(From The Diary of a Padayatri)

We moved on from Route 647 to Highway 522. The temperature was around 75 to 80 degrees. People were coming and going. A car stopped next to us. "What is this"? asked the woman driving the car. We told her what we were doing, and she was surprised. This was too much for her, but she was inquisitive and wanted books (many times folks just ask for them). One of her friends in the car was focused on hearing what we were doing. Truly attracted, she gave us a small donation, which was full of devotion. We moved on. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna....

A lady came with bhoga, and we had a long conversation. Love of Krsna is inspiring many people, and she certainly was one. She gave us a donation and got a book.

We stopped at 6:30 pm right on Highway 522, a good place for preaching. A young Christian man came, and Candrabhaga dasi was fired up for preaching to him (she loves to preach). I pointed out that we should not just remain practitioners of religion but should encourage people to practice their own religion, and if by such practice they develop love for Krsna— God— than that is first-class religion. If we are imperfect, it is better not to judge others, because they have the right (the independence, you could say) to believe and follow their own scriptures. "By their fruits you shall know them," and those fruits are love. Hare Krsna Hare Krsna. We didn't spend much time with him, and we moved on.

A policeman stopped to ask what we were doing. "Ok," he said, " I will let the other guys know about you."

Then another gentleman ran out of his car with a large bag of bhoga and Christian literature. "Jesus is the only way," he said.

"So please pray to Jesus for us," we said. He came and gave us the bhoga.

We went to sleep at 10:00. Christians, Black folks, Chinese, Latinos— everybody gets purification. I prayed to the Lord and asked him to help all these sincere souls to grow in their spiritual life. "O my Lord, please help these fallen souls to become Vaisnavas. Then I will be able to love, to share, to hear, and to give my existence for Your service by glorifying Your name, form, qualities, pastimes, and so on. Not everybody can hear, but by Your mercy, You are here with us, and many of them can see Your beautiful form.

"This Padayatra is an offering to You— my Lordships Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurasundar, Lord Narasimhadeva—wherever you wish it to be. It's perfect, and I beg to be a part of that. It's a fact that people are in need of your mercy, as am I, and for me to be able to serve in this Padayatra program is the most wonderful thing that has happened in this life."

Why? Because Srila Prabhupada wants it. And by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and the Vaisnavas, after 10 years Padayatra is again on the roads of the USA— so much nectar, just waiting for someone to take it. By Srila Prabhupada's mercy, these insignificant servants were inspired to be part of this unusual service, and the reciprocation is unlimited.

I beg at the lotus feet of my spiritual master and the predecessor acaryas that they may give me the taste to be able to carry on with this beautiful service, where Their Lordships are present and Srila Prabhupada is guiding us. Please, Srila Prabhupada, let me increase my internal realization that you are present here with us. 

Hare Krsna. 

© dipika.org August 2, 2003