New Book Distribution lectures, Italy TSKP, and a story from Rome
Hare Krsna Prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Recently the ISKCON Desire Tree website has added a number of book distribution lectures. Most were given by senior book distributors from around the world during the Mayapur festival; a few were given by me in various countries on my way to Mayapur. To find them, just go to www.iskcondesiretree.net, find the book distribution category, and open it up. You'll see the new ones.
I'm in Rome now, associating with the sankirtan devotees and giving some seminars. One of the most amazing projects in ISKCON is happening right here. A team of ten devotees headed by Bhakti Shakti Prabhu have from their sankirtan efforts acquired three diesel trucks, three motor homes, and two vansÑall bought new and paid for. They even have a cow, Surabhi, that travels with them (and I must say she's the most affectionate cow I've ever come across). They travel around Italy distributing books and putting on festivals. One of the diesel trailers opens up to a stage, another is a beautiful temple room, and the third holds the tons of books they distribute throughout the year. They also have two tents: a small one that attaches to the temple, and a huge one that holds over a thousand people. This group of devotees developed out of the Catania temple and thus was going under the name "Catania, Italy, Temple." Catania is in Sicily, but they are practically never in Sicily, so I suggested they change the name of their program to "Italy TSKP." (TSKP stands for 'traveling sankirtan party.') They agreed, so "Italy TSKP" is how they will be known from now on.
Now for a story from Rome. One Sunday the temple president, Lilananda Prabhu, was speaking to a guest who began spouting all kinds Mayavadi nonsense. As he droned on, Lilananda became more and more angry to hear the garbage coming out of his mouth. Then a bhakta named Corrado came by and began listening to the man. Corrado said to the man, "I think the solution is that you should purchase a Srimad-Bhagavatam set." The man asked about it, and Bhakta Corrado briefly described it. The man then asked how much it was, heard the price of $300, and said, "All right, I'll take it." Lilananda's jaw hit the ground. He couldn't believe that this total Mayavadi, whom he was just seconds earlier so furious at, would on a moment's notice buy an entire Srimad-Bhagavatam set, 27 books. And on top of that, from a new bhakta!
Just goes to show how merciful Lord Caitanya is.
Your servant,
Vijaya das
