Dear Prabhus,
It was a nice, sunny, and beautiful spring day. People were busy in their own fun plans. Some people were with their groups getting ready to enter in a restaurant for lunch and others were waiting outside for their friends to arrive. Some were enjoying the sunny lounge of bars and restaurants. The whole area was filled with the smell of roasted meat and garlic etc. After struggling for about an hour in the downtown area of Boise, Idaho, USA with not much success, we decided to visit the parking lot of a store. After parking our car, we started looking for opportunities. My son, Aja Govinda being very active and enthusiastic immediately started asking people without caring for the result. He would meet one after the other showing Bhagavad Gita and making the presentation on the photo plates given in the middle. He talked to tens of people with mixed results.
On the other hand, I was watching him doing his book distribution. Long back, Hrdyananda Maharaj visited Boise with his secretary Daruka Prabhu. I told Daruka prabhu that we generally visit to the homes of members of the Indian community and offer them Maha-Prasada and books. Daruka Prabhu said it is good but you should go out and distribute books on streets because that is the only way you learn to become humble and learn quickly to surrender to Krishna. At that time I was very much afraid of confronting contaminated, inimical, and demoniac people on sankirtana.
After taking a deep breath and thus gathering all my remaining energy and enthusiasm I decided to try to become instrument in the sankirtana movement of Srila Prabhupada. I was praying, "O! Lord Nityananda, it looks outwardly that I am distributing these books but actually You are the One who has already decided who is going to get Your causeless mercy. I am very happy and fortunate that You allowed me to try to be a tool in Your plans.
As I entered the parking lot I saw a cart full of wines and different types of meat. Behind the cart I saw a very tall, handsome, and strong looking cowboy. He was getting closer to his expensive BMW to put the stuff into the trunk. As I looked at him he said, "what’s up"? I told him I have some books to share with him on living a natural life based on the land and cows. He said, "thanks a lot for saying that, I live a life which is fully based on the land and cows. I grow grains on land and feed it to the cows to make money by selling beef. This is how I make my livelihood".
I told him that we are vegetarian and like cows. When we feed non-veg to cows they got mad cow disease and when we feed ourselves with non-veg we also get altzimer disease (like mad cow). We lose our memory because our brains become like a sponge. We should drink milk, which is brain food and avoid meat. Cow is already transforming her blood in to milk and giving all the nutrition to brain and body. Why kill her?
He said, "but I see no difference in killing a plant and killing an animal for food".
I said, "yes it is true, but we do not kill plants. They give us their fruit willingly as per nature’s arrangement like, cow gives us milk like our mother. I showed him Higher Taste and read the page on hidden cost of meat.
He stayed unfazed and said, "but I live on beef farming. I understand all your arguments based on environmental degradation, erosion, health, protein, pollution, mad cow, and hidden cost of meat etc. But what would I do if I give it up. How can I make my livelihood"?
I told him, "sell grains and milk. Don’t spend money on wine and tobacco. You will not die without these unnecessary things. Rather you will die early after consuming this unnecessary stuff. I pleaded him to look at the other side of the coin too. Consider this way of natural living. Please take one of these books". Then, I gave up and fell silent. I felt all my energy was consumed in just one person in a half-hour. But I thought at least he listened to the message of Lord Nityananda and chanted the Mahamantra once on my request.
He opened his car’s door and sat down on the driver’s seat and his legs hanging out.
I said, "just take this higher taste book give me even 50 cents, or even take it for free if you do not want to pay but please read this book it could change your life. I prayed to Lord Nityananda. “O! Lord Nityananda, I am here doing my best while asking this person and now you decide weather this man deserves your causeless mercy or not. You are famous for delivering Jagai and Madai. Give Your mercy to this Mrgrari and show him the path towards You by changing his heart.
He looked up and tried to see my eyes but failed due to the huge cowboy hat. Then he took off his hat and said, "I do not know what to say to you as you have defeated all my arguments. I will not take a single book but one copy of all the books you have"!
It took me about 20 seconds to recover from the ecstasy, which I could not hide from him. Then he asked me many more questions as we exchange cards. I told him that I have a PhD in environmental Engineering and I deal with the environmental issues causing so many incurable diseases. He left me with the promise to invite me to his ranch to speak to his fellow farmers.
After this, I got new enthusiasm and energy and I felt like I have become a 16 year old boy like Aja Govinda. O! Lord Nityananda, now I know why these book-distributors roam the streets of the whole world, this is how they maintain their energy and enthusiasm.
Yours Servant,
Sri Hari Dasa
