To learn all about this shot CLICK HERE.

Book-racks Bring Customers Into the Shop

Mr. Baweja has been keeping a Sastra Dana book-rack in his shop for over a year now. Besides getting the pleasure of performing this vital service, he says that the rack brings customers to his shop. The following is a short excerpt from an interview we recently did with him.

VIDEO:

Sastra Dana: You came here from India many years ago?

Baweja: Yes, I came about 10 years ago.

SD: And you’ve been living in San Diego ever since?

B: Yes, San Diego.

SD: What’s the business you have here?

B: I started with a wholesale business, silver jewelry. Right now it’s slow so I opened a store also, retail business.

Mr. Baweja’s shop is located at 4150 Mission Blvd, in Pacific Beach, just a few blocks from the temple.

SD: You have a rack outside here, one of the Sastra Dana racks. How did you learn about those racks?

B: From you, Mahat-tattva Prabhu.

SD: What is the reason that motivates you to have a book-rack like that at your store?

B: I have been religious since childhood and I am interested in promoting Krishna consciousness. I like people to know about Krishna consciousness and Bhagavad-gita, reality of life.

SD: Some people have a fear when it comes to keeping religious items, especially books, in their stores. But you said that this rack actually brings more people to your store.

B: Yes. Everyone likes free items. The sign says it is free. Everyone walking by stops here and when they take a book they come into my store. They look around. Some people buy something, some don’t.

SD: At least they get a book.

B: Yes, at least they get a book, they get Krishna consciousness.

SD: How do people usually react when they see the rack?

B: You can not tell their reaction, but they are interested in getting the book. They may read it or may not, I am not sure.

SD: Do you have any clue how many books you distribute a month?

B: At least ten books a day. When it is a slow time it may not distribute even a single one. But usually, on an average, it is five to ten books a day.

SD: What effort does that require on your part?

B: Nothing. I just take it out every day (place it in front of the shop) and keep it clean. That’s all. When I clean my store I clean the rack a little bit.

Mr. Baweja (right) & Sergio Canela (left) install a Sastra Dana rack in the shop.

Sastra Dana rack in front of Mr. Baweja’s shop.

Entrance to Mr. Baweja’s shop.

Sastra Dana book rack

.

Books Make Great Gifts

December is the time of giving gifts. Are you wondering what to give to your friends, coleagues, business partners, relatives, and everyone else? Wonder no more. Give Srila Prabhupada’s books to one and all. What could be a better gift then a book on Krishna consciousness?

Giving gifts and charity is greatly beneficial. Acording to the Vedas, charitable works made with faith and with lawfully-earned money, procure endless rewards. For example it is said that a giver of water obtains the satisfaction of his hunger and thirst, a giver of food imperishable happiness, a giver of land obtains land, a giver of gold long life, a giver of a house most excellent mansions, a giver of silver exquisite beauty, a giver of grain eternal bliss. BUT, a giver of the Veda obtains spiritual world. The gift of the Veda surpasses all other gifts, in spiritual and material merits.

Make your and others’ lives successful: order lots of books today!!!

sastradana.com
sastradana@gmail.com
#310.895.0104

.

Advent of the Bhagavad-gita

Thursday, DEC. 14th, we are going to celebrate the advent of the Bhagavad-gita, the day when Sri Krishna spoke Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna. As always on this day, we will make the Bhagavad-gita, and a few other titles, available to one and all for the printing cost only, even to those who are not Sastra Dana members. The goal is to sponsor as many Bhagavad-gitas as possible and thus commemorate this important event in a very glorious way.

You have an option to distribute the books that you sponsor or we can distribute them on your behalf.

Please see the list of available titles. Click image to download the PDF form:

.

Your Contributions

San Diego Sponsors:

Dhamesvara Gaura Dasa    $562.00
Harshavardhan Chitta    $150.00
Rahul & Nisha Arya    $143.00
Randy & Kripa Mayi DD    $102.00
Nalin Singhal    $50.00
Jayram Shetty    $25.00
Anonymous    $25.00
Guru Krishna D & Nimai DD    $21.00
Nitin & Jaysri Patel    $11.00
Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library    $2.01
TOTAL:    $1,091.01

Los Angeles Sponsors:

Esekiel Jaggernauth    $400.00
Anastasia Khabenskaya    $400.00
Advaita A. D & Sita Thakurani DD    $254.00
Vamsi Dasa’s family    $176.00
Justin Connor    $93.00
Jiten Patel    $63.00
Cesar O. Lopez    $30.00
Balai Devi Dasi    $21.00
Anonymous    $8.00
TOTAL:    $1,445.00

GRAND TOTAL:    $2,536.01

.

