Distributing books in Herman Hesse’s town

Distributing books in Herman Hesse's town

Hare Krsna, I was recently distributing Bhagavad-gitas in Calw, a small town in the Black

Forest in southwest Germany, I noted that Herman Hesse, the famous author (Siddharta, The Bead Game, and so on) lived here.

He used to read and like Bhagavad-gita, and his appreciation of the book is included on the back cover of German edition. So I just pointed to his name and asked people, “Do you know of Hermann Hesse?”

Of course, everyone was answering yes.

“This was one of his favorite books,” I continued.

Not many people were on the street because it was a very hot day, so I had to approach whoever came by.

Suddenly, a truck with a trailer drove into the pedestrian area. On the trailer was an excavator. I was a little surprised to see that a school-age girl was doing the work of getting the excavator off the trailer.

“Nowadays, a woman has to be strong,” I said to her as I showed her the Gita.

She immediately showed interest, but said she had no money.

Then I saw a man on the other side of a truck, and I asked, “He's your father, right? And you're helping him during your holidays?”

She said, “Yes.”

“Papa,” I exclaimed, “Help!”

“What happened?” he asked.

I told him the story about Hesse and said that his daughter is interested. “OK, for ten euros we'll take it.”

At the end I told the girl, “You've got a nice father,” and the father responded, “For things like this, it is good to have one.”

Your servant,
Advaita Gaurahari Dasa
Heidelberg

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