Book distribution techniquesAntaratma: Buddhimanta was the most outrageous person that I had ever met; at least he used all his outrageousness in Krsna's service. We'd sometimes distribute outside the strip joints. The guys were yelling their stuff -- "Come on down, guys". Buddhimanta would do the same thing, except that he was yelling out for people's spiritual life. He'd call to people, yell, run across the street to talk to them, make faces at them, get down on one knee, embarrass people, charm people. He was outrageous, in a completely non-envious, inoffensive way. His courage, commitment, and fearlessness gave us the strength to do the same.People would stand and watch us. Often we'd get job offers. One day the head of a big insurance company approached. He shook our hands and said: 'I've been watching you guys for two hours. I've never seen anything like it.' He offered Buddhimanta a top job: "Name a salary," he said. But Buddhimanta just grinned, and sold him a book.Alain Haliche: Originally from France, I was living in Kings Cross. One day I was walking past the ANZ bank on Darlinghurst Road when I suddenly saw this very tall man (whom I later found out was Buddhimanta) looking very bright and effulgent in saffron cloth. He noticed me at the same time, and immediately, from ten metres away, started to take big, one-metre strides towards me, Bhagavad-gita As It Is outstretched in one hand.Within seconds I had the Gita in my hand, and had given him two or three dollars, he didn't even count it. He impressed me so much ! here was a "monk on a mission", I thought."We have a very wonderful feast on Sunday," he said. "Why don't you come?" I did, with a dozen friends from New Caledonia. There I received a copy of Srimad-Bhagavatam -- a very, very beautiful book. That evening, a devotee told me about a place called Mayapur, in the jungles of West Bengal. It sounded so exotic and wonderful. "This is what I'm missing in my life," I thought.Two weeks later I left for the East and joined the temple in Mayapur. Later I returned to France, took initiation from Prabhupada, and received the name Adi Sekhara dasa. I became sankirtana leader, and for many years went on to co-ordinate the distribution of hundreds and thousands of Prabhupada's books in France. Who could have known what receiving that one book from Buddhimanta could have brought?I owe my spiritual life to Buddhimanta, a touchstone, the father of sankirtana, and a great, great soul.- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
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