How Godage Suri described the 'near-death experiences' he had during an operation

Research conducted on the mental perception of consciousness leaving the body during surgeries and various accidents is known as "Near-Death Experiences". Such experiences have been reported, especially during heart surgeries.

Such incidents, revealed with evidence in the medical field (Near-Death Experience in Survivors of Cardiac Arrest), have also been included in research.

Many studies on those who have had such experiences have been included in research books from Sri Lanka. Among them, Deshabandu Godage also had such an experience. He was seventy-five years old when he had that experience. In 2011, we had the opportunity to investigate the experience he had at a private hospital during a heart surgery. He stated that he felt his consciousness leave his body during the surgery.

The illness he experienced that day and the subsequent experience were expressed in his own words as follows.

"I ate food with vegetables. It was a Saturday, and I vomited several times. I didn't think there was anything wrong with the food. The vomiting didn't stop. At the same time, I felt a burning sensation in my chest. My wife arranged to take me to a hospital. Doctors examined my condition. Afterwards, I underwent a heart examination, which revealed a heart condition. Accordingly, it was decided that I needed heart surgery."

"I was admitted to a private hospital for that heart surgery on July 13, 2011. I clearly remember being taken to the operating theatre. At that moment, I also saw the doctors injecting medicine. I was not afraid at all. Suddenly, I couldn't hear the doctors talking."

"During this time, I had an amazing experience. I suddenly went to my office on the upper floor of my bookstore. A female officer from the printing department was there, holding a book with documents. She showed it to me and explained the services I had provided so far. I was extremely happy to have been able to help and serve such a large number of people. I saw that the number of people I had helped and served was immense. At that moment, I felt an indescribable joy."

"That officer continued to describe my services further through the documents. I was about to question her further about it. Suddenly, she disappeared. At the same time, I felt intense pain in my body. I was then on a bed in the hospital's intensive care unit." Mr. Godage said.

The questions posed to him that day for further investigation and his answers were recorded in writing as follows.

Do you clearly remember the experience you had? Yes, I remember it very well.

Can you describe how it happened? It happened during my surgery.

Did you know that you would be unconscious for the surgery? How did it happen? I knew I would lose consciousness when they gave me the medication to make me unconscious. So I wasn't very scared. The doctors were talking when they gave the injection. After that, I couldn't hear their voices.

What happened next? I suddenly went to my bookstore office.

How did you go? I don't know how I went. I felt like I had left the operating theatre of that hospital.

To which part of that office did you go? To my room on the upper floor.

Who was there at that time? A female officer from my printing department was there.

What was she doing? Holding a book containing documents.

What happened next? She showed me the records of services provided to people, pointing to that book of documents.

What did you think when you saw those records? I saw how many people I had served. I thought what a blessing it was to be able to help those people. Thinking that, I felt an indescribable joy.

Did you feel any pain in your body while thinking that at that moment? No, I didn't feel any pain. I thought of asking that officer for more details. Just then, she disappeared.

What happened next? After that, I felt pain in my body. I was then on the hospital bed.

Do you remember how long you were in the office? I stayed until the officer disappeared.

Who was around when you were back on the hospital bed? There were several nurses and doctors. I also saw my wife come near me.

What do you think about that experience? I think it was a very beautiful experience. The joy I felt when that officer showed me my service when I went to the office was immense. I appreciated that service myself and was happy.

We also asked Mrs. Godage that day how Mr. Godage revealed his experience to her. Mrs. Godage stated that Mr. Godage had told her that he went to the office during the surgery. She also said that he had mentioned that an officer there showed him the services he had rendered, and that he was happy at that moment. Mrs. Godage also told us that Mr. Godage had stated that when the officer was describing his services through a document, and he tried to inquire further, she suddenly disappeared. This experience of Mr. Godage has also been included in a document written by him.

Deshabandu Sirisumana Godage, who helped thousands of writers become authors and held numerous awards in the publishing sector, passed away on the 28th. He was 89 years old at the time. We wish eternal peace to him who rendered a great service to the art of literature. He once underwent heart surgery, during which he had an out-of-body experience related to psychological research. An investigation into that is included here.

| Tissa Jayawardena (Irida Lankadeepa)