The Last Laugh

The materialists often laugh at the renunciation of Krishna conscious people. Especially when they hear that Krishna devotees give up illicit sex life, meat eating, intoxication, and gambling, they find all kinds of ways to poke fun at them. But it is said, "He who laughs last, laughs best." So just consider that at the time of death the materialistically minded people will be forced by their own desires to enter into another term of imprisonment within the cycle of birth and death, while those who are purely absorbed in God consciousness or Krishna consciousness will find themselves delivered into the transcendental world of eternity, knowledge, and bliss.

Who gets the last laugh?

Of course the devotees are very compassionate. They do not like to laugh at the suffering of others. But if they wanted to, they could have a big chuckle how they become victorious over the laws of nature while their critic are defeated by those same laws.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: For Your Urgent Advice

Gurudev,

All obeisances unto you.

Kindly guide me thru my bad patch of life. Since last 15 days, I am getting endless thoughts of ending my life. I am unable to think anything else 24 hours a day. I read an online article on the complications of diabetes and, as I am myself a diabetic, I was shocked to read the article which has left an horrific impact on my mind. I am continuously thinking if I get one of these symptoms how can I cope with it. I am unable to concentrate on my japa and day to day activity. My wife is also desperately worrying about my mental condition even though I have not told her completely about what kind of thoughts are running in my mind.

in the circumstances give me your invaluable guidance and pray for me to come out of this situation at the earliest.

your servant

Answer: Krishna Consciousness is the Best Medicine

There is no sense in thinking about ending your life, because you are eternal. The root cause of your suffering is not your diabetes. You are suffering because your mind is not properly situated in Krishna consciousness. With diabetes or without diabetes, you will still be in the suffering condition of birth, death, old age, and disease if your mind is not properly situated.

Of course you should aggressively pursue all medical and alternative medical avenues for dealing with your diabetes disease. And at the same time, you should realize that Krishna has blessed you with an opportunity to very intensely take shelter of Him.

So now your duty is to make a two-pronged attack against your distress by, on the one hand taking all medical help, and on the other hand completely taking shelter of Lord Sri Krishna and depending on Him for the result.

You can pray to the Lord, "My dear Lord, if you want my body to die right now, that's all right. I am simply your surrendered servant. Whatever you want to do with me is Your mercy. But my one prayer is that you kindly allow me to always be absorbed purely 24 hours a day in hearing, chanting, and remembering your glorious names, fame, teachings, and pastimes."

If you sincerely pray like this from the innermost core of your heart again and again until this mood becomes firmly established in your heart, I can assure you that of all of your anxiety will go away and that your peaceful mind will facilitate the healing of your body. A disturbed mind is one the causes of disease. So there is nothing worse than mental anxiety for making body more diseased. And there is no better medicine than Krishna consciousness for helping your body to regain its health. Of course, at the same time, you must follow all medical advice for dealing with the diseases of the body.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari