Not my mantra or any tactic, only Krsna’s name
The following was posted to our Weekend Warrior yahoo group by Bhaktin Brinda Ran, an ISKCON Atlanta congregation member, after our monthly Weekend Warrior Super Saturday Distribution Day this January. I'm amazed to see how our working grhastra community, generally in their 30's, 40's, and a few 50 and above, has developed great attachment and determination to distribute books.
anandambudhi vardhanam prati padam purnamrtasvadanam
sarvatma snapanam param vijayate sri krsna sankirtanam
All glories to the sankirtan movement, which increases the ocean of transcendental bliss!
Your Servent,
Sikhi Mahiti das
Hare Krsna,
Jaya devi dasi has left no stone unturned in simply (unnecessarily) glorifying me. But I must confess, and I am sure she'd agree, that I hardly sold any books that day. I think all the credit goes to them both, and especially Raghupati Prabhu, who was simply "humbly requesting people to take a book," and his genuine request and purity changed people's hearts. As far as my mantra goes — I have no mantra really. This is something Jiva Goswami Prabhu told me. He said if you approach a Muslim, then sometimes it works to say "This book is about how the soldiers of good fought the soldiers of evil by following the instructions of God!" Mahabharata and I have tried this downtown, and most of the time the student took the book.
The most amazing realization I had this time, when we were at Minerva, was after I gave a book to a Muslim lady and an atheist American (as Jaya previously mentioned).
I approached the Muslim lady with her daughter (I asked her name and that's how I knew she was Muslim, and she said was from Iran), and like a parrot darted out Jiva Prabhu's mantra. I placed the book in her hand, and at first she seemed hesitant, since I said we accept donations. But then she asked me the most amazing question. She said, "Is this about Krishna?" As soon as I heard “Krishna,” I said to myself, “Great, now she is not going to take this book.” I was very sure she would decline. To my surprise, she not only accepted the book but also gave a donation.
I then approached an American gentleman. I told him a bit about the Bhagavad-gita, and he asked if the book is about a particular religion. I said no, we don't promote any particular religion, and somehow, unknowingly, I blurted out, "We are Hare Krsnas. Have you heard of Hare Krsna?" I couldn't believe I had just said that. I was cursing myself. I thought, “Why did I say that?! Now he is not going to take the book because he may think we are sectarian/sentimentalists/cult. But of course Krishna proved me wrong again. The man replied, "Of course I have heard of Hare Krsna, so its more like philosophy and science." I said, "Yes, we are nonsectarian, and we want that you should continue to follow your faith but with a much deeper understanding of who God is." He then told me, "I don't believe in God. I am an atheist. Do you still think I should read this book?" I quickly responded "Yes". He asked how much I wanted for the book, and I said I will accept whatever your heart inspires you to give. He gave $10 and took the book.
I have noticed many times that when I try to hide my real identity as a Hare Krsna or devotee of the Lord, when I try to give abstract explanations of our philosophy and try to avoid using the word Krishna (with non-Indians), fearing that it will dissuade them from taking the book, I am such a big fool in thinking that way. Thanks to Krishna for proving me wrong in the above two situations and making me realize that uttering His name will benefit not only me but also the other person, whether he decides to take the book or not. Of course, the above two situations prove that uttering Krishna's name made them buy the book.
Not my mantra or any tactics, but Krishna's name made an atheist and a Muslim buy a Bhagavad-gita. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Lord Shri Krishna!
Bhaktin Brinda Ran
