Distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books as they are ki jay!!
Here is some sankirtan nectar: I was on my way back to the temple after distributing Srila Prabhupada's books at passing through the parking lot of the Greenacres shopping centre in Port Elizabeth. I approached a man standing next to one of those imported Japanese 4×4"s with a fancy looking trailer hooked-up to it. I introduced myself to him and presented Srila Prabhupada's books to him. He refused saying, that he did not read and that he had his own religion. I tried again, but no luck. I gave him an invitation flyer to our Sunday and Wednesday programs at the temple. I said goodbye to him, as I did so he asked me if there was something I could do for him. He said to me, with a look of great pride on his face: "Tell me, what do you think of my new trailer? I just bought it today." I could see a gleaming sparkle in his eyes, as he waited for my reply. I took a couple of steps backwards from the trailer and looked at it and said: "Sir what can I say, this trailer is amazing. I have never seen anything like it. It's certainly top-of-the-range, I am sure that it is worth every cent that it cost you, it's a complete knockout, what more can I say." With a smile on his face that could have melted a block of butter at twenty paces, he said: "Thank you very much, that's all I have been waiting to hear," (It seemed to me, that he had been waiting for his wife in the shopping center, and while doing so, was just waiting for some passerby to make a comment about his new trailer).He put his hand in his pocket and gave me twenty rands. I thanked him and gave him one of Srila Prabhupada's books and said to him that he must forget to utilize the knowledge in Srila Prabhupada's book. He smiled at me, with a look of great achievement on his face. Little did he know, that he had just received the seed of devotional service planted in his heart. Srila Prabhupada ki jay!
I was standing on the street pavement in Port Elizabeth last week distributing Srila Prabhupada's books, looking across the road at a block of flats that I remembered distributing Srila Prabhupada's book about four years previously.
I noticed that there was a wall and security fence built around it, which was not there last I was there. I began to think to myself that I would like to go in, but there was no way that I could because of the security wall and fence. I walked across the road, and as I did so, I saw a lady whom I knew before I joined Srila Prabhuapada's family talking to an elderly lady. I greeted the first lady and as I did so, the elderly lady said to me: "Oh what you are doing is wonderful." I thought perhaps I also knew her, but as I came closer I realized that I did not. The first lady said good bye to the elderly lady. I said to her, that I could see that she was a very spiritual person. As our conversation progressed, she told me that she was born of Danish parents and that as a young child she had lived in England where she had married her late husband, but later they had moved to South Africa, where she has lived ever since. She asked me if I would like to come and have some tea with her, as she would like to speak and discuss some more things with her.. I said yes, that would be nice, and to my amazement, we walked across the road to where she lived, the block of flats that I wanted to get into! When we got to her flat, she asked me to sit down in her lounge, and asked me if I would like some tea. I said that I did not drink tea, but if she had some rooibos tea, then that would be fine, she said that she did.. She came in with the rooibos tea and we began talking about spirituality in general. I asked her wether she minded if I called her mother, as in the spiritual culture that I practice, we respect all woman as mothers. She smiled at me, and said that was a very nice thing to say, and that yes she would not mind if I called her mother .
She began telling me about her family and about her late father, whom she wil always remember as a very spiritual person, and as a child brought her up in such an atmosphere. She went on to tell me, that she was a member of the Angligan church, and after she divorced her late husband, she was expelled from that church. It was then that she began to question herself about sectarianism . She then began to enquire about other religions and met a man from an orginisation, calling itself, The School of Truth, of which she is a memeber. I begun teling her about the teachings of Srila Prabhupada and Krsna consciousness in general. She became very interested, writing down in her note book any word which she found of interest. She began to tell me about one of her son's, who had died at a very young age . I told her, that he was not dead, but that he had left his body. She said to me, that she liked the term, leaving the body as we began to talk about reincarnation. I then proceeded to discuss the principles of bhakti yoga. After I had finished, she said with great enthusiasm and sincerity in her voice, "Yes that is what I have always believed in!" I then began to tell her about the glories of chanting the holy name of the Lord, as she listened with rapt attention and anticipated eagerness to hear more, as if drinking every word I spoke of. I asked her to chant the holy name of the Lord with me. As we did so, she closed her eyes, as she became attracted to the holy name of the Lord. She asked me to show her my chanting beads and asked me what type of wood they were made from, and wrote it down in her note book. I told her, that if she liked, I could get her a set of chanting beads. "Oh could you," she said, "that is so kind of you." I told her that I had to go, and payed my respects to her. I told her that she had taught me a lesson in humility, and thanked her for helping me to become a better devotee of the Lord, by her sincerity and enthusiasm. I gave her Srila Prabhupada's book, Coming Back, and thanked her for allowing me the honor of having her sincere association. She thanked me and in turn said that her meeting with me had meant a lot to her, as tears began to well up in her eyes. The next day, I gave her a set chanting beads. When she saw them, and a bead bag with the picture of Lord Nrsringadev on it and the Maha Mantra, she thanked me with great happiness. I could see that her memory of Krsna was about to be revived and that she was back on the road, back to Godhead!
How glorious it is, when these special souls come into contact with Srila Prabhupada's books, and to know that they have been rescued from the path down to hell. They are on their way, back home,back to Godhead
tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam
kavibhir iditam kalmasapaham
sravana-mangalam srimad atatam
bhuvi grnanti ye bhuri-da janah
The nectar of your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one's sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent.
Preaching gives me life!
Yours in the service of Lord Sri Krsna and His devotees,
Hare Krsna,
Madhumangala dasa.
