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Default Remembering the Lord at the time of death - 07-23-2009, 12:54 PM

No matter how engaged in devotional practice we may think we are we should not take it for granted that we will remember Krishna at the time of death.

Success in Krishna consciousness is not a mechanical thing. It is personal and is dependant on the mercy of the Lord.

The priests who were conducting the sacrifice for King Nabhi to have a son like the Supreme Person prayed:


TRANSLATION Srimad Bhagavatam 5.3.12

Dear Lord, we may not be able to remember Your name, form and qualities due to stumbling, hunger, falling down, yawning or being in a miserable diseased condition at the time of death when there is a high fever. We therefore pray unto You, O Lord, for You are very affectionate to Your devotees. Please help us remember You and utter Your holy names, attributes and activities, which can dispel all the reactions of our sinful lives.


PURPORT
The real success in life is ante nārāyaṇa-smṛti—remembering the holy name, attributes, activities and form of the Lord at the time of death. Although we may be engaged in the Lord’s devotional service in the temple, material conditions are so tough and inevitable that we may forget the Lord at the time of death due to a diseased condition or mental derangement. Therefore we should pray to the Lord to be able to remember His lotus feet without fail at the time of death, when we are in such a precarious condition. In this regard, one may also see Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.2.9–10 and 14–15).
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