Hare Krsna!
Note: From below, it appears, the key point is HEARING Krsna-Kirtana (without any tinge of material desire). This is what we all have to do to get release from material world: “But as you were hearing Krsna-kirtana, I am sure that you were directly promoted to Krsna-loka.” Srila Prabhupada KNEW he was HEARING Krsna-kirtana without any tinge of material desire because he is in direct communication with Krsna who informs him , hence, he says I am sure. Otherwise, why would he say, “I am sure that you were directly promoted to Krsna-loka”.
The question is how many can HEAR Krsna-kirtana – in the condition of acute pain when the death comes. Practice makes perfect. Last sense to go is the ear. Srila Prabhupada also speaks “If not, if you had any tinge of material desire, you have gone to the celestial kingdom to live with the demigods for many thousands of years and enjoy the most opulent life of material existence.”
So the hearing Krsna-kirtana is full concentration without any tinge of material desire. These are the TWO very important points to remember.
Letter to: Jayananda
—
Bombay
5 May, 1977
77-05-05
My Dear Jayananda,
Please accept my blessings.
I am feeling very intensely your separation. In 1967 you joined me in San Francisco. You were driving my car and chanting HareKrsna. You were the first man to give me some contribution ($5000) for printing my Bhagavad-gita. After that, you have rendered very favorable service to Krsna in different ways. I so hope at the time of your death you were remembering Krsna and as such, you have been promoted to the eternal association of Krsna. If not, if you had any tinge of material desire, you have gone to the celestial kingdom to live with the demigods for many thousands of years and enjoy the most opulent life of material existence. From there you can promote yourself to the spiritual world. But even if one fails to promote himself to the spiritual world, at that time he comes down again on the surface of this globe and takes birth in a big family like a yogis’ or a brahmanas’ or an aristocratic family, where there is again chance of reviving Krsna Consciousness.But as you were hearing Krsna–kirtana, I am sure that you were directly promoted to Krsna–loka.
janma karma ca me divyam
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti man eti so’ rjuna
[Bg. 4.9]
Krsna has done a great favor to you, not to continue your diseased body, and has given you a suitable place for your service. Thank you very much.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
ACBS/tkg
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/letters/bombay/may/05/1977/jayananda