That smells like Krishna
I had a short window of time for books the other day, so I went to Cuba St. It was an odd time of the day, but Krishna is in control so I thought that He could make the right people come by even at this time, even in this weather.
Sure enough, I met some wonderful souls, but the last encounter was striking. This young man wears all black and has several piercings and tattoos. As he walked by, he was focused on filling his cigarette case with “organic cigarettes” (he later told me).
“Are you into death metal?” I asked.
He stopped and turned around and said, astounded, “No. But I am just getting into it. How did you know?”
“I could feel your aura,” I responded.
“O my God! Do you know about auras?”
“Totally. Check it out. This is a composite of high-end spiritual energy. It looks like a book, but it's actually living, breathing spirit. Touch it.”
He held the book and said, “Whoa. I know this.”
He told me that he had received a Gita on the Gold Coast. And when he had the SSR in his hands and saw Srila Prabhupada's picture, he said, “And that was by him too.”
He had quite a few questions (something I don't like to entertain too much when I have limited time on the street). I tried to keep turning his attention to simply buying the book and reading it, but he would keep asking me a bunch of questions. He was very favorable, but also skeptical.
Finally, I said, “Look, you can't expect to find the essence of the highest spiritual reality within a few moments just by speculating. Spiritual life, or Krishna consciousness, is about practical experience. No one can live your life for you, and similarly no one can have your inner transformation of the heart. You need to stop taking part in salad-bar spirituality, picking and choosing, and actually apply yourself to ONE process, to the end, or actually read ONE book, beginning to end. Which, I can tell, you do not do my friend. And thus your problems.”
He was silent for a while and said, “Hm. You're right.”
By this time my book time was up so I said, “Okay, come with me. I'll give you a practical experience of spiritual life.”
He was a bit startled by that and I said, “Yep. I have to go now, so walk with me to the Bhakti Lounge. It's two minutes from here.”
So we did walk, and he continued to share his thoughts. (By this time he had purchased Your Ever Well-Wisher.) At BL, I introduced him to the devotees. He looked at the some pictures on our walls and fell in love with them.
“This is amazing. This is so true.”
I took him to the kitchen, and as soon as he walked in he said “Oh! This smells like Krishna!”
Your servant,
Sankirtan Yoga Dasi
