A perfect arrangement

We had been packing up stuff all morning and now I thought we can try to meet some people. That's when a guy who actually just passed me, somehow stopped to talk. He wasn't super enthusiastic about yoga but seemed interested a bit in meditation. As I showed him the books he realized he had one and told me that a 5 days ago his girl friend had bought a chant and be happy from me and they were both reading it together. I was so happy to hear that and thanking him for that I showed him the Bhagavad Gita. I started to show pictures inside and some of the mantras. I requested him to read it and he went to get some laxmi from an ATM. When he returned I told him how I wasn't planning on staying but just came here a few minutes back to stay for a bit. He told me he was home being lazy, and didn't want to leave home but because his girlfriend was sick and he just decided a few minutes back to come down and ran into me. I told him about our programs and asked to come visit us.

Sublime yagya

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is the initiator of sańkīrtana [congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord]. One who worships Him through sańkīrtana is fortunate indeed.
(Adi 3.77)

Such a person is truly intelligent, whereas others, who have but a poor fund of knowledge, must endure the cycle of repeated birth and death. Of all sacrificial performances, the chanting of the Lord's holy name is the most sublime. (Adi 3.78)
PURPORT

Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the father and inaugurator of the sańkīrtana movement. One who worships Him by sacrificing his life, money, intelligence and words for the sańkīrtana movement is recognized by the Lord and endowed with His blessings. All others may be said to be foolish, for of all sacrifices in which a man may apply his energy, a sacrifice made for the sańkīrtana movement is the most glorious.

Param dhrishtava nivartate

Standing near University of Toronto, battling the first real cold sankirtan day of the winter for me, I was praying someone would come inspire me. That's around when I saw a guy who walked up to me and said - so you have the Bhagavad Gita. I was quiet taken aback as it’s not commonplace for someone to just come up and ask that question. Smiling and excited I asked him why he was looking for it. He told me how one year ago he had met two girls around Bloor and ST George and bought a Bhagavad Gita from them. I thought it was me and asked him if it was me. As it was a while ago, he could not remember. He had opened the Gita and tried to read it and was appreciative of it, so I gave him a Science of self realization and explained the contents. I showed him the reincarnation picture and asked him to think about the soul. Somehow the topic of soul drifted into vegetarianism and we started to discuss the latest veg.ca campaign to save animals. He started to tell me that he was eating most of his life and his parents would not have it any other way, but somehow 2 weeks ago, suddenly he had the thought of being vegetarian. He wasn’t sure where it came from. I explained to him the nature of super soul and how he guides from heart. Explaining param drishtava nivartate I asked him to develop higher taste by reading these books and he took the science of self realisation. He said he liked the fact that we were not those religious groups who look down upon others and that’s why he was taking the book. I showed him the picture in the Gita of the wise man who sees equally every being, even animals. He really appreciated it and left saying he would return.

Battle of life

After a really long wait of doing nothing, by Krishna's grace I met a young girl near Bloor and Spadina. She was in great rush like everyone else around downtown, but somehow she agreed to spare a minute to look at what I had. When she saw what the books were about she started to say how she really needs meditation and was looking badly for this. She explained that she had just lost her boyfriend who died from a 3 year battle against cancer, and it made her look at life differently. She herself wasn't very old, not over 25, and I started to think perhaps she went through a lot. Tried to show her the picture of reincarnation in the Bhagavad Gita and asked her to study it and keep in touch. She gave a generous donation for the book and left saying that she was looking forward to reading it.

A home away from home

I met two really young Indian students from Pune who were in University of Toronto for an exchange program here. We started to talk as I had also studied there. Initially they were hesitant but then they explained that they had visited our centres in India. I showed them a Bhagvad Gita each and asked them to read it. Even though they said that they had copies back in India, I showed the how this was different. They appreciated the Sanskrit and started reading the mantras. Then I requested them to please read it and share it with others. They were just students and quiet short on money, but they took all the change from their pockets and gave me donations for the books. They said they were really happy to have met me and I invited them to come to temple for Diwali. They were saying that they missed other festivals but were happy that they can make it to temple for Diwali. Praying that they actually make it to the temple.

We meet again

It was a wet and rainy day, and I was really slow meeting people due to the rain. That's when I met a girl who was passing through University of Toronto and stopped to talk to me. She was stressed and I showed her a Chant and be happy. We got talking about meditation and how it helps and I showed her a picture of Srila Prabhupada. She then remembered that she had met me a year ago near Yonge and Finch. I told her I had not been there for a while and was so happy to meet her again. She told me that she had read that book. Even though she had got it for her boy friend not so much herself, she had read it. Even today she started the conversation by saying she wasn't into yoga, but she was very inspired by her memory of our meeting last year and took a Bhagavad Gita. She said she would come back for an event with her boy friend who she said would be very inspired by knowing our story.

One can see how Krishna within the heart can give remembrance to the living entity and inspire their way back to Godhead.

Harinam power

A few days ago I was at the temple and Dharma-prana prabhu as always was inspiring me with his Sankirtan spirit, telling me to not me intimidated but be bold on Sankirtan. I was at UofT and remembering his little speech when I met a young man near the street car stop. He was going to go past, but then he recognised the maha mantra as I started to explain it to him. He said I know you are Hare Krishna and I obviously inquired how he heard about us. He explained that he had seen us chant near Bay and Bloor. That’s when I understood he was referring to the weekly Harinam that Krsnadas Kaviraj and Dharma-prana prabhus do. I was excited, and asked him more. He started to explain that he used to have a job there and from the window of the shop he worked in, he saw these devotees on Harinam and they were really attractive. He kept explaining they were really happy. He described Dharma-prana prabhu to me and explained he is really happy in mind and that he would like to be like prabhu because he looked so happy. Just from the window he was admiring the harinam party and has such deep appreciation. He bought a book and said he would come visit us.

Simply appreciation is giving him a touch of spiritual life. It is so nice. Shraddha. If they do not go against, simply appreciate, "Oh, they are doing nice..." So development of spiritual life means development of this appreciation, that's all. SB lecture 1.2.16 LA 1972