Monthly Archives: December 2022

Topic: The importance of writing and distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books

Speaker : Vedanta Caitanya Prabhu

Hare Krishna

om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya.

hare krsna hare krsna, krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama, rama rama hare hare

Hare Krishna. Welcome to all the Vaisnavas present here. First of all we pay our humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of our spiritual master. Also our humble obeisances unto the lotus feet of all the Vaisnavas. Hare Krishna.

Today I would like to discuss Sankirtana and how to spread the message of the holy name.

I will speak on where, why and how book distribution started. The foundation for book distribution that we are performing in ISKCON now, actually started around five hundred years ago. The main disciples of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the six Goswamis were given four main instructions by the Lord and one of those was book distribution.

They personally studied the scriptures, taking the main essence of those scriptures and compiling the bhakti sastras. They also installed deities and arranged for Their worship by building temples for this purpose. They uncovered many pastime places of Sri Krishna in Vrindavan.

That is why our six Goswamis spent most of their time in compiling many books. If we look at the scriptures in our Gaudiya Vaisnava lineage we will see that our acaryas have contributed around five hundred books. They have written so many that we don’t even know all the names. Caitanya Mahaprabhu put most emphasis on writing of the books and that is the core reason why the Goswamis spent most of their time writing.

It took them so much time to write these books that they would not always get time to sleep at night. Sometimes if they did sleep, then in two or three days they may have slept for an hour or so. In this way they spent most of their time in writing scriptures. The books they wrote formed a foundation for all of humankind to come.

These very books are the means for humankind to pave their way in devotional service for many thousands of years to come. Caitanya Mahaprabhu always had this very vision in mind from the very beginning and that is why Caitanya Mahaprabhu had the Goswamis write these books. One of the Goswamis who was the youngest of them all, who was also the last one to join, was Srila Jiva Goswami. When the rest of the five Goswamis had left this mortal plane, Srila Jiva Goswami was the only one left and he became the leader of the whole Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya. He was expanding this movement.

Srinivas Acarya who is known as one of our main acaryas after the six Goswamis, Narottama Dasa Thakura and Syamananda Pandit were three disciples of different spiritual masters. The spiritual masters of all three of these great personalities sent them individually to Srila Jiva Goswami to learn the Gaudiya Vaisnava literature and then preach.

In Vrindavan dhama under the guidance of Srila Jiva Goswami, these three acaryas studied many books in accordance with our Gaudiya Vaisnava lineage. After studying these books, Jiva Goswami gave them orders by telling them, ‘You have studied and understood these scriptures and therefore now distribute this wealth of knowledge that Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami and Raghunath das Goswami have left with us.’ This wealth is the Gaudiya Vaisnava literature.

Jiva Goswami sent the three acaryas to go together and distribute this wealth. This was the first travelling sankirtana book distribution party. Srinivas Acarya, Syamananda Pandit and Narottama Dasa Thakura were in this party. There were no busses at that time, so the three of them loaded all the books onto a bullock cart. They left from Vrindavan to preach the contents of these holy literatures.

Just imagine what it meant to distribute a book in those days. To give somebody a book meant that whether that book had 700 slokas or 8000 slokas, all the slokas would have be hand written. First of all, one had to hand write the whole book and then distribute the other copy. It is not as easy as taking a book from the temple gift shop for 200 rupees and distributing it.

Now it is a different thing whereby hundreds and thousands of books are printed. But in those days they would have to be copied by hand and then given away. The whole affair of distributing books was a costly affair. The ink was expensive and paper was needed. Money needed to be invested. This was very important, because these books were later to become the foundation for the whole human civilisation for thousands and thousands of years to come.

In this way our three acaryas started this book distribution movement which is the foundation of our movement. Then Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Baladeva Vidyabhushana wrote commentaries on many scriptures. Commentary on Bhagavad-gita was written by Baladeva Vidyabhushana and Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura.

Based on these two commentaries, Srila Prabhupada wrote his Bhagavad-gita purports, mainly taking the commentary of Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana. Srila Prabhupada appreciated this commentary. His inclination was more towards this commentary because Baladeva Vidyabhushana would focus more on the philosophy whereas Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura would speak on rasa or the mellows of devotional service.

When you listen to Srila Prabhupada’s lectures, he places more emphasis on the absolute truth and devotional service, just like Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana. Both these acaryas have written many books. After this Bhaktivinoda Thakur has written books is a very wonderful and great manner.

Please bear in mind that Bhaktivinoda Thakur was a householder with ten children and a big responsibility in his profession as a magistrate. Despite all these responsibilities, Bhaktivinoda Thakur has written over one hundred books. Just think how difficult it is to write even one page. One has to put so much intelligence into writing. Even one page and one has to think so much about what to write. In this way Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura wrote over one hundred books and wrote thousands of Vaisnava bhajans. Today we know just a few of his bhajans that we may sing. How many fit in the Vaisnava song book? But he wrote thousands of Vaisnava bhajans and he would take long leave from his work at times for one or two months. During that break period he would further the preaching mission of Gaudiya Vaisnavism. Prabhupada said that in terms of preaching, Bhaktivinoda Thakur would go out with the sankirtana party and distribute pamphlets that he had printed beforehand. These pamphlets would contain the truth of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and also information of Sankirtana which Bhaktivinoda Thakur had written.

Bhaktivinoda Thakur was also writing a magazine at that time which he called “The Harmonist” which Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja took over along with two or three other magazines that Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja was writing at the same time. Bhaktivinoda Thakur also wrote books and would then send them to libraries. I heard that after many years, in the same year,1896, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur sent a book to a western country and someone read that book and many decades later this person joined ISKCON.

In this way Bhaktivinoda Thakur would put his books in public libraries and one of his main books is Sri Chaitanya: His Life and Precepts. This is a very important book of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur. This is the book he sent to an overseas library in 1896, which is significant because that was the year Srila Prabhupada was born.

In this way Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s message was going out of India for the first time and it is significant that this was happening in the same year as Srila Prabhupada’s birth. This cannot be a coincidence that Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s teachings went out of India. In this way we can see that Bhaktivinoda Thakur preached vigorously through pamphlets, magazines and writing books and sending them to various places.

After this, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja was there and he was involved in books from childhood. At the age of around four or five he had memorised all Bhagavad-gita slokas and at around six or seven years of age Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur would proofread all the books written by Bhaktivinoda Thakur. That is why we say that from childhood he was involved with spiritual books.

That is also why Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja would give much emphasis on book printing and reading those books in the future. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja would have three magazines going on at one time, Sajjana-toshani and two others. Once a person asked Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja, ‘You are doing this so often. Every fortnight you are publishing a magazine. What is the need for this?’ Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja answered, “Look, just in this one city every single day there are so many newspapers that are printed. Just in one day in one small city there are so many newspapers everyday. Just imagine how much you could print in relation to the eternal spiritual sky, which is unlimited. If I could get a chance I would print a magazine every second which I cannot do at present, because I do not have that kind of money. We have so much information on spiritual matters that we can print a magazine every second.”

Just see the desire of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja who would always give great importance to having a printing press. Upon getting that press, he named it the Brhat Mrdanga. This is because the sound of one mrdanga can reach inside one room, but brhat means very large. A large mrdanga does not only reach one city or country, but its sound can permeate throughout the whole world. If it is played over here, it will be heard all over the world, because these books can reach all the way to America or anywhere else through sound. That is why Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja called his press Brhat Mrdanga. He loved printing and distributing books so much that he would keep the printing press right in front of the altar where the deities were. This was because the Lord would then be able to look at the printing press and the books would be printed in front of the deities. In this way Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja gave so much importance to printing books that even on Ekadasi he would tell his disciples, ‘Rather than sitting here doing bhajan, it would be better to go out and distribute books.’

He would give more importance to distribution of books. Once when there was a problem within the temple, he told our Srila Prabhupada at one point when they met ‘Now the Math is on fire, meaning there are misunderstandings with infighting going on. If I had the opportunity, then I could sell the marble of the temple building and print books.’

This is because Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja gave more importance to books than the temples. This is the very thing that Srila Prabhupada also did. Once Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja wrote a letter to Srila Prabhupada saying that he needed some money to open a temple America. He was requesting a loan from BBT. Prabhupada asked his secretary what the state of the fund was and the secretary said that if they were to give the loan to Gopal Krishna Maharaja then their book printing project would have to be delayed. It would take two to three months to get more money for the printing once they gave it to the temple project.

Then Srila Prabhupada immediately said no to giving Gopal Krishna Maharaja for the loan from BBT. He told Maharaja that he could not have a loan at the moment. ‘First books, then temples. First print books and after that we shall see about opening temples.’ This means that we cannot delay book printing and distribution under any situation. This is the first priority, Prabhupada clearly said this. He would give a lot of emphasis to this principle and the first instruction that Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja had given Srila Prabhupada was to preach Krishna consciousness in the western countries in English.

