“Could I be Krishna conscious and still be a soldier?”
Pragosh (ACBSP): When I was introduced to Prabhupada in Washington, Hari Sauri said, “Prabhupada, Pragosh was trying to learn how to sell your books like full sets like an encyclopedia.”
Prabhupada asked, “So how did that go?”
I said, “Well, Srila Prabhupada, Tamal Krishna Maharaj and I had attempted this but it was pretty clear that the BBT didn’t have all the full sets in stock. Also, generally speaking, the common man is not going to be able to buy this many books at one time.”
Then he said, “So what are you doing now?”
I said, “Well, I went right back to the airport, Srila Prabhupada, like I was for the last few years.”
Prabhupada looked at me for a second and he kind of smiled and said,
“Yes, whatever increases book distribution, we accept. Whatever decreases it, we reject.”
It was a simple statement and I took it as a sort of a very specific instruction, which I look back on my life and I realize that I made many decisions that really didn’t increase my book distribution.
Another thing that Prabhupada said in that particular time was when he asked about prasadam distribution in New York.
He asked, “So they are selling prasadam in New York City on the street?”
I said, “Yes, Srila Prabhupada.”
He said, “What are they selling?”
I said, “I don’t know Srila Prabhupada. I’m not sure.”
Then he looked at me and asked, “Kachoris? They are selling kachoris?” His eyes got big.
I said, “I don’t know Srila Prabhupada if they are selling kachoris.”
Prabhupada said, “Oh, they must, they must. First class kachoris cooked in ghee. Then the meat eaters will lose their taste for meat naturally.”
We had all heard about Srila Prabhupada as “kachori mukha” as a child liking kachoris.
Then he asked me, “Do you stay here in Washington?”
I said, “No, Srila Prabhupada, I am living in New York.”
He said, “Oh, I began in New York”, again very childlike.
Then he asked, “Are you coming to Ratha-yatra?”
I said, “I wouldn’t miss it for anything, Srila Prabhupada.”
He said, “Yes, Ratha-yatra in New York City has always been my dream. America is the most important country in the world, and New York the most important city in America. And 5th Avenue is the most important street in New York.”
It was just a very warm and friendly kind of revelation.
It was a very personal interaction.
Previously when I told Srila Prabhupada about the soldier who had given me eighty dollars and took four books, the soldier asked me,
“Could I be Krishna conscious and still be a soldier?”
Srila Prabhupada looked at me and asked, “So how did you answer?”
I said, “I told him that the Bhagavad-gita was spoken to the greatest warrior in human history.”
Prabhupada was charmed because he looked over at Hari Sauri as if to say,
“This guy really knows how to lay it on.” (laughs)
Then he looked back at me, waited for a second and then said,
“You have answered rightly. Arjuna was a military man.”
Just like that.
He was enlivened by the simple frankness of it.
And Prabhupada confirmed it.
—Pragosh