Mommy’s Boy
Book distribution is never an experience out of a textbook-no two days are same, no two customers alike. Preparing for challenges help, but one should be ready to expect the unexpected. And with advancing Kaliyuga, the tests will be not only more frequent, but also more bewildering, more so in a metropolis like Mumbai. One day, during the December marathon last year, Bhagwan Pandit Prabhu, a devotee in Brahmchari training in Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir, was faced with one such challenge. Bhagwan Pandit Prabhu is a young devotee from Orissa. He is dark and medium built and always has a bright smile on his face. He recalls: One day I was distributing books in the local trains in Mumbai when I came across a boy sitting with his girlfriend. Generally such couples are lost in their own world and rarely accept books. Anyway, I made my announcements about the books and began showing it to interested people. Then a hand shot up. It was the boy. I showed him the book. He flipped through it, showed it the girl, and then returned it. "Nice book," he smiled.
"Then please take it," I smiled too.
"Well I err. I have to ask my mom before I take it."
I looked in his eyes and said, "Did you ask your mom before sitting with this girl?"
The remark was heavy but I said it with a smile. He could have easily got up and smacked me, and in no ways I could have defended myself. I quickly decided to exit.
As I turned he called me, "Wait a minute. You are right. Give me the book."
This was not the only time Bhagwan Pandit Prabhu boldly preached the truth. Once he met a gang of young men who were having a wild time in the train. Again he decided to confront them.
I went to this group who were talking loudly and were very animated. I made announcement. They stared at me quizzically and then one of them spoke up,
"Don't waste your time here Pandit Ji, we are not interested in your books." One said in a soft voice, "We are Muslims."
"No,' I replied, "Laws of nature spare no one. If you put your hands in fire it will burn. You can not say that you don't believe in its burning power. Similarly the wisdom of Bhagwad Gita is for everyone,"
The same man who said that he was not interested called me and took a Bhagavad Gita.
