The End is Nigh - Death cometh; Quick, readeth!

I posed this question to our local devotee gathering and it got an interesting response so I'll try it here.

You've been told that you are to die soon, within days, weeks, or perhaps a couple of months. The remaining portion of your life will be spent in isolation but you are able to bring two books with you. Which two would you choose and why?

(For the sake of the exercise, we'll ignore the practical issues of a "book" perhaps being multi-volume, not being available in a good translation or whatever. So pick freely based upon the existence of an "ideal" edition.)

May as well put this tale in here for good effect:



Appointment in Samarra

I initially thought the "classic" reply; Prarthana and Prema-bhakti-candrika. But then when I thought about it, I decided that I would take Caitanya Caritamrta and Caitanya Bhagavata. Hey, you said you wouldn't consider multi-volume!

As for why, why because, they are the two books that perfectly describe my dearest Lord. And when I am about to die, I would like to have the opportunity to immerse my mind in His glories in the last moments of my life, and place my mind carefully at His soft and tender beautiful lotus feet for Him to kick it away or place His feet on it as He pleases.

• Siddha Baba's Gutika
• Raghunath Das Goswami's Vilapa-kusumanjali

Without a second thought. Why? I consider them the two most essential titles concerning our prayojan. The first is a comprehensive explanation of the nitya-lIlA(s) we seek to enter. The second is the deepest of all exposés on mañjarI-bhAva, its importance goes without explaining.

On a second thought, I might have memorized the latter by the time the issue became topical, so I might get to pick yet another title.

Radhe Radhe!

Hey, I have a big backpack so I could fit more than two books with me! Okay, okay I will stick within the guidelines...

Prema Bhakti Candrika and Sri Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi. Both books manage to push me beyond myself. Sri Sri Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi is really what pushed me beyond the static wall in which I found myself viewing Gaudiya Vaisnavism and it relly shaped and excelerated my aspirations in bhajan. Prema Bhakti Candrika is a guidebook for me in helping keep such aspirations in context and proper focus.

Rasaraja dasa

But you know that by heart, so you get to pick one more.

Radhe Radhe!

Well if I can just get the commentaries committed to memory I would be in better shape! Hmmm, I will need to think about it a bit more…

Rasaraja dasa

So, Madhavaji, if you memorise VK by heart then which extra title would you pick?

Silly me I picked multi-volume books so I don't get to pick an extra title...

Whoa. Just who are these people I'm hanging out with at GD? You don't drink whisky but you do know how to go for the top shelf!

I just hope you don't scare others off from participating. There are still plenty of other options out there--Amar Chitra Katha, Bhakta Musika, What Gaudiya Math is Doing?...

Without hesitation: Nalariya Divya Prabandham & Vedantadesika Prabandham

* SriSri RadhaRasa Sudhanidhi
* Sri Vilapa Kusumanjali

Because I feel like being in Srimati Radhika´s presence by reading in those books...

Amiya Nimai Charit
Chaitanya Bhagavat

I should then take the entire Stavavali. In one volume, of course.

OK, I know I have no spiritual qualifications that would make my choice worthy of anyone's interest, and I'm not advanced enough to even know the "best" two books to take along, but still I know exactly which two books would soothe my final hours. The first would be Jiva Goswami's "Hari-namamrta-vyakaranam", because I think it is so darned clever and I know that our beloved Caitanya taught his students in this way immediately after his initiation. The second book would be the "Chandah-kaustubha" by Sri Radha-Damodara Prabhupada (this is a treatise on Sanskrit meter using Gaudiya-flavored slokas for examples). I pick these two purely for selfish reasons, because I enjoy them so much. Don't get me started on either of these two books or you'll be sorry.

Dandavats,
Lancer

You have a friend in Gadadhar Pran. He gives all his friends a free copy of ANC. We read a few of his favorite chapters together.

I would like very much to get you started on these for the Gaudiya Grantha Mandir. Let me know if you're interested.

I can understand your choice, though I don't know if I would follow you. I guess I would have to take Gopala Champu, just because I damn well have to. (Like many things, however, it would be a duty that came out of love. That is something that I would like to tell certain people--a sense of duty does not necessarily mean an absence of love, but often the contrary.)

I was in this situation once when I went to Vrindavan with minimum baggage. I took my compact Chaitanya Charitamrita, my compact Srimad Bhagavatam and OBL Kapoor's Vraja ke Bhakat. This time though, to supplement Gopala Champu, I guess I would have to go with CC.

I'd choose Radha-Krishna Nectar; a compilation by Dasarathasuta das because it has the widest range of nectar that I've ever seen in one book.

Also, I get very antsy if I don't have a great novel within reach so I'd have to go with Jaiva Dharma.

I have very old edition of ANC. It will be probably 75-100 years old, which was there with my family. And until recently nobody was printing that book, so I was very disappointed, but when I was in India I saw a new edition of that book has come up and available in market.

This book is about to relish. If one starts reading that book, it is very hard to stop. The book is aimed for three categories of people: 1) Non believer , 2) Believer of god but does not have faith in Mahaprabhu and 3) Gaura Bhaktas.

At the end the 1st two classes will be transformed to class 3. I am not telling at all something which one may consider emotional. It had happened for last 100 years and it has changed numerous lives.

For additional information the Author Mahatma Sisir Kumar Gosh was a famous intellectual of that time. He was founder and editor of famous leading all India English newspaper of pre independent india named Amrita Bazar patrika. Until recently that newspaper was being published with high volume of sale. The group named as AmritaBazar-Jugantar ( Jugantar patrika was famous bengalee newspaper under same company) Publication limited. Now they closed down their business due to internal problem.

It is astonishing to know how Sisir Kumar Gosh has composed that book. Many times during the introduction of new volume ( it has 6 volumes) he writing that it is not possible to finish that book because of his illness as he was in death bed. But by the kripa of Gaurasundara he was able to start new volume. At the end when he finished the proof reading of the last volume he said "My mission is accomplished" and he sat down and smiled. Then immediately he raised his right hand pointing towards sky and then he left his body. Everybody witnessed that.

Even the way he composed that book it was amazing. He was mad about Gaurasundar and in the Bhava he used enters in deep meditation and he used to start telling the Gaura lila while roaming within a room. His own people used to wait for that thing to happen and they used to write down the word of Gaura Lila coming out from his lips. Whenever he encountered any confusion he used run madly towards his beloved Gaurasundar Deity for consultation and comeback with smiling face.


That book is not about emotional outburst, he explained and concluded scientifically by going step by step within the book. That is why that book is enjoyable even by non- believers. In Bengalee Vaishnava Samaj that book is regarded as miraculous composition.