Sankirtana in the land of 0z Again.
Hare Krishna Maharaja's and prabhus. Pamho agtsp.
There are a few days left in this years Prabhupada marathon, but I couldn't wait to write in some of the nectar stories from this month. H.H. Kavicandra Maharaja is here in Perth, Western Australia and has been here for most of the month enlivening the sankirtana troops. Now he is down south of here with some brahmacaries and will be back with some nectar soon. Here in Perth there isn't much opposition to Sankirtana, people here are quite favorable, but the first day we were' kicked out of our favourite spot by an over zealous council man. Maya couldn't stand to see the Sankirtana so sucessful. Anyway, we continued anyway to a more passionate spot in front of the most degraded Japanese restaurant in Perth. Maharaja had just come from Japan so he was hoping to avoid the Japanese fast pace. The Japanese restaurant was next to a clothing shop named Kali. It was a very odd situation, but we had so many books that we were too tired to carry them to another spot. It turned out to be sweet. I eventually met the owner of the Kali shop and she took a book and invited me into meet her staff..Turns out that the man who named the shop is a hip young hindu named Raja. I invited them all to the temple and restaurant.
The marathon went nicely after that also. Maharaja gave class everyday and enlivened the devotees with his humble demeanor and wit. As Many as eight devotees came out on Book distribution some days. For a small temple like Perth that is a significant amount.
There were many nice ecstatic exchanges with the conditioned souls this marathon so far, and I can't remember all of them, but I thought I'd relate a few of them for the pleasure of Krishna and the devotees.
I approached one man who was in a hurry and I didn't think would stop. He stopped and I told him about the book and what we were doing. It so happens that he had driven 200 miles to this place so he could find a copy of the Bhagavad Gita. He told me he had been doing yoga and studying eastern philosophy for some time. He had just come from a shop before he met me and had bought a book by Rajneesh. When he was at the check out counter he had noticed a copy of Bhagavad Gita as it is next to the cash register. Seeing what he had wanted he asked the clerk how much for the Gita. It turns out that someone who had just gotten a Gita from Maharaja had left their copy purposely or on accident at that particular store. The clerk didn't let him have it in case the owner were to come back, so our hero left the store in disappointment. When he met me, he asked if I had a copy of the Gita. I handed him one and without even asking he reached for his wallet and gave me 20 dollars. I gave him the higher taste as a christmas gift, because he was a good boy and deserved it. I got his address and invited him to Ratha Yatra in Jan. and also invited him to the temple and restaurant. Amazing how Krishna works isn't it. All we have to do is be there with the books and Krishna will send such people.
In the same place I met a boy who upon seeing the book Immediately exclaimed, " Krishna books, I love Krishna."
He was from Amsterdam and it so happened that he had seen the Harinama in Amsterdam and joined the devotees in ecstatic Chanting. He said that he loved Hare Krishna music and wants to learn how to be so happy. He gave five dollars and took a book. He said that he will be in touch and has already eaten at the restaurant. Sankirtana Yajna ki jai!
I think that all devotees should at least once taste the nectar of the unlimited ocean of book distribution. If the mormons can send their children out by the thousands on two year missions I think that all devotees should at least try to distribute books full time for two years. It would be nice that most new devotees give at least two years of their devotional life to this most pleasing service. That way we would distribute more books and make more devotees and stop the suicide course of the modern society. It is needed now more than ever. Ultimately all considerations are secondary to Sri Caitanya's Sankirtana Mission. Srila Prabhupada is our founder Acarya and we should all try to follow in his footsteps in whatever capacity we can and establish K.C. in this world for the benefit of all living beings.
Srila Prabhupad Ki Jai! I hope this meets you in good health and High spirits for the spreading of the rays of the benediction moon. Your servant, Devaki Nandana Dasa.
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