Los Angeles SD Newsletter VOL. 3, ISSUE 20
…LILAS…
"BUDDHIMANTA" MEMORIES
Päëòava vijaya däs (USA)
Buddhimanta had never met Srila Prabhupada and the president of the San Franscisco temple, Kesava das thought he should since he was the "biggest" book distributor at that time. They were all in Los Angeles and Buddhimanta had just come in from a day of distributing Srila Prabhupada's books. He had distributed about 100 small books at a store right near the temple. When he returned from sankirtan, Kesava said to Buddhimanta that Srila Prabhupada wanted to see him as soon as possible. Buddhimanta ran to the bhramachari ashram and took a shower, put on a dhoti, but could not find a clean kurta so wore nothing on top. He returned and they went up to Srila Prabhupada's quarters. Buddhimanta, the fast talking book distributor, was in awe. He had distributed thousands of his books but never personally met Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada entered the room and Kesava and Buddhimanta both paid their obiesances. Srila Prabhupada sat down and said to Buddhimanta, "So you distribute the most books?" Buddhimanta was in such awe he could not speak, so Kesava spoke for him and said, "Yes Srila Prabhupada, he is the biggest distributor." "How many books did you distribute today?" asked Srila Prabhupada. Buddhimanta still could not speak and Kesava replied, "About 100." "Do you trick the people or tell them the truth to sell them a book?" questioned Srila Prabhupada. Buddhimanta was still speechless and Kesava replied, "He tricks them, he tells them it is for a yoga society." "That is OK" Srila Prabhupada answered. "How come you are not wearing a shirt?" questioned Srila Prabhupada looking at the bear chested Buddhimanta. "You work very hard and should stay covered to not catch a cold." Finally Buddhimanta could speak and replied, "I had just come back from book distribution and Kesava said we were going to see you. I took a shower and my kurtas were dirty, so I came bare chested rather than wear a dirty shirt." Srila Prabhupada turned to his servant and said, "Go to my closet and get a clean kurta for Buddhimanta." The servant appeared with a clean kurta and gave it to Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada handed the kurta to Buddhimanta and said, "Put this on and stay warm." Buddhimanta was about six feet two inches and much larger than Srila Prabhupada, but slipped into the kurta and thanked Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada thanked Buddhimanta for his book distribution and told him to teach other devotees how to distribute his books. Buddhimanta and Kesava thanked Srila Prabhupada , paid their obiesances and left the room.
Buddhimanta was visiting Hawaii teaching book distribution and kept that kurta with his other clothes. One day a devotee that he had sold book to in the Los Angeles airport, was having difficulties and was thinking of leaving. Buddhimanta gave him Srila Prabhupada's kurta with the promise he would not leave. He did not and at the present time does huge service distributing Krishna consciouness news in a newspaper under the guidance of Mukunda Goswami.
The other evening a sannyasi was speaking about how he had purchased a Krishna Book from Buddhimanta. The sannyasi said his wife was angry for three days because he purchased the Krishna book. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and his book distributor Buddhimanta.
