Lord Caitanya’s mercy.
Madhava Mohini, Gita Govinda, and I were in Waipukarau for one day of the mid-year marathon, and we had permission to set up a book table in front of New World.
About mid-way through the day, I called over a mature Maori lady (named Liz) with the line, “You look peaceful. Have you tried meditation?”
She didn’t answer the question, but she came straight to our table. She seemed captivated by the books and pictures on display and flicked through the books one by one. She fully focused on looking and had little interest in talking. Then she picked up the pamphlet about Srimad Bhagavatam and asked what it was. I explained the set while trying to gauge her interests.
After twenty minutes, she left to do her shopping and promised to be back. More than an hour later she returned, and we asked whether she would like the set. After some more strained conversation and awkward silences, she agreed to take it and gave a down payment of $250. This whole time she hadn’t told us much about herself or asked many questions.
We followed her back to her house with the Srimad Bhagavatam, while doing a little kirtan, and she became like a different person. She opened up and started asking questions about reading the books, practicing bhakti-yoga, and staying in touch in case she had questions. Liz hadn’t received a book
before and now, after many lifetimes, she has received Lord Caitanya’s unparalleled mercy in the form of having a large set of books about Krsna in her home.
Your servant,
Smita-Kanti devi dasi