Under the influence

A young couple was walking towards me and they looked liked they were under the effect of some sort of drugs but I thought I should talk. So I crossed the street to talk to them and started to talk. They were really young and explained that both their mothers were reiki healers and they were into yoga meditation etc. I started to show them the Bhagavad Gita and they simply loved the pictures on reincarnation, karma and admired Srila Prabhupada's picture. They were enthusiastic about the Gita and to my surprise they actually had laxmi to get it. I asked them what their goal in life was and they said 'we want to go to New Zealand'. I was amused by their goal but we talked a little about it and they left promising to come for the Gita class. Please pray that they can actually make the journey to the workshop.

The effect of Japa

I was in Kensington this week and the cold would not allow me to stand at one place, so I was walking around trying to stay warm. That’s when I saw 3 ladies I had seen a little while ago and wanted to talk to them but missed the opportunity. So this time I said Hi and introduced myself. The slightly older lady seemed interested and told me how she was into meditation and then stopped. So I showed her the books and when she finally decided to take the book, I decided to probe deeper. So I started to ask her about what kind of meditation she was doing? She told me a few years ago she had heard a mantra at some program Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Rama ...and then she told me she had been chanting this mantra for a year and then life got busy and she stopped for a while and now recently she wanted to chant again and was looking to join some meditation program. I explained to her how she had met the right people and got the right book to fulfill her desires. It was magical to see how Krishna arranges these sankirtan encounters.

Intoxication interrupted

We were at Eaton centre and battling the cold. It was hard to stop anyone and that’s when I saw a man who was smoking. I asked him about yoga and he said he wasn't going to do yoga. When I inquired further he said he believes in dope to get higher and so yoga did not fit in. Not knowing what to say i said ' Wow - so that’s your thing' and handed him a chant and be happy. The lecture I was hearing in the morning went into 'Auto Play' in my mind and I remembered how 'staying high forever' was an old punch line we used. So I tried to talk to him but he was saying 'I only take marijuana'. I once again tried to be positive and asked him what happens the day after and he told me he felt sick. So I explained that the Chant and be happy would help him 'stay high forever' and never feel sick. He got very interested and immediately gave some laxmi.

It was like the day for intoxicated people. Soon after I met a guy who was carrying a whole box of alcohol and slowed down to talk to me. When I showed him the book - he asked me how much it was and pulled out some laxmi. As he gave me laxmi he said 'I am feeling generous today' and off he walked with book and a bag of alcohol.

Beyond barriers

I was on a road trip to Chi-chin-itza, an ancient Mayan ruin and the driver and his assistants spoke very minimal English. In the villages no one spoke English – and I don’t speak Spanish. Amidst this situation I was praying to Krishna to create a situation so I could find someone who could take a book from me. That’s when I ran into a young boy who was assisting the driver and he could squeeze in a few English words. Actually I didn’t do anything, this boy just turned around and asked me if I had called for him. While I was praying internally that he showed interest, I hadn’t uttered a word so I was pleasantly surprised. I jumped at the opportunity Krishna had created and responded saying that I hadn’t said anything but perhaps it was the soul. Instantly he started talking and described what he knew about the soul. I asked him about Karma and Yoga and he explained with the few words he had. He talked about the soul and out of body experiences and I gave him the one copy of Spanish Perfection of yoga I was carrying. I tried to show a picture of Srila Prabhupada and he promised to read it. Later I was how this little kid was reading the book non-stop all day and even when the sky was dark and I was struggling to see words on my Chaitanya Caritamrita copy, he was bending over and trying to soak in last few words. I felt a great happiness because on my way up I was hankering for devotee association almost feeling lost and on my way back just through one book; I suddenly had another devotee in the vicinity.

Sankirtana in every home

If one has the proper means and wealth, he should occasionally invite the devotees of Lord Caitanya who are engaged in preaching all over the world and hold a festival at home simply by distributing prasādam and talking about Kṛṣṇa during the day and holding congregational chanting for at least three hours in the evening. This procedure must be adopted in all centers of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Thus they will daily perform sańkīrtana-yajña. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.32) the daily performance of sańkīrtana-yajña is recommended for this age (yajñaiḥ sańkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ). One should worship Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His four associates, the Pañca-tattva, by distributing prasādam and holding congregational chanting. Indeed, that, yajña or sacrifice, is most recommended in this Age of Kali. In this age, other yajñas are not possible to perform, but this yajña can be performed everywhere and anywhere without difficulty.

CC Madhya 3.203

WE DID IT!!!!

It just seems like yesterday when we set a target of 10,000 books for Prabhupada Marathon 2011 and a total target of 35,000 books. By the blessings from Sri Sri Radha Ksiracora Gopinatha, Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and Srila Prabhupada, we were able to distribute 11,401 books during the marathon and 36,954 books for the entire year of 2011!!!!

Thanks to everyone for helping out! We are looking forward to a great 2012!

From Windsor to Toronto

I was entering Kensington market and saw a young couple walk out with smiles on their face. I started a conversation with them and they were really open to the idea of meditation. We discussed how the body changes but something non-material about us remains the same. They told me they had recently moved downtown and I requested them to stay in touch and join us for our programs. We continued to talk and the discussion drifted into the realm of Karma and then Vegan food and I learnt that they were both Vegan. Then as I started to show them the Bhagavad Gita the girl told me that three years ago when she was in Windsor, she had met someone on University campus who gave her a Bhagavad Gita. I asked if she had read it and she said off and on over the years but not cover to cover. I asked her to come for our Gita discussions and perhaps re-take up the study of these books. For me it was an inspiring moment to know Krishna’s plans to get us back home never stops!