Heaven and hell are side by side

She did not want to do anything. Then a disciple who was with me contacted another doctor who was the disciple’s friend, and he said something to the lady doctor. Finally she condescended to look at the patient. She did not take even a second. She said, “Oh, he is dead.”

I went home, knowing perfectly well that my Chinese doctor was still alive. If there had been a sympathetic doctor available who really trusted me, he or she would have examined the patient and tried to do something. But this lady did not care. What a sad experience that doctor gave me! This was the worst possible experience.

Again, I also had the best possible experience. Many, many years ago my dearest Brother-Friend Alexandr Razvin ² was in the hospital, and I went to see him. He said to me, “Sri Chinmoy, do not worry! I have an excellent doctor, an excellent doctor! She will cure me.”

This doctor, who was also an Indian lady, immediately said, “Oh, no, no, no, no, no! Swamiji is the one to cure you, Swamiji is the one to cure you!”

Then the doctor asked me if I would be staying there for a few minutes. I said, “Definitely I will stay.” What did she do? She went downstairs and brought her husband. The husband fell at my feet. The doctor said, “He has been longing, longing to meet with you.” She was so happy! That was an excellent experience.

That Indian lady doctor gave me the experience of Heaven. How devotedly she spoke to me! She went downstairs and brought her husband because she knew that her husband had tremendous admiration for me.

Heaven and hell go together. They are side by side.

19 May 2005 Sri Chinmoy’s home Jamaica, New York