My plane from Sydney had a 1.5 hour stopover in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and in an hour I met wanderers from all over the world who I could see Kṛṣṇa mystically sent to receive His books on their journey. They each had a unique story, many of whom were travelling to try and find their purpose so fortunately got the clue on their stopover and hopefully they will read and stop wandering aimlessly but find Kṛṣṇa and their purpose. Srila Prabhupada ki Jaya 🙌🏼
Arriving in Sri Vrndavana dham I was kindly welcomed and blessed by the sanga and shelter of Her Grace Daivisakti Mataji who kindly gave her saintly association and opportunity to assist in her service to Srila Prabhupada every day at the Kṛṣṇa Balarama mandir. On my second day, we set up a new book shop at the front of the temple beside Srila Prabhupada’s samadhi and each day I tried to distribute from the table there. I was trying some basic Hindi lines and expecting all Indians to be coming, but interestingly each day Kṛṣṇa would send some Western person out of the blue to the new book stall and table.
The first evening, out of nowhere it seemed, a white girl in karmi clothes called Casey turned up to the table and was fingering through the books. I asked where she was from and she said New Zealand! Surprised, that’s where I’m from. I asked how she ended up here and if she already knew about the books. Long story short, she explained that 6 years ago in Taupo she received Prabhupada’s Bhagavad Gita and read the whole thing. Fascinated, she then ordered more books online, including the Srimad Bhagavatam set. For the past six years, while working and having a child, she has been gradually reading through and is currently up to sixth canto. She said that in that whole time she had never met with any devotees, but had just been reading at home and started chanting. I was amazed. I mentioned that I’d be happy to stay in touch and try to connect her with devotees in the nearest town when she got back, which may be KatiKati , as I had just been staying there I could link her up. She then exclaimed, “no way, that would be great!” And explained that just before she left for India she went to do a relief teaching job in Tauranga and somehow met some devotees who lived in Kati, the very devotees I had just been visiting. One of Casey’s friends had said she was going to India, so she decided to join her and ended up in Vrndavana. She happily took a bunch more books. The next morning I brought her along to the full morning program which she found amazing to see so many devotees of Krsna and the magical atmosphere. Then that evening I invited her to Daivisakti Matajis Prabhupada Lilamrita class and she was so grateful as she said she had just finished reading the first volume of her own copy in NZ and felt the book come to life. Daivisakti Mataji expressed about this and the following exchanges … “Kṛṣṇa is so incredible. He is directly sending these people to you. He is so amazing!” This helped me appreciate the personal nature and sweetness of sankirtana.
Your aspiring servant, Saumya-mayī dd