Book distribution seminar:
Author: Omkara dasa
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
This last weekend Bhrgupati Prabhu and I went to the San Francisco area of California to distribute Srila Prabhupada's books. The first day we went to downtown Santa Cruz. At first I was a little bit skeptical, I had never gone shop to shop before. I went into the first shop with Bhrgupati to watch how he did it. He approached the people the same as he would anywhere else, but he would approach the manager or owner first, then the employees, then the customers if the workers were OK with it. I saw the reaction and then I felt much more comfortable with this style. I find it rather nice because it completely catches the people by surprise: Here they are working busily for Maya and then here comes someone telling them about Krishna. It is a welcome break from their job and their mind doesn't put up so many objections as it would if they were in a more social situation.
The first shop I went into was a liquor shop and there was a Hispanic person behind the counter. He was very interested in the books, taking both a Quest for Enlightenment and a Beyond Illusion and Doubt, and gave a nice donation. Feeling encouraged, I went from shop to shop down the main strip of downtown. A few shops down I meet an older lady who looked white, but was wearing an Indian shirt. She told me that she had already read Srila Prabhupada's Gita and that she was a follower of Krishna! I told her about our temple in San Jose, but she said she wasn't so much a temple person. She preferred to make her home into a temple. She said she would give a small donation, but wanted to write a check. I told her no problem. She started to fill in the amount and put 10 and I was thinking "Jaya, a nice donation!" when she put in an extra one at the end (a 101 donation)! Krishna is very kind to the fallen like myself. The rest of the day was very nice. I was simply trying to give out as many books as possible.
Later in the weekend Bhrgupati and I went to Daly City. This is a predominantly Philippino neighborhood and the people there are very nice. I went into one hair salon and there were three women there talking up a storm. When I walked in they stopped and looked at me. I felt nervous and lost my composure, I did not know what to say. "Hi, I'm a traveling monk visiting all the nice people around the country! I am showing everyone these books on meditation and yoga!" I said. One of the ladies had just done a taro reading from the hair stylist and the yoga card came up. When I said yoga and monk the women went into a frenzy, marveling at the synchronicity of the events. So I showed the books and the lady who did the taro reading was not interested, but the hair stylist had some interest. She took one book and gave a modest donation. After she gave a donation, the lady who was having her hair cut told her friend to give her her purse. She took the other book and gave a generous donation. I felt so happy that I gave both of them one of each book I had on me.
Later on down the road I met two high school kids. You could still see the blush of youth in their cheeks. They did not have much money, but were very interested. I gave both of them books. Later in an auto parts shop I showed the books to the assistant manager and one of the employees. They were very interested and both gave donations and got books. The assistant manager was asking very intelligent questions and was very sincere. I gave him one of every book I had. Some of the people I met could not even hardly speak English, but they somehow felt inspired to take books. I was feeling that this book distribution is very dear to Lord Nityananda. I beg to Lord Nityananda that He accept me and give me eternal shelter at His lotus feet, forever engaging me in the service of the servants of His servants.
Your aspiring servant, Omkara dasa
Author: "Vijaya (das) HDG (USA)"
Normally I'm out on missions about 12 hours a day, so to stay motivated to go out and distribute books is hard to maintain. I dragged myself out and went to my normal spots. At first no one would take a book. I started to feel sad and thought "better to sit and read, get my head straight and then try agian." As I was reading someone yelled: " Hey, Partha!" Stunned, I turned around, and a soldier approached me. I thought maybe he is the child of a devotee, but how would he know what I look like? As he got closer I could see others with him. I could not remember his face. He asked if I remembered him and I apologized and said no. He laughed and said we met in 2003 in An Nasariya, in southern Iraq. My memory started to come back, but was still somewhat unclear. So he began to tell everyone how we met. We were getting ready for a convoy, and I was sitting on my truck reading a book. He was interested after seeing the cover. So I gave him an extra copy of the Bhagavad-gita.
