Port Elizabeth is nicknamed the: Windy City and any of those that have been there on a windy day will know what I mean. On this particular day, it was blowing a gale force wind. I been distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books in the car park at the Walmer shopping Center for about three hours. I think Ihad by that time only sold about five or four of Srila Prabhupada’s books. At one stage it became very difficult for me, my book bag, sand blowing into my eyes and the howling wind. At one stage it was unbearable. I would stop a person and as I tried to speak to them, they would just ignore me, or say that they had no time to stop and talk to me. The last thing a person wants to do after he or she wants to do after they come out of the shopping mall, is to speak to someone in force 10 gale. They want to get out of there as soon as possible and into the shelter of their car. One WV Golf stopped next to me. Out stepped a middle aged lady and her young little daughter. I could see from her appearance, that some how or other she had fallen on bad times. I introduced myself to her and gradually our conversation got to the subject of Krsna consciousness. I asked her if she would like to take one of Serial Prabhupada’s books. She told me that she did not really have enough money and began telling me about the passing away of her father about a week previously. I told here that her father is not dead, his body may be dead, but the real him, the spirit soul lives eternally. She smiled and thanked me. I gave her a Beyond Birth and Death, and said that should please accept it from me as a gift. She thanked me, and said that she could not take it from me without giving me something in return. I thought to myself, how would she able to, as she said that she did no have enough money. She told me that her daughter and herself, had only come to the shopping mall to buy a loaf of bread. She had come to claim five rand she had won a scratch-and-win card and that is what she was going to use to buy her loaf of bread. She handed me the scratch-and win card and said I should please accept it as compensation for Srila Prabhupada’s book. I thanked her and was overcome by her generosity, as she said, “Oh that’s allright, we will come back some other time to buy the loaf of bread.” Off they drove, they had come to the shopping center to buy a loaf of bread, with the only form of payment that they had, a scratch-and-win card. She left without taking the loaf of bread and got Srila Prabhupada’s book, the greatest gift of all, the eternal mercy and blessings of Srila Prabhupada and Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu!

Srila Prabhupada's books - The cure for material desease

I approached a young man in town in at the entrance to an office building, a security guard wearing a military-style uniform. He was smoking a cigarette and I said to him that he should give it up, and explained the reasons why he should try and do so. I said to him that he is healthy young man, and that look after his body and not become a slave to the cigarette and become his master. I told him to tell the cigarette to get lost. He told me that he had tried to quit, but found that it was difficult to do so. I told him not to try and quit smoking, but to do it. To my amazement he asked me if I had anything that would help him to quit. I gave him a Chant and Be Happy and showed him the maha mantra. I said to him, that each time he had a craving for a cigarette, that he chant the maha mantra, which is the best remedy to cure his addiction to tobacco. I showed him my chanting beads and said that he should try and get a set, as it would help him to replace the cigarette. He thanked me and gave me ten rand for Srila Prabhupada’s book. I am trying to realize, that the holy name of the Lord is the best medicine to cure the material disease.

The chanting of the holy name of the Lord

"The holy name of Krishna is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Krishna Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Krishna's name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Krishna Himself. Since Krishna's name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with maya [illusion]. Krishna's name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Krishna and Krishna Himself are identical." All glories to His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder-acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, who spread the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra all over the world, thus giving everyone, regardless of race, sex, age, nationality, etc., the opportunity to experience the ecstasy of the chanting of the holy name and to gradually develop their dormant love of God and thus end their stay in this miserable material realm and return back home, back to Godhead!

Srila Prabhupada's books are the most valuable thing in the world!

