gita jayanti distribution from chowapatty

[Guest guest]

Dear devotees,

 

please accept our dandavata,

 

all glories to srila prabhupada.

 

This is one article by one devotees after the book distribution during gita

jayanti.

 

your servant,

 

govinda das.

 

 

 

1008 Maha big books in one day

 

"Ravana, the real but misunderstood hero" is the latest Mumbai frenzy and

the city is excited by this television serial,

with millions' imagination captured by the posters splashed at all railway

stations. Dadar is no exception.

 

Dadar is the busiest railway station in Mumbai. Competing with the hawkers

for space at the over bridge, around 80 devotees made their presence felt

strongly. With the constant announcements over the public address system and

thousands of Mumabities rushing back home from work, it was a challenge to

grab the attention of the crowd. Historically it has been seen that the go

getters of Mumbai, always on the move, hardly stop for anything, especially

at the stations where catching the trains is priority number one. However

the occasion of ‘Gita Jayanti' had inspired the devotees to place themselves

all around the bridge and each one of them was calling out loudly to the

crowd, imploring them to take a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, offered at a

specially discounted price. Even though there are hundreds of billboards

enticing and distracting the masses, the devotees managed to bombard them

with catchy phrases and slogans. As soon as a person climbed the bridge, he

would see a devotee imploring him to take a Bhagavad Gita. He would refuse

the first one, only to be confronted by another devotee, only a few steps

ahead. Then another one and by the time he came down, there was this last

table put up by the matajis, also calling out loudly to the hordes of office

goers and those returning back home. Besides strategically placing

themselves at the various parts of the bridge, devotees also had put up four

tables, one each by the brahmacharis, congregation men, matajis and the IYS

boys.

 

One of the hawkers was preached to by Damodar Dulal Prabhu, and he packed up

his table containing electronic gadgets and joined the devotees in

distributing Srila Prabhupada's books. One man refused a book by a few

devotees and eventually at the last table he took a book and revealed why he

wanted a book, "I said to a few of your guys that I already have a copy but

later felt guilty for lying to such nice, well dressed and well mannered

devotees. As I came down I resolved I will make up the next time I see one

of you. As soon as I came down, here you are, I had to take a book".

 

The event became glorious because it was spontaneous and no one planned or

imagined at the way things turned out. Hrishiskesh Ananda Prabhu announced

that all the book tables, across various corners in Mumbai should total up

to 1008 on this one day. However Krishna and Srila Prabhupada had better

plans. Initially only a handful of devotees, struggled at the book table,

vying for space with many others. Soon, a few joined and then many devotees,

returning home from work, were inspired. They left other engagements and

decided to join the fun. This enthusiasm was contagious and it was amazing

to see the usually reticent and shy devotees, also shout loudly and

enthusiastically preach. As the last train left for the night, the total

crossed 1100 Bhagavad Gita, at just, this one station.

 

As devotees packed up the tables at night, none of them had any voice left.

The shouting and preaching had left them exhausted, yet ecstatic. Returning

home, the devotees did look up at the Ravana bill board, but couldn't help

celebrating Srila Prabhupada's mercy that even in a crazy city like Mumabai,

where values are fast eroding, Lord Krishna's message still has takers.

______