Tattva-viveka
HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami health update
Sridama Dasa - December 16, 2004 3:09 pm
A friend of mine here in DC asked me to pass along Bhakti Tirtha Swami's latest health update to Guru Maharaja, and after reading it I thought it would be nice to post here for other devotees to see as well. BT Swami has been dealing with melanoma cancer in one of his feet and possibly in the lymph nodes as well. He had suffered some diabetic symptoms also, but that appears to have been fixed through changes in his diet.
He's scheduled to have his foot amputated next Wednesday in DC, and from there it's not clear what he should expect. I personally am close to many of his disciples in the DC area, so I'd ask everyone to keep Maharaja and his disciples in your thoughts.
This update is so inspiring and it shows how humble and sober BT Swami has been throughout an ordeal that would totally freak most of us out. Here's what he wrote:
"Dear Maharaja and Prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to ISKCON Founder Acharya Srila Prabhupada
The amputation is scheduled for Thursday December 22nd. at 2:00pm at a
Hospital in Washington D.C.
As always your prayers are very much appreciated. I am most grateful for
all your encouraging and loving letters.
Many years ago at the Mayapur festival, Srila Prabhupada called the leaders
to his room and asked them to pray for me. Jayapataka Maharaja wrote about
this in his congregational preaching magazine. At that time I was
Ghanashyama brahmacari, I was distributing Srila Prabhupada's books and
taking many risks in the Communist Countries.
Jayapataka Maharaja mentioned that the leaders said: "Srila Prabhupada,
your prayers and blessings are more than sufficient," Srila Prabhupada
replied, "No, Krsna will respond to the prayers of the Vaisnavas."
Obviously this was Srila Prabhupada's humility. My understanding was that
Srila Prabhupada was also empowering the leaders as they came together to
do service.
As every knows I am a utilitarian as well as an opportunist, so I am seeing
an opportunity here. I will be praying to Srila Prabhupada and Krsna to
allow this amputation to help me to deepen my own Spiritual life, and to
free me of all unnecessary attachments. I will also ask Srila Prabhupada
to please allow the pain from all the hurt and disappointments that I may
have caused any devotee, including ISKCON Leaders, to go into the foot that
will be amputated. Hopefully, this will allow us to open up a bright
chapter in our spiritual lives. This prayer particularly includes the
Gurukulis.
Actually, I am requesting that we all see how to forgive those who have
hurt us, not necessarily to forget, but to learn from the past, while we
look forward to a brighter future. This is also a special time for me to
ask forgiveness from those whom I have offended or agitated by my style of
serving Srila Prabhupada.
We do not know the outcome of this operation, whether it will be
successful, or how many months or years it wlll add to my life. Some of
the present astrological evaluations from the devotees, are suggesting that
I will probably get better for a while, but up and down for sometime, then
later this year I will most likely depart. Of course we all know that
ultimately the final decision is up to Srila Prabhupada and Krsna.
Srila Prabhupada himself said, "Krsna considers the prayers of his
devotees." Personally, I am prepared to accept any outcome as an
expression of Srila Prabhupada's love.
Yours in service to Srila Prabhupada
With love
BTSwami"
Sridama Dasa - December 16, 2004 3:21 pm
It's also noteworthy to mention how gracious and kind Madhavacarya and many other BT Swami disciples have been to Guru Maharaja during his visits to the DC area. They opened up their home and hosted a wonderful weekend of programs when Guru Maharaja was last here in September. 
Vrindaranya Dasi - December 17, 2004 4:25 pm
How Maharaja is dealing with this is so inspiring. I feel so sad for his disciples, but at least they have as their guru someone who is a courageous, inspirational leader. That will live on forever, and it is something that a lot of devotees probably won't ever have.
Babhru Das - December 17, 2004 6:13 pm
Badrinarayan just forwarded this to his mailing list:
Dear Maharaja and Prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to ISKCON Founder Acharya Srila Prabhupada.
The amputation is scheduled for Thursday December 22nd. at 2:00pm at a
Hospital in Washington D.C. As always your prayers are very much appreciated. I am most grateful for all your encouraging and loving letters.
Many years ago at the Mayapur festival, Srila Prabhupada called the leaders to
his room and asked them to pray for me. Jayapataka Maharaja wrote about
this in his congregational preaching magazine. At that time I was Ghanashyama
brahmacari, I was distributing Srila Prabhupada's books and taking many
risks in the Communist Countries.
Jayapataka Maharaja mentioned that the leaders said: "Srila Prabhupada,
your prayers and blessings are more than sufficient," Srila Prabhupada
replied, "No, Krsna will respond to the prayers of the Vaisnavas." Obviously this
was Srila Prabhupada's humility. My understanding was that Srila Prabhupada
was also empowering the leaders as they came together to do service.
As every knows I am a utilitarian as well as an opportunist, so I am
seeing an opportunity here. I will be praying to Srila Prabhupada and Krsna to allow
this amputation to help me to deepen my own Spiritual life, and to free me of
all unnecessary attachments. I will also ask Srila Prabhupada to please allow
the pain from all the hurt and disappointments that I may have caused any
devotee, including ISKCON Leaders, to go into the foot that will be amputated. Hopefully, this will allow us to open up a bright chapter in our spiritual lives. This prayer particularly includes the Gurukulis.
Actually, I am requesting that we all see how to forgive those who have hurt us, not necessarily to forget, but to learn from the past, while we look forward to a brighter future. This is also a special time for me to ask forgiveness from those whom I have offended or agitated by my style of serving Srila Prabhupada.
We do not know the outcome of this operation, whether it will be
successful, or how many months or years it wlll add to my life. Some of the present astrological evaluations from the devotees, are suggesting that I will
probably get better for a while, but up and down for sometime, then later this year
I will most likely depart. Of course we all know that ultimately the final decision is up to Srila Prabhupada and Krsna.
Srila Prabhupada himself said, "Krsna considers the prayers of his
devotees." Personally, I am prepared to accept any outcome as an expression of Srila Prabhupada's love.
Yours in service to Srila Prabhupada
With love
BTSwami
Bhrigu - December 17, 2004 9:29 pm
I have always felt Bhaktitirtha Swami to be one of the most dynamic and inspiring preachers of ISKCON, so I truly hope that he will make it. Let's hope the cancer has not spread beyond the foot.