What never happened in twenty-five years happened today
In celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Srila Prabhupada's arrival in the West, Bhaktivedanta Manor plans to distribute 100,000 books in 2015. To move forward in fulfilling this dream, the Manor and ISKCON London came together for a day of sankirtana in the heart of London on a sunny mid-April Saturday. A harinama that included book and prasada distribution gave a taste of book distribution to nearly a hundred devotees. The chief guest was Vijay Prabhu, the GBC Minister of Book Distribution.
We began the harinama from the Soho Street temple and headed to the usual stops: a plaza in front of a theatre, then Chinatown and Leicester Square. As a usual book distributor on the streets, I'm there for the books and am often carried away while speaking to someone interesting.
Suddenly I realised I had lost the harinama party. I asked around, whether anyone had seen the dancing Hare Krishna devotees, but to my surprise hardly anyone I asked spoke English. In Leicester Square, the pedestrian streets are packed with tourists, but I'm not quite sure whether they genuinely didn't know English or weren't responding because I was dressed in robes.
Whatever the reason may have been, I thought that rather than running around to find the harinama, I could just get back to distributing books. For me, it was a fairly good day, the streets were busy, and the sun was shining bright, an ideal day for a book distributor. I did, indeed, meet some nice people.
In mid-afternoon I returned to the temple on Soho Street. It was 3 p.m., and Vijay Prabhu was going to give a talk about book distribution from three to four. Everything seemed very quiet, though, so I asked the receptionist if the harinama was still out, and he said it was.
So I could just do book distribution outside the temple while waiting. Unaware of the magic about to happen, I started book distribution as I usually would: “Excuse me. Are you from London?” “Excuse me, have you met a monk before?”
Then I saw a man around 6 feet 4 inches tall, well built, in his late forties or earl. fifties. Looking at him, I felt like a minuscule character from Guilliver's Travels. But one thing sankirtan does is make you fearless, so I smiled and waved at him as if I'd known him for lifetimes.
“How are you doing? Isn't it an amazing day?”
While still walking, he responded, “Yes, indeed.”
“Wow, you speak English. Are you from London?”
He slowed down, laughed, and said yes.
Straightaway I asked him: “Have you met a monk before?”
He smiled, started picking up his pace again, and said, “You can't stop me. I've been seeing you guys here for the past twenty-five years.”
“Wow! So have you spoken to a monk before?”
He stopped and said with a pause “Actually . . . no.”
Surprised, I asked again, “You've been seeing us for twenty-five years, and you never spoke to a monk here?”
He repeated that he has seen generations before me, but never stopped.
“Never mind,” I replied. “What hasn't happened in twenty-five years happened today. Here's a book for you.”
He said he couldn't take the book and started walking away.
I told him that it's a gift, since he'd been seeing us for twenty-five years.
I smiled and said “See, monks can give gifts sometimes.”
He stopped again and said, “You know what? It's my birthday today.
“Oh, it's your birthday. Happy Birthday! Here you go, one more gift; this is your birthday gift.”
I handed him another book.
He chuckled and took the second book and said that he didn't have any money.
I told him not to worry about it: “These are gifts. Have a good read.”
He started to leave, then stopped, and said “You know, I guess I do have some change.”
Digging into his pockets, he found the change and passed it to me, saying “You are good.”
“And the books are amazing. Please pop down sometime and let us know how you like the books. See you later!”
For a while I stopped to relish what just happened. I'd just witnessed the magic of the sankirtana-yajna with my own eyes. Ceto darpanam marjanam: The holy name had cleansed the dust from his heart after twenty-five years and he'd taken a book. For me, it was a moment never to forget.
By this time it was three-thirty, and at the reception desk I saw a different devotee this time.
I asked, “Do you know what time the harinama will get here?”
She replied, “The devotees came back just after three, and the seminar is going on now.”
I could see how the Lord had made an arrangement to give His mercy to that conditioned soul. I smiled and relished the incident. If you are trying to see Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's magic, go out on the street and distribute these books. You will see it taking place right before your eyes.
– Ganesh
