Ganesa
Recently on the occasion of the Ganesha festival Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir, Chowpatty launched the distribution of a special edition of BTG on Lord Ganesha. Priced attractively at Rs. 5/- and available in three languages, the edition is meant for mass distribution. In Jan-Feb, the special low-priced issue of BTG on Lord Shiva also met with high level of success. Caitanya Ananda Prabhu, who regularly distributes books in the local trains recalls:
I often meet the same people who have taken books from me and I invite them to the temple. Many of those who the took Lord Siva issue from me later came and asked, "Do you have anything on Lord Krishna?" Some came and inquired, "Who is Srila Prabhupada? Do you have his books?" This inspired me a lot. These cheap editions of BTG attract even those people who would otherwise not take Srila Prabhupada's books. But now they are somehow connected.
Another devotee recalls: I was going to the train station in cab, carrying a stack of BTGs that I had to deliver to some devotee. At the red signal, a couple on a bike stopped near the cab and the lady on back seat just could not take her eyes off the attractive cover of BTG. I waved my hand and indicated Rs.5/-. She immediately began to open her purse. Just then the signal turned green and my cab lurched ahead. I shook my head as the bike sped away. But the signal ahead turned red just before the bike could cross. I send a devotee sitting with me with a copy of BTG and he ran to the couple. The lady eagerly paid the money and took the book. When he was walking back to the cab, the glass from an expensive looking car beside us rolled down and an aristocratic man looked at us. We showed him the BTG and he also took one copy. When we were in the train I just kept the stack on my lap and continued to chant. So many people just kept staring at the books. From my seat I passed the BTGs and indicated 5. Almost ten people took BTGs. These issues are so cheap and attractive that one simply has to carry them. Everyone is attracted. Mathurar Kishore Prabhu easily distributes about 50 copies a day during his commuting hours after making a brief announcement.
Another time it was 8pm in the night when I went to the lane before our temple to cover the crowd who were returning after submersing the Ganesha murtis at the Chowpatty beach. I saw four foreigners on the other side of the road. Suddenly, my partner came to me asking for English BTGs. Taking them from me he went to that group and sold three copies and then requested them to visit the temple.
When he returned to me I asked, "Did you tell them about the Govindas restaurant?" "No." "You can tell them about it. Say it is a vegetarian restaurant."
When he ran to them, they were standing before a restaurant with a bar, perhaps about to enter there. When he told them about the Govindas, they got really excited and rushed there. In Govindas two of them bought 'The Journey Home' by H.H.Radhanath Swami. There were two devotees from abroad who discussed Krishna consciousness with them.
Thanks
Your Servant
Murari Gupta Das
