In remarkable semblance to Jayapataka Swami’s recent health crisis, ISKCON guru Radha Govinda Maharaja is currently recovering from a brain hemorrhage in a New Delhi hospital.

While traveling by train on January 8 from Vrindavana to Ludhiana, Punjab, where he was scheduled to give a talk, Maharaja stopped off at the town of Jalandhar to visit the local ISKCON temple.

As he entered, he felt a numbness in his left leg, but interpreted it as exhaustion from the trip and went to pay respects to the temple’s Radha Krishna deities. It wasn’t until later, while staying at a disciple’s home, that he felt weak and collapsed to the floor.

Devotees rushed him to a local hospital, where he was diagnosed with a brain hemorrhage caused by high blood pressure. Luckily, it proved less threatening than that experienced by Japayataka Swami. As it did not occur in a central part of the brain, Radha Govinda Maharaja retained his consciousness and cognitive capacities.

However, with his speech slurred and the left side of his body paralyzed, the condition was still critical. Doctors treated him as best they could before transferring him to the more well-equipped Apollo hospital in New Delhi on January 10.

Despite remaining positive, staff, an number of whom are ISKCON devotees, recommended plenty of rest and no visitors. Attempts were made to lower and stabilize Maharaja’s high blood pressure, and by January 13, he was showing noticeable progress. His speech had improved, although it was still slightly slurred; his eyes shone brighter, and he showed signs of movement on his left side. Blood pressure readings also showed slight improvements, and CT scan results indicated a decrease of fluid and swelling in the hemorrhage area.

By January 14 Radha Govinda Maharaja’s blood pressure was normal, and his condition had vastly improved. He was able to chant eight rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra, and to eat lunch unaided. World-renowned for his recitations of Srimad-Bhagavatam, he also spoke enthusiastically to hospital staff about Krishna consciousness every day.

Doctors have said that he will be shifted from the Apollo’s ICU to a normal hospital room on January 16. Radha Govinda Maharaja remarked that this is due to the prayers of devotees around the world, and encouraged them to continue. He also expressed his thanks to all Apollo Hospital’s devotee doctors who have been attending to him through this difficult time.