Turns out, he was the first person I distributed a book to in Iraq! Amazing. He went on to say that he was hurt bad during that tour, and while recovering from his wounds he read the Gita. As each day went by in his recovery, he found safety in the words coming from the lotus mouth of Lord Sri Krsna. He said that he was certain that he made it through that rough time only by reading Srila Prabhupada's books. I didn't know what to say, I just was in shock, but he took my box of small books and handed a few out to his friends. We exchanged email addresses, and as he was walking away to his truck, I heard him saying, "You guys should read these books, they will save you in the end."
Your servant,
Partha-sarathi dasa
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Author: "Vijaya (das) HDG (USA)"
Normally I'm out on missions about 12 hours a day, so to stay motivated to go out and distribute books is hard to maintain. I dragged myself out and went to my normal spots. At first no one would take a book. I started to feel sad and thought "better to sit and read, get my head straight and then try agian." As I was reading someone yelled: " Hey, Partha!" Stunned, I turned around, and a soldier approached me. I thought maybe he is the child of a devotee, but how would he know what I look like? As he got closer I could see others with him. I could not remember his face. He asked if I remembered him and I apologized and said no. He laughed and said we met in 2003 in An Nasariya, in southern Iraq. My memory started to come back, but was still somewhat unclear. So he began to tell everyone how we met. We were getting ready for a convoy, and I was sitting on my truck reading a book. He was interested after seeing the cover. So I gave him an extra copy of the Bhagavad-gita.
Turns out, he was the first person I distributed a book to in Iraq! Amazing. He went on to say that he was hurt bad during that tour, and while recovering from his wounds he read the Gita. As each day went by in his recovery, he found safety in the words coming from the lotus mouth of Lord Sri Krsna. He said that he was certain that he made it through that rough time only by reading Srila Prabhupada's books. I didn't know what to say, I just was in shock, but he took my box of small books and handed a few out to his friends. We exchanged email addresses, and as he was walking away to his truck, I heard him saying, "You guys should read these books, they will save you in the end."
your servant,
Partha-sarathi dasa
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Author: "Vijaya (das) HDG (USA)"
At the Baltimore Rathayatra, I saw Bhakta David, whom I hadn't seen for a while. He lives in Frederick, Maryland with his wife, and they seriously practice Krsna consciousness. He came to Krsna consciousness after his sister got books from me at a mall in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and she gave him the books for his birthday. He read the books, and as he started getting serious he met the devotees in Gita Nagari. This shows the potency of Srila Prabhupada's books and the way that they get into the right hands and go off like time bombs to obliterate someone's material life.
your servant, Anandavidya das
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Author: Bhakti Vikasa Swami
(from Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta)
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Author: Omkara dasa
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Reading Mother Karuna's post about her experience distributing at Santa Monica College reminded me of an experience I had about two years prior. I was distributing books there when I saw the same person in the wheelchair. I think his name was something like Miguel. His body was very contorted and he could not speak. When I first went up to him my mind was saying, "Don't talk to this guy, he probably won't be able to understand anything." But, Krishna was inspiring otherwise. So by the time my mind began protesting my body was already showing him the pictures in the book. The book was either the Bhagavad-gita or the Nectar of Instruction. It was too long ago for me to remember clearly. After I showed him about the book I asked if he could even understand what I said. He proceeded to laboriously punch buttons with his big toe on the keyboard mounted by his foot. Then a mechanical voice said, "Yes, I can understand you." Since he was Hispanic looking I asked if he could read English. He punched a few more buttons and I heard a "Yes." I asked if he was interested in the books and he said he was. So he gave a small donation and asked me to put the book in his bag. Now, after two years he has boon looking for another devotee to get another book. Thus when he saw mother Karuna he became excited and went straight for her table. He got two more books from her.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Your aspiring servant, Omkara dasa
Author: "Vijaya (das) HDG (USA)"
Letter PAMHO:15556753 (28 lines) From: Partha-sarathi (das) KKS (Brooklyn, NV - US) Date: 25-May-08 18:42 (22:42 +0400) To: Vijaya (das) HDG (USA) [13711] Subject: Airport book distribution in Iraq ----
Dedicated to Srila Prabhupada, savior if the fallen souls!
