Book Distribution at Los Angeles Ratha Yatra
During the Ratha Yatra devotees distributed 3,000 little packets of Krsna's mercy, these packets contained a Reservoir of Pleasure, prasad, a Jaganath sticker and an invitation to the temple. It was so nice to see our little vaisnava youth distributing these little packs of mercy.
This year we had six tables at the festival site. The festival was filled with people getting the mercy of Krsna in so many ways, prasad, books the holy name and the association of devotees. I was at the main table near the entrance.
I was fortunate to have next to me the famous Vaiseska Prabhu who besides distributing many books to the people coming to the table and sold a Srimad Bhagavatam set to a person in search of Krsna. Brgupati Prabhu, the sankirtan leader in LA was in and out giving us his association and managing the many tables. A mother and her daughter from the Boise temple were very enthusiastically giving the mercy.
We doubled the amount of books distributed last year, I can't tell you the number of books but it was many hundreds. One of the last engagements was a lady and her son and daughter 13 and 14. She came looking at the Bhagavad-gita, so I showed it to her. After showing it to her she wasn't sure if she wanted the delux or the regular BG. She asked the differences and I explained that the delux has bigger print and the quality of the paper is better. Then she said, "I'll take both."
I said, "Fine, the delux is $20 and the regular is $10 so that will be $30."
She looked in her perse and gave me a hundred dollar bill. As I was getting ready to give her change and she walked away.
I said, Mam, I have some change for you." She kept walking.
Then the boy said, "Mom, he wants to give you the change!"
She turned around and told her children, "Come, let's go."
I guess she felt the value of such knowledge, which is actually pricless.
One more story from the day before. I was distributing at the festival site, it was just tents. I asked a man and woman, "Excuse me, Are you from here in LA?
The man said, "Not interested."
Then I reached out with the BG and placed it in the hand of the lady. They stopped and I explained the illustrations to them. She then expressed that she was very interested in it. She asked, How much do you want for it?"
"We just ask for a donation for the printing."
He then reached in his wallet and gave $40!
I was amazed. Here is this person who was not interested at all, then after seeing what he was getting gave the donation of the day.
Lord Nityananda's mercy.
Your Servant,
Vijaay Das
