Book Distribution Nectar
When Angry Cops Call
We had a heavy day at the Boriwili train station. At 11:30 p.m., when the passenger traffic trickled down, we finally decided to wind up. Exhausted and bleary-eyed, we packed all the books in boxes, counted them and sealed them with tape. Then we hauled them, one by one, on our shoulders and climbed down the steps into the waiting vehicle. The count was complete.
The next day was off, because our permission to set up the stall was over. So we enjoyed a few extra hours of sleep. We sat for breakfast at 10 a,m,, when the first call came.
"Hello, I am Inspector Kamdar. I want to speak to Mr. Amit Kini."
Startled, I jumped up.
"Yes. I am speaking."
"You fool," he began, his chastisement implying I am irresponsible, an idiot and what not.
"What happened?" I asked him when he paused for breath.
"You left a box of Bhagwad Gitas at the station in Boriwili," he said. "Do you know how much panic this sort of thing causes in these days of bomb scares? Luckily the number of your temple was written on the box, and we called there. They gave us your phone number. Now come to the police station and pick it up."
The phone was hung up.
I turned to the devotees and told them the story.
Rush to the police, everyone suggested unanimously. I was a little slow, but another call after fifteen minutes electrified my efforts. By the time another call came I was in already in a cab.
In the station I was led to the inspector who had called me. He appeared relaxed and mildly chastised me. I identified my box and picked it up to take it. Then I stopped.
"Sir, would you like to see Bhagwad Gita?" I asked.
"OK. Show me."
I ripped the tape off and brought out a Marathi Bhagwad Gita and handed it to him. I spoke about it. Then another policeman came and peered over the contents of the box, and he too was handed one Bhagwad Gita. He purchased it and went out, only to bring more men.
"Give me one," were the only words that could be heard for the next few minutes.
In fifteen minutes I managed to distribute 8 Bhagwad Gitas to the men in Khaki. I was delighted. Where we made so much of an effort to distribute one Bhagwad Gita, here Lord Krishna brought these books to the station and simply made me an instrument to deliver them. Indeed, the inspector was right in his fear of finding a bomb in the box. Srila Prabhupada's books are time bombs, or more correctly, precision-guided bombs. They decide the target and reach there on their own and simply explode.
Your Servant
Murari Gupta Das
