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