Candra and The Fawn
By Gopish das
As another manifestation of the temporary nature of this material world weighs heavily in the air, I’m reminded of the unlimited kindness of Krsna’s devotees.
At lunch Prasad a couple of days ago, Jaya Govinda Prabhu was relating the story of Kala Krsnadas who was attracted away from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by the Battatharis. Mahaprabhu was obliged to save his servant from an imminent plunge into darkness. Thereupon the Lord continued to travel with Krsnadas but on returning to Jaganatha Puri, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu informed the devotees about the pollution of His servant and sent Krsnadas away. It was Sri Nityananda Prabhu and the devotees that engaged Krsnadas by sending him to Bengal to inform the Navadvipa devotees about the return of Sri Caitanya to Jaganatha Puri.
By the mercy of Sri Krsna one gets the association of devotees. But it is by the association of devotees that one is able to receive the mercy of Krsna!
An example of this has just played itself out on my doorstep. Chandravali was headed down our driveway towards the temple when she came upon a very young fawn dying in the road. She gently picked it up, placed in on a blanket
in the back of her car and with tears in her eyes, brought it back up to the house. Kalindi comforted her daughter and called me down to take the fawn out of the car.
Kalindi retrieved Srila Prabhupada’s garland and draped it around the neck of the fawn while she and Chandra gently chanted to the deer. I placed the blanketed fawn on the back porch and Chandra came out with a picture of baby Krsna, placed it in front of its open eyes and continued to chant softly to this most fortunate living entity. Kalindi turned up Srila Prabhupada’s chanting and faced the speaker towards the back door.
I took a picture of the pastoral scene and came up to write this short description. Kalindi just came in to inform me that she lit a stick of incense, offered it to Sri Jaganatha Swami and asked for Him to kindly take this spirit soul back to His loving embrace. She went outside and the fawn had left its body…
What fortune has smiled on this living entity that, by the grace of these kindly matajis, the path to Sri Krsna’s lotus feet has been cleared and illuminated?
Once again I am awakened to the true greatness of Krsna’s devotees and made acutely aware that it is by their grace alone one will cross the ocean of nescience and obtain the mercy of Krsna!
(Editors note: this was submitted last spring when fawns were small but it fell through the cracks and didn’t get published until now)
