Book Distribution Asylum Seeker Centre, Cork

All Glories to Sri Guru and Guaranga! I started the book distribution on 6th December 2010 from the main reception of the centre. During this time, one lady refused to take one initially saying she was a Christian. I told her I also love Jesus Christ and that there is only one God, she took the book. Another resident of the name Charles spoke about how he never ate beef but ate other meat such as chicken. He was happy to receive a book.

I gave a book to a lady who faces deportation, she was very happy to take a book and posed for photos with it. Another lady took one but refused to be photographed. One Brahmin asylum seeker from Mauritius was thrilled to take a book and asked for 5 more to distribute amongst his friends in the centre.

That evening, when I was finishing my shift I left some books in the reception area. I was delighted to see that the next day, 7th December, they were all gone. When I was going for my lunch, I left more on the table in reception and when I was finishing that day, I left more there.

On the 8th December, there was a lot of fighting in the centre, two ladies were arguing all day and it was really taking a lot of time and energy to restore the peace. The arguing was going on two days.

One of the ladies involved came to the office to speak to the manager and when she was waiting to go in I handed her a book. She left it to one side while she went in and spoke to the manager. When she came out, I said to her “Don’t forget your book”. She replied, “You want me to read this?”

I was surprised when the security guard next to me said to her “Yes, go read it, it’s a book about peace, love and harmony, you really need that now! Go read it!” I was amazed at the power of a pure vaishnav, Gurudeva is truly merciful!

I realized that leaving the books in the reception area was an ideal place, as the centre is open 24 hours a day and this gives residents a chance to take a book when I am not here. Sixty books out of a hundred have been distributed and I am sure that they will be gone by next week.

I am thinking of keeping some to one side to give to people in times of strife such as the arguing this week that turned to violence and assault and terrified the children of those involved who were present at the time.

I will be in touch soon with another update!

Your lowly servant

Tarini

Faridibad Book Stall

Last weekend a group of 3 devotees including me & 2 others organised a book stall in one of the biggest shopping mall in Faridabad. By Srila Gurudev's mercy I got the approval to organize a stall without any charge for 3 days. During these 3 days we Distributed about 300 Books from little ones like the way of love (50 Copies), beyond liberation, Secrets of the undiscovered Self, Chamatkar Chandrika, Damodrashtakam, Prem Samput to Big ones like Bhagawat Geeta (10 Copies), Raas Panchadhyai (2 Copies), Journey of the Soul (10 copies) & Jaiva Dharma (3 Copies). Along with that We Distributed lot of Transcendental Pictures.



I would like to share some of the wonderful experiences. A man named, Jamuna Prasad left his home to pick his children from the tudoring. He was delayed in being able to pick up his children so He was passing his time at the mall. He landed himself in front of our book stall to buy Jaiva Dharma, Raas Panchadhyayi, lot of other small books along with one year subscription to our monthly magazine "Bhagwat Patrika". Srila Gurudev brings Jivas to the Transcendental world through so many ways.



I also came across a school teacher who worships Lord Shiva. When I showed her the position of Lord Shiva through the map of the worlds printed in "Journey of the Soul", She was so happy. She bought a copy of the Journey of the soul along with Siva Tattva.



The most amazing part about this book distribution was the ISCKON book stall next to us. When I ran out of my BG I distributed few of Prabhupada BG & Krishna Book. The ISCKON leader (Gopeshwar Prabhu) & Others showed love & affection towards Srila Gurudev. He said Together we can fulfill the mission of our Acharyas & Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. At the end of the 3rd day they gave us Prasadam & Milk to us. It was a heart melting experience with them.

Puri Book Distribution

Today 2 girls from our book distribution seva team – Taruni dasi and Yamuna dasi – went out for an experiment. We wanted to distribute books near the Jagannatha Temple. We thought it would be a great chance to meet very pious people from all over India, who came especially to take darshan of Lord Jagannatha. We cannot go inside due to our fallen condition, so we were doing kirtana just near the main entrance. There was a big crowd there – hundreds of people searching for spiritual experience. We found distributing books there really easy. Yamuna was surprised, “I didn’t have to do anything. The books themselves did everything, books and kirtana, and Srila Gurudeva, and Sri Jagannatha.” While we were singing the maha-mantra, people were crowding around us and asking for books. We were non-stop giving them Ways of Love, Damodarastakas and especially Jagannatha Ratha Yatras. This constant flow was interrupted time to time only by dwarfish South Indian cows who were suddenly knocking their cute muzzles on our hands asking for some caresses.

I saw nearby one honorable looking Indian family and approached them with books. I was surprised to know that they came from New York. I asked the young gentleman, why didn’t he go inside the temple to see Lord Jagannatha. “My mum went for darshan,” he said, “but I didn’t go, because I feel bad they don’t allow foreigners to come inside. I think the Lord is for everybody, not only for Indians”. He bought the Jagannatha Ratha Yatra book.

Yamuna met very sweet children, with such a very natural and playful mood – she was just charmed by them.

In about two hours all our bags became empty and we managed to come back to Srila Gurudeva’s temple in time for evening prasadam. Now we are waiting for the rest of the girls who should soon come from the book fair, looking forward to hear their news. We’ll write more tomorrow.

Bhubaneswar Book Fair

BOOK DISTRIBUTION SEVA IN BHUBANESHWAR
07.12.2010 – 09.12.2010












Haribol devotees! Dandavat pranams and greetings from Bhubaneswar and Jagannatha Puri! Yesterday 6 young devotees in our ladies seva team travelled to the annual Bhubaneswar bookfair to continue the distribution of Srila Gurudeva’s transcendental literature. After an auspicious morning of parikrama of Sri Jagannatha Puri Dhama under the senior guidance of Sripad Bhaktivedanta Damodara Maharaja, the ladies seva team arrived infused with an exalted mood from the dust of the holy Dhama. Jaya!
With more than 500 publication groups participating in the book-fair, in various genres such as yoga, philosophy, literature and education, we were met with a crowd that was open and eager about reading, ideas, and spiritual life. Many young people gladly accepted “The Way of Love” and “Journey of the Undiscovered Self” which opened many a lively conversation on the nature of the soul and for contact with other amazing books. For half the team, this bookfair marked their first book distribution seva. Taruni dasi observed an upbeat and brave spirit in the new ladies as they approached book browsers for the first time. Despite certain language barriers we realized that sincerity and trust in Gurudeva and the books empowered the strong connections we made with others.
Sita dasi shared that many were astonished and curious to encounter Western women distributing books on Krishna. “Why have you left your country of opulence and wealth (so many conceptions of USA and Russia) to come to India? Who are you? How do you know Lord Krishna?” We shared about the power of Srila Gurudeva’s mission distributing the true wealth to the lost jivas – pure bhakti. Just as the bee is attracted by the nectar of the flowers, so our hearts are searching for the highest love and affection. In many of our encounters, Indians expressed moods of deep appreciation and honor toward the power of the Vedas to speak to souls all over the world. Such is the nature of the Absolute Himself! The sakti of the transcendental literatures lifted our energies to continue book distribution late into the evening and periodically we checked in with one another to exchange inspiring anecdotes from those who received books.