I met this young guy, coming

towards me in Oceanside, carrying a skateboard. He

looked a little on the homeless side. I introduced

myself to him - the gentleman next to him is his

father, and smelt of stale beer. He asked me if I had

some money for him. I told him that I could not give

me, as I was a monk, that I owned nothing, and that

everything that I do have has been given to me in

charity. I told him that I have something for him,

that not even money could buy, it was so priceless,

and handed him a Chant And Be Happy. He said that he

did not have much. I told him to go ahead and give

what ever he had - it was not the amount of money he

could give it was the thought that counted. "Go ahead,

give him something," His father urged him. He agreed,

dug into his pockets and pulled out a well worn wallet

full of papers and stuff. He could’nt find

anything in it, and took some coins out of his pocket,

and said it was all that he had. His father took the

book and lo ked at it, "Yes, this is a very good book,

thank you," he said. "You should be very proud to have

a dad like this," I pointed to his father. He put his

arms around me and said thanks. I told him that he

should not thank me, but that I should thank him. I

asked them if I could take a pic of then both, so that

I would always remember their kindness. The pic mode

on my digital camera was not fuctioning - I tried and

tried but it could not work. I told them I was sorry

that I could not take a pic, his father said: "Do not

worry, we’ll always remember you - just then the

mode funtioned and I took the pic. I said good bye -

when I got to the nexty street corner, I turned around

to see if they were still they - they were. I got to

the next corner, and saw that they were still there -

I waved, they both waved back and turned around! Srila

Prabhupada ki Jay!Yours in the service of Lord Sri

Krsna and His devotees,Hare Krsna,Madhumangala Das.   

Lava Matra - Infinite Mercy

In Prabhupada's books, time and time again, it is mentioned, that just by a moments association with a sadhu, a pure devotee of the Lord, one can gain eternal benefit from such association. This is lava-matra, just a moment’s association, one eleventh of a second.

Srila Prabhupada has said, even if one does not take a book, even if he just looks at it, or the devotee who has given him the book, he will make spiritual advancement. By the mercy of Guru and Krsna, the fortunate spirit soul who takes one of Srila Prabhupada's has the seed of devotional service planted in the heart.

The book may not be read immediately, but maybe one day, he thinks, "Let me read this book - I still remember the person who gave me the book, he told me that the book would help me to understand that I am not the body, but spirit soul, and as such I am eternal servant of God." Paramatma within in the heart, will give the spirit soul some curiosity and he will read it. As enquiry further develops, one wants to meet the people who are applying the book in their lives, so he takes the invitation flyer that was given to him by the book distributor and goes to the temple to find out more about the interesting book he has read, and of course, to learn about the author of the book he has read. On arriving at the temple, he is greeted at the entrance by a smiling devotee, "Welcome to our center.”Is this the first time you have come to our programs?" and leads him to the temple room. On entering the temple room, there is a smell of fragrant incense and beautiful pictures on the walls.

To the right is a man sitting on a raised seat wearing a garland of flowers around his neck, on a sort of golden throne. He seems to notice the man sitting on the seat, he remembers seeing his picture on the front cover of the book that was given to him by the devotee. Later he learns that it is the founder of the movement. On a alter, there are two golden statues with upraised arms, wearing beautifully decorated clothing ands a garland of flowers around Their necks. The program begins as the speaker gives a discussion on Bhagavad-gita, ending with questions from the guests and interesting answers. A devotees blows a conch shell, as all the devotees stand before the alter, as everyone dances in tune to the captivating sound of the Hare Krsna maha mantra. It sounds like a long lost friend who has returned, if fact, it sounds very familiar, almost as though it were bringing memories of the past. After the chanting, the devotee announced that prsaadam would be served, as everyone chanted, devotees came in with the feast, colorful and exotic, as everyone enjoys the sumptuous feast. So this was so nice, to see everybody, dancing and singing with joy, these people certainly are a happy crowd, yes I think I will continue to come and learn more and be with them. By the mercy of the Lord and His devotees, that special spirit soul who took one of Srila Prabhupada's books, is now a member of his family, blissfully engaged in the service of Srila Prabhupada Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's sankirtan mission, preaching the glories of His holy name, in every town and village.

Just from this moment’s association of Srila Prabhupada in the form of his books, so many fortunate spirit souls are living in his house which the whole world can live. Srila Prabhupada's house is non-different from the spiritual world. In his house, lives the most important resident of all, Lord Sri Krsna. Daily throughout the world, wherever there is an ISKCON center, so many programs are going to give people the chance to associate with Him, to always remember Him, and to never forget Him. The devotees of the Lord Sri Krsna are ambassadors of the Spiritual World and Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON movement, is the embassy of the Spiritual World. By distributing Srila Prabhupada's books, we are giving so many fortunate spirit souls an opportunity to go back home, back home to Godhead. or him.

When Srila Prabhupada was preparing to leave the planet and go back to the spiritual world, although he was very weak, whenever one of his disciples brought him news of large numbers of his books, he would become enlivened and pleased. All glories to Srila Parabhupada, savior of the whole world ki jay!