Hare Krsna Dear Devotees,
Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Briarwood Apartments in Sunnyvale was our first stop on this beautiful Saturday of May 7th, with blue sky, bright sun sunshine, and gently blowing breeze. It was the second weekend of book distribution on the occasion of the MSF of Anartha Nivritti. Talking of anarthas, briarwood is used for making smoking pipes!
Our team was augmented with three devotees this week: Rajaram Prabhu, Balarama-Candra Prabhu and Kamini Mtj. Jaya!
Kamini Mataji and I were assigned one block, and it was an experience I had never had before. All doors that opened (and many did) took a pack and all chanted the Mahamantra, whether they were from Ukraine or Mexico, China or Africa! Some did not even wait for me to teach. The urgency was palpable. It was as if they already knew nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. Specially touching was a lady who had lost her brother, and was looking for peace – she got the mantra. We met this young man who wished he was part of a music band – he got the mantra. The lady from Ukraine had lost her job and was stressed – we gave her the mantra and she gave us candy and a cent each. Some took books to give to their parents or siblings. Some already had all the books and just gave us donations.
Our next stop was Olive West on Vicente Drive. While olive oil is good for the heart, olives soaked in wine are a recipe for instant anartha! More doors opened here as even more devotees joined us. Time flew fast, and soon it was time for lunch which was a boisterous picnic! Thanks to Anu Mataij who prepared delicious cuisine from western India, which was expertly packed by Damodhar Vamsidhari and Rajaram Prabhus. After honoring the prasadam, we fanned out into the other half of the apartment complex, hoping that the lucky streak would continue. However that was not to be. A young lad of 10-12 years named Yogesh went and told the Apartment Manager about us. He took a special delight in finding where the devotees were and running back to report to the Manager. We couldn’t help laughing when the boy reported to the Manager that Sunny Prabhu and Balarama-Candra Prabhu were also there, but they could not do much immediately, since they had already been invited into someone’s home. Sri Krsna-Purushottam Prabhu explained to the Manager what we were doing. While most of us were disturbed by what Srila Prabhupada would characteristically call, “rascaldom” on part of Yogesh, Krsna’s plan was revealed as we witnessed Malini Mtj boldly present a book to the Manager. Jaya! He seemed to appreciate what we were trying to do, but was duty-bound. We had no choice but to leave graciously.
As I was trying to park on our next stop, I could not parallel park on what seemed like a 20 feet opening by the curb. Well, my driving talents are well known to all, but it has never been this bad. Frustrated, I left the spot to go park a little way ahead in a smaller opening, and guess what, as I was coming out, I saw this gentleman just behind me getting into his car to drive away. I gave him a Krsna book, and he gave $20! I wish I have more trouble parallel parking if the end result is sweet like this! Reminds me of BG 18.37!
Sunny Prabhu and Balarama-Candra Prabhu later told me that they met Josh, a vegetarian, who grew up in the farms in North Dakota and understands farm life very well. It was heartening to note that he was very concerned about cruelty to animals and especially to the cows. He gave a generous donation for our cause. We have planted him in our database,and he has the invitation to come visit our temple. Perhaps he can share his wisdom for our Farm Project! I am always very impressed with how Krsna sends talent our way.
I had paired up with Kamini Mtj most part of the day, and did not get the chance to pair up with others this time. It was much later in the day that Malini Mji and I covered some floors in the Cathay Lotus Apartments, where we had gone after the Olive West chase. Lotus reminded me of lotus feet of Lord Krsna, the only place where the wandering minds will find ultimate pleasure and solace. To reach there we need to get rid of anarthas first.
It is always a pleasure going out on book distribution with Malini Mtj, since I get to relish watching Vaisesika Prabhu’s teachings on book distribution being followed to the T. At one door she met this gentleman who went to a church called Ananda Sangha. He informed us that it was a blend of Eastern and Western cultures. He was recently divorced, and was suffering from arthritis in the hips. He remarked that the visit was a God-sent, since he was looking for a spiritual path and gratefully took the book-pack. He happily chanted the mantra, and asked the meaning of it. He liked what he heard since he walked inside to grab a pen to write it down. Malini mtj, found him worthy of the Bhagavad-gita, and he was visibly moved. He is living on disability benefits and did not have much money. That, and the arthritis did not deter him from going back into the house one more time to bring back all the change he had to give way as donation! Krsna does not see how much you give Him, he sees how much you keep back for yourself. This man was a clear winner. We have him in our hearts, and in the camera holding a Bhagavad-gita!
Sri Krsn-Purushottam Prabhu met an American lady who had received a copy of the Bhagavad-gita at the San Francisco airport 30 years ago. Perhaps it was Vaisesika Prabhu who gave it to her, he mused. She took two books and gave $30! He met people from Mexico, and people from Nepal. Young or old, it did not matter. They all chanted the mahamantra and gave away generous donations.
Kameshwari Mtj has this to report:
Poojah was amazing! Srila Prabhupada says 'purity is the force'. Poojah’s genuine desire that the people have books, and her innocent way of explaining the yoga that brings happiness to them, was an effective combination. Nobody could say no to her. Whenever she saw small kids in any home, she made sure to tell them about our Sunday School, and enticed them with the lure of getting to make lots of friends at the temple. It was wonderful to watch her in action, and I look forward to doing more Sankirtan with Poojah.
I met a person who wanted to have the Bhagavad-gita for a long time. This month end he was planning to visit his wife in Pittsburgh, and buy a Bhagavad-gita from ISKCON over there. He was very happy to have the Gita brought to this home, and delighted to know that there is an ISKCON temple in the bay area. He immediately started flipping through the pages. The fact that there is word-to-word meaning for all the slokas, followed by the purports, was an instant hit with him, since he was afraid he might not be able to understand it. He donated $20 and plans to come to the temple.
When the team decided to call it a day, Ramananda Sakha Prabhu could not be stopped. He and Sunny Prabhu continued on. After we counted the Books and Laxmi, I asked Sri Krsna Purushottama Prabhu if he would drop me to my car. He said he would. As he turned to get into the car he saw some people walk by. “Let me distribute the last book of the day” he cried over his shoulders to me, as he ran after them. He came back with Laxmi and I thought, “Oh Ok all right, I will only have to update the nicely calculated scores just one more time. “ But that was not to be. As I was getting off from his car, we saw a lady walk by. She smiled at us, and taking that as a good sign, Sri Krsna Purushottama Prabhu asked me to go after her. I did. Vipula, who hails from Vrindavana, was smiling because she had recognized, Sri Krsna Purushottama from last year when he had given her some books. She took a book pack and the Bhagavad-gita and and gave us $20! What a welcome interruption!
As I drove back home that day I kept thinking about Kamini Mtj’s comment, “Book distribution is fun”. Now why do these words sound familiar?
Ys
Shraddha-devi Dasi
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