Sankritan Tradition, working the airport:
On the 15th I received a skype message from HG Balaramacandra Prabhu and to my amazement HG Murti Prabhu. For those that don't know, Balarama is the college preaching acarya. His vegan cooking workshop is bringing so many to this movement. Murti Prabhu is an amazing sankritan devotee. He lives, breathes, eats and sleeps distributing Srila Prabhupada's books. We had such a nice conversation about preaching and Murti Prabhu offered to send two cases of books to me. I accepted and promise to somehow find a way to distribute them. By his mercy, we did, as the first annual Spring marathon began. Myself and a few bhakta's grabbed some books on a hot Sat. morning, and made a goal of distributing these two cases of books. As the day went on, we met very nice people, some took books, some did not. As I was leaving the air terminal, I saw a small crowd. I walked over a little curious about the scene, and to my surprise I saw Bhakta Kristopher in the middle of a crowd with a huge smile on his face distributing books to everyone around him! I just sat back and watched and as each person grabbed a hold of the Bhagavad-Gita, I could feel Krsna grabbing hold of them, and while He is doing that, grabbing a hold of Kris's heart.
Final scores: PsD/38, KB/27
Your servant,
Partha sarathi das
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Author: "Vijaya (das) HDG (USA)"
Jaya Srila Prabhupada!
On our Sri Narasimha marathon we were traveling in central and eastern Finland, in areas called Savo and Karjala. Different flavors of tamo-guna, mixed with a pinch of rajo-guna. Savo especially has a reputation for being a heavy place for distribution. One day we were in Kuopio, the main city of Savo. The fact that I needed to drive our car back and forth to the repair shop didn’t make things easier.
We had a 250km drive in the evening, so we had to stop a little early. I distributed for some four hours and got a not so glorious total of 3 books out.
I was carrying a Srimad-Bhagavatam set with me that day. Some 7 years earlier in Kuopio, at an office, a person of a right-wing political party had taken 6 books from me, and I had meditated since then on distributing a Srimad-Bhagavatam set to members of the party. The right person was not in the office and didn’t answer her phone either, but I tried a couple of other shops and offices besides distributing in the street.
I ended up at a new-age place where there was library of some hundreds of books, including some of our books. The ladies there where not much into it, but they gave me the cell phone number of the man who oversaw the library. Just before the end of the day I called him. He was just then driving from the city of Joensuu to Kuopio; Joensuu was where we were going, so we made an appointment to meet on the road.
When we met, the man immediately agreed to take the Bhagavatam set and gave a reasonable donation. (We have a special campaign for selling Bhagavatam sets, and I could give him quite a low price.)
Two thoughts came to my mind: If we make the effort to always keep a set of books with us, Krsna will arrange that someone takes it. Also, although I often use so much energy speaking for a long time about our books on the street, it is not always necessary. If Krsna arranges, people can take many books smoothly and easily.
Your servant,
Muniraja Dasa (Text PAMHO:15561893) --------------------------------------
------- End of Forwarded Message ------
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Author: "Vijaya (das) HDG (USA)"
This happened in Aurangabad, India . . . .
Rasayatra Prabhu, one of our enthusiastic brahmacaris, loves to go out practically every day to distribute Srila Prabhupada's books. It's now the hottest part of the year, and he distributes at railway stations and on trains, as these are the most crowded places because of summer vacation.
One day he made announcements on a train and was showing books to everyone. He was doing quite well. He noticed someone at the door watching him. Most of the time TTE (Travelling Ticket Examiners) are unfavorable to book distribution, and they threaten us. Also, other hawkers see us as competitors, and they complain to the railway authority about us.
So Rasayatra ignored him and continued his activities. But ten minutes passed, and still this fellow was there standing.
When Rasayatra had covered the whole coach and was getting down, this fellow shouted and called him near. Then he pulled something out of his pocket: a new pen.
He said, "Maharaja, I want to give you this gift. Please accept it."
He was a Muslim. He gave Rasayatra the pen and started walking. Rasayatra thought it was a nice opportunity to give him a book. So he starting walking after him and calling out.
"Wait! I also I have a gift for you. Look at these books."
The man said,"But if I take this book, you will have to give an account to your authority, and I don't have money."
He showed all his empty pockets. The devotee thought for while.