Secondly Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja told Srila Prabhupada to print and distribute books. These were the two main instructions Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Maharaja gave Srila Prabhupada and who upon the basis of these two instructions, first of all founded ISKCON and secondly, the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Now Srila Prabhupada could have brought both of these projects under one banner, but he separated them for a very instructive reason.

It could be that at any time, ISKCON may have to close for whatever reason, but the BBT should always keep running. BBT should not stop and the printing and distribution of books must always continue under any circumstance. If BBT continues despite ISKCON closing, in the future another person can re establish ISKCON again. This is what Prabhupada was thinking. One time Srila Prabhupada gave a statement, “If even one person has a set of my books, even if the whole of ISKCON closes, that person is enough to establish the whole of ISKCON again. Purely because he has a set of the books, he will be able to do this task. This is how important these books are.” Srila Prabhupada personally said this and then he went on to say, ‘Every gentleman should have a full set of my books.’

This is the desire of Srila Prabhupada and it is not possible for any other product to bring about a revolution in the way Srila Prabhupada’s books do. Similarly, quite some time ago there was no communism in Russia. It was on the verge of happening. At that time there was a lot of disturbance in Russia and many people speaking in support of communism were jailed.

You may have all heard of Marx who was a promoter of communism and he is also the founder of communism. He was put into jail with a lot restrictions on him, but his sister or maybe it was his wife, used to meet him in jail everyday. What Karl Marx did was to take black paper from her and write something on it and then give it back to her.

She would then take away that black paper and the police would see this paper. They thought it was just plain black paper, nothing important. Therefore they continued to let this lady come and meet him. What Karl Marx was doing was used that he was taking lemon juice, using it as ink to write on the black paper about communism.

When you use lemon juice to write on black paper, you can’t see that writing. But when you put that paper slightly close to a small burning fire, a little far a then those letters become visible. In this way Karl Marx was writing many magazines which were being distributed throughout the whole country.

People in power who were against communism were not able to understand where the general public were getting such strong feelings from. They were certainly being influenced, but it could not be understood how this was happening. There were no lectures or talks happening to promote communism and these magazines were being distributed privately.

These magazines, or you can say sheets were being distributed in such a great way that Karl Marx was able to defeat the government even whilst sitting inside a jail cell. The whole government failed on the basis of the magazines that were written in a prison cell. After the fall of the government, Russia became a communist country and Karl Marx was released. In this way, we can see that books can change a whole government and influence people in such a great way.

This is what Karl Marx did. We can learn from this that it is possible to start a revolution through book distribution and that is why Srila Prabhupada said, “These books are like time bombs. You all just plan where to put them.” Prabhupada had set these books up in different places like time bombs, because he knew about the revolution Karl Marx had bought about just through books.

Even today after ISKCON has become such a great body and so famous and successful, these books are still the basis and they are priceless for the further success of our movement. Our acaryas, Srila Prabhupada, the Goswamis and whoever I have spoken of and those acaryas after Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and all those who are here today and whoever will come in the future, they all have only one desire. That desire is for us to distribute books, more and more in greater ways. In these two months especially there is great endeavour on the part of the devotees to distribute these books and this marathon will go on till 15 January. This is for those devotees who have an intense need to distribute to a great degree.

Then on 29 January there is an award distribution ceremony for all the temples in India. At the end of the ceremony we always announce which temple in India is the top temple for book distribution this year and which individuals distributed the most books. In this way all the announcements are made on this day. So it depends on all of you whether we will reach a certain target or not. Thank you to all of you for your patience. Hare Krishna.

Meditate of Krishna and reside in His space

Hare Kṛṣṇa! I am the speaker today.

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!

tuṇḍe tāṇḍavinī ratiṁ vitanute tuṇḍāvalī-labdhaye
karṇa-kroḍa-kaḍambinī ghaṭayate karṇārbudebhyaḥ spṛhām
cetaḥ-prāṅgaṇa-saṅginī vijayate sarvendriyāṇāṁ kṛtiṁ
no jāne janitā kiyadbhir amṛtaiḥ kṛṣṇeti varṇa-dvayī

Translation
I do not know how much nectar the two syllables ‘Kṛṣ-ṇa’ have produced. When the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is chanted, it appears to dance within the mouth. We then desire many, many mouths. When that name enters the holes of the ears, we desire many millions of ears. And when the holy name dances in the courtyard of the heart, it conquers the activities of the mind, and therefore all the senses become inert. [CC Antya 1.99]

Srila Rupa Goswami has said this. When we have to talk about Kṛṣṇa, Rupa Goswami mentions the above verse. How is Kṛṣṇa? He is infinite. The Lord is infinite and His topics are also infinite. How much can one mouth say?

In Marathi, mouth is known an “tond”. It is derived from Sanskrit. Rupa Goswami says – tundavali labdhye. Similar to Deepawali made up of colourful rangoli. I was thinking that I am today’s speaker and many thoughts were coming into my mind. They are still coming. Hence I remembered how many topics can I speak on with one mouth and time constraints. I am not the only speaker for today. Some of you are also going to become speakers by sharing your experiences, realisations, report, success stories.

It is known as the Hare Kṛṣṇa Movement, a movement of consciousness, of love. Like we have movements in the ocean in the form of waves. When there is a movement of extremely long waves, it is known as a tsunami. There is a movement on the full moon day as well. This Hare Kṛṣṇa movement leads to a change in the pattern of thinking.

May such a movement arise in your heart! This is the whole idea and currently your heart is steady. If there is not even a slight change in consciousness, even at a wave level, then movement is a distant probability. Everything stands still or is static, in a sleeping stage. We have to change from static to ecstatic. We have to become from stationary to mobile. This is the definition of peace in the material world. We have to create a movement. If Kṛṣṇa had not have come in this material world, how else would we have found or known the Supreme Lord. What if the Lord had stayed in His abode, Vaikuntha/Goloka dhama, busy in His eternal pastimes? We are here in this material ocean either drowning or dying or living even after dying. All this is going on in this prison house, but we are happily enjoying it here. Some people are busy in their distress. We too are busy in this material world enjoying the maya potency of the Lord. If Krsna had not come then, we would carry out our own businesses as usual. It would go on eternally.

krishna baro doyamoy, koribare jihva jay,
sva-prasad-anna dilo bhai
sei annamrita pao, radha-krishna-guna gao,
preme dako chaitanya-nitai

Translation
But You, dear Krishna, are very kind to us and have given us such nice prasadam, just to control the tongue. Now we take this prasadam to our full satisfaction and glorify Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krishna, and in love call for the help of Lord Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda. [Prasada prayers]

The Lord is very kind. We always say this. The Lord appears together with His mercy potency. We would not know about the holy names of the Supreme Lord, about His form nor His qualities nor His various transcendental pastimes had He not appeared.

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmi yuge yuge

Translation
To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium. [BG 4.8]

The Lord comes again and again, millennium after millennium. We get so many topics. Kṛṣṇa becomes our topic.

dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ saṅgas teṣūpajāyate
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate

Translation
While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises. [BG 2.62]

Lord Kṛṣṇa has said in Bhagavad Gita that the jivas in this material world, contemplate on the topics pertaining to maya. We meditate on topics pertaining to maya or various sense objects like sound, touch, form, taste and smell. Due to continuous contemplation on such topics we become attached to them. From attachment lust develops. We become busy in lusty, worldly activities. We cannot come for “Japa Talk” as we are too busy. There is no time. We would be eternally busy in our mundane work had Kṛṣṇa not come to this material world. Due to the appearance of the Lord Kṛṣṇa, the jivas in this material world get another opportunity. Had Kṛṣṇa not appeared we would have been deprived of this opportunity. Then it would have been only maya.

There is maya on one side and Lord Kṛṣṇa on the other side. Nothing else exists apart from these two. Lord Kṛṣṇa appears and gives us one more alternative. We have to contemplate, but contemplation is of two types. Earlier I had said that only 2 aspects exist – one is maya and the other Kṛṣṇa.

There are two types of meditation – one is on maya (mundane subject matter) like malls, shops, shopping centres which are filled with material subject matters. We meditate on it or constantly attempt to taste it. This is one type of meditation.

The second type of meditation is on Lord Kṛṣṇa and later samadhi.

Some people meditate on the television by watching it. We do not watch television. When we visit somebody’s place we observe that they are in deep meditation. They sometimes do not even realise when we came or left. They are totally oblivious to the reality of life. It is said that such persons are in meditation.

One who meditates on mundane subject matters is also practicing a type of samadhi. The second type of meditation is a real, correct and true meditation. It is meditation on the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. When we meditate on Kṛṣṇa, the process is the same, but now we are meditating on the Supreme Bhagavan. We are devotees and are engaged in devotional service, serving with all our heart and meditating on the Supreme Lord.

