Book Distribution Nectar
Hari bol Dravida Prabhu, could you please edit this for me?
Your Servent
Vijaya Das
Book Distribution Nectar
From Darkness of Nescience to Light of Godhead Sunday Feast
Last year the Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir, Chowpatty bus party went to the coal-mines to distribute Srila Prabhupda's books.
After a heavy saturday we decided to take a break on Sunday. we decided to just cover the morning shift and return at 11 am to honour a big feast. but Sunday turned out to be the day when there were maximum workers who came to work to get extra money for over time. Our one stall went on till 2:30pm, and we had three seperate stalls at different mines. All we had to eat was handful of chiwda.
We finally winded up our stall and went to Rupa Raghunatha Prabhu's mine. The book table was surrounded by many men and as the bus went closer we found that each had a set of books. We jumped of the bus and went to the stall. Rupa Raghunatha Prabhu introduced us to a fine looking gentleman and said, "Sir helped us lot."
What happened was thus: when Rupa Raghunatha Prabhu began the announcements many people came to him. Every one was interested but surprisingly no one wanted to take the initiative and take the books. This is the most challenging moment. A book distributor really has to convince the people, make catchy announcements, speak about the books, let people see them and above all pray to Lord Krishna to convince these people. This is always the moment of complete surrender.
Here, however, instead of encouraging the public some envious people (there are always some), began to speak discouraging statements. "What is the use of Bhagwad Gita in coal-mines? Every one is illiterate here. Who will read it? Every one drinks and eats meats, so no one should even touch Bhagwad Gita. You will go to hell for this sin."
The last statement, in particular, scared every one. Most of the coal-miners drink in order to survive the hellish mining conditions, so when they heard the warnings they began to back off. Rupa Raghunatha Prabhu tried to reason, quoting Bhagwad Gita verses and other logic, but often at such times people listen more to fellow workers, who may not have any spiritual knowledge, then to the Krishna devotees.
"I felt that I would lose the entire crowd," say Rupa Raghunatha Prabhu. "I began to pray to Lord Krishna to help me."
Just then a big jeep screeched to halt near the office gate, and a well-dressed educated gentleman stepped out. Seeing the big crowd and the Bhagwad Gita banner he came to the stall. Wiping of his sun-glasses he peered over the book table. "Aha! Bhagwad Gita!" he exclaimed in delight. "This is the greatest book for welfare of man kind. The entire world is reading it now to find solution to the problems we face." The he looked at all the workers, who stood respectfully and attentive to his words, and said, "Do you know that now Bhagwad Gita is being used as a management book in big big institutes like the IIM (Indian Institute of Management). All foreigners are now teaching management techniques from Bhagwad Gita. And I tell you this book is must if you want to progress in life. And you Swami ji," he turned to Rupa Raghunatha Prabhu, "are you selling it?" "Yes," Rupa Raghunatha Prabhu replied.
"Then what are all of you waiting for?" he turned to the crowd and asked. "Come on give me a set." He took out the money and bought a full set. Electric sparks spread amidst the crowd. The man, who was the project officer, as we learnt later, had single handedly infused the dead crowd with a vigor for Bhagwad Gita. The workers were not poor, each minor gets a starting salary of 15,000Rs, plus we were giving out books on credit with facility for deduction from next month's salary.
Within no time each worker had a set of 8 books including Bhagwad Gita, Krishna book and Science of Self-realization, in his hand. We profusely thanked the P.O. and then proceeded to our base. It was 4:30pm when we honored the first bite of meal that Sunday. But we did not miss the feast. Put together we had crossed 230 sets that day and it was the sweetest Sunday feast that we ever enjoyed.
