The nectar of traveling sankirtan in New Zealand
Hare Krishna, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Here are some stories:
This marathon I am doing travelling sankirtan in northern New Zealand. We are visiting many small towns — something I'm not used to, having distributed mostly in bustling Toronto city. Also I usually stop younger people, but to my surprise so many older people one after the next got books in a small nearly empty town!
In another stop on our travelling sankirtan I was having almost the opposite problem. So many young people and no one wanted the book. One young man finally stopped but said he was getting late for work and had to go. I quickly showed him the changing bodies picture, praying that Krishna can enable me to say something that might attract the guy's attention. So I said, "see this picture — it shows you that you are born and then you will die. Don't you think you should be working on that a little bit too?" That did it, he took a hardback gita and chant and be happy.
One young guy I met had just gotten a Bhagavad Gita the day before from someone else but he seemed so enamoured with devotees that he dished out another 50$ donation and got the 5-6 books I had as well.
In a parking lot of a mall I met a man who happened to be the son of Prabhupada disciples in Christchurch. His name was Jaya. He seemed totally surprised to meet a Hare Krishna there and he also got books.
I met another man who said he was constantly stressed and took counselling and therapy. He didn't want the books but I told him that "hey, you are going to therapy everyday… You are so stressed out … You need this book!" To my surprise he pulled out a donation and said "I have always been into different religions as a kid. I grew up Christian but that and all other religions I got into never really seemed to fit my set of beliefs. But if anything does it's the Hare Krishnas… So I will get your books finally and read them."
Another time a 77 year old man I approached in his car was just so happy to be speaking to someone that he immediately gave a 50$ donation and got all of the books I had.
Two army officers got a Krishna Book at a supermarket parking lot. As I showed them the pictures I explained that it was the ultimate book on good vs. evil and full of ancient stories from India that would give them on otherworldly experience out of the tough life of the army. One of them was joking around and telling me if he gave a 10 cent donation would that be okay but the other one frankly told him to shut up and gave me $15 for the book.
Two young boys had an interest in the book but didn't have cash on them. I explained to them that most youth are confused these days because they have no goal in their life and that this book would gve them that goal. I suggested they can take money out of their card and give me a donation. Finally they agreed to do that and got two books.
Another older man who couldn't talk was happy to give all that he had in his wallet about $32 for a hardback gita and science of self realization.
A large group of German travellers happily told me they were all from a "spiritually community." All of them pitched in to get a hardback Gita and they all chanted the maha mantra in unison. One of them is going to india in a few months so I showed him the list of centers in the back and told him he can go to these places for a nice place to stay and eat delicious food. He was totally overjoyed and exclaimed: everything happens for a reason.
A young girl and her dad immediately appreciated the Bhagavad Gita. The 11 year old girl took money out of her own purse for the book but it wasn't enough so I offered her a smaller one, but dad said, "I really like that big one, so you wait here with my daughter and I'll get money out of the bank." They gave a nice donation and were very pleased to take the Bhagavad Gita home.
Besides all these yes's I have been hearing many no's also, most often accompanied by an "I'm fine" or "I'm alright" or "I'm good." So I have also been realizing that Krishna so wonderfully hides from us when we are in the concept of enjoyers and controllers.
Param vijayate Sri Krishna sankirtanam.
Your servant,
Bhaktin Shannan
