While I was going from Parbhani to Nanded by a state transport (s.t.) bus, I was reading the book "Science of Self Realisation" by His Divine Grace A. C. BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupada. I was travelling alone and therefore was immersed in the reading. I was oblivious to the sights and sounds around me and even to the heavy shower that hit us along the way. Generally, I would have sat back and tried to enjoy the thrill that one gets while seeing the sheets of rain drenching the landscape, the intoxication caused by the smell of the earth as it quenches its thirst, and the quite inexplicably sweet melodious sound that emanates when the heavy shower interacts with things all around. And Ofcourse, if one tries to enjoy these sense pleasures then one is also inescapably aware of the various inconveniences that are caused by the water dripping from the window sill and wetting ones clothes and making one uncomfortable. This is the nature of the material world.. there is no complete bliss.. only partial bliss at best. However, I was immersed in my reading of the transcendental words of Srila Prabhupada and therefore was not looking for enjoyment of the senses. And therefore, I was not greedily sitting near the window to enjoy my senses and therefore not getting irritatingly wet :-) In short, because I was more interested in reading Prabhupada's book than in enjoying my senses, I was happy!
One person sitting beside me was time and again peeping into the book. After a while I handed the book over to him and prayed to Srila Prabhupada to make that person into a great devotee. Prabhupada has said that even touching his book will bring immense benefit to a person. Therefore, I am sure that that person had the great good fortune of touching Prabhupada's book that day :-)
Later, when I was sitting in hospital in Nanded, I was still reading that book :-) (I was in a hospital because my grandmother was not quite well.. She is still in the hospital. Nothing critical though..) In the hospital too, the person sitting beside me was peeping into the book. Perhaps he was atracted by the book cover.. the soul passing through the body as the body grows from the infancy to oldage and finally out of the body at death. So, I handed the book over to him too :-) Seeing the interest of others, the watchman of the hospital guarding the entrance to the ICU also couldnt resist and came to me to have a look at the book :-)
The best part hapenned sometime in the hospital itself. The person beside me explicitly asked me the book and passed it on to a person sitting next to him who passed it on to the person next to him. And that person hapenned to be a Muslim! That boy was the most interested in the book amongst the three and he browsed through it briefly and returned the book to me. Something inspired me from within and I just started explaining to them what the cover of the book depicts. The explanaiton of how I remain the same despite my change in body from infancy to oldage and how my mom would never say that I am not the same person really impressed them. Similarly the example of how at death the body remains in front of our eyes but still something passes away which distinguishes the live body from the dead. And ofcourse, once I was given this openeing, I was bound to take advantage of this opportunity to speak about the sublime truth and philosophy of Krishna Consciouness so expertly preached by His Divine Grace!
In a hospital no one has to be convinced that there is suferring in this world. And so when I spoke about the necessity of serving God irrespective of our situation in life it really impressed them. The three of them really were listening very very respectfully! And they were really impressed. And I was thinking just how inconceivably great is Srila Prabhupada! Well, this was not the end of it all..
That Muslim boy then came and sat beside me and started talking to me. I told him about Krishna Consciousness and the supreme position of Love of God and Service to God! And he was totally agreeing. He told me that Islam is also based on "Mohobbat" (love) and "Ibadat" (worship) and it also teaches one to serve Allah. And I told him about how actually there is only one religion -- Love of God. And then I told him that I dont represent Hinduism but that I represent Sanatan Dharma. The eternal relgion of Love of God. I told him that actually Hinduism, Islam, Christiaity are man-made religions whereas the only true religion is one -- Love of God! And I told him how just as sweetness was the "dharma" of sugar, Love of God is the "dharma" of he soul. And boy, was the boy impressed with all this.... He was very sweet and respectful.
He then asked me about the book! :-) I took this opportunity to glorify His Divine Grace. How he went to the US at the age of 70 and so on. And the boy was really impressed. It must have been quite a site. When my parents came to the hospital, they would have got the shock of their life! Seeing me in a very animated and amiable conversation with a person with a beard, and a Muslim hat and so on... basically with an unmistakably Muslim boy :-)
So many people held the book these last couple of days. They have all been blessed no doubt. But most of all the nice young (doing B.A. first year) Muslim boy who appreciated so much Krishna Consciousness and Srila Prabhupada. May Srila Prabhupada be merciful upon him and take him to the lotus feet of Gauranga!
Yours in the service of Krishna,
Abhijit.
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