For some time I had been looking for a replacement Sankirtan book distribution van. For this purpose I had sent many email-offers to purchase to different sellers advertising on various websites.

I did not receive too many answers. Many sellers are pretty firm with their prices. Money is very serious business! Everyone is struggling and scheming for profit. Without money one cannot live. But this Sun-day I was determined to physically view a few vans and had made appropriate arrangements.

As I was sitting in the library looking at my computer screen, this reply popped up. It was the son of the owner. The reply itself was not too encouraging. Later on I came to realize that his father was not only computer illiterate, but seriously ill as well. The son, whom I never met, handled the advertising part of the sale for the father. Intuitively I choose to go and see this party first and a second party on the opposite side of town later. It proved to be the right choice.

Through his personal expertise, this gentleman had already transformed the van into a simple camper van for his own travelling enjoyment. This was so appropriate for my own Krishna conscious purposes! I took it that from Krishna’s super-mind point of view, there was a plan and there was continuity in the plan as well. This van is so good and spiritual that it came with a OM sign on the back door, or at least the vestige of an OM sign, to be more precise!

His dis-ease however had steadily grown stronger. One aspect of the disease is that he had to speak with the help of an acoustic device, which he held to his throat. His speech was intelligible and definitely sounded like a computer voice.

Overall it had come to the stage where he had no choice but to renounce his travelling plans and sell the van. As he stated: “ My current travels are mostly restricted between my residence and the hospital.”

He allowed me to purchase the van at a good price. I thank him very much for his leniency in this respect. I got him to vibrate the Hare Krishna mantra, to which he had no objections.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA

KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE

HARE RAMA HARE RAMA

RAMA RAMA HARE HARE

I also gave him a complimentary copy of Higher Taste cookbook along with a copy of Reservoir of Pleasure, which he promised to read.

These three actions increase his and anyone else’s pious credit in devotional service. It will be fair to say that this gentleman truly and perhaps unknowingly performed some significant service for Lord Caitanya’s glorious Sankirtan movement. We cannot overstate the importance of practical service for Lord Caitanya’s Sankirtan movement and the spiritual benefits derived therefrom!

We wish him all auspiciousness.

During the conversation I also quoted Bhagavad-Gita As It Is (BGAII) 2.27, of which the whole world accepts the first proposal, whereas the second proposal is a different matter.

Sri Krishna says to Arjuna:
“One who has taken his birth is sure to die, and after death one is sure to take birth again. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament.”

In some ways the second proposal is a natural consequence of the first, just as night follows day and day follows night. The first part of chapter two of BGAII, from text eleven to text thirty, in other words twenty verses only, represents an analytical study of the attributes of the eternal soul, as opposed to the very temporary body. BGAII 2.30, purport, first sentence:”The Lord now concludes the chapter of instruction on the immutable spirit soul.”

Sri Krishna or fate – whatever nomenclature we choose to use – had in fact tricked me to meet this person, as the vehicle was mistakenly advertised as a diesel vehicle, which I was after. But it clearly requires unleaded petrol instead. Fortunately I realized this fact before the next fill up. To fill up a diesel vehicle with ULP will not damage the engine. But it will not run either. And then one has to face the clean up costs as well. Better follow owner’s manual instructions in all cases. The other reason why I got a better chance to buy this vehicle is that the add did not have any pictures at all. Adds without pictures attract less attention and adds with pictures work faster.

In this way I find I am often led to meet people in some sort of distress. Of course ultimately everyone is in a distressful condition, as everyone is subjected to the distresses of birth, death, old age and death. These four represent the summary of pain and suffering. Other pain is extra. “No one here gets out alive.” It is then my function and privilege to apply a certain dose of Krishna Consciousness for the benefit of all parties involved. Because of the obvious trickery used in this particular case, I am inclined to conclude that Sri Krishna, for reasons known only to Himself, specifically and intentionally targeted this fortunate soul for some special attention and mercy. To attract the Lord attention is a very privileged position. All glories to Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead!

In Bhagavad-Gita As It Is (BGAII) 2.40 He says:

“In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.”

In BGAII 7.16 He also says:

“O best among the Bharatas, four kinds of pious men begin to render devotional service unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.”