"I will take one box."

"I will take two boxes."

"Haribol..."

That was the mood among the congregation members for distributing Bhagavad-gita As it Is. Yes, I am talking about Gita Jayanti and the book-distribution mood at New Remuna Dham, Toronto, Canada. Book distribution is a service that Arjunanath Das has taken up to glorify Srila Prabhupada: distributing books among the congregation members and to the Torontonians in general.

When I asked how many copies of Bhagavad-gita As It Is we have been able to distribute all together, he e-mailed me all the names and the figures. Wow! That was over 500 hardbound Bhagavad Gitas in the month of December alone.

Brhat-mrdanga Das was in Toronto giving regular classes on Nectar of Devotion. During Sunday lectures he would inspire the congregation members to take Bhagavad Gita and read and understand this wonderful book of bhakti yoga.

A well-known real estate agent in the congregation who is also an initiated devotee said, " Brhat-mrdanga prabhu showed me how to understand all the Vaisnava scriptures. Just listening to his classes I decided that I should distribute Srila Prabhupada's books."

Every day the devotees at New Remuna Dham display Srila Prabhupada's books on a table near the reception area. During Sunday feasts, an additional table is set up in the main temple hall beside the Vyasasana, and Bhagavad-gita As It Is and other books of Srila Prabhupada's are displayed. Arjunanath Das sincerely keeps track of all the books and builds rapports with not only the book distributors but also the congregation members who are buying the books.

Finally, the day arrived— Gita Jayanti. Bhaktimarga Swami invoked auspiciousness by chanting the first sloka of Bhagavad-gita followed by the devotees. Devotees recited the whole Bhagavad-gita (Sanskrit slokas only) in the afternoon in unison as a yajna.

In the evening a grand production by Bhaktimarga Swami and the youths of Toronto, called "The Gita," was staged.

"I have never seen a play like this with Bhagavad Gita as the theme," said Althea, a hatha-yoga practitioner. "Just amazing, I have to say." Althea was visiting the temple for the first time that evening.

Kirtan and a six-course prasadam dinner were among the other highlights of the evening. Overall, Gita Jayanti and the Prabhupada Book Marathon has been a success at New Remuna Dham, Toronto.

© dipika.org January 18, 2003