A special boy
While distributing books at Surfers Paradise, Australia (Srila Prabhupada in his witty way called surfers "sufferers," so, Sufferers Paradise), I approached a man with his son who was about five.
As I showed them the changing bodies picture, I asked the boy, "Where are you in this line up of bodies?"
He pointed to the boy who was more in the range of ten years old. It's interesting that the young always want to be older and the old always want to be younger.
I then showed them the analogy of the horses being compared to senses, the mind to the reins, etc.
Then I said to the father, "We just ask for a donation to cover the printing and a little more if you like to a monk, then you can take it with you."
He said, "No that's OK, not interested."
To this I said, "You know, I only stop people who have good energy, and the two of you have it; this book will increase that good energy."
"Thanks anyway, maybe another time."
Then the boy had something to say. He said, "Dad, Dad, please take the book."
To that the father said to me, "All right, how much are people usually giving?"
I said, "Just give what you think would be appropriate."
He then gave a nice donation, and they went off with their Bhagavad Gita. As they were walking away I was thinking, "Who is the soul in that little body, begging his father to get the Bhagavad Gita? Maybe we'll see him in the future as one of our ISKCON spiritual leaders.
Your servant,
Vijaya Dasa
