Where there is will there is way
The ever-young Abhinandan Prabhu is undoubtedly the most fired-up book distributor of Sri Sri Radha-Gopinath Mandir's congregation. Even the difficulties that come with the advanced age of sixty-five, including a host of infirmities like diabetes, BP, loss of hearing, and the after-effects of fourteen operations, have been unable to stop him. He is just back from distributing books in super-austere conditions at the Dindi in Pandharpur. So consistently has he been distributing books over many years that even strangers in Virar, a suburb of Mumbai, greet him with a Haribol, and whenever they need a Bhagavad-gita they approach only him. So it was no surprise that one day, while in Kolkata on a visit to Mayapur, his phone rang. He recalls what happened next . . .
I was sick with an eye ailment and resting in my room when a big builder called me on the phone.
"Where are you?" he asked.
"In Kolkata," I replied.
"Oh God! I need fifty Bhagavad Gitas!"
"No problem. When do you need them?"
"On the third of next month."
"Don't worry. I reach Mumbai on the second. I will deliver the books."
As I hung up the phone, I wondered where the man had gotten my cell number. Then I realized I had just twenty Gitas with me. How would I collect so many Gitas in a day? To reach the temple in Mumbai and collect them, I needed at least three or four days, since the temple is far away. But this man could not wait – he was distributing these books on his mother's death anniversary. Krishna will provide, I thought.
I reached Mumbai early on the morning of the second and called the man to confirm the order.
"I need seventy-five Gitas," he said.
"Why seventy-five?" I said. "Take a hundred."
He agreed.
Now the headache was where to get these books. I called a devotee who helps me. "Go to everyone with whom you have kept even the tiniest stock and collect all the Marathi Bhagavad Gitas and get them to me."
Then I began to go by car to different devotees who distribute Srila Prabhupada's books and collected whatever little stock they had. I had an appointment at Bhaktivedanta Hospital at two p.m. After my check-up, I took five Bhagavad Gitas from their gift shop. I then resumed my rounds of visiting different devotees. Finally we reached the magic figure of a hundred! The next day I delivered the books and got on-the-spot payment.
The lesson is that we should completely depend on the mercy of Lord Krishna, Srila Prabhupada, and our spiritual master. I could have been lazy and postponed the work, but then I would have missed the opportunity to distribute so many books. Simple faith in higher authorities and hard work on our part can give wonderful results. Nothing is impossible in Krishna consciousness.
