Hare Krsna Prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I am just finishing up a North American tour, on which I did book
distribution and conducted seminars. It has been very enlivening. While
traveling I had the good fortune of Jayadvaita MaharajaÕs association in
New York City. He gave a very nice class the evening before I left. He
spoke about book distribution (it's always nice to hear our leaders
speak about it). Here's a little of the nectar: "I was traveling from
New Jersey in a train when a Muslim sat next to me. After awhile he
turned to me and asked what my religion is. That started a whole
conversation about God and spiritual life, and he was very interested.
When I travel I always like to carry books with me for people like this.
So I and the devotee traveling with me were trying to find where we had
put them. Finally we found a ÒPerfection of Yoga,Ó and I gave it to him.
He asked if he could give something for it and gave a very nice
donation. It was very nice to see someone of another faith so interested
in what we have to offer."
Maharaja went on to say, "Earlier in the year I was in South Africa.
While I was there I asked a devotee how he had joined. He told this story:
When I was very young my father visited France, and while waiting in the
airport in Paris for his plane back to our home in the Congo, he saw a
Bhagavad-gita on a table. Someone had apparently left it there. It was
there for a long time, so at last he picked it up and started reading
it. No one came looking for the book, so he took it with him on the
flight. He found it very interesting.
Later, whenever he was home he would often quote from the Bhagavad-gita,
saying, ÒKrsna says thisÓ and ÒKrsna says that.Ó I began thinking, ÒWho
is this Krsna?Ó
When I grew up and was on a visit to South Africa, I met some devotees
distributing books, and they told me about Krsna. I put the two together
and said, ÒMy father knows all about Krsna!Ó They invited me to the
temple and I really liked it and eventually joined. My father is also a
devotee and chants sixteen rounds.

Maharaja concluded: ÒThere is a saying in India: 'There is a name on
every grain of rice.' Similarly, there is a name on every book that goes
out, and only Krsna knows whose hand it is going to end up in, just as
only Krsna knows to whom every grain of rice will go.Ó
Your servant,
Vijaya das
(Text D:3265232) -------------------------------------------
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