Now here's a story from the Marathon in Czech Republic:
Srila Prabhupada's marathon has just ended. As usual, it was full of mercy, both in terms of realizations and in the number of books distributed. When the marathon started, the first winter frosts came, yet we headed to the mountainous part of the Czech Republic. On the first day we were scheduled to go out on the street I was ill with a fever, but I felt I had to go out because I had been asked to teach a devotee doing traveling sankirtan for the first time that week. The day was hard -- people refused me -- but I prayed for mercy. All of a sudden a very interesting fellow appeared, and I approached him. At that moment I strongly felt that Krishna had taken charge of the situation, and my consciousness changed. The whole atmosphere seemed pervaded with a strong mystical quality. The boy said he had read "The Tibetan Book of the Dead" and began to challenge me, saying "How can the Bhagavad-gita be better than 'The Tibetan Book of the Dead?'" I replied by pointing
out the rarity and comprehensive depth of Bhagavad-gita. He finally came to the point of saying "I'm surely God." I reacted by taking a Krishna book out of the pushcart, putting the book in front of his face, saying, "He is God and he is guru (pointing to "Srila Prabhupada Lilamrita") who teaches us about Him!" Our strong discussion gradually ended. Finally, the guy carried off five books and some japa beads. I left him my contact numbers, asking him to write me after he'd read the books.
A few months later I received a text message: "With humility I must admit I am not God." A few text conversations ensued. Then I decided to visit him near the place where we'd met. After all, along with the books he'd purchased some japa-mala, and for some time he'd been writing me to show him how to chant on them. At present he chants about ten rounds a day, follows the regulative principles, and regularly visits devotees. He is very inspired; his inspiration is obviously not a superficial sentiment but springs from a good understanding of the philosophy.
Your servant,
Vaiyasiki das (BVS)
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