Devotional service is also known as –

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam
hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate

Translation
Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and one’s senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord. [CC Madhya 19.170]

The meditation on material subject matter is done by serving Mayadevi with our senses. We see with our eyes, hear with our ears and smell the fragrance with our nose. When we engage our senses in the service of the Lord, it is said to be Bhakti or devotional service.

2 types of meditation:
Maya
Lord Kṛṣṇa

In both the types of meditation we are using our senses. In Bhakti or devotional service we are engaging our senses in the service of the Supreme Lord. The rules are the same. We will be attached to that subject – on which we meditate. This is the first law. If we meditate on maya, we will be attached to Maya always contemplating on “me and mine”. This is Maya. Me and mine also have the word affection in it. Have you heard about “mamata”? Not that Mamata from West Bengal!

“I” is “aham” or “ahankar” or false ego.
“Mine” is “Mama” or “Mamata” or affection in action.

Those who are the servants of maya and senses are known as go-dāsa. Go means senses. Hence go-dāsa refers to the servant of the senses. Senses make us their servants. If we meditate on maya and engage our senses in her service, then we become attached to maya. If we meditate on the Supreme Lord then we will be attached to Him. When we meditate on maya then we will be attached to Mayadevi. The same law applies.

I wanted to share the ocean of love with all of you, but could share only few drops of wisdom from the vast ocean. Only so much is possible. Such few drops of nectar are an ocean for jivas like us. Jivas are also very small. You have already heard how small a jiva is.

bālāgra-śata-bhāgasya
śatadhā kalpitasya ca
bhāgo jīvaḥ sa vijñeyaḥ
sa cānantyāya kalpate

Translation
When the upper point of a hair is divided into one hundred parts and again each of such parts is further divided into one hundred parts, each such part is the measurement of the dimension of the spirit soul. [Śvetāśvatara Upanishad- 5.9].

When the upper point of a hair is divided into one hundred parts and then one of the part is again further divided into one hundred parts, then that part is the size of a jiva. This is the measurement of the spirit soul in the language of the sastras or scriptures. Did you understand it? Kindly understand it and preach it to others as well. The soul is so subtle that even though the doctors use the microscope they still cannot see the soul. Till now no powerful instrument has been created to see the soul. For this tiny soul even one drop of knowledge is similar to the nectarean ocean. The Kṛṣṇa katha we narrate or the kirtanas we engage ourselves in or when we hear about the Lord’s name, qualities and pastimes, it leads to bathing of our soul.

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ
śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ
sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam

Translation
Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step. [CC Antya 20.12]

The hearing and chanting is often referred to as a sprinkling. It arouses the love towards the Supreme Lord in our heart.

mālī hañā kare sei bīja āropaṇa
śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale karaye secana

Translation
When a person receives the seed of devotional service, he should take care of it by becoming a gardener and sowing the seed in his heart. If he waters the seed gradually by the process of śravaṇa and kīrtana [hearing and chanting], the seed will begin to sprout. [CC Madhya 19.152]

Due to hearing and chanting – the love towards the Supreme Lord is aroused in our hearts.

If we meditate on maya – we get attached to maya. This sort of attachment leads to the rise of lusty desires. This lust keeps us busy. If we meditate on Kṛṣṇa, we become attached to Him. It means we are performing devotional service by engaging all our senses in the service of the Supreme Lord. We perform devotional service and meditate on the Supreme Lord and then we get attached to Him. The result is that there is a gradual development of love towards Lord Kṛṣṇa. Attachment and then love for the Lord arises and we become the Lord’s loving devotees. We perform devotional services towards the Supreme Lord, not just devotion, but devotional service. Devotional service is bhakti in action. Devotional service is service with devotion and bhava. We will perform devotional service if we constantly hear, chant and meditate on the Lord. Then attachment for the Supreme Lord will arouse love for Godhead in our heart and we will forever engage ourselves in devotional service.

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
ahaituky apratihatā
yayātmā suprasīdati

Translation
The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self. [ŚB 1.2.6]

This is stated in Srimad Bhagavatam. The supreme occupation for all humanity is to perform devotional service. We have to perform devotional service towards the transcendental Supreme Lord. It is clearly mentioned here. How should this devotional service be performed? Devotional service should be performed with love and without any cause or motive. It should be performed because we love the Lord. We can perform bhakti by lovingly serving the Lord. It should not have any hidden motive.

Om Jai Jagadish Hare
Swami Jai Jagadish Hare
Sukh Sampati Ghar Ave
Sukh Sampati Ghar Ave
Kasht Mite Tan Kaa
Om Jai Jagadish Hare

Work is done, but at the same time it is destroyed. This verse from Srimad Bhagavatam tells us that the devotional service should be without any motive. Devotional service should be free from material desires. Devotional service should be without any material attachments and should be uninterrupted. When we do such type of Bhakti, our soul will become completely satisfied. Then we will be happy.

It is good that the Lord appears here and gives us topics to meditate and think upon. It also provides us an opportunity to serve the Supreme Lord. The result of all this is that we become free from the bondage of maya.

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te

Translation
This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it. [BG 7.14]

One who surrenders to Me,

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Translation
Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear. [BG 18.66]

Do not fear. I am here. Like this the Lord is there to always protect us and also to invite us to go home, back to Godhead. He gives us the practical process on how we can go back home. He has given us the manual in the form of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. The purpose of all these manuals is how the living entities can go back home. How can they attain Lord Kṛṣṇa. To tell us the process why Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared. He had already given it to us in the form of Bhagavad- gita.

All glories to Srimad Bhagavad-gita!

We have this manual. We are in the process of going home. Are you in the process of going Home? In this process, we want to share this manual with others also, so that they too can become free from the clutches of maya and go back to Godhead. Even their souls become blissful and happy and attain the mercy of the Supreme Lord.

sri-guru-carana-padma, kevala-bhakati-sadma,
bando mui savadhana mate
jahara prasade bhai, e bhava toriya jai,
krishna-prapti hoy jaha ha’te

Translation
The lotus feet of our spiritual master are the only way by which we can attain pure devotional service. I bow to his lotus feet with great awe and reverence. By his grace one can cross the ocean of material suffering and obtain the mercy of Krishna. [Guru Vandana Verse no 1]

To make us understand, the Lord gives us scriptures and a spiritual master. This is the arrangement of Kṛṣṇa. Thank you Kṛṣṇa. Be grateful to Lord Kṛṣṇa always with your mouth.

If there any questions devotees can raise their hands.

Q: Saudaya Sindhu Dasi: Gurumaharaja, you mentioned in your talk we need to share Kṛṣṇa with others, but people do not take interest in it. They say this topic is very boring and has no entertainment in it. Why are you telling me this? What do I do in this respect? We are calling them to our centre where we speak to them about Lord Kṛṣṇa and Bhagavad-gita. What to do? They do not find it interesting.

A: Lokanath Swami Maharaja: They are not getting joy in this. Feed them Kṛṣṇa prasada. They will like that. Start from there. Engage them in kirtana, chanting and dancing. People like festivals. Celebrate Janmastami, Ratha-yatra. Invite them to participate in festivals. Gradually, their faith will increase then they will definitely hear. Jivas like the Supreme Lord a lot and jivas also like topics about the Supreme Lord. Hence it is said,

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya

Translation
Pure love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens. [CC Madhya 22.107]

Continue speaking to that jiva according to his various duties and attributes as per his nature. Engage them as per their inclination. Give them some practical services. When they perform such services, it leads to…

etāvaj janma-sāphalyaṁ dehinām iha dehiṣu
prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā śreya-ācaraṇaṁ sadā

Translation
It is the duty of every living being to perform welfare activities for the benefit of others with his life, wealth, intelligence and words. [ŚB 10.22.35]

Some persons give you their life by performing physical services. Some people are rich. They do not give their time, do not listen to us. They give us their wealth for temple construction and festivals. They do not have time to visit the temples during festivals, but they sponsor festivals, Service attitude begins with this. When one gets an opportunity to associate with sadhu sang, then there is gradually an opportunity for sravana or hearing. To reach this stage prior preparation is required. That is known as ajnata sukriti (unintentional or unknowing devotion). We progress and then we get happiness in the association of devotees and engage in performing kirtana. Somehow we have to trick them and engage them in the Lord’s service.

Q: Anandi Bhakti Dasi: Gurumaharaja, in your japa talk today, you mentioned that we should meditate on Kṛṣṇa and not go towards maya. While chanting even though we try hard, our mind deviates.

A: Lokanath Swami Maharaja: Okay, the mind deviates. You are not the only one. There is a famous proverb in Marathi – which says that in each house the cooking range in made up of mud. Each one has similar stories. Arjuna also speaks in the 6th Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, “You are asking me to meditate.” The name of the Chapter is Dhyana Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga.

cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham
tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva su-duṣkaram

Translation
The mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kṛṣṇa, and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind. [BG 6.34]

The mind is restless. Kṛṣṇa said, “Yes, I am aware of it. I have created the mind. You need not tell me that the mind is restless, that it deviates or runs here and there.” Kṛṣṇa has given the remedy and we should follow it.