Distribution to Institutions

4,587 books!!! have been placed in the following institutions:

6269 / Farmer Valley Market / 9040 Campo Road / Spring Valley
6270 / Farmer Valley Market / 9040 Campo Road / Spring Valley
6271 / 4.0 Deli / 5844 Montezuma Rd. / San Diego
6272 / 4.0 Deli / 5844 Montezuma Rd. / San Diego
6273 / SDSU / 5500 Campanile Drive / San Diego
6274 / Roadpros / 1070 E. Main Street / El Cajon
6275 / Peoples Market / 4765 Voltaire Street / Ocean Beach
6276 / Peoples Market / 4765 Voltaire Street / Ocean Beach
6277 / Peoples Market / 4765 Voltaire Street / Ocean Beach
6278 / Peoples Market / 4765 Voltaire Street / Ocean Beach
6279 / Peoples Market / 4765 Voltaire Street / Ocean Beach
6280 / Peoples Market / 4765 Voltaire Street / Ocean Beach
6281 / Peoples Market / 4765 Voltaire Street / Ocean Beach
6282 / Peoples Market / 4765 Voltaire Street / Ocean Beach
6283 / La Mesita Restaurant / 7012 University Ave. / La Mesa
6284 / La Mesita Restaurant / 7012 University Ave. / La Mesa
6285 / La Mesita Restaurant / 7012 University Ave. / La Mesa
6286 / India Sweets & Spices /  /
6287 / Sipz Café / 5501 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. / San Diego
6288 / Gift & Jewellry World / 4150 Mission Blvd. #147 / San Diego
6289 / Americas Best Value Inn / 1801 Logan Ave. / San Diego
6291 / Cottage Art / 18619 S. Pioneer Blvd. / Artesia
6292 / India International Bazaar / 717 South Harbor Blvd. / Fullerton
6293 / Cottage Art / 18619 S. Pioneer Blvd. / Artesia
6294 / ISKCON Laguna Beach Temple / 285 Legion Street / Laguna Beach
6295 / Dr. Godbole / 12675 La Mirada Blvd. / La Mirada
6296 / Cottage Art / 18619 S. Pioneer Blvd. / Artesia
6297 / Shreeji Jewellers / 16828 Pioneer Blvd. / Artesia
6298 / ISKCON Laguna Beach Temple / 285 Legion Street / Laguna Beach
6299 / India Sweets & Snacks / 23371 Golden Springs Drive / Diamond Bar
6300 / Safron Spot / 18744 Pioneer Blvd. / Artesia
6301 / Artesia Center Cleaners / 11831 Artesia Blvd. / Artesia
6302 / Laguna Beach / Pacific Coast Highway / Launa Beach
6303 / Cottage Art / 18619 S. Pioneer Blvd. / Artesia
6304 / ISKCON Laguna Beach Temple / 285 Legion Street / Laguna Beach
6305 / Safron Spot / 18744 Pioneer Blvd. / Artesia
6306 / Radha Raman Vedic Temple / 1022 N. Bradford Ave / Placentia

As I was speaking to someone in the airport, a man came up to me who was so nasty — cussing and criticizing — that the person I was speaking to left. Then the nasty man got even worse. He was so loud that everyone in the airport lobby, whether at the ticket counter, the gift shop, or the restaurant, turned their head to look. He had a real foul mouth, this critic.

I considered leaving, but then I thought he might throw my books around. Anyway, I just sort of dealt with him in a humorous mood. One thing he said during his rant was how he didn’t believe in reincarnation and we did. So I just sorta teased him: “I wonder what you’ll be in your next life.” After I’d made a few comments like that, he started softening up, so I offered him a cookie. At first he said I was probably trying to kill him, but suddenly he grabbed it and began to eat it.

Then he started revealing his mind. He told me how a few months earlier a very dear friend of his, his best friend since childhood, had been killed on the highway. He’d been in his early 40’s. Then he told me how a couple of weeks after his friend died he’d had a dream in which his dead friend came to him and told him not to worry — that he’d reincarnated and was alive and happy. So in the dream my fellow at the airport had asked his friend where he was and what he was doing, etc. The friend replied that he was living in a beautiful forest with a big meadow. After waking up in the morning he would eat a healthy, natural breakfast and then go for a walk. Sometimes he would run in the beautiful meadow and get lots of fresh air and exercise, with the early-morning sun beaming down and all the birds singing. And not only that: there were plenty of beautiful ladies around to choose from.

In the dream the man I was speaking to had asked his friend, “Where are you living?” His friend had replied, “Don’t worry, I’m living now in Canada. I’ve reincarnated as a moose!”

