Fortunate Souls

* It was another lesson for me not to judge people based on their appearance. While we were doing book distribution inside the apartment complex, I found one old american lady going past us with her pet dog. Usually from my experience, such kind of persons never replied in affirmation when approached with books. So I told Sreekanth prabhu to be careful in approaching her because some of them can get upset when we solicit and can complain to apartment leasing office and get us thrown out. But still, being magnanimous by nature, Sreekanth prabhu still went ahead and knocked her door. At first, a black middle-aged person opened the door and did not respond positively. But behind him, that old lady came after listening to our words. She looked very depressed, stressed out and sad. She listened to what Sreekanth prabhu has to say and she responded very positively, politely and enthusiastically. It seemed she has a little background knowledge about mantras, spirituality etc.. She liked our effort and very much welcomed what we had to say. (This came out as a big lesson to me in terms of not judging people by their external appearance or based on our past experience with some one else). After talking some time to her, we understood that she is some one who is very much down and out in her struggle with material world. She has a plethora of health problems, mental problems and various other complexities going on in her life. She actually cried a bit in front of us trying to explain how frustrated she is with her life and the world around her. She said that inspite of all the problems she is happy (Reminds me what Prabhupada says about a sick man. When you ask a sick man how he is doing, he will say "I am fine", even though he is bed ridden with all the health problems.. such is the conditioning of maya that we live in). But we should appreciate her openness to accept our books, accept what we had to say, and she also repeated the maha-mantra which was taught by Sreekanth prabhu. She didn't know how much sukruti she has gathered by chanting the maha mantra and by being favorable to devotees. Now that the books have gone to her, her path back to home has just started, either in this life or next.

* We met one person who is a worshipper of Lord Shiva. He instantaneously told that he is a 'shaivite'. He worships only Lord Shiva but said that he is not against Vaisnavas. I asked him to bring his children to ISV Sunday school where they can learn Bhagavad-Gita etc. He was reluctant and said his children already chant some siva mantras and are happy about it. But he was very open and took Bhagavad-Gita and other small books and donated $20. He was very cordial and invited us to come inside their house. He appreciated our efforts in spreading this knowledge. Again, I was touched by his open-mindedness. If some 'Shaivite' comes to my residence and solicits for their books, I am not sure if I will take them. Although I am sure I will respect them…

Kishore