A Visit from “God”
By Murari Gupta Dasa
His Grace Sridama Prabhu was enthusing devotees to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books at Malad Station. His heartfelt announcements were inspiring the crowd, and sales picked up. Then a strange thing happened.
Sridama Prabhu recounts, “As I was making my announcement, a middle-aged man came to the stall and began staring at me. I stopped my announcement, turned to him, and said, “Sir, please take this Bhagavad-gita. It’s very nice.” He ignored me. Seeing his indifference, I turned back to my announcements. He did not move.
“A few men came, and I convinced two of them to take books. The middle-aged man continued standing with folded arms, looking at me quizzically. “Look, sir,” I said, “these books are the best investment you will ever make. They give the teaching of Lord Krishna as it is, in modern language. Please take them.”
“He smiled, looked at me pityingly, and said, “What is the use of these books to me? These are my lilas I am God! I have created this entire cosmos; I am maintaining it and I will destroy it. The world runs under my order.”
“I shook my head and smiled, thinking, “What depths of ignorance!” I left him alone and continued my announcements. More people came, and I preached to them about the Mayavada philosophy and how foolish, ordinary humans think that they are God. More and more people took the books, but that man stayed there, immersed in his illusion of grandeur. Then suddenly my mike stopped working. All my attempts to mend it failed.
“The man was still standing with his royal airs when I, surrounded by a crowd of prospective customers, turned to him and said, “Arre Bhai Saheb. [O sir.] You claim to be God, the creator of this universe. By your orders the world is working. So please, Bhai Saheb, can you mend this mike for me? It shouldn’t be a problem for you.”
“The man gladly accepted the mike and began fiddling with its various components. I turned to my customers and preached.
“Ten minutes passed.
“Even after twisting and pulling and banging the mike, the man could not elicit even a squeak. “Are you done, sir?” I asked him. With a shameful face he handed me the mike.
“”Sorry,” he replied.
“”Please understand,” I said, “you”re living in a fool’s paradise. Don’t think that you are God; you are simply a servant of God. This is our real position. We are parts and parcels of Lord and cannot claim to be equal to Him in any way. So please give up your misconceptions and take these books.”
“The man nodded, and then after some further discussion he departed with a Krishna Book and a Bhagavad-Gita.”
