Blog
How to distribute a Gita in the forest
Just as I was leaving London, Ananta Prabhu, a book distributor, told me an amazing story. He was in a forest near London and somehow lost his phone. Then a friend of his called. The phone was lying on the ground ringing, and a person walking by hears and sees the phone, picks it up, and answers it. The friend calling soon finds out that it is someone else, not Ananta. The devotee-friend asks the man, “My friend must have lost his phone, so can you do me a favor and bring it to me? I’ll give you a reward.” The man agrees to bring it,...
read moreLucy got the mercy
While in Alachua, I gave a Bhagavatam class about book distribution. A Vaisnavi, Guru Prasad dd, commented on an experience she had distributing books. She was distributing at Dallas airport without much success, but she was still happily approaching people. A lady sitting nearby was watching and finally walked up to her and asked what she was doing. This lady was shown the books, and she was surprised that people were not interested, because they appeared to be nice books. She said, “I’ll take one.” She told her husband to give a...
read moreWhen I go out against all odds, Krishna reciprocates even more
I was flooded with things to do at the temple on Sunday, here in Atlanta, but I forced myself to go out to distribute books for a couple of hours. I set up a book stall at a huge Indian grocery chain store, called Patel Brothers. An hour and half went by and only one book was distributed. I was praying like anything for some result, since I had to go back to the temple in the next half hour. Suddenly an Indian father and his daughter came by and took a little maha-prasada. They casually asked whether I had Srimad Bhagavatam in Gujarati. I...
read moreSankirtana during the summer solstice at Stonehenge
While at Bhaktivedanta Manor, I heard about devotees going to Stonehenge for the summer solstice to do harinama and distribute prasada and books – leaving at about ten p.m. and getting back at 10 the next morning – an all-nighter. I still have an adventurous spirit, so I decided to go. Some of you know that I take rest early and wake up before two to chant my rounds. Well, I threw my regulation out the window to give some of Prabhupada's mercy to the people at Stonehenge. It is said, "Life begins when we step out of our...
read moreRaising Krsna consciousness in Copenhagen
I was distributing books in Copenhagen outside a shopping area. I handed a man the Bhagavad-gita and showed it to him, and he said, "My prayers have been answered! I've been praying every day for some guidance in my spiritual life. My hairs are standing on end as you're showing me this book. Is the book as amazing as the pictures you're showing me?" I said, "More amazing." He said, "I want to learn more about God and how to get closer to Him." "Well, that's very intelligent. We need more...
read moreThe Supersoul does it again!
Hare Krishna! Recently I was distributing books door to door in Gisborne, New Zealand. I knocked on one door and had the great fortune to meet Caleb, a very pleasant middle aged gentleman and committed Christian. As a successful musician, one of the ways he serves is to glorify God though music at Christian gatherings all around the world. Still, I could understand from his respectful and friendly demeanor that he was open to receiving one of Srila Prabhupada's books. Utilizing the clever presentation HG Vijaya Prabhu kindly shared with...
read moreBook distribution from a table
There's a new trend in book distribution spreading around the world: table book distribution. I've been doing it for twenty-two years, after learning it from Ganapati Swami, who has done it for over forty years. It's catching on worldwide through the enthusiasm of Jaya Caitanya Prabhu (who makes vidoes) and Sastrakrit Prabhu (who is on facebook and posts many photos of people with their new books.) This year I'm traveling around with a sign that reads YOGA, MEDITATION, AND PHILOSOPHY BOOKS. I'm showing devotees how to do...
read moreKeep in touch
As we all know, book distribution is a very important activity that Prabhupada emphasized a lot. He also wanted people to become devotees by reading the books. This possibility is increased by our keeping in touch with the people we meet who are interested in the books. It's called “contact sankirtana.” We've all heard of it, but it's something we have to be reminded of every so often. At one point, while distributing at the universities, I had eight hundred contacts, but with so many, I could only do a bulk mailout,...
read moreHigh thoughts, high thinking on the front lines
Today was one of my worst days on this trip. Even though I feel that I was kicked around in the fire of sankirtana, or, better yet, by the material energy, still I sit here waiting to meet up with the sankirtan van, drinking a lemon/ginger drink and thinking “Krsna is the taste of water.” Even without effort, I still feel Krsna's presence in my consciousness. But I earlier felt moments of tears behind my eyes when no one was taking books. While doing my service at the temple in Los Angeles, I feel that my life is simple and...
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