In September 1998, just a few weeks after his heart bypass surgery, Pramukh Swami Maharaj was in Edison, New Jersey. Pulitzer Prize winner and the Executive Editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Ronald Patel was interviewing Swamishri about his recent medical experiences.

The interview ended a lot sooner than he had planned. He asked Swamishri, “What was the first thought that came to your conscious mind after your quintuple bypass surgery?”  

Without a moment’s hesitation Swamishri said, “God.” Astonished by Swamishri’s quick and confident response, Ronald Patel looked unconvinced. He asked, “After regaining consciousness, didn’t you feel disappointed that you were back on earth and not in the presence of God?”
“No, God is always with us.”

Swamishri’s casual, yet assured and lucid response was enough to satisfy Ronald Patel.
After his brief interview with Swamishri, Ronald Patel of the Philadelphia Inquirer addressed the assembly of devotees, “I had planned on asking Swamishri many questions. After all, that is my job. I am a journalist. Every time I asked Swamishri a question expecting a nifty or dodgy response, I was surprised by the simplicity and ease with which he answered the question. I have interviewed many politicians and spiritual leaders, but none that compare to Pramukh Swami Maharaj. His answers do not have a hidden agenda. They are not manipulative. Instead, they are pure, consistent and divine. They share a sense of sincerity and selflessness.”