Letter from Madhumanagala das -distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books
I am pleased to inform you, that the sankirtan mission to Mozambique in the service of Srila Prabhupada, His Holiness Bhakti Caitanya Swami Maharaj, My Spiritual Master and Lord Sri Caitanya was a great sucsess! All glories to Lord Nityananda, who makes divine arrangements for those who eagerly spread the sankirtan mission of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. To such souls, Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu makes His face to shine upon them, as they relish the nectar of distributing His holy name to the fallen and conditioned souls.
Bhakti Caitanya Maharaj was extremely pleased and said it was by far the best trip so far. In the one week that we were there, we distributed about 550 of Srila Prabhupada's books in the Portuguese language. We also had amazing harinam through one of the main avenues of Maputo with a traffic police escort. A large crowd gathered at the Medical faculty of the University of Maputo, to hear Bhakti Caitanya speak on Bhagavad Gita with a translator from Portuguese into English. At the end of Maharaj's talk there were so many interesting questions asked. It was amazing how many people came to whom we gave invitations to those who took Srila Prabhupada's book. After the questions were over Arjun Prabhu led the devotees on the stage as the entire audience chanted the holy name of the Lord in ecstasy, followed by an even more ecstatic prasaadam feast. At the book table we had, so many people came and looked at Srila Prabhupada's books – we sold about 50, and made many interesting enquiries about Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON movement. We also had two Programs at a large hall of a Gujerati mandir, but it was very poorly attended.
I relished every moment of distributing Sriila Prabhupada's books in Maputo, as so many of the local people, either came up to me to enquire about Srila Prabhupada;s book, or to take one or two of them. The people of Mozambquiqe are a very friendly and warm people, not being so much in the mode of passion. The reason for this I would say because the large majority of the population do not eat meat because it is so expensive, or either eat a little fish or poultry. I shall never forget the first book of Srila Prabhupada's that I distributed on the first day. I was approached by a young man who told me that his boss would like to see me. I followed him to his place of business. He was an owner of his own architect company. He introduced himself to me and told me that he originally came from Goa in India? He told me how he had always had a philosophical mind and had always been interested in spiritual understandings. I sold him two of Srila Prabhupada's books and invited him to the program, to which he came to.
The night before we left, Arjun and the Pretoria devotees went out on a harinam that night, with many onlookers watching us as we sang the holy name of the Lord. The next thing we knew, there was this TV crew filming us. I thought that it was perhaps some students, as we were chanting next to one of those private night schools. The gentleman told me that he was from Mirrormarg, the local Maputo TV news staion. He asked if he could film us and ask ask some questions on camera. He filmed the harinam and while doing so interviewed Arjun. We appeared on the morning 8am to 9am news broadcast. It was amazing to watch us being introduced by the news presenter, Harish prabhu translated for us: "Five young men from South Africa are here in Maputo and are chanting the holy names of God…….", while in the devotees chanted.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada's transcendental book distribution ki jay, All glories to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's sankirtan movement and His holy name and His unfathomable mercy which he distributes freely, to those devotees to whom He empowers to spread His holy name.
Today at Stellenbosch, I had this most amazing encounter. I approached this young student girl, as I said to her, "Hi, I am a travelling monk, gee it's great to meet you, how are you, I'm from the Institute of Vedic Studies." I do not know why, but I asked her, "Are you a drama student?" which she replied with great excitement in her voice, as tears began to well up in her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. She jumped up, and said "Oh yes, how did you know that!" She began to pour her heart and soul out to me on the spot. I told her that it was by no chance that I had met her, and that it was the supersoul in her heart who was talking to her. Again she became excited as tears streamed down the sides of her cheeks. She began to tell me that she had been drinking a lot of alcohol, smoking ganja. I further explained to hear if she begins to listen to the supersoul, who is God in her heart, she will begin to experience real happiness. I asked her if she smoked cigarettes, to which she replied that she did. I told her to give up the cigarettes and to throw them away, as they were both a waste of time and money, not to mention what they were doing to her body, that she should look after it so that she may have a healthy and productive life. I asked her if she ate meat, yes she did she said. I asked her to give up her meat eating, as it was causing so many problems, and if she did so, she would have a better consciousness and would feel more peaceful. She replied , that she would give up the meat eating and cigarettes as soon as possible – I was astounded to hear her say so. I asked her to take one of Srila Prabhupada's books, she said that she did not have much money. I saw her open up her purse and i could see that there was a twenty rand not and some odd change in it – she gave me the twenty rand, I gave her an SSR. I thanked her for taking Srila Prabhupada's books from. I told her that she was indeed a very fortunate soul, and that I was fortunate to have met her, as she had helped me to become a better devotee of the Lord by her sincerity and enthusiasm. "Don't forget to chant Hare Krishna," I told her, as she smiled at me, with a look of great happiness on her face as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She came back, and asked if she could exchange the book and took a Higher Taste and a Divine Nature. How glorious it was to see the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and the blessing of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu manifest in her life. All glories to Paramatama, he has spoken to her through the medium of Srila Prabhupada's books – I see right before my very eyes, the miracle of which Srila Prabhupada has spoken of.
Yours in the service of Lord Sri Krsna and His devotees,
Hare Krishna,
Madhumangal Das.
