Drops of Nectar from the Nrsimha Marathon
Dear devotees.
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
We had a two weeks' Nrsimha marathon in Finland just before the auspicious appearance day of Lord Nrsimhadeva. Here are a few drops of nectar from the transcendental ocean of book distribution.
Around noon I saw a very old couple. They were so old they could not walk by themselves but needed a kind of a kicksled to carry out their business. I thought: "We have come so far and here are these old people. They may leave their body any moment so now is their chance to get Srila Prabhupada's mercy."
I went to them and presented them both with a copy of the Srimad-bhagavatam. The wife immediately accepted and put the book in her basket. I told them what it's all about and the husband also accepted and took a book. They gave a nice donation and speedily rolled down the hill with their vehicles.
Another interesting incident took place just in the beginning of the week. We were in Hameenlinna, which is a relatively big town in Finnish measurement. After the prasadam break I saw a man in his late fifties. He looked a bit rough and he walked along the street minding his own business. I stopped him and presented him with a Teachings of Queen Kunti and the first canto.
"These are very practical books", I said, "This one is about simple living and the other is ancient Indian wisdom for grown-up men." This time I introduced the books in quite a roundabout way as the man did not seem to be interested in spiritual life.
The man looked at the books and asked, "Is there nothing about God in these books?"
"Actually these books are only about God", I said changing my approach.
"Good." he said. Then the man told his life-story. He had been an alcoholic for many years but then he had been saved by Jesus. Now he had been a part of the Free Church congregation for the last eight years. However he had fallen down a couple of days ago due to his wife nagging at him.
The man was looking at the books and he was absorbed in thinking. Mean while he said he thinks big books are not very good as people would simply put them in their bookshelves. He said he prefers smaller books (like TQK).
Suddenly he said "If I give you 15 euros, will you give me three smaller books (TQK)?"
I said 15 euros is not the proper price for three books. After some time he said, "Will you give me four for a twenty?"
"Sure", I said and started taking out the books from my trolley. As soon as the man got the books he paid for them. At this point a grandmother was walking nearby. He hugged her and gave her a book. (It seemed they knew each other.) He told her it is a good one and that she should read it.
Then immediately he ran across the street to a group of other men like. "Hey Pekka! Here is a very good book. Take it and read it!" The man exclaimed.
In one minute this man had distributed two books now. Just after a couple of minutes I saw him sitting on a park bench, talking to another man, distributing the third one.
It was an amazing experience to see how the man came under the control of Krsna's spiritual energy. I was praying I could be as enthusiastic to distribute Srila Prabhupada's books.
Your Servant,
Avadhutacandra Das