He said, "No problem, you can give me money next time. "
There was another Muslim standing there, his friend, and he asked how much it cost?
"Ten rupees."
He said, "I will pay for him." The man went on after happily thanking the devotee.
Rasayatra was astonished to see how the Paramatma reciprocated. When this man gave whatever (& the only thing) he had as a gift, the Lord arranged that he received the most precious and best thing: Srila Prabhupada's book.
daso smi Raja Gopala das (Text PAMHO:15558453) --------------------------------------
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Author: "Vijaya (das) HDG (USA)"
I had an unusual day on book distribution recently. I have had plenty of dull days but this was different. I feel very grateful to Krsna. I could only stay for three hours but so much happened during that time... First a girl who started out by photographing all of the pictures in the books as I showed them to her. She loved the pictures. Then she came back later and said she wanted to read the books so she bought three of them and gave a nice donation. I took her e-mail address. Next came a guy who said he read Civilization and Transcendence and he very much agreed with everything Prabhupada had to say. He had gotten it free at the airport because he could not give a donation for a bigger book. He next bought a copy of Bhagavad-Gita from the devotees on Harinama. Thn he asked me to choose what he should read next so I gave him SSR and he was in bliss. I took his e-mail address. Never underestimate the distribution of even the little books such as Civ. and Transcendence. Then came the paraplegic in the wheel chair. All he could do was point at the books and moan. I was wondering what to do so I just showed him the pictures. He kept moaning and squealing. I thought he liked the books but I could not tell from his sound vibration. Then he typed on his computer keyboard with his big toe (his only normal limb was his foot) that he liked the books. The computer had a voice. It asked how much they were, and he also had the computer tell me to take his wallet out of his backpack and take his money. There was $2.75. I put the book in his backpack. I showed him a dinner card and I told him our temple has a handicap ramp. From looking at the complexity of his keyboard I could see he could read the book. Then a girl came along and asked if I had any book about death. She was dressed in black and looked fairly morose. I showed her the first part of SSR which is The Science of the Soul. She said, how do I know this is what will help me? I said, well I really love this chapter called, "Soul Research," and so she stood there and read it for some time, although she seemed to be in a panic. We talked for a while and she revealed how her brother had just drowned in a swimming pool at his school due to epilepsy. She said she had actually spoken to me one time before but did not get a book. This time she got the mercy.
Your servant,
Karuna Dharini dd (Text PAMHO:15542648) --------------------------------------
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Author: Omkara dasa
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
This recent Nrsimha Caturdasi was a very auspicious time for book distribution. I had to be back at the Los Angeles temple by one o'clock for the festival, so that morning I was begging Lord Nrsimhadeva to engage me. During japa I was begging that since I could only go out for three hours that uses me to distribute twice as many books. As soon as I got out of the car and started walking towards the airport I could feel His extreme mercy. The first person I talk to took a book and gave a donation. Within a half of an hour ten hard-backed big books (Quest and Beyond Illusion and Doubt) have gone out. LAX is configured like a bull-shoe (an upside down U), so I always start at terminal seven and end at terminal one while approaching people walking along the sidewalk. By the time I reached the end of terminal one, the last person at the end of the terminal took my last book and gave a very nice donation. I felt bad because I wanted to give the person more books, but I had none left!
Many people received the mercy of Lord Nrsimhadeva -- some willingly and others unwillingly! One person I talked to was adamantly opposed to the books the whole way through our conversation. When I showed him the books he said, "No, I'm not interested!" "But these books are about meditation and yoga, I am a monk" I replied. His hand took the book while his face was in disbelief as to the actions of his hand. I showed him the changing bodies picture, enlightenment picture, and the karma picture and then asked for a donation. He emphatically said, "I don't have any money!" I replied, "It is a donation from the heart, just do the best you can!" With that, his hands went for his wallet and gave me a twenty while his eyes were wide with bewilderment that he was giving his last twenty to a monk. He was saying "NO NO NO!" and Krishna was saying "YES YES YES!"
In the International terminal I met someone from Switzerland. That person seemed interested in the books and I asked for a donation, but she could not understand the part about the donation. A TSA worker was smoking a few feet away from me and overheard the whole conversation. When she said she did not understand, he said in a loud voice, "He is a monk, he does not sell the books. You give him your money and he will give you the books!" So she gave me all the money in her purse!
