A few days ago, as I was traveling on the ferry that takes us to our ISKCON Center at Chodan island, a relatively young man approached me and started to talk to me. My Vaishnava (devotee) attire probably attracted him to me. He was asking me if I was a preist in a temple. To which I said "Yes". I asked him where he stays and what he does. He told me that he stays in Panjim and runs a chicken shop in Porvorim. I asked him his name and as I guessed, he happened to be a Muslim. I could see marks of dried up blood stains in different places in his shirt. I at once told him to try to switch his profession to one which involves less violence. I suggested to him to start a vegetable or a grocery shop. He seemed to be taken a little aback by what might have appeared to him to be a stange suggestion by a stranger. I told him that killing innocent animals is not right. They too have life and feelings like us. He was hearing me out. He then asked me, if one can eat chicken
Yesterday, we completed our discussion on the second canto of Srimad-bhagavatam in our daily morning Facebook class. It's a really wonderful feeling to have been blessed with this opportunity to serve the devotees and read and share based on Srila Prabhupada's purports. Very grateful for this opportunity to serve and thankful to all the devotees who supported me in this service. Reading Prabhupada books is on one level but when you share and preach based on what you read, then the experience is all together different. Only with sharing does the process of reading gets complete. May all devotees experience the joy of reading and sharing Srila Prabhupada's books. I have also realised time and again the power of consistency, the power of steadiness and the power of daily little. As Srimad-bhagavatam itself encourages us - "nityam bhagavata sevaya". Just by doing few slokas everyday, we completed the first canto and now the second canto. Every task seems big, as l