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
asaṁśayaṁ mahā-bāho mano durnigrahaṁ calam
abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate

Translation
Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O mighty-armed son of Kuntī, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by suitable practice and by detachment. [BG 6.35]

Practice mind control and you will make progress. There is a city in Italy known as Rome. There is a saying – Rome was not built in a day. Rome is a very beautiful city and took many years to build. Our full development in Krishna consciousness will not happen overnight. We have to practice it daily.

yato yato niścalati manaś cañcalam asthiram
tatas tato niyamyaitad ātmany eva vaśaṁ nayet

Translation
From wherever the mind wanders due to its flickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the Self. [BG 6.26]

Wherever this restless mind wanders, we have to bring it back and again meditate on the super soul or Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. Never give up these attempts. There is a proverb in Marathi, which means – if you stop you are finished. If you stop endeavouring, you will remain wherever you are currently. Go on practicing.

Q: Ratna Bhushan Dasa: We are creating a new centre at Kailash ganj. The work is about to finish shortly. All the devotees wish to invite you for the inauguration. This is 130 km. from Orissa.

A: Lokanath Swami Maharaja: Thank you for the invitation

Q: Radhika Dasi: Since the last week, I have visited 3 schools. I met one thousand students. I met their teachers. I donated 5 Bhagavad-gitas to their libraries. I asked them if I could come and teach the students Bhagavad-gita and explained how will it help them in their studies. They replied, “Yes you can come.” The students are both Hindus and Muslims. They have given me the permission, Gurumaharaja. Please think how I will be able to cultivate them.

A: Lokanath Swami Maharaja: The Chief minister in the state of Delhi is Arvind Kejriwal. I know you are well aware of it. The devotees in Delhi have compiled a syllabus for spiritual education which is government approved. There are some spiritual books. Kindly check which types of books these are and how to teach them. Then you can also teach from such books as it is approved by the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi. Other devotees can also follow it. Why only in Delhi? It can be implemented in other places also. Moral education nowadays has a lot of scope. There is more demand and supply is less.

Q: Manjulali Dasi: We preach in our Gita courses that all activities should be performed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We do not have to stop any activity, but we have to keep Kṛṣṇa in the centre of all our activities. Maharaja, like new year is coming. People have a lot of craze to celebrate it. We are celebrating a Kṛṣṇa conscious New Year. We are doing kirtana, playing Kṛṣṇa games, so that new comers are attracted to how we celebrate the new year. We are doing maha-aarti at midnight. I wanted to know Gurumaharaja, whether I am on the right track or am I in the modes of passion and ignorance.

Lokanath Swami Maharaja: Why are you doubting?

Manjulali Dasi: Because of night time party and we are normally not awake that long.

Lokanath Swami Maharaja: You are not the only one. Such programs are conducted by various temples and preachers all over the world. I think on the last day the katha in Pune Bhagavad Katha, it will go on till midnight. There will be lots of activities – more chanting, more dancing. We will wish them a happy new year and will talk about new year resolutions also. We will not just wish them a happy new year, but will give them a formula to be happy. Drink wine and be happy is not possible. Drink milk and not wine. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and be happy. They should make some new year resolutions. Ask everybody to make new year resolutions which can make them happy at the end of the year or day. The world does not know that the Lord has told us to become yogis and become happy. But the materialists say, “Become bhogi, enjoyers”. Somehow please send this message across to all the people who participate in New Year’s Eve. Don’t be bhogi. Become a yogi. If you meditate on maya, you will be attached to lust and will finally be destroyed. Be a devotee and meditate on the Supreme Lord. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then gradually you will progress in Krishna consciousness. Hence, become a yogi. Repeat what has already been said by Srila Prabhupada – Krishna consciousness is very easy. Dance, sing and honour prasada. If they take a resolution of these 3 things – Chant the Lord’s name, dance and when you’re tired, honour prasada, no more chicken or mutton only

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

Translation
If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it. [BG 9.26]

They could begin with some change somewhere. It might not be possible for them to do the wholesome revolutionary change. They could begin by taking baby steps before the actual marathon. A child takes baby steps, later walks then runs and then participates in a marathon. Like that, let the people begin somewhere. The Lord is very attractive. He will attract them fully. They will end up becoming fully Krishna conscious. As the Lord has told us – if we do something for Him or make a little advancement in this spiritual path, we will get a human form of life in the next birth and from there we will continue.

nehābhikrama-nāśo ’sti pratyavāyo na vidyate
sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt

Translation
In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear. [BG 2.40]

So let them begin. This is enough.

Meditations for book distribution

Hare Krsna

I am very grateful to be here with all of you. I offer my humble obeisances to Maharaja. I am told to speak on how to be enthusiastic while distributing books. Whatever I say will be by the mercy of my spiritual master. So hopefully I will represent him properly.

I will begin this talk by sharing a verse from Srimad Bhagavatam 10.2.37.

śṛṇvan gṛṇan saṁsmarayaṁś ca cintayan
nāmāni rūpāṇi ca maṅgalāni te
kriyāsu yas tvac-caraṇāravindayor
āviṣṭa-cetā na bhavāya kalpate

Translation:
Even while engaged in various activities, devotees whose minds are completely absorbed at Your lotus feet, and who constantly hear, chant, contemplate and cause others to remember Your transcendental names and forms, are always on the transcendental platform, and thus they can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

This is a very beautiful verse from Srimad Bhagavatam. We will discuss what Srila Prabhupada says in the last part of this purport.

Srila Prabhupada says that the one word in this verse – kriyasu means everybody should serve Krishna; one should engage in the practical service of the Lord. From this purport we can understand how dear book distribution is to Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada said, “Books are the basis for the Krsna conscious movement.” This is very important. One may approach any person so that he should also become a devotee. Such activities are recommended in this verse. kriyāsu yas tvac-caraṇāravindayor – Such activities will always engage us in the Lord. By fully concentrating on distributing books for Krishna one is fully absorbing Krishna. This is samadhi. From this we can understand book distribution is very dear to Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada said that books are the basis of Krishna Consciousness movement. Basis of foundation means on which everything stands. I heard from the series Prabhupada memories wherein he says that if you do not read my books, you will be in a dangerous condition. So that’s one thing which can excite us to do book distribution.

Now some practical tips of books distribution. When I go for book distribution, I like to keep some slokas which I chant.

For example Caitanya Caritamrita Adi lila 14.1

kathañcana smṛte yasmin
duṣkaraṁ sukaraṁ bhavet
vismṛte viparītaṁ syāt
śrī-caitanyaṁ namāmi tam

Translation:
Things that are very difficult to do become easy to execute if one somehow or other simply remembers Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But if one does not remember Him, even easy things become very difficult. To this Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu I offer my respectful obeisances.

By keeping this verse in mind, by remembering Caitanya Mahaprabhu we can distribute books. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is actually in great anxiety. He wants people to have this knowledge. We can think in this way. We are acting as instruments for Srila Prabhupada and Caitanya Mahaprabhu because they have compassion. Even if we do not feel so much compassion in our hearts, we can act according to their instructions. Then we can feel one drop of their compassion.

Another verse which I like to keep in mind is Bhagavad-gita 10.10.

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te

Translation:

To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.

When I think about this verse and go for book distribution even if I don’t know what to say. Krishna will give me the words. This is Krishna’s promise. He says in Bhagavad-gita that knowledge, remembrance and forgetfulness comes from him.

Book distribution is the perfect practice to test this. And again, and again we experience that Krishna is with us.

In 1975, a book distribution team was with Srila Prabhupada. There were different groups of book distribution parties quarrelling amongst themselves. The quarrel was that each team claimed that they had the most unique technique of book distribution. The only solution was to ask Srila Prabhupada which technique he thought was the best. Srila Prabhupada heard both the parties very attentively. Then Srila Prabhupada said, “Actually the best thing to do, is to teach the devotees to be sincere,” and at the same time he put his hand on his heart. He said, “You teach them to be sincere and the master within will tell him what to say.” Prabhupada was giving them proper consciousness by which book distribution should happen. When we are going out we should fully depend on Krishna’s mercy. This book distribution is very exciting, because when we go out for book distribution, we never know what will happen. We don’t know who we will meet, therefore one should be thinking, “I am just coming out as an instrument in Krishna’s hand and Krishna will surely use one.”
Now I have another point as well, another vision on this verse.

tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

Translation:
One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly. (Śikṣāṣṭaka 3)

Now we know this verse pertains to the chanting of the holy name of Krishna. We can also take it to realize this verse in book distribution. In order to continuously distribute books, we have to be more humble than a blade of grass because so many people – say so many things to us, reject us, call us names, tell us we are wasting our time – but we have to be more tolerant than the tree. Mānadena – We also have to be ready to offer respect to others because for sure people will disrespect us. People will call us ill names, and show us a way out, but we have to just tolerate these things and continue with our book distribution because Krishna is within every single atom and when He sees that we are going on with such humility, enthusiasm, patience and determination, for sure Krishna will be pleased.