In the next terminal, terminal three, I met a nice black bodied man from Compton. Anyone who knows the area knows Compton to be one of the poorest black neighborhoods, ghettos, in Los Angeles. He was interested, but very practical. He wanted to know what he would get out of reading the books and he wanted for me to give some personal examples of what I have gained from them. He was very intelligent and inquisitive. We talked about the four regulative principles of freedom (at his request), the laws of karma, the modes of material nature, and, most importantly, the loving dealings of Krishna. He felt very inspired and gave a modest donation and I gave him one of every book I had and invited him back to the temple. Lord Nrsimhadeva is so merciful!
Your aspiring servant, Omkara dasa
Author: Bhakti Vikasa Swami
(from Srila Prabhupada lilamrta)
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Author: "Vijaya (das) HDG (USA)"
Hare Krishna !
All glories to Si Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga !
All glories to Srila Prabhupada !
PAMHO !
All glories to all Sankirtan devotees at all the Times !
We met the head of an organization in India. Informed him something about ISKCON. We invited him to meet His Holiness Srila Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj at ISKCON Sri Sri Radha Parthasarthi Temple, New Delhi. Then his organisation gave us order and sent us cheque for 125 Srimad Bhagavatam sets (118 sets English and 7 sets Hindi).
Your servant,
rakesh uberoi
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Author: deron gille
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Change the world with e-mail. Join the i’m Initiative from Microsoft.
http://im.live.com/Messenger/IM/Join/Default.aspx?source=EML_WL_ChangeWorld
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Author: "Vijaya (das) HDG (USA)"
Today was the first day I went on Sankirtana in more than a month. I went from Australia, to Malaysia, to Taiwan, to L.A. to Minneapolis to Wisconsin in a matter of days. Then I spent a couple of weeks getting my motorhome repaired and ready for the road. I couldn't afford a new motor home so the one I have is 30 years old and it has taken me a while to restore it and get it customized to a devotees needs. Now it is somewhat reliable and a good preaching van. After all that I finally got out on the street in Madison, the capital city of Wisconsin. As soon as I opened the door of my Van, it started raining. I found a place on the street with a roof over it and started to distribute. It was an hour or more before someone took a book but I was feeling blissful to be engaged in the service of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya so I didn't mind. I knew I didn't deserve any special treatment or rewards from Krishna so I just tried to serve in a happy, jolly mood and eventually people started picking up on it and the ecstatic, warm sunshine of Krishna Consciousness started to shine.
I met one lady who had moved to London with her husband and was not so interested in the,"Civilization And Transcendence" But wanted the Higher taste since she had been meaning to go to the Hare Krishna Restaurant in London-Soho.
Then I met a guy who got a Chant and Be Happy from me last year and was impressed and then got a few more for his collection. In Madison there is a big block party every year where they close Mifflin street and thousands of people have a big drunken bash so I had given him a book there last year. He was impressed that I was there trying to help those people. He was there to protest the party since he thought it a big waste of time to simply get drunk and fall down and be miserable.
Then I met a guy who had an Om tattoo on the back of his head and an Om ring. He was really interested and when he took the book and saw Prabhupada's picture on the back he said he saw him on You Tube. I thought he must be mistaken since many people think they have seen Prabhupada when In fact it's some other Guru. But he said on You Tube Prabhupada was in France talking to a Catholic Priest. The Priest was asking him about why the Cow is Sacred and Prabhupada explained that the Cow is the Mother because it gives milk and we shouldn't kill cows etc. The was Cardinal Danileou. I remember that Video. Somehow this Guy found it on You Tube. This man was really impressed with Prabhupada and gladly took a few books. It was really amazing how after so many years Srila Prabhupada is still preaching. He's always preaching. He never stops. I feel so blessed to be serving him by distributing his books. I hope I can help the world along with the other devotees to start a worldwide revolution which will soon dissipate the darkness of ignorance that is destroying the happiness of all living entities in this Kali Yuga.
