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By HH Sivarama Swami

Thirty years ago I was doing the Prabhupada marathon at the Chicago
airport. One afternoon, we devotees were so intoxicated by
distributing books that we decided to show that one doesn’t have to
speak to sell books, that book distribution just depends on our state
of consciousness. So we didn’t speak.

Just after loading my bookbag with (20) maha books I tapped a man on
the arm and looked him in the eye. He stopped, expecting me to say
something. I didn’t. I put a book in his hand, pointed at Prabhupada’s
picture, to the Sanskrit inside and then up to the sky indicating the
books are meant to elevate you. I remember being absorbed in the
desire to give out books and after looking deep into his eyes again, I
slapped my pocket indicating he should give a donation. He did.

He was a young businessman, obviously heavily stressed out and
floundering in the world of consumerism. He held the book
appreciatively. As he started to go I held his arm. I wanted him to
get more mercy. We locked eyes for a minute and in my mind I said,
“These books will give your life meaning”, and I stuck another two
books in his hand. Now he had three books. Again I tapped my pocket.
Again he gave a donation.

I opened one of the books and pointed to a part of Prabhupada’s
purport and had him read it. I watched his face. It was obvious
Prabhupada was speaking to him. I tapped his arms and smiled at him
and he smiled at me. Although standing in the middle of the busiest
airport in the world we were somewhere else, in a different land where
there was no stress, no noise; our own world of Krsna consciousness.
Then he looked at the other books in my arm and I knew he wanted more.
I gave him a few more books. He gave another donation. By now the
total was past $40.

To impress upon the man what was reality I waved nonchalantly at the
bustle about us and pressed my forefinger to his heart, indicating the
soul. I looked at him, “You are not this body. You are spirit soul.”
He understood. He smiled appreciatively. We then shook hands and as he
turned to go it was as if he was leaving a realm of peace for the
world of anxiety around. For a minute he hesitated. He didn’t want to
go. He wanted to remain in that realm of consciousness in which our
exchange had taken place. He had been happy. I saw there were tears in
his eyes. I touched his hand and tapped the books saying in my mind,
“It’s all in the books. Don’t worry.” He nodded shook my hand and
left. Neither he, nor I had spoken a word. Yet we were communicating
fully. It was one of many such experiences that afternoon. I was
convinced that success in book distribution depends upon our state of
consciousness. Making soul-to-soul contact with people is the most
effective way to sell books. We need to be in the consciousness that
we are not this body, that we are Krsna’s spiritual messengers and
that we have to want to distribute the mercy. Give! Give! Give! That
is our dharma. Give Krsna to others.