Point in space called Takashi

“As I sat on the doorway of my house, I became aware of a sudden blinding flash. Soon, everything around me turned dark. I crouched on the floor unaware of what would happen next. I could see things falling all around me. After what seemed like a long time to me, I got up and saw destruction everywhere. My house was reduced to rubble. Bloody-faced, I looked around and searched for my mother, but could not find her anywhere.

I was rescued by a neighbor, who promised to search for my mother once calm returned. We accompanied a group, which fled to escape the engulfing flames. I caught a glimpse of a lady, who was stuck amid the destruction. She was helpless and unable to move anything but her head. Her face has haunted me since.

As they fled, droplets of black rain fell. My neighbor used a cloth to protect me, but was drenched. She died two months later succumbing to the burns caused by the rain.

Soon the group got to a safer place. I found my friend, whom I had last seen in my hometown. His clothes appeared to be in tatters. I never expected what I saw next. Shreds of skin began to peel off from my friend's body. I lost him after three days.

I, later, learnt from my sister that my mother was found at a river bank close to home. Unable to recover from her severe injuries, she died on August 15, 1945, nine days after the bombing"

- Takashi Teramoto

This is no narrative from a movie plot but real life experience of a survivor from the Hiroshima nuclear bombing of Aug 6 1945. The truth is indeed bitter. The pain of seeing loved ones die and the pain of the body is excruciating. So much misery!

What are we so proud about – our modern technology or our advanced civilization? What has technology achieved? It has managed to successfully murder people in mass numbers in such short periods. The official death toll for Hiroshima bombing is 140,000 people. Things only have gotten worse since then. In the past 65 years, hatred towards one another and wars have only increased.

As a global civilization, what have we accomplished? Is all the technological advancement worth it for Takashi? Perhaps his family members and rest of the 140,000 would still been alive if not for modern technology and culture.

The story of Takashi unfortunately has become all too common these days that we have cultivated thick skin for such experiences. After all, the hard struggle for existence has to go on with or without Takashi. Takashi is simply a distant memory of the past. Unfortunately, no one really cares about a point in space called Takashi. This is the modern world we live in, our modern culture and civilization we are so very proud of?

The bare truth is we are all Takashis’ – a point in space that this modern world can care less about. We will also soon be a distant memory of the past. What do we learn from such heart wrenching stories? - that this material world is no place for a “gentleman”.

Lord Sri Krishna has promised an alternate reality for us. A reality filled with freedom, joy and eternal happiness. Krishna promises a blissful reality provided we constantly glorify His Names. Is that too difficult?

By constantly chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, we no longer have to suffer the pangs of this exploitative modern culture like the experience of Takashi.

There is still some hope – please chant Hare Krishna!

Hare Krishna