GBC member and ISKCON guru Bhakti Charu Swami suffered a mild heart attack recently, but is now in a stable condition at Apollo Hospital in Indore, India.

Dr. Sujata Bhargav, who cared for him at the hospital, allowed devotees to visit his room when appropriate. Despite his condition, the Swami spoke to various disciples and students, saying that he was “tired of taking rest,” and that talking to devotees enlivened him.

Still, disciples were anxious as various tests were taken, preparing their guru for an angiogram. The tension lifted when Dr. Bhargav called Bhakti Charu’s secretary Radharani Dasi to let her know that the test had been successfully completed and that everything was normal, with only a small blockage to be resolved with medication.

Dr. Sanjiv Agarwal, a disciple of Bhakti Charu Swami at the hospital, said, “We are relieved to announce that Guru Maharaja does not need Angioplasty surgery. He will, however, be required to make some changes to his lifestyle including diet, rest, medicines and reduced travel. We will all need to comply to these changes in order to help his good health.”

Bhakti Charu Swami is currently comfortable and resting. He expressed his gratitude to all his disciples and well wishers, saying he felt bad to have caused everyone so much anxiety.

His secretary Radharani Dasi added that the scare actually had a unifying effect on his disciples and other devotees. Fiji disciples organized continuous chanting, while at London’s Bhaktivedanta Manor, 120 disciples prayed together, and in Mayapur, constant offerings were made to the deity of Nrsimhadeva. Many more efforts were made, and devotees the world over continue to say prayers for Bhakti Charu Swami’s full recovery.