Padayatra Slovenia – New Dimensions of Book Distribution
By Vasudeva Datta das
Here in Slovenia we have just completed Padayatra 2008. This year we were walking from Ptuj to the second biggest city in the country, Maribor. Usually we walked through the villages but this year through the passionate city. We did not know what to expect but later it turned out to be the best preaching field. We more than doubled the sankirtan scores from the last year. We were 3 full-time book distributors and each day one devotee from the Bhakta Program would join us.
In 16 days we distributed 3.441 books, out of them more than 3.000 were maha-big books like Srimad Bhagavatams and Bhagavad-gitas. The scene was like this. The harinam party of about 40-50 devotees was walking and singing followed by the coach (ratha) pulled by the horse. Our Bhima, the ox was too old so this year one devotee borrowed us his horse. Then 3 or 4 matajis would distribute prasadam cookies and 4 of us would distribute books to all the people who would come across.
The loud singing of Hare Krishna maha-mantra would invoke interest in people. “What is going on? Who are they?” they would think. And we would just come, give them prasadam and explain that we are from the “Hare Krishna Eco Caravan and that our motto is from pure consciousness to pure environment and pure relationships”. People would usually respond that that is very nice. Then we would give them Srimad Bhagavatam, first canto, and they would say: “O, I have to give you something!” And we would smile and say, “Yes.” Lomancita Pr. would tell them: “You can give me one million and I will give you half back.”
They would then start to laugh and bring 20 euros. And even in the bars where half drunken people always make some silly comments, Lomancita pr. would trick them by saying that in the horse race you never know who will win but if you bet on Haridas (our horse) you will never loose. And these guys would bring out some euros from their pockets. Sometimes people would get so excited that they would throw us some coins from the buildings.
The impression of blissful devotees chanting and dancing was extremely powerful. People were just taking the books. In this zone we would usually struggle all day to distribute 20 books but now we would distribute 100 books each. Even new bhaktas, who were first time in sankirtan, would distribute 30-40 books. This was not at all surprising because all the devotees from the kirtan group would pray to the Lord. Can you imagine distributing books while 50 devotees are passing by loudly chanting Hare Krishna maha-mantra and wishing you all the best?! People have no other chance than to take the books ha, ha …
There was not any mundane competition because we had all the books on the rath counted before starting so we would all just distribute from the same stock. Naturally we were happy to see other devotee’s books flying out. In the evening we would sit in a ring, count the laksmi and see approximately how many books distributed each of us. Devotees told us we were looking like some poker players with these piles of money. It was complete mercy of Sri Sri Panca Tattva, Sri Guru and Vaisnavas. In the mornings I was very tired and thought: “Today it is not possible for me …” But as soon as the first book went out all the bodily pain disappeared and I was again running here and there. Sometimes complete miracles would take place. It was so obvious that it was Krishna working. For example, we were walking through the building area.
There were not many people on the street so I waved with the pamphlet to a man who was smoking on his balcony in 3rd or 4th floor. The man really came down and he had just enough money to buy the books. Matajis were also in ecstasy. They distributed more than 15.000 cookies. From material point of view their activity doesn’t make any sense – running here and there all day on the scorching sun offering some cookies to the people. But because it was for Lord Caitanya, they were in complete samadhi. For me the greatest happiness was to see two ladies who each had last year bought a set of Srila Prabhupada’s books from me. They immediately became devotees and this year they were already engaged in the mission of Lord Caitanya by distributing prasadam to the other conditioned souls. We were all completely absorbed in preaching KC.
There was no energy or desire to hear any politics or to think about sense gratification. Every day, at the end of the tour, there would be sumptuous feast waiting for us. The taste of prasadam was so nice. We would share different sankirtan lilas and some devotees would just collapse after taking prasadam. Before taking rest few of us would sit together and read Caitanya Caritamrita. We read how Lord Caitanya was taking rest after His sankirtana and we were also half lying on the floor smiling and remembering Lord Caitanya’s pastimes. We also had honourable guests for few days each. HH Janananda Goswami, HH Purnacandra Goswami, HG Krisna Ksetra Prabhu and HG Mahadyuti Prabhu inspired us by their holy association.
They appreciated that so many people are receptive to KC and how devotees are cooperating nicely to please Srila Prabhupada. They commented that the preaching in Padayatra is complete. People get the holy name, prasadam and Srila Prabhupada’s books in one stroke. They also get direct association with the devotees, nice experience of the Hare Krishna Movement and vedic culture and the invitation and the contact for further development.
We are seriously thinking of making such events more than once a year or even have a book distribution marathon in that style. This year’s padayatra’s book distribution was definitely a new dimension of sankirtan in the history of our yatra. We are humbly praying to all the Vaisnavas to bless us that we can one day understand what a wonderful gift was causelessly given to us by Srila Prabhupada. Sankirtan Yajna Ki Jay!!
On behalf of the sankirtan group, Your servant Vasudeva Datta das
Pictures from Padayatra Slovenia 2008 you can see on www.harekrisna.net/ekokaravana
