A study of ancient worlds

I had some pain in my back so it was a little hard to stand. University was full of people - it was like Eaton centre. I was praying for Krishna to magically stop someone when a young man stopped as I was talking to someone else. First he stood patiently while I finished the previous conversation and then we started to talk about our books. I did not think he would be interested but I was up for a surprise. Behind his beard and big bag he looked very academic person so I was not sure how to present it but I decided to keep it straight. I showed him the chant and be happy and explained how it was a great book on meditation and helps us get over stress and anxiety. He agreed to take the book and gave me a small donation even though he had initially said he had no money. Upon my inquiry he told me he was studying Ancient civilizations at University. I immediately referred him to the Searching for Vedic India and started to describe how the book talked about ancient civilizations and was the work of deep research. He kind of looked at my face expecting me to speak more and I started to say whatever I remembered from having read the book. I started to talk about how the book describes the Dogons, the Mayans and many other civilisations. Being a specialist in ancient civilisations he stared to ask me detailed questions about the Dogons and how this was connected to what I was doing in terms of yoga. A long interview later he said he was interested in the book but I was not carrying a copy. So I asked him if we could meet later that evening near my home and I would give him a book. To my great surprise he came in the evening to get the book walking all the way from University. He started reading it that night and came next day to the Gita class. I was a little worried as to what I could say to such a student who was topping his class in study of ancient civilisations but the magic of presenting Bhagavad gita as it is - is really special. After the class, I showed him the Gita and started to explain it. He said as soon as he read a few lines he wanted it and took a copy of it. He then explained to me how 2 days ago when in University book store, he was attracted to the Gita there and bought it, but he had not read it. I told him to read as it is as it was written in the proper mood of devotion. I do not know whether he will return, but he indeed was a rare should who chanted, appreciated Bhagavad gita, ate prashad, and washed dishes - all in a short time. Please pray that he returns to deep dive into the philosophy of Bhagavad gita.

Watching the potent effect of Srila Prabhupada books reminded me of the introduction to the Bhagavad gita: Of course there are many commentaries in English on the Bhagavad- gita, and one may question the necessity for another one. This present edition can be explained in the following way. Recently an American lady asked me to recommend an English translation of Bhagavad-gita. Of course in America there are so many editions of Bhagavad- gita available in English, but as far as I have seen, not only in America but also in India, none of them can be strictly said to be authoritative because in almost every one of them the commentator has expressed his own opinions without touching the spirit of Bhagavad- gita as it is.