Don’t Laugh

Bhakta Rahul, a dentist, who is member of the Brahamchari Trainee group of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir, Chowpatty recalls this interesting experience from last year’s Marathon:

I was distributing books in the local trains when these two men starting making fun of me. When I was announcing they were mimicking me. I ignored them and tried to focus on the announcements. When after the announcements, no one took the books and there was still time for the next station, I decided to tackle these fellows. I went to them and held the books for them. They giggled, and one said to the other, “You see,” The other said,”No, no. You see.” They were making fun and asking each other to see the books first. It went on for some time. I said, “Don’t worry, I will show both of you the books.” I opened the page straight to the painting where hellish punishments were shown. How a meat eater is boiled in water, how illicit sex leads to embracing a fiery body, and how intoxications and gambling lead to similar horrifying ‘rewards.’ I spoke all this in a simple straightforward manner. But, the result was devastating. Their smile evaporated. They stared with unblinking eyes. Something was serious. I don’t now what was happening to them. They took the Bhagavad-gita in their hands, turned a few pages and then one of them paid the money.