Marathon Samdhi
CAMP: Bangkok, Thailand
HARE KRSNA HARE KRSNA KRSNA KRSNA HARE HARE
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
While in Vrndavan in early December I had the good fortune of meeting my god brother, Ayodhya Prabhu.
He is 65 years old and "retired" in Vrndavana. At age 45 he retired from a good job in Detroit at Chrysler and started working full time for the temple.
After moving to Vrndavan 4 or 5 years ago, he got the inspiration to distribute Srila Prabhupada's books. So he started daily taking the train from Mathura to New Delhi and back.
His marathon is constant (nityam). He takes only 5 days off each year, except when he sometimes goes to the USA. Around 15th December he did take one day off. That was because the train was derailed somewhere and didn't come that day. Normally, even if the train is two or more hours late, he waits for it and goes.
For years he would leave home at around 0630 and search for a Tempo or tonga to ride to Mathura. There he boards the train and distributes only big books. Six months ago his brother visited him and gave him a car, so now his trip to Mathura and back is easier.
This marathon he started on October 15. By early December he had distributed over 1000 Bhagavada Gitas and about 400 KRSNA books. He is totally absorbed in serving Srila Prabhupada by distributing books. He even buys books from the BBT and then sells them to other devotees at a reduced price, so that they are able to distribute more books. He doesn't take anything from his collections for his expenses, that is all coming from his savings and pension.
His wife is usually in the USA. She visits Vrndavan sometimes. She rises at 0100 or 0200 daily and spends most of her time reading SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM. They are surely an ideal grhastha couple.
The work on the the train is quite strenuous. He starts out carrying two book bags which weigh together about 20 kilograms. Then he walks through the whole train, which is quite crowded, as anyone who has traveled in India knows. On the afternoon train he must climb over mountains of baggage which clutters the aisles. All the train staff, from Ticket Takers to Dectectives to the beggars, respect him greatly and call him "Pandit" or "Maharaja".
He preaches very directly and simply tells everyone the glories of Srila Prabhupada's BHAGAVAD GITA. He has many friends who travel regularly and they thank him and say that Srila Prabhupada's BHAGAVAD GITA is the best.
He has recently trained up a few other devotees, one from Russia and one from Poland and they are going regularly. I had the good fortune to go with him for about 2 weeks. He moves fast and it was hard to keep up with him, but it was very enlivening.
I hope that when I am 65 I will be able to get so much mercy from Srila Prabhupada.
There are thousands of trains in India and surely they are great placesfor distribution of Srila Prabhupada's books.
In the meanwhile I suggest that anyone who is visiting Vrndavan dham meet him and go with him for at least one day, even if it is only to help him carry the books.
I did a video interview which I will transcribe for later posting.
Hoping this meets you in the best of health,
Your servant,
Kavicandra Swami
