Maktar the bhakta.
We were distributing in front of a church in New Town, Sydney. One African bodied man popped his head out of an African restaurant next door. He said “What you got?” So I showed him Bhagavata Gita. He said “I got no money but can I have the little book (Perfect Escape written by HH Devamrita Swami)?” Though I thought he had been a bit abrupt I gave it to him and continued my service.
The next time I went to New town he rolled up on his bike, he is a chef at the restaurant. He said “I want the big one!” So I gave him the Gita with my phone number and he gave a nice donation. I was very surprised because I thought he was probably a Muslim and he seemed a bit arrogant so I didn’t think he would have liked the small book I gave him. Anyway I invited him for dinner at Govindas but I didn’t think he would call.
1 or 2 weeks later I was in Parramata and he called. His name is Maktar and he was really eager to meet for dinner. I was in ecstasy! We arranged to meet at Govindas.
I didn’t know what to expect, maybe an argument, so I just prayed to Krsna. Before I went to meet him I was talking to my godbrother Shastra Krit prabhu. I asked him ‘How can we keep going on doing books everyday?“ Shastra Krit prabhu said that Lord Caitanya lets you taste the nectar of bringing someone closer to Krsna and you will become addicted to it. After an amazing dinner with Maktar the bhakta I understood what my godbrother was saying.
My first impression of Maktar was way off. He is a the sweetest young man from Senaga, west Africa. Very sincere seeker of the absolute truth. We spoke about God the hole time but there was no clashing. He told me of cheating spiritual leaders (maybe voodoo) in Africa and he told me of his being influenced by Christianity and Muslim teachings.
He is very busy working full time for his sponsor to Australia. He is also studying english so he can get his permanent residency. Whenever he has spare time he calls me to come and meet again. He even gets someone to cover for him for a few hours to come and visit.
We had met three times at Govindas, I thought it time to bring him even closer to Krsna so I invited him to my home for dinner. I cooked nice prasadam. While we were taking prasad he asked me “Can Krsna appear in a dream?” I told him yes, I’m reading in CC about the lord appearing in His devotee Madhavendra Puri’s dream. Also when I was a young boy on New Govardhan farm I would sometimes have nightmares of drowning or sometimes demons would attack the farm and Krsna would save us.“ I also told him that recently I was preaching to an old (non-devotee) friend of mine, telling her all about Krsna and the nature of the material world. One day she wrote to me telling about Krsna’s appearance in her dream! She was in a boat and Krsna was there with her. So I sent her some beads, books and a picture of Krsna and the Gopies in a boat. She was in ecstasy!
I told Maktar that because the Lord is absolute, if He appears in someone’s dream He is really there. Then Maktar said to me, “I think Krsna appeared in my dream.” I said, “Really!!!!” Maktar said “Yes three times. Once as the blue person on the cover of ‘Perfect Escape.’ Then he appeared as a white lady kneeling with Her hands as if offering something?” He showed me how She was holding Her hands. Straight away the picture of Srimati Radhika kneeling in front of Krsna offering flowers to His lotus feat came into my mind. At this point my hairs raised up all over. Then Maktar said “The third time He appeared as a Lion?!!!”
Maktar didn’t quite know what to make of it all, especially because all he had was the Gita and Perfect Escape so he had never seen any other pictures of ours, but I was finding it hard to contain myself! We were eating at the time so I just told him I have some pictures to show him after prasadam.
After prasad I got the Srimad Bhagavatam 7th canto and the Krsna Book and showed him the picture of Radharani offering flowers to Krsna. He was satisfied when he saw Her. Then I carefully showed him a picture of Lord Nrsimhadeva after Prahlada Maharaja had pacified Him and I explained the whole pastime in a nut shell using all the pictures, showing him Ugra Nrsimha and explaining how the Lord protects his devotees. Maktar was very pleased with it all.
Bhakta Maktar has sincerely said to me that he knows spiritual life is more important than anything else and that he wants to spend more time with us and meet our Gurumaharaja. So please everybody pray to Krsna to remove all the obstacles for him.
Lord Caitanya really gave me a drop of the nectar. Srila Prabhupada’s books KI JAI!!
Your Servent
Uddhava Dasa