5 Sets of Caitanya Caritamrtas Distributed at Sunday Feast lecture

“Pay attention…” I said, “…and you might win a prize! All you need is….”

Someone shouted, “LOVE!”, from the back of the temple room.  

“Is he right?” I asked the young people sitting in front. “Do you really believe that?”

“Love is all you need.” One of them said. 

“Are you sure?”

They smiled and nodded. “Yes definitely! We’re all about that.”

“But…” I said into the microphone, “…would you give up everything for love? If you really believed it, if you saw it actually working…”

Older folks on benches and chairs rubbed their chins while the youth nodded vigorously.

“Five hundred years ago, our teachers put this into practice. Love was all they had. They were multi billionaires who gave up all their money and lived under trees to scratch poems on leaves.”

I reached to a box at my side,

“This is their recording…” I pulled a book from the box. “… what they wrote on those leaves, about the life they lived, the feelings they had…, they caught the attention of God Himself who said, “I want what they have.” He was willing to give up everything, to give up being God to join these people. I know…, it’s a wild story. But even if you don’t believe it, it will affect you. Shall we read a bit…, would you like to hear some of this?”

The crowd was silent as I selected a page from the book. 

“These people…” I read, “… broke the seal and plundered the storehouse of transcendental love of Krishna. The more they tasted it, the more their thirst grew. They danced, cried, laughed and chanted like madmen. In this way they distributed love of God. They did not consider who was a fit candidate and who was not…, they made no conditions. Wherever they got the opportunity, they gave love. Although they plundered the storehouse of love of God and ate and distributed its contents, there was no scarcity, for this wonderful storehouse is so complete that as the love is distributed, the supply increases hundreds of times.” 

I looked up from the book, “Have you experienced anything like this?”

Many smiled and nudged each other. 

“We’re going to put this into practice today. Someone paid for these books, this whole set of books, there are nine books in a set. They wanted us to give them away. I wasn’t kidding when I said you can win a prize. Now the only qualification for getting these books is to want them. That’s all. You have to really, really want them. Who has a burning desire to read this poetry about love…?” 

Several hands went up at once.

We narrowed it to six people. 

They decided to give it to a man visiting the temple for the first time. 

The crowd cheered as the new guy stood beaming with his box of books and a flower garland.

“You know…,” I said, “Whoever wants books can just ask Nidra, that woman over there. People give her things all the time. You can give her a million dollars, by the end of the day she will have spent it in service to others. I dare you to try it. Nidra, can you stand please so they’ll see you? These people all want books. Can you help them?”

Nidra stood and smiled.

Five sets of books found homes that night. 

A guest offered to cover the cost. “Everyone should have these.” He said.

Mitrasena Dasa from North Carolina

Author: admin

Share This Post On