A Most Auspicious Ekadasi
by Gokula Lila Dasi
One late Wednesday afternoon I went to a mall in central Auckland to distribute books. But about a half hour after I arrived the shops began closing, leaving just a few shoppers, the patrolling security guards, and me. Desiring to continue distributing, I went to the new warehouse parking garage near the mall that I'd learned about a few days earlier.
It wasn't so busy, yet I had some sweet exchanges.
Not long after arriving there, I stopped a well-dressed Indian bodied South African man named Lesley, along with his nice wife. They were both doctors.
It turned out that Lesley was a friend of the head pujari at our local temple and had supplied him with some salagram silas. As we talked, he recalled that the coming Friday was Ekadasi. In fact, it was the special Ekadasi known as Moksada Ekadasi, and it was also Gita Jayanti. Lesley informed me of his plans to fast all day and night on the auspicious day and do a big puja.
As he told me this, a light bulb went off in my head . . .
"Hmmm, Moksada Ekadasi, Gita Jayanti. It would be a great day to purchase a full set of Prabhupada's books!"
I asked him if he had a Bhagavatam set, which he didn't, but unfortunately neither did we: we had sold out!
I explained that and offered him a Caitanya-caritamrta set instead. He thought getting a CC set would be a wonderfully auspicious way to evoke the Lord's mercy on Ekadasi.
He gave me his number, and the next evening I called him to book an appointment.
Since he was quite busy on Friday with work and puja, he suggested I drop around at his home anytime and leave the books with his wife, who would give me the deposit. On Friday I arrived at his home and was met by his wife and kids. After I'd chatted with his wife a bit, she showed me Lesley's puja room, where I left the CC set and received the down payment.