My airport critic was bewildered about this dream, obviously, and didn’t want to face the reality of reincarnation. And that was why the main thing he was agitated about was our belief in it, besides thinking we were cheaters, frauds, etc.

I told him he objected so much because he didn’t want to deal with the fact that he was going to be responsible for all his activities, that he would be subject to the law of karma. I told him that the dream was no accident, that his friend was trying to help him, and that ultimately God was trying to help him.

Suddenly, to the amazement of him, me, and everyone else in the airport, he bought a book! And even as he walked away, his mixed ideas and emotions were coming out: “Cheating! . . . Really, that’s what’s happening?” He was pretty blissful by then.

Whew! What a scene! Afterwards, many employees and passengers and even a police officer came up and apologized that I had to be confronted with such a low-class, horrible person. It had happened so quickly and it was such a scene that no one knew what to do. Usually, we tried to avoid any ugly scene so as not to discourage others, but it worked the opposite way: two weeks later, the person I had been speaking to when this wild man came and interrupted, causing him to leave, was flying again, and he took the trouble to come over to me, apologize, and take a book.

All glories to Lord Caitanya’s and Lord Nityananda’s and our spiritual
master’s mercy!

Your servant,
Tulasi dd

A king or governmental official should be so well qualified that he acts as a father, maintainer and protector of the citizens because of affection and love. He should give the citizens good advice and instructions according to the standard scriptures and should be equal to everyone. Yamaraja does this, for he is the supreme master of justice, and so do those who follow in his footsteps. However, if such persons become polluted and exhibit partiality by punishing an innocent, blameless person, where will the citizens go to take shelter for their maintenance and security?

PURPORT
The king, or in modern times the government, should act as the guardian of the citizens by teaching them the proper goal of life. The human form of life is especially meant for realization of one’s self and one’s relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead because this cannot be realized in animal life. The duty of the government, therefore, is to take charge of training all the citizens in such a way that by a gradual process they will be elevated to the spiritual platform and will realize the self and his relationship with God. This principle was followed by kings like Maharaja Yudhisthira, Maharaja Pariksit, Lord Ramacandra, Maharaja Ambarisa and Prahlada Maharaja. The leaders of the government must be very honest and religious because otherwise all the affairs of the state will suffer. Unfortunately, in the name of democracy, rogues and thieves are electing other rogues and thieves to the most important posts in the government. Recently this has been proven in America, where the president had to be condemned and dragged down from his post by the citizens. This is only one case, but there are many others. Because of the importance of the Krsna consciousness movement, people should be Krsna conscious and should not vote for anyone who is not Krsna conscious. Then there will be actual peace and prosperity in the state. When a Vaisnava sees mismanagement in the government, he feels great compassion in his heart and tries his best to purify the situation by spreading the Hare Krsna movement.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 6.2.3

ISKCON Prison Ministry is looking for a copy to be donated of each:

• Caitanya Caritamrta - all in one volume
• Srimad Bhagavatam - all in one volume

This will be for one very interested inmate who would like to study these books. The books could be new or used.To see the catalog of books available through Sastra Dana click here.

Let us know if you could help with this. To contact us click here.

The catalog is finaly ready. See what books are available and in what quantities. Sastra Dana members get books at the printing cost. Order books to your heart’s content. To go to the catalog CLICK HERE.

Do you remember, any one of you, this verse from the Bhagavad-gita? Eh? But you don’t read. So I am writing all these books simply for selling, not for reading. This is not good. And if somebody asks you, ‘You are so much eager to sell your books. Do you read your books?’ Then what you will say? ‘No, sir, we don’t read. We sell only. Our Guru Maharaja writes, and we sell.’ That is not good business. You must read. Why I am writing so many books?

(Lecture on Bhag. 1.16.24: Hawaii, 20 January 1974)

To see the newsletter archives page CLICK HERE.

Hare Krishna

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Your servant,
Mahat-tattva Dasa

Don’t take this so-called material civilization has got any value. Reject it. You see? And be prepared for going back to home, back to Godhead. That should be aim. Don’t be allured by these rascal leaders. And the another rascal, the Mayavadi, they cannot believe all these things — “Make it zero.” Sunyavada. They also do not like the modern ways of life, disgusted, but they have no adjustment, and therefore “Make it impersonal, zero, finished.” Here is not zero. Here is substance. We are not after zero. We are after substance. The substance is described here. Just try to understand. We are not fakir. Fakir, this word is used in… One who has no hope, simply loitering in the street, he is a fakir, hopeless. So all are, they are fakirs. And we are not fakir. We are hoping to go there, to live with Narayana or Krsna, having this greatest opulence, eternal body, blissful life, full of knowledge and opulence.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.9.11 — Tokyo, April 27, 1972