A Sparrows Effort
Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temples bus-party is currently distributing books in the factories. The devotees set up stall in the company and then distribute set of Srila Prabhupada's books on credit to the workers. The amount is deducted from next monthês salary. Often the management deducts the amount in two installments enabling the workers to buy a set consisting of Bhagwad Gita, Krishna Book, Science of self realization and some small books.
This is an incident that happened with Bh Rahul Prabhu. Rahul Prabhu is a lawyer with master's degree in Law and Legislation and three diplomas in Indian laws. He is a member of Brahmcari training group in the Chowpatty temple.
He was distributing books with his partner in a textile mill. At around 10 am when all the workers were busy in the mill, a supervisor came and looked at the books. He liked the set, and said, "I have 50 people under me in the training center, why don't you come and make a presentation to them. Rahul Prabhu took a few sets with him and went to the training center. Another person was giving lecture there. He waited for ten minutes, and then he was given a chance to speak.
He began with, "Om ajnana timirandhasya."
Nobody was listening; everyone was chatting with each other. This turned him off, or rather on! Rahul Prabhu had been a keen debater in his school and college days, and he decided to use his orator skills at this time. He began with a poem, he had presented during a competition during his graduation. The poem was called "Sparrow." I will try to translate it from Hindi.
You may call it courage, patience or agony. Close to a pond someone set a building on fire. Chaos prevailed all over. Some people poured water on fire, Some others rescued the trapped people Everyone did what was in his capacity. A sparrow too was pouring water from its beak. A crow sitting on the tree spoke up, O dear sister, what are you doing? Trying to break a mountain with blows of a leaf? The water from your beak cannot extinguish even a tiny spark. The little sparrow answered, Dear brother, I agree to what you say. I recognize the scanty ability of my beak to hold water. But I only know this much. The day the history of this accident will be written My name will not be among those who had set fire, But among those who tried to put it out? Like this our Founder Acharya has made history in this world, By spreading the message of Krishna consciousness, At the age of 70 he went to America With just 40 rupees in hand In cargo ship he had two heart attacks Still keeping in mind the instruction of his spiritual master He went to West and wrote 80 books Out of them we are offering some to you.
Then he showed the books to all the assembled men. By now he had attention of every one. Out of 50 men 20 took sets.
