Transformation through Books.
Today one devotee shared with us about his meeting with two Russian devotee couples in Srirangam. Those Russian devotees were earnestly looking out for the place where Mahaprabhu’s lotus feet are being worshiped in Srirangam. After taking them to that place, this devotee inquired those Russian devotees as to how they came to know about Krishna consciousness. One of that Russian prabhuji was earlier working as a butcher in a slaughterhouse. Somehow some merciful Vaishnava had been doing book distribution even outside the slaughterhouses in Russia. Some people who were working in those slaughter houses got those books. But later they tore the pages as they could not understand English.
That day after tiring hours of work in the slaughter house, this Russian prabhuji, with his clothes tainted with the blood of the animals he had slaughtered, came and sat down to rest for sometime. By Krishna’s arrangement, he saw the torn pages of Srila Prabhupada’s “Science of Self-Realisation” book. He picked up that page and studied its contents. The subject matter in that page attracted him so much that he asked the people around about further details. The people who had torn that book told him, that there were some Asian people who had given them these books, but since it was in English, they had torn it. Those people also told him that these book distributors could be found down the street, singing some song. Immediately this Prabhu went to that place and met the devotees. He spoke with them for nearly 6 hours and then there was a complete transformation in his life. Realising the gravity of the sinful activity involved in killing animals, this Prabhu not only gave up his job on that day, but he also went and shared the details of the contents which he had read and heard from the devotees to his wife and another couple who were their friends. That was the beginning of their spiritual journey and over a period of time, both the couples dedicated their life to serving the cows and spreading the message of Srila Prabhupada.
This real life incident is a real eye-opener on how powerful even a page of Srila Prabhupada’s book is. If studying a single page of Srila Prabhupada’s book can bring such a great transformation in the life of a butcher, then what to speak of all the volumes of wonderful writings he has left for us. Indeed the books of His Divine Grace are brhad mrdanga and the sankirtan of book distribution can drive away all anarthas and bring a very great revolution in this world. Srila Prabhupada with great humility always mentions how he has full faith on the verse 1.5.18 of Srimad Bhagavatam wherein Narada Muni says: “On the other hand, that literature which is full of descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, forms, pastimes, etc., of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a different creation, full of transcendental words directed toward bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of this world’s misdirected civilization. Such transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.”
Placing his faith in Srimad Bhagavatam and his spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada has literally poured his heart out in his books and continues to live in his writings. So for our own benefit and for the benefit of the whole world, we should study, practise and propagate his books to the best of our ability.
Transcendental Book Distribution ki Jai! Srila Prabhupada ki Jai!
Sudarshana Devi dasi
You need to be a member of ISKCON Desire Tree | IDT to add comments!
Comments