Out of Many Thousands of Men, Only a Few are Named Hectar
In the 1970s I met a man named Hector at Vista Point, across the San Francisco Bay, overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. He was on a big tour bus. I showed him a book and asked for a donation. "So I can give any donation I want, and I get to keep this book?" he asked. "Yes" I answered. "I want you to dedicate the book to me first. My name's Hector," he said. I wrote on the first page of the Sixth Canto, Part One: "To Hector, from Mitra." Hector handed me two dollars, and I went on to the next person....
read moreDistributing books in Herman Hesse’s town
Hare Krsna, I was recently distributing Bhagavad-gitas in Calw, a small town in the Black Forest in southwest Germany, I noted that Herman Hesse, the famous author (Siddharta, The Bead Game, and so on) lived here. He used to read and like Bhagavad-gita, and his appreciation of the book is included on the back cover of German edition. So I just pointed to his name and asked people, “Do you know of Hermann Hesse?” Of course, everyone was answering yes. “This was one of his favorite books,” I continued. Not many people...
read moreAn Indication That Krsna is The Master of All Mystics
Recently, I heard this: A disciple of Srila Prabhupada's had some difficulty in his early days and left the movement. His service had been book distribution with the Radha-Damodara group, which at one point had six busses touring the USA. The way he and most devotees distributed books back then was to sign the book during the exchange: "To: (name), From: (name). " Later, he was hitch-hicking, and a man picked him up. The driver was philosophical, so he kept up a philosophical conversation with the man. He mentioned the...
read moreBook Distribution in Birmingham England
The first amazing event I will describe took place when I went out to distribute books and Ratha yatra leaflets. I went first to my favourite street to give a leaflet to Ashok, a nice Indian gentleman who lives at a house with the number 108. I visit him when I can, because he bought many books from me and he is favourable and his auspicious house number makes my day auspicious. After visiting him, I was wondering where Krishna would take me, and I followed the path to the shops. Book distribution is samadhi, my gurudeva said, and I was...
read moreCruising Back to Godhead
I was doing books at the ferry terminal, where a cruise ship was docked for a day. While distributing something got in my eye and made it terribly itchy. I thought of taking a break, but then decided to tolerate this and go on. Two minutes later, a young Asian passed by. I showed him Chant and Be Happy, and he stopped. I said it was a book about stress. He said he didn't speak English and that he had to report back to the cruise ship for his shift in five minutes. I said that the book was about simple living and high thinking. He kept on...
read more