death; death is nothing. As long as you are conscious, always remember Kṛṣṇa and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Those who are now babies, and also those who are now very smart and strong youths, will become old one day. No doctor or scientist, nor the combined effort of many doctors and scientists, can stop one’s old age from coming. In old age we will be harassed by many diseases, and one day we will have to give up this body. No one can postpone his time of inevitable death for even a second.
What is death? The soul, which is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, gives up this body and enters another baby body. This is death.
We are not this body; inside the body there is a soul, the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Now, we souls have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, and that is why we are covered by so many material situations – birth, death, calamities, diseases, and problems.
Conversely, if we chant Kṛṣṇa’s name, we will attain love for Kṛṣṇa and be liberated from this world. There will be no birth or death, and we will obtain a beautiful and brilliant spiritual teenage body. We will thus always serve Kṛṣṇa and be happy. In Kṛṣṇa’s abode there is no need of serving anyone else but Kṛṣṇa. There is no need of money and no need of eating, as we have here. There is only nectar there – we engage only in drinking the nectar of love.
Bhadrā dāsī: Śrīla Gurudeva, this is Ann. She has been chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa for twenty-five years. Two years ago, her husband left his body. She has been missing him and grieving about this. She is a very good devotee, but she has no guru.
Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: You should know that your husband has not died. He is in another body now, but you would not be able to recognize him. He has forgotten you, so you should also forget him. It is essential to know that Kṛṣṇa is your only husband. All of us are eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa, who is your only husband, son, and all other relatives.
If that man was actually your husband, why did he leave you? And what did you do with his body after his death?
Ann: I cremated it.
Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Ashes. If he was your husband, why did you put his body in fire? Why?
So you should not lament. Kṛṣṇa never dies, and you, the soul, never die. Do not weep or lament in vain. Weep only for Kṛṣṇa.
Ann: Thank you.
Śrīla Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja: Always be happy that Kṛṣṇa, your Husband, will not die. Always know that He is eternally playing on His flute and calling you.

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