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Y.S. Devaki Nandana-Radha Damodara TSKP
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Author: Bhakti Vikasa Swami
Letter to: Bahulasva, 30 November, 1971
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Author: deron gille
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Back to work after baby–how do you know when you’re ready?
http://lifestyle.msn.com/familyandparenting/articleNW.aspx?cp-documentid=579749
8&ocid=T067MSN40A0701A
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Author: "Vijaya (das) HDG (USA)"
Sridham Prabhu, a staunch book distribution from Bhaktivedanta Manner, is spending time here in Bali to help with the book distribution. He has inspired the devotees very nicely.
He met one lady who was crying that she was not making much money. He said to her, if she chanted the maha mantra her life would improve.
She is a baby sitter. David Beckham was secretely visiting Bali with his family and she got the job to help with his children. Sridham Prabhu took the opportunity to send him a Prabhupada Lilamrta and a Raja Vidya. David said that he appreciated the books and would read them.
krsne matir astu Kavicandra Swami Indonesia +628123890492 skype: kavicandraswami
Anytime phone +354 380391215.
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Author: "Vijaya (das) HDG (USA)"
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
We would like to let devotees know about how successful is the Sastra dana program here in Radhedesh, Belgium. Mother Rupa Manjari and her son-in-law Mahaprabhu prabhu are taking care of it and in only two months they got very nice results. There are many visitors coming almost every day here and four displays have been installed in the Reception, in the Bakery, in the Cafeteria and in the Guesthouse. Only small books are being distributed and because still there are not so many donations, the amount of books is limited. Still, we are happy to inform you that in March and April, the results are as follows:
Reception - 511 books Bakery - 248 books in April only Cafeteria - 520 books Guesthouse - 370 books
Altogether 1649 small books have been taken by people and about 350 euros ad donation received. Mother Rupa Manjari also made her own displays out of cardboard boxes as she wanted to save laxmi and they look quite nice and attractive. We hope that during the tourist season when more people are coming the results will even increase. Sastra dana ki jaya!
on behalf of Radhadesh Sastra dana program
bhakta Mirek
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Author: "Vijaya (das) HDG (USA)"
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I've been back from India for a few weeks. Even though I've been distributing books for thirty years, if I haven't done it for a while (this time seven weeks) it's a little difficult to get back into it. But it didn't take long. The first person I distributed a Bhagavad-gita to was very enthusiastic to read it, so much so that after he got it he walked by me, going to his next class, reading it, then an hour later he walked by again still reading it as he was walking. It was so nice to see someone who had previously not heard anything about Krsna be so absorbed. Then he came by and was asking questions about it. I got his e-mail,and we'll be in touch. Krsna encouraged me with that first person I spoke to after returning. Then so many interested people were coming and taking books. Book distribution is so ecstatic.
While I was at my table a person came by and said, "Last year I told you I was going to come back and get a book from you, I know it's a little late, but here's a donation." He gave $20 and took a BG. It's pretty amazing that he remembered from a year before.
I mentioned earlier that I get e-mails from students and send out letters to them. I recently received one after sending one out about "Being kind to everyone":
Blessings Vijaya Dasa,
Welcome back home! I met you on January 28, this year over at Cal State LA and I picked up a Bhagavad-Gita from you for a modest donation. I've been reading it some, but not as much as I should, I'm going to continue reading this great treasure. You may remember me, you may not. I just have to tell you how much I appreciate receiving your inspiring and uplifting emails and I save each one you send me, I've created a folder with your name on it in my computer. Be kind to everyone, that seems so impossible from my vantage point, yet I sense that this is true. My dear brother, I appreciate you for your commitment to the Lord Krishna and the selfless service you are endeavoring to live every day. Blessings Ananda,
NAMASTE! Om - Ananda
Yesterday I was speaking to a student about the BG, that it explains things like meditation, karma, time, nature, the soul and God. I asked him if he believed in God. He said, "No, I'm an atheist."
I said, "OK, then this book is especially for you."
He said, "Really."
"Yes, this will clear up some misconceptions." To my surprise he then gave a donation and took a BG.
Srila Prabhupada is very merciful.
Krsne matir astu.
Your servant,
Vijaya Dasa
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