And I have some evidence from Bhagavad-gita to prove this.

I will share with you a couple of purports which will help you with book distribution.

prakṛter guṇa-sammūḍhāḥ
sajjante guṇa-karmasu
tān akṛtsna-vido mandān
kṛtsna-vin na vicālayet

Translation:
Bewildered by the modes of material nature, the ignorant fully engage themselves in material activities and become attached. But the wise should not unsettle them, although these duties are inferior due to the performers’ lack of knowledge. (BG 3.29)

Purport:
Men who are ignorant cannot appreciate activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa advises us not to disturb them and simply waste valuable time. But the devotees of the Lord are more kind than the Lord, because they understand the purpose of the Lord. Consequently they undertake all kinds of risks, even to the point of approaching ignorant men to try to engage them in the acts of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which are absolutely necessary for the human being.

With this burning desire, Srila Prabhupada and previous Acaryas are desiring for the fallen conditioned souls to get this knowledge. “I know they have this human form of life and with this human form of life they can attain again the spiritual world.” Krishna is also pleased when His knowledge is shared. The evidence is in Bhagavad-gita 18.68

ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ
mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati
bhaktiṁ mayi parāṁ kṛtvā
mām evaiṣyaty asaṁśayaḥ

Translation:

For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me.

In purport also we get great inspiration in book distribution.

Bhagavad-gita should be explained to persons who are ready to accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is a subject matter for the devotees only and not for philosophical speculators. Anyone, however, who tries sincerely to present Bhagavad-gita As It Is will advance in devotional activities and reach the pure devotional state of life. As a result of such pure devotion, he is sure to go back home, back to Godhead.

Here Srila Prabhupada is giving a 100 percent guarantee that you can go back to Godhead by doing this seva.

I am very grateful to all of you for taking this mission of Srila prabhupada as your life and soul. I was hearing how you were all sharing with HH Lokanath Maharaja your book distribution stories. It is inspiring to hear how the devotees are so dedicated in spreading the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thank you so much.

Srila Prabhupada ki Jaya! Book distribution ki Jaya!

Topic : Etiquette to be observed while distributing books

Suryavanshi Dasa – We are doing padayatra in Maharashtra. Books are being distributed in schools and colleges and in the markets. Many people get their salary during the first half of the month and book distribution becomes easy. Many people from the congregation are purchasing books – 60 Bhagavad-gītā or Srimad-Bhagavatam sets. Some Matajis are buying Bhagavad-gītā to distribute it as daan in the upcoming festival of Makar Sankranti and some of them are buying it as return gifts to be given in their wedding ceremonies. We are devising various plans, specifically targeting schools, colleges and market places. Some people are saying that they will distribute Bhagavad-gītā, because of the upcoming elections. Such words are not guaranteed. This is a new idea of how some people want to distribute books. If we serve like this, we can serve everyone better. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Mahadev Dasa – Guru Maharaja, I made a plan and it was successful. I have approached various institutions and coaching centres and have planned to start Bhagavad-gītā classes there. Hopefully it will be successful. I am planning to start my Bhagavad-gītā classes from next Monday at various institutes and coaching centres. Thank you. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Braja Vilasini Dasi – Guru Maharaja, my strategy is first of all to tell them what’s in this book. In case they are not interested, we then tell them about ourselves. We run a business and need their support. This has a positive effect on them because they think that we are not selling books, but taking out time from our busy schedule to distribute books. We have a few friends who daily travel by train. I take 1 box of books and distribute it in the train. I have taken a pledge to distribute 108 books, but will try to distribute more than that.

Arcavigraha Devi Dasi – Thank you for giving me an opportunity to share. While distributing books we should share Gita Mahatmya. We should study it ourselves first. I delivered a Sunday feast lecture at the Giriraj Centre. After the lecture 5 to 7 people came to me, and they sponsored 11 books and promised that they would distribute Bhagavad-gītā on a one to one basis. Amongst them was a person who had come for the first time. He took chanting beads and a Bhagavad-gītā from me. All of them promised that they would read Bhagavad-gītā. The prime focus of my lecture was the benefits of reading Bhagavad-gītā. It had many points, which people liked and so they purchased Bhagavad-gītā. The point I want to highlight, is that we should tell people the importance of Gita Mahatmya because hearing that many people will buy the book. Many devotees did Tula Daan. We can encourage people to do Tula Daan on their birthdays. One mataji from Vrindavan did Tula Daan on her daughter’s birthday. This was held on Gita Jayanti and 67 books were donated. I am requesting everybody to share Gita Mahatmya at the time of distributing books and then encourage people to participate in Tula Daan on their birthdays or wedding anniversaries. You can follow these tips and distribute more books. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Bhaktin Pinky Yadav – I distribute Bhagavad-gītā on a door to door basis. Seeking Gurumaharaj’s blessings so that I can distribute more and more Bhagavad-gītās.

Vishnu Kanti Devi Dasi – I participated in the school program for the first time. There I told them about Bhagavad-gītā. I had carried one box with me, the principal also bought one Bhagavad-gītā. She told me that she would definitely read it. When after my address nobody came ahead. I uttered the name of Srila Prabhupada and took out my bead bag. After some time people started coming forward to buy the books. Everybody told me – “Yes, we will definitely read this book.” The entire box was distributed. Seeking the mercy of Guru Maharaja, to continue this seva. Hare Kṛṣṇa

Devotees (Nepal Padayatra) – Recently we had a nice experience. We normally try to distribute books during Padayatra. If we give a single Bhagavad-gītā people accept it. The cost here is Rs. 350/-. We add two small books and distribute the set.The cost of the set is Rs. 500/-. It is very good, cause when the people make payment, they give a single 500 rupee note. We try to give them the maximum amount of books. Making a set of 3 books makes them happy. If somebody does not start reading Bhagavad-gītā, then he can at least start reading small books. Hence, he too can start connecting with Srila Prabhupada. A set of 3 books includes small books leading to nice book distribution.

Today’s japa talk is very special as Kautukarnava Prabhu is amongst us. There is a famous place in USA known as Silicon Valley. It has a famous ISKCON temple and it is specifically known for its book distribution, under the guidance of Vaisesika Prabhu who is one of the senior disciples of Srila Prabhupada. He holds seminars across the world on book distribution. Till today, he performs his daily seva of book distribution. He shares many tips and strategies. Kautukarnava Prabhu has obtained personal guidance under him and has been trained by Vaisesika Prabhu. Now he too distributes books under his guidance. There is a special team in ISKCON Silicon Valley doing book distribution. It is an important and interesting service. They do not devise new processes for book distribution. Their focus is mainly on which places the books can be distributed. There are lots of benefits. If you hear today’s japa talk attentively you will understand book distribution better and also get new strategies. We just have to participate in the activity of book distribution. We would like to thank Kautukarnava Prabhu. He has a beautiful name. Lord Kṛṣṇa is the ocean of praise. Lord Kṛṣṇa is full of praise. How can we distribute the knowledge of the Supreme Lord, Bhagavad-gītā to various people.

Kautukarnava Prabhu – Thank you very much for giving me an opportunity to present myself before all of you. First of all I would sincerely like to thank Lokanath Swami Maharaja and offer my obeisances to him for arranging this beautiful zoom call through which so many devotees can jointly do japa and know more about Srila Prabhupada. They are getting the daily darshan and association of Maharaji. I am grateful to him. I am also grateful to all the assembled devotees.

Recently I was reading a newsletter issued by ISKCON, mentioning Lokanath Swami Maharaja. Srila Prabhupada had written a letter to Subhavilas Prabhu. I would like to share this letter with all of you in brief.

This was written on March 16, 1970. Srila Prabhupada wrote:

Whatever is available easily we can use. There is no objection to using electricity. But we should not be dependent upon it. Produce oil from castor seeds and stock the oil sufficiently. It can be used in so many ways—for burning, grease, cooking, and as a purgative to cure all diseases. And oxen can be used for driving carts and go preaching village to village. What is the question of killing them? Here in India our Lokanatha Maharaja has successfully organized such a program and it is a great success.

Lokanath Maharaja has successfully performed similar types of activities. It is a big success as Lokanath Maharaja has done padayatra throughout India. He distributes prasada and books. Every night he stays at a different village. We can send similar types of vehicles in the entire world. With the blessings of Lokanath Swami, I would like to begin my presentation. He has nicely followed the instructions of Srila Prabhupada and is now guiding us to follow it practically. In my presentation today if you find anything appropriate or beneficial it is just due to the mercy of my Guru Maharaja, Srila Vaisesika Maharaja and whatever you feel inappropriate is due to my weakness or impairment. Please forgive me.

To understand why etiquette is essential at the time of book distribution, I would like to quote a verse from Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya lila. Caitanya Mahaprabhu speaks this verse to Sanatana Goswami. CC Antya 4.129-130

“yadyapio tumi hao jagat-pāvana
tomā-sparśe pavitra haya deva-muni-gaṇa
tathāpi bhakta-svabhāva — maryādā-rakṣaṇa
maryādā-pālana haya sādhura bhūṣaṇa

Translation
“My dear Sanātana, although you are the deliverer of the entire universe and although even the demigods and great saints are purified by touching you, it is the characteristic of a devotee to observe and protect the Vaiṣṇava etiquette. Maintenance of the Vaiṣṇava etiquette is the ornament of a devotee.

Sanatana, although you are uplifter of the entire universe. Great demigods and saints on touching you, become purified. To follow Vaisnava etiquette and to protect it, is the special quality of a devotee. To follow Vaisnava etiquette is the ornament of a devotee in whatever services we undertake like chanting, serve in the temple, present a class, deity worship, preparing prasada for the devotees, distributing prasada. In each of these services we have to follow Vaisnava etiquette.

I would like to share one more letter with you all. It is written by Srila Prabhupada to Bali Mardan, 30 September 1972.

Regarding the question you have raised about traveling sankirtana parties and selling of books, yes, we want money. So that is the real preaching, selling books. Who can speak better than the books? Whoever purchases it will see it. At least whoever buys, he will look over. If you have to sell books, do it by hook or by crook. The real preaching is selling books. You should know the tactic how to sell without irritating. What your lecture will do for three minutes, but if he reads one page his life may be turned. We don’t want to irritate anyone, however. If he goes away by your aggressive tactics, then you are nonsense and it is your failure. Neither you could sell a book, neither he would remain. But if he buys a book that is the real successful preaching. That is the certificate of my Guru Maharaja, if someone, brahmacari, would sell a one paise magazine, if one of our brahmacaris would go and sell a few copies, he would be very, very glad and say “Oh, you are so nice!”

Selling books is our true purpose. Hence, etiquette is very important in one’s life. We have to distribute books together and with it create a nice impression on the people without troubling them. We can feel it is very difficult to distribute books and not trouble people, but give them a nice experience, so that they can read the books with their mind and accept the path of devotional service. How can we practice this sensibly?

I have learnt these techniques and sutras from my Guru Maharaja and have read it in his book, “Our Family Business”. I have used it in book distribution. I will share some techniques with all of you. Like Rupa Goswami has mentioned, in the Nectar of Instruction

dadāti pratigṛhṇāti
guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati
bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva
ṣaḍ-vidhaṁ prīti-lakṣaṇam

Translation:
Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts, revealing one’s mind in confidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasāda and offering prasāda are the six symptoms of love shared by one devotee and another. [NOI Verse no. 4]

Devotees share amongst themselves topics related to the Supreme Lord along with their personal realisations. Similarly, I would like to share the below mentioned points for effective etiquettes.

Titiksavah (Tolerance) and Karunikah (Compassion) are important qualities when we go out for book distribution. We must be tolerant and have a feeling of compassion in the mind. In this context, there is an instance given in Canto 4 of Srimad Bhagavatam wherein Svayambhu Manu tells Dhruva Maharaja that the Lord is satisfied with His devotees when the devotee practices tolerance, mercy, and friendship and sees everyone with equal vision. Lord Kṛṣṇa tells Uddhavji in Canto 11 of Srimad Bhagavatam that a saintly person should not irritate others. He should tolerate the insulting remarks passed by others. He should not offend anybody. He should not create enmity with others for this material body. If he does so, he will be as good as the animals. How do we practically apply this? Hence, hearing the divine pastimes of the Supreme Lord is essential. We have to hear the pastimes of the Lord’s devotees who have practised these qualities in their personal life. In Caitanya-caritamrta, we hear the katha of Haridas Thakur.

Haridas Thakurji was born in a Muslim family. He used to chant the names of the Supreme Lord daily for 24 hours. He was beaten in 22 market places with a whip for this. Even while he was being beaten, he continued to chant the Lord’s names. He never had the feeling of enmity in his mind. The persons who were beating him finally got tired. They said to him, “We are beating you so hard with the whip, but you are not dying. When we return to the Nawab, he will kill us. We have small children at home. What will happen to them.” Haridas Thakur on hearing this, had so much of compassion for them that he jumped into the river just for their sake. His motive was that people should not face any problems because of him. We get to hear such katha of such great devotees from Caitanya-caritamrta, Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gītā and learn lessons from them. By hearing Kṛṣṇa katha we can develop the quality of tolerance and compassion in our heart and mind.

The second katha we often hear is of Nityananda Prabhu. He would daily go with Haridas Thakur and narrate the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He would tell the people to chant the names of Gauranga, worship Gauranga. Gauranga is your life and soul and make Him the goal of your life. Jagai and Madai were born in a high class Brahmana family, but due to their bad habits they had become Jagai and Madai. When Nityananda Prabhu saw them, out of compassion he thought that if he made them devotees, then people will understand the merciful nature of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When one of them tried to beat Nityananda Prabhu, he was injured and blood was flowing from his forehead. Then too he prayed to Mahaprabhu to forgive them. This is the type of compassion evident in Nityananda Prabhu. We have to become representatives of a similar type of compassion.

Srila Prabhupada has many times mentioned Jesus Christ. How he had to suffer so much pain. He was crucified. What was in his mind? He was chanting the name of the Supreme Lord in his mind and was telling the Lord, “These people do not know what they do. Please forgive them.” A Vaisnava’s heart is always filled with tolerance and compassion.

Many times when we go to distribute books people think of us as normal salesmen. I would like to share my personal life experiences.

Once I attended a music festival. We had taken a cart and on it we had displayed all our books. Above it was a banner – “Free meditation books”. In this manner we were distributing books. A person asked me, “Are you a costermonger who sells water and cold drinks”. Sometimes people misunderstand you. Actually you are distributing the best product. I would like to share one more story.

Once I was distributing books in the Walmart parking lot. I had loaded the books on a cart and it had a sign on it. Somebody asked me, “Are you homeless”? In California, there are people who do not have a house to stay in. I replied, “I am not homeless. I am just volunteering for a temple. These are the books I are selling.” Later I thought about it. His question was correct. Actually my house is Goloka Vrindavan. I have willingly come to this material world, leaving my home. I am homeless. When we go for book distribution with the feeling of tolerance and compassion then the Lord gives us the divine knowledge from within Whatever we have read from Srila Prabhupada’s books or heard in various classes we begin to experience in our life. If we wear tolerance and compassion like an ornament, then whatever we have read in the sastras we can actually implement it in our lives by distributing books. Now you will think all this is very good to hear, but how much can we practically apply in our lives. Will it give us good results? Do we just have to tolerate people? Is there any return in the investment?

I would like to share with you from “Our Family Business.” It mentions Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura. We have two bodies – one is material and the other one is spiritual. We feed our material body with food and water. We perform various exercises to remain fit or healthy so that we can live a long life. The other is our spiritual body in its original form or svarupa. It requires spiritual blood to nourish itself. We supply prasada to our physical body. Our spiritual body requires spiritual blood. Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakurji tells us in Bhakti Siddhant Vaibhava that a devotee who is misunderstood or neglected or protested, but inspite of all this continues to preach Kṛṣṇa Katha or distribute books, such a devotees attains the spiritual blood in his spiritual body. Sometimes during book distribution people do not notice you. Talking to them is a distant thing. You are giving Bhagavad-gītā and smiling at them, but people ignore you as if you do not exist. Sometimes people protest against us – like when we go for music festivals. They tell us that we require a permit to distribute books at that festival and since we do not have a permit, we cannot distribute. We have to pick up our table, wrap things up and go to a new place. What happens when you face such situations? The spiritual body is getting spiritual blood. How much we are tolerating the inconvenience for Lord Kṛṣṇa in that much proportion our spiritual body is getting spiritual blood. When we get that much spiritual blood – and become healthy then we will not be affected by our physical body. We will be ready to go home – Back to Godhead. The more we do book distribution, when someone protests against us or abuses us or misunderstands us, the more we will get spiritual blood. This is our return on the investment.. You have to understand that the Lord has sent him in our lives so that we can quickly go back to Godhead. Thinking that we will get spiritual blood, we need to offer obeisances to such a person.

trinad api sunichena
taror api sahishnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih

Translation:
One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly. [Sri Siksastakam Verse 3]

Tolerance and compassion are two of the basic etiquette.

The second point is our main purpose when we go out for book distribution. I will give you four options. You can either type it or we can do a poll.

Question : Why do we go out for book distribution?
Option 1) To sell books
Option 2) To leave everyone with a good impression
Option 3) To become the no 1 book distributor
Option 4) To tell them that they are living a demoniac life

There were different responses.

Each ones purpose is different. We would like to do all four options, but the prime purpose is to leave everyone with a good impression. Give a good experience to everyone.

There is one sloka from Bhagavad-gītā – BG 12 ,13-14.

adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānāṁ
maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca
nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ
sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ kṣamī

santuṣṭaḥ satataṁ yogī
yatātmā dṛḍha-niścayaḥ
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ

Translation
One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress, who is tolerant, always satisfied, self-controlled, and engaged in devotional service with determination, his mind and intelligence fixed on Me – such a devotee of Mine is very dear to Me.

Practise being friendly with everyone. When we meet people we tell them about books. We are selling ourselves too. People see our behaviour. We have to go with a nice purpose. The purpose is – I am going for book distribution for my own purification. I have to go out and that will please my Guru Maharaja, please Srila Prabhupada, please Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This is our topmost purpose – going out and distributing books.

All the living entities are parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord. Even I am part and parcel of the Supreme. People have anarthas. I too have anarthas. We all are in the same category. This time I got the opportunity to read the books of Srila Prabhupada and I want to share it with everybody. Like Lord Kṛṣṇa is in my heart, He is there in their heart as well.

The Lord tells Arjuna – One is a full yogi if he sees with equal vision himself and all animals – in both happiness and distress.

In Kali-yuga many people are living a demoniac life. They are not aware of it. Our purpose should not be to tell them that they are living a demoniac life, that they should rise above it. We should have compassion for them.

Srila Prabhupada would often say, “ You are leading a demoniac life and you need to come out of it.” He would simply say it out of his compassion for that living entity. He did not feel that they are so fallen. We have to use compassion so that it will create a good impression in their minds by telling them.

Why are we going out for book distribution? Caitanya Mahaprabhu said :

yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa
āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa

Translation:
Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as they are given in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land. [CC Madhya 7.128]

I am going out to create friendship with people and trying to introduce people to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa who is our friend and well-wisher. The Lord states this in the last verse of chapter 5 in Bhagavad-gītā.

To distribute the books of Srila Prabhupada is an honour, our good fortune and privilege.

When we go out for book distribution our mood should always be of giving. It should always be in our mind, I want to serve. I am going out for my purification. Purification is much needed for me than for others. The people outside are giving me an opportunity to distribute books so that I can become a representative of our entire guru parampara and can eventually purify myself. I give all respects to others. I should always express my gratitude to all those whom I meet, engage with whom I stay. I am an instrument in the hands of my Guru Maharaj and Kṛṣṇa. Every person is special and my work is to make them remember that they are very special. I go out to befriend lots of people. I work in the mood of a team player. When we go out to distribute books – many people have to work together. Some devotees get the books; some look after inventory; some do reporting; some go out and take part in the physical distribution of books; some devotees collect laksmi. This is a team work. It requires co-operation. When I go out, my mood is of a team player.

You will meet people of other faiths. Many times we meet Christians who tell us that we have lost our way and should only worship Christ. Guru Maharaja tells us that if we talk with such persons we will be wasting our time. They do not want to buy books. They just want to waste our time. It is best not to talk to such people. We have to express our gratitude towards them for coming and giving us enlightenment. You can say, “We have an important service to perform. Hence we cannot talk with you for a long time. Thank you very much.” Like this we can remove ourselves from such persons. If a person catches hold of you physically, we have to tell another devotee beforehand that if I get caught somewhere please come help me. He can come help you – “Arre Prabhuji, we are getting late. We have to go.” Like this we can save ourselves from time wasters. This is very important.

I will stop here. Thank you very much for your kind attention.

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

Bhagavad Gita Marathon Realisations

Realisations, Experiences and glories about Bhagavad Gita distribution.

Radha Smriti Dasi, Bangalore: Like every year we distribute every day for 2 hours. We went to a village some 12km away on Gita Jayanti. We were divided into 3 groups. The first half was good and we distributed many books. However in the second half, our group was not doing that well. The others had already distributed 50-60 books and we had distributed just 15 books by 4pm. We were praying. Then we got a call that our other devotee had distributed 16 books. So, our score went up beyond 30 books. We also met a lady who said I was waiting for you for the last 6 months and thank you for coming.

Hanesha Mataji, Pakistan: We had pledged 5 Bhagavad Gitas and it is done. Soon the colleges will start and we will distribute more.
Guru Maharaja: “You should distribute 25 Bhagavad Gitas.”
Yes Maharaja, we will do if you order. We have just started online classes and reading 1 chapter every day. We are also trying to distribute in Karachi.

Mahaprabhu Kripa Prabhu, Delhi: Guru Maharaja had given Homeopathy treatment related service. Many patients were asking how they could help. We tell them to take a Bhagavad Gita and distribute it to others.

Priyadarshini Dasi, Ludhiana: I have called all my relatives and told them to read and distribute Bhagavad Gita since Gita Jayanti started. 20 Gitas were sponsored, but I could not give any Bhagavad Gita. I prayed to Srila Prabhupada. So, in the morning the car washing guy came and I gave him a Gita. He took it and he and his wife are reading. My husband distributed almost 5 Bhagavad Gitas in his factory. In Noida, my daughter set up a book stall in a fair with the help of my brother Jagadananda Pandit Prabhu and sold books worth Rs 1670. I will try to distribute books going from door to door.

Revati Raman Das, Thane: Last year was a wonderful experience and we never expected that we will be on the top. I have been distributing since 2001-02. I joined this movement to distribute books only and in 2 months I joined the bus party. Bhavananda Prabhu asked Srila Prabhupada that if this world is full of miseries then why was he given the Bhavananda. Srila Prabhupada said that book distribution and chanting is the Ananda (bliss) in this world.

Yesterday, I met one lady who said she wanted some services as her mom had died in Covid and her entire family was depressed. However, her 7 year daughter got a Srila Prabhupada book and they were all motivated to become devotees.

Another story is about a woman who comes to our Satsang. She had kept the Bhagavad Gita for 5 years and did not read it. Finally, one day she readit and became a devotee. Now she says that she wants to distribute these books as it is the book which made her a devotee.

We’ve reached 6000 and our pledge is to distribute 9000 Bhagavad Gitas. We have been distributing in schools and we are getting great response. The youths today are very motivated and will take it up, though there are slight objections from the principal and teachers. I will request you all to distribute books in school.

Bus party from Sri Pandarpur dham: Our bus party is going from door to door and are distributing around 55-56 Bhagavad Gitas everyday. We are preaching to those who are not buying Bhagavad Gita, and distributing Japa malas. We are preaching very easily about Bhagavad Gita and chanting. This bus party is making preaching very easy and we are getting a good response and appreciation.

Japa Talk :Sarva Lakshan Dasa, Pune:
In my life there is great contribution of HH Lokanath Swami Maharaja. People ask whether we can come to devotional life through books and hearing Bhagavat katha. I was introduced to ISKCON in both ways. I got a Bhagavad Gita and when I first came to Pune Temple and I heard Guru Maharaja’s Bhagavat Katha. Keshav Prabhu was making delicious prasada. These 3 things got me engaged in devotional services. I still remember the topic, it was about Ajamila and today I have joined due to Maharaja’s class only.

HG Dharmaraja Prabhu involved me in many services. This year is very auspicious as this is the year that Srila Prabhupada got the first instruction 100 years ago to print books in English and distribute them. First marathon, first Bhagavad Gita printing and HH Lokanath Swami Maharaja’s initiation was all done 50 years ago in 1972. I saw the anniversary celebrations in Govardhan, it was so wonderful. We all know the philosophy about distributing books.

na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu
kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ
bhavitā na ca me tasmād
anyaḥ priya-taro bhuvi

Translation
“There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear who preach this knowledge to all”. (BG. 18.69)

In the purport of the Srimad Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada said that distributing Krishna consciousness to all persons is greater than any philanthropic work. It’s like churning the ocean and taking out the nectar. Therefore Srila Prabhupada wanted his books to be distributed.

In my classes, when I ask devotees what Srila Prabhupada has given us, we get many answers. But when I ask what we have given Srila Prabhupada or what we can give him, the answer is we have not given him anything. In fact we can’t do anything. But when he asked Prabhupada how can we please you? He said, “Distribute my books and love Krsna.” Whenever one tries to bring a lost one back to Krsna, he becomes very dear to Krsna and by this he becomes dear to all.

We can see Srila Prabhupada is the Guru of the universe. He has given us an opportunity to please the Lord. This is highest welfare activity.

In different purports, Prabhupada says how we can please the Lord. He says, “Purity is the force and books are the basis”. During Kartik we were doing pilgrimage, chanting, doing kirtan and honouring prasada. The Vaisnavas have a quality, they are ‘Para dukha dukhi’. The bliss and ecstasies they are experiencing, they want to distribute to others.

yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa
āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]

Bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakāra (Cc Ādi 9.41)

In Kartik, we do sadhana and in December we should go out and distribute books. 11 months we take from Srila Prabhupada and 1 month we should give back. Srila Prabhupada says that purity is the force. So if you chant 16 rounds in one sitting, do the morning program, your purity will increase and then this makes you enthusiastic to distribute books and distribute ecstasies among others. Then in the evening we do Gaura Arati and this attracts the outsiders. They feel convinced.

There are many ways to distribute books. Book distribution is the best in Pune schools. They did it very systematically. We give a letter to children giving information on a Bhagavad Gita Contest and the next day the students pay Rs 200 and they are given a packet with a Bhagavad Gita, a small booklet, calendar, etc. Then on 26 December we have an online Gita contest. Children take interest in this and it helps distribution on a mass scale.

One to one distribution is also beautiful and blissful. Yesterday at the railway station I met a student who is a software engineer. I told him about the Bhagavad Gita and he showed me a Gita in his bag. He said that he reads it whenever he is depressed. I told him that he should also gift it to someone. He said that he did not have enough money for a bookend in response I said that I would take anything. He gave me Rs 200 whereas a Bhagavad Gita is only Rs 180.

One devotee was saying that everyone has books and it’s saturated now. Earlier in Pune, we used to distribute 10-20 Bhagavad Gitas and it kept on increasing and now we have a target of 6 lakh Bhagavad Gitas. It means that every year the book distribution is only increasing. Just like the builders build so many flats at a very high price, yet they keep on building and selling. Why can’t we keep on distributing Bhagavad Gita.

One time a farmer came to me and asked for a Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavatam set. I said, “It will be Rs 5000.”
He said, “Yes, as long as it is written by Srila Prabhupada, I will pay. I will give you the money from the ATM.” So, I went with him on the bike. He took me to his home and gave me refreshments and then brought me back and then he took the money from his pocket and gave it to me. I said, “You already had the money, but you still took me on the bike. Why?”

He said, “I wanted you to step in my house because you are distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books and you are not an ordinary person. You are performing the highest services.”
I asked, “How did you hear about Bhagavatam?”

He said, “ I read Bhagavad Gita and at many places, Srila Prabhupada refers to Srimad Bhagavatam. I wanted to read it and I purchased a Gorakhpur Bhagavatam, but I couldn’t understand anything. I wished Srila Prabhupada had written Srimad Bhagavatam. Later on I came to know that he has written it. I was dying to get it. Finally, today I have got it.” He gave us more donation and also invited us all to come to his house whenever we visit that place in future.

Guru Maharaja always says, “Double it” and Guru Maharaja has also presented the Bhagavad Gita to Vyasa dev in Badrinath. In Khargar when they were laying the foundation stone, Surdas Prabhu said that Prabhupada had a problem in that he could never think small. He always thought big. Similarly, Guru Maharaj also thinks big.

Today there is a war between Ukraine and Russia. There is great need for this message of God for the whole world. Distribute books to please Guru Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada said, “Where there is book distribution, I am there and wherever there is book distribution, there all other activities will be nice.

Speaker: HG Rukmini Krishna Prabhu

Hare Krsna!

This Gita Marathon is like a festival of 40 days and we all shall celebrate it with full enthusiasm. About how to celebrate this festival properly, in the 22nd verse of the ninth chapter of the third canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, Brahma ji writes

so ’yaṁ samasta-jagatāṁ suhṛd eka ātmā
sattvena yan mṛḍayate bhagavān bhagena
tenaiva me dṛśam anuspṛśatād yathāhaṁ
srakṣyāmi pūrvavad idaṁ praṇata-priyo ’sau

Translation:
Let the Supreme Lord be merciful towards me. He is the one friend and soul of all living entities in the world, and He maintains all, for their ultimate happiness, by His six-transcendental opulence. May He be merciful towards me so that I, as before, may be empowered with the introspection to create, for I am also one of the surrendered souls who are dear to the Lord. (SB 3.9.22)

These shlokas are recited when it is morning for Brahmaji, after his long night. As you all know his one night equals 432 crore in our years. Whenever the day begins in the morning of Brahmaji, he is in a state of great awe. He sits on a lotus that has risen from the umbilical cord of Garbodakashayi Visnu. There is darkness all around and the wind is blowing strongly. He cannot see anything. Then he hears the sound of penance and does it for thousands of years. Then he comes to know that he has to create the universe, and creating the universe is not an easy task. In his purport, Srila Prabhupada writes how difficult the task of Brahma is. It is such a difficult task that we cannot even imagine.

Many times we feel that the service we get, is very difficult, and how will we serve when there so are many problems in our life. On the contrary, the morning of Brahma is not a good morning. It starts with a very great surprise. Brahma gets very upset, “I have to create the universe and there are infinite millions of creatures. They have infinite millions of desires, and they have to be put in infinite millions of planets. The gods have to be separated; the demons have to be separated. Which creature to put in which species, so that its wishes are fulfilled?” It’s a terrible job and he considers himself very incapable.

Brahmaji is praying very beautifully, “O Krishna, you have been the friend of all the living beings. You are also the well-wisher of the living beings. You are full of all six opulences. Please bless me. As I had created the universe earlier, in the same way, even today, I can compose the same because I am in your refuge.”

Brahmaji had created this the previous day, but on every new day, Brahmaji has to say these prayers. Every day is a new day for Brahmaji. He does not think that creating the universe is child’s play and he can do the same again. He always has a lot of trouble. In this prayer, Brahmaji is praying to Krishna for empowerment so that he can fulfil the order of God.

In our Krishna conscious life, we also need lots of power to complete the assigned spiritual services. The living entity is incapable and is completely dependent on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The only power a living entity has, is willpower. But we get the capability to overcome that willpower only by the blessings of Krishna or by the blessings of Guru-Shishya Parampara. This is how Brahmaji is requesting Krishna. He will also request the Lord that even though he is creating this Universe, his ego should not grow.

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
mā veda-garbha gās tandrīṁ
sarga udyamam āvaha
tan mayāpāditaṁ hy agre
yan māṁ prārthayate bhavān

Translation:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead then said: O Brahmā, O depth of Vedic wisdom, be neither depressed nor anxious about the execution of creation. What you are begging from Me has already been granted before.(SB 3.9.29)

The Lord assures Brahma that what you are seeking has already happened. Srila Prabhupada has written a very beautiful purport for this shloka. He said that any person authorised by either the Lord or by His bona fide representative is already blessed, as is the work entrusted to him. Of course, the person entrusted with such responsibility should always be aware of his incapability and must always look for the mercy of the Lord for the successful execution of his duty. One should not be puffed up because he is entrusted with certain executive work. Fortunate is he who is so entrusted, and if he is always fixed in the sense of being subordinate to the will of the Supreme, he is sure to come out successful in the discharge of his work. Arjuna was entrusted with the work of fighting on the Battlefield of Kurukṣhetra, and before he was so entrusted, the Lord had already arranged for his victory. But Arjuna was always conscious of his position as a subordinate to the Lord, and thus he accepted Him as the supreme guide in his responsibility. Anyone who takes pride in doing responsible work, but does not give credit to the Supreme Lord, is certainly falsely proud and cannot execute anything nicely. Brahmā and persons in the line of His disciplic succession who follow in His footsteps are always successful in the discharge of loving transcendental service to the Supreme Lord.

In this purport Srila Prabhupada said that a person is getting service from a bona fide representative then he is already blessed with service. We shall never be egoists about the big service and shall always be dependent on the mercy of Krishna for the service. If we serve dependent on God then success is assured.

bhūyas tvaṁ tapa ātiṣṭha
vidyāṁ caiva mad-āśrayām
tābhyām antar-hṛdi brahman
lokān drakṣyasy apāvṛtān

Translation:
O Brahmā, situate yourself in penance and meditation and follow the principles of knowledge to receive My favour. By these actions, you will be able to understand everything from within your heart. (SB 3.9.30)

The mercy the Lord bestows upon a particular person engaged in executing the responsible work entrusted unto him is beyond imagination. But His mercy is received due to your penance and perseverance in executing devotional service. The Lord will bestow his mercy to the same extent as that of the devotee’s penance and perseverance, and devotion.

We are getting very good teaching from this. Arjuna was also very anxious before starting the battle of Kurukshetra. Krishna showed him His Visvarupa in the eleventh chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. He showed that He had already killed Guru Drona, Bhishma, and Karna and Arjun was just the doer.

We see that Krishna has already confirmed that Arjuna is going to be the winner of this battle and that except for the five Pandavas, all of them will die. Now the question comes that even though Krishna has confirmed their victory, then why has Arjuna faced so many difficulties? Can you name some of the difficulties?

What were the problems faced by Pandavas on the battle field?

1. They have to fight against their own relatives.

2. Abhimanyu was killed at a very young age.

3. Bhishma Pitