An Unlikely Hero in the World of Sankirtan
Ayodhya Dasa, a devotee of Indian descent, joined ISKCON in 1976 in Detroit and was initiated by Srila Prabhupada in 1977. While in Detroit he distributed books while serving in the life membership department. But for many years he wanted to go to Vrndavana. In 1995 Krsna made the arrangement. That year his brother-in-law passed away in India and he was asked to attend the funeral ceremony because he was the only surviving male in the family. He took the opportunity to visit Vrndavana. He loved Vrndavana and decided he would move there. Dina...
read moreMotivational Speaker
I stopped a woman and her elderly mother. (She later explained that her mother was 82 years young!) After our initial exchange – I asked "Have you ever lost a loved one"(I often use this question as a springboard to giving them either a POY or a BBD. The mother – instantly teared up. I noted that and apologized if I had broached a subject too close to home. The daughter said "No No that's all right. But Mom and I just lost Dad'. The mother softly smiled and said, "That is ok young man. I just miss him...
read moreNectar Stories from Down Under
Bhakta Theo and I have just returned from a two-week traveling Sankirtan mission to Svargaloka (Queensland, Australia), where the palm trees blow in the warm breeze and everything moves in slow motion. Theo had just bought a $100,000 luxury camper van and wanted to use it in Lord Caitanya's service by beating the Brhad Mrdanga. So we took it for its maiden voyage to Queensland. Here are a few nectar stories from the journey. * * * In Mackay I saw a young lad smoking outside the Kebab shop where he obviously worked. As I approached to show...
read moreOn a mission
Hamilton, New Zealand I knocked on the door of a house that looked as if someone was home. After I knocked, it became apparent there wasn't. Then a gentleman appeared around the side of the house, coming onto the property from the street, and asked if I was "on a mission." I said, "I'm a monk and I *am* on a mission, a mission to show everybody a Bhagavad Gita." And with that I put one in his hand. He was happy and relieved I wasn't a thief or someone of ill repute, since the area he lived in had had its fair...
read moreWhat to say when selling books
Gopinath Acharya das: Deepak prabhu introduced me to Srila Prabhupada and said, "Oh, this is Gopinath Acharya das. He is one of our leading book distributors." So Srila Prabhupada was actually very interested; and he turned his head very regally, he looked at me and asked me what I said to sell the books. So I mumbled and fumbled something to the effect that, "Oh, Srila Prabhupada, I just tell them it's about yoga. They think it's about exercises and like that." Srila Prabhupada thought very pensively for 30...
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