By Sukhada Devi Dasi
One day Charles suffered a great deal and was afraid. Visnupriya gave him a Back to Godhead magazine, and he was pleased to recognize the picture of Nagaraja Dasa, whom he had met. "Oh, I know him!" Charles said, "I think I'll read this magazine." Reading Back to Godhead helped calm him down. Godruma and Visnupriya read to him as much as they could from the Bhagvad-gita and Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Charles listened to the reading intensely. "I don't understand everything you read," he told them, "but please continue. I love to listen." In September the nurses said they saw a difference in Charles. He seemed peaceful, even though his physical deterioration continued unabated. One evening Visnupriya was sitting at his side when she noticed he was smiling. "There's someone standing at the foot of my bed," he told her. "Who is it, Dad?" she asked. Charles pointed to the picture of Srila Prabhupada near his bed. "It's him." Incredulous, Visnupriya grabbed Charles's hand. "Are you sure?" "Yes." Charles smiled. "Dad, you're going to be O.K.," Visnupriya said in wonder. "You have the shelter of Srila Prabhupada." When this happened several more times, Visnupriya let go of her own fear and worry. Obviously, her father-in-law was under much greater care than her own.