He was a reserved type of person who would come regularly to the temple
feasts but never really showed a lot of enthusiasm. He was from a Saivaite
background. (Shiva devotees are not usually very enthusiastic about Krishna
bhakti - and also there is a difference in some philosophical understanding)
One day he had a severe heart attack and was rushed to hospital. During the
surgery he almost passed away on four occasions. It was touch and go and he
slipped into a coma. He remained that way for several weeks after.
Badrinaryana Prabhu is a senior ISKCON devotee and was hence requested by Mr
Prakash's wife to please visit her husband even though he was in a coma and
pray for him.
Badri prabhu dutifully obliged and several times went to his bedside and
read from shastra and chanted to the unconscious Mr. Prakash.
One day Badri got a call from Mrs. Prakash saying “Please come quickly to
the hospital. My husband has come out of the coma but he only wants to speak to you.”
Badri went there to find some relatives and hospital staff gathered around
his bedside. When he saw Badri he began to speak. “Badri, four times they
came, four times they came!”
The relatives present thought he was talking about them. “Yes, we came
several times but you were in a coma!”
Mr. Prakash shook his head to indicate that was not what he was talking
about. “No. Badri, four times they came!”
So then the hospital staff said, “Yes, we almost lost you four times! You
were in a coma but somehow we saved you.”
Again he shook his head. “No. Badri, four times they came!”
Badri started to realize what he was referring to. “Who came prabhu? *The Visnudutas?*“
“No, it was the bad people *[Yamadutas]*! They came the first time to take
me away. But I told them ‘I am simply dependent on Lord Krsna.’ So they went away.”
“Then they came a second time. Again I told them, ‘Do whatever you must, but
I am simply depending on Lord Krsna.’ Again they went away.”
“Then they came the third time, and told me they would take me away. I told
them again, ‘You do whatever you must do, but I am dependent on Lord Krsna.’
Again they left.”
“Then they came a fourth time. But this time some of the good people came
(Visnudutas). When the bad people saw them they said ‘OK, we have no
jurisdiction here’ and they left. Then I came out of my coma.”
He called Badri close and told him, *“Badri, before I was not serious. But now, 100%!”*
Mr. Prakash recovered and became one of the most enthusiastic and humble servants at the temple.
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