On the way to San Francisco
By Adiguru das
I ususally take cabs to travel to the Houston airport. Sometimes it gives me amazing opportunity to preach. I met this cab driver ‘Billie’ who runs her car only in night. We started talking about human nature and how complex is it to satisfy a human being. Then she told us that she was interested in universal brotherhood and sorority and that she believed in a universal God. She had lots of her ideas so I kept on listening. Sometimes just to listen to a person attentively pays off. After listening patiently for about 15 minutes she asked me what did we think about so much violence due to religion. She had seen my tilak and must have assumed me to be following some religion. I was very happy at the turn of the events. Well I said it’s all due to modes of material nature.
She got hooked on to this new term which she had never heard ‘modes of material nature’. I asked her if she ever thought of – what exists beyond the cycle of birth and death. She said, “We take birth again”. I read out loud the first paragraph of first chapter of ‘Beyond Birth and Death’ to her. Later I read to her the Bhagvad Gita verse ‘yam yam vapi smaran …’. She asked, “Is it all in the scriptures?”. I told her offcourse, we don’t have to invent anything. I showed her another book ‘Chant and Be Happy’ which I always carry. You never know when will Krsna send the next person to you. I told her, “this book shows us how to get out of this bodily concept of life”. She was a fan of Beatles. She asked me if she can borrow that from me. I thought for a moment and told her let me see if I have some more books. I told her I will charge you for these books as this will enable you to perform some direct service to the Supreme Lord. She asked me how much do I have to pay. I told her what ever your heart desires but the book cost is $1 each. She took 2 books and paid me money for those books.
Next week I again hired the same car. This time I saw those two books prominently displayed in her car. Every passenger in that car could see these two books of Srila Prabhupada being prominently and elegantly displayed. I asked her did she read those books. She said Yes and they are very very beautiful. She had some questions about some of the contents, which she clarified. She asked me, “Do you have more of the titles with me?”. I said I have some of the same titles. She bought four more books (2 of each) from me. She wanted to give to her friends. Both these incidents happened 4:30 AM in the morning.
I am sure Srila Prabhupada’s mercy has touched her and her life will never be the same again. This has tremendously increased my faith and respect for Srila Prabhupada’s books. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to the sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya.
Moral: We should always carry books with us. This way we can be an effective instrument of Lord Caitanya. If we are prepared for receiving mercy then only we will receive mercy. So please add books in your items of daily grooming.
With gratitude,
Your servant,
Adiguru das
