On a Monday afternoon, in the recent mid-year marathon, Bal Gopal, my husband, and I were trying a little book distribution along the busy Lambton quay in Wellington. Nobody was showing much interest at all. We were on our way home from serving Krsna Food and had to stop at the bank to deposit the takings from that day.
Inside the bank, I held up the Science of Self Realisation, showing it to Bal Gopal, and recited the Panca Tattva mantra, pleading aloud: “Please, Gauranga, let us meet one sincere person who will be interested in buying this book.”
We stepped outside, and the very first person walking by, whom I held a book up in front of — Hiding in Unnatural Happiness — simply asked “Happiness?”
She looked at the cover, stopped, and said, “Oh, my gosh! This is far out! I’m reading this book right now!”
We asked, “Where did you get it? Wow!”
She said, “I found it in my friend’s house and just started reading it.
I asked how it was going, and she replied, “I absolutely love it! I’m up to the part describing three kinds of happiness.”
We commented on the coincidence of our meeting. The author, Devamrita Swami, had been in Wellington on the weekend.
I handed her The Science of Self Realisation, saying, “You might like this one.” I said that the author is the teacher of her book’s author.
She said that she always looks for new books, something to read on the train that she catches to work. She was interested, but had no cash, so we walked together to an ATM, and she gave a donation.
Feeling inspired, we also showed her Devamrita Swami’s Searching for Vedic India, which she also took.
Hiding in Unnatural Happiness is certainly appreciated, and it inspires people to read Srila Prabhupada’s books!
My gratitude to the merciful Panca Tattva!
Your servant,
Ananda Candra Devi Dasi