Mystical Sankirtana – it can happen in any way
In today’s world, many people in both the younger and older generations have individual Facebook accounts. For devotees, this is useful as a platform to preach the glories of harinam sankirtana. On October 4, 2018, I posted on Facebook an excerpt from a lecture by Srila Prabhupada at the University of Nairobi, in 1972, from the book Science of Self Realization. Therein Srila Prabhupada mentioned that knowledge of the soul is the...
The nectar of book distribution!
Recently, I was distributing at Orange Coast College, and a student came to the table and showed an interest in getting Bhagavad-gita. I explained it to him a little. Then he opened it, to see what he could get out of it. He opened it to text 4.22: “He who is satisfied with gains that comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both success and failure, is never entangled, although performing...
“What’s my favorite book?”
I was standing on Queen Street in central Auckland. A Maori lady saw the books in my hand, approached me, and exclaimed, “Is that “Hiding In Unnatural Happiness”? I’ve got that book. In fact, it’s my favourite book!!” By way of confirmation, she then shouted to her partner on the other side of the sidewalk: “Oi! What’s my favourite book?” “Unnatural Happiness!” he responded. “See? I told ya.” Seizing the opportunity,...
Another set! A lot of mercy floating in the air
A nonenvious and gentle couple, Victor and Alejandra, approached my book table, asking for the four Vedas. I asked him jokingly why he wants to read the four Vedas and what he knows about them. He said, “I don’t know much about the Vedas. I’m a Christian, but I want to discover my roots.” So I explained to him that to understand the four Vedas, he needs four heads like Lord Brahma. He interrupted me, smiling and asking,...
Intense suffering followed by new hope
On Thursday (Sept. 20th) I was walking around the center city of Hamilton (Waikato, New Zealand), I came across a man sitting alone on a bench. I said hello and introduced myself as a volunteer for the Mantra Lounge, a meditation centre on Hood Street. He then asked me something like, “What does life mean to you?” I sat down next to him, and we started talking. Turns out that Jean had just finished a night shift. And...
Favorable professor – Part 2
Some of you may remember the encounter that Ananda Kirtan Prabhu recently wrote about. He met a professor at Orange Coast College and was invited to speak in his class that day on the Bhagavad-gita. A few days ago, I was at the same college, and the same professor come to my table. He told me that he was encouraging the students who received books from Ananda Kirtan to read them. Looking at the table of books, he saw a book that he...