Source of story from Puranas

[Guest guest]

Dear Maharajas and Prabhus,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

I posted the following text about a month ago and received no replies. The

text is in the file area of the Krishna Katha conference and I was hoping

that some of the Pandits on this conference could tell me what is the source

of it.

 

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I found the following story in a file called A-tstor.txt that was in the

file area of the Krishna Katha conference. Can anyone help me ascertain

which Purana it is from and if it is bonafide?

 

Thank you

 

Your servant

 

Vijnana dasa Vanacari

 

In the Puranas there is a story of one old man who was addicted to

sinful activity, a very cruel person. But when he was on his death

bed, at the last minute he had a change of heart. He said, "Well, why

not try it? All my life I've seen these Vaisnavas chanting Hare

Krsna. I'm going to die anyway, so I might as well try it." He

called his servant and told him "Go to the marketplace and purchase

some of those beads I see the devotees chanting on, those japa-malas."

His servant was surprised. "You want japa-mala? What are you going

to do with them?" "I'm going to chant Hare Krsna. Give it a try."

So the servant went to the marketplace, but unfortunately the old man

died before his servant returned. So at that time the Yama-dutas

came, and the Visnu-dutas also came at the same time. Both questioned

the other's presence. The Yama-dutas said, "This man was a very

sinful person. He never did one pious activity. There is nothing in

his record to show that he did anything pious or transcendental. So

what are you doing here?" The Visnu-dutas replied, "We have come to

take this man back to Godhead simply because he had a desire to chant

Hare Krsna.

 

 

 

Your servant

 

Vijnana dasa Vanacari