This is real story of a friend i know. In his own words I am writing it down.
I was a staunch believer of Shri Krishna, since i was a kid. I somehow always felt a connect with that Beautiful God. I read Bhagavad Gita very often and i always found it rational and realistic, than a kayfabe (as a metaphor) or a fairy-tale. Every chapter had some deep lesson which was connected to our daily life. Right from my childhood i attended bhajans, sang songs on Shri Krishna and watched TV Shows on Shri Krishna.
Lately in 2019, I was really going through a rough patch in my life. Emotionally broken, distraught, hopeless and lost. A series of unfortunate events had occurred in my life, which left me clueless. I had turned into an chronic alcoholic. My day started off with a quarter of whiskey and ended with tears. There came a point when i had decided to suicide, as i lost all my name and fame from work and personal life. Was on the verge of termination from work due to irregularity. Was badly played with at work for all the efforts i had given for the past 3 years. Personal life was no better and i had lost a heaping lump of money that i had invested for happiness. My economy was like ground zero after the twin towers crashed. Chronic alcoholism in me was showing up in my body and i literally stopped eating for a few days. I was clueless and blank, just surviving for my old parents. Friends turned away and left the organization. I started smoking heavily to get rid of the pains, 1 packet per day. The only time i was peaceful, was when i was sound asleep. The moment i woke up, i was a vegetative mentally again. Everyday i woke up to go to work, i reached my desk at 9 AM, kept my bag, opened the laptop and locked the screen, then i left for the nearby bar by 10:30 AM. I waited on the steps aside the bar for the staff to come. I was their daily customer. It was something like the situation from the movie “Kabir Singh”. I was convinced that, if not suicide, I was sure to die of cirrhosis. I was disconnected from everything and everyone.
Now comes the interesting part in my life begins in December 2019, the notice period at my current organization was ticking like a time bomb, as i was exploding out of it to start hunting for a new job. I was shifting back to my old house from the rented apartment, submerged in debts and economic drain.
One day i was traveling to office from my old home in an Uber. Already tired due to my chronic alcoholism, I had chills and slight fever. The journey was 1 hour to 1:15 hours, so i decided to sleep in the cab. I was almost halfway when the Uber stopped at a signal at the intersection in a highway. i was in my forty winks, i was woken up by a knock on the window. I rolled down the window and there i saw a young charming gentleman in a “kāṣāya vastra” i.e. Saffron robes worn by Hindu saints. He smiled at me and handed over a book (“Krsna – The supreme personality of Godhead”, the one i have pinned at the beginning on this post.). He said “I know you are very disappointed and sad in your life. Read this you will feel better.” I was in a subconscious state of mind, as i had just jumped out of my nap, i accepted with happiness and thanked the gentleman and said “Hare Krishna”, By the time i asked him “How much for the book ?”, he had vanished. It took me a couple of long minuted to even realize, what had just happened to me.
Though i did not read the book, i got a hint, that i need to connect with God again, so i started reading Bhagawad Gita. Today its almost 5 months since the incidence. I am considerably so much at peace. Its 1.5 months since i even tasted alcohol. I could not totally stop cigarette, but have reduced it to one cigarette per week.
Basically it was a message from God that no matter what time puts me through, He acknowledges my Love for Him.
Indeed one of the best epitome of epiphany.
Welcome to the path of peace 