Book Distribution Nectar
Tongue Tied
Last year the bus party of Sri Sri Radha-Gopinath Mandir went to Andhra Pradesh. A devotee wrote in his diary about the experience:
We tried to get permission at a thermal power plant employing 3000 workers. Typically we give out a set of books on credit and then the company deducts the amount from the salary and sends us the money. But here things were difficult. Although every one we met was favorable, they expressed their inability to help us.
"This is a government organization," they said, "and you are a religious institution. We cannot extend this facility to you. The government is secular and so our hands are tied."
Anyway we managed to get permission for a stall near their main market complex. But the problem was the language. We had only two devotees who could speak the native Telgu. The rest of us were reduced to the role of helpers, who packed the books and counted the laxmi. The mood was dull and unenthusiastic. People came to the market and walked away without even coming to the stall. Someone had to go out to them.
Then Garuda Prabhu, our driver, rose to the challenge. Grabbing an armload of books he dashed to the road and went straight up to a man who had just parked his bike. He gestured animatedly as we watched him, and soon he returned with the man holding a Gita in one hand and laxmi in another.
"What did you sasy?" a devotee asked.
"Ha!" Garuda Prabhu laughed, "What I spoke he could not understand, and what he spoke I did not understand. He said something and I said, "Yes, yes. This is the price (in Telgu). And he came."
This tactic fired up everyone's hearts, and the atmosphere became lively and active. We began calling out, shouting at the top of our lungs. The Telgu devotees stood at either end of the long table and began to speak non-stop about all the books. Others devotees fanned out and brought prospective customers to the table. There was an obvious buzz of enthusiasm, and we were smiling and inviting people.
Someone went to the bus-stop close to the stall and simply shouted, "Bhagwad Gita, Bhagwad Gita. Discount price," and brought many prospective customers. Garuda Prabhu picked up some local words and convinced many to buy the books. Overall it was an inspiring experience. We had a good sale and came out convinced that if really are serious and committed to give this transcendental knowledge, nothing can stop us. Even if we don't know the words, Lord Krishna will empower us to deliver the message.
Srila Prabhupada: Everyone will understand. Hare Krsna. That is proved. We are going to Africa. We are going to Canada, Europe, America. Everyone chants Hare Krsna. That is the language. When a young man and young woman love one another, there is no question of language. My Guru Maharaja used to say that "Suppose you are in a foreign country. You do not know the language. But when there is fire, you get friends without any language." Morning Walk – March 7, 1974, Mayapura
Your Servant,
Murari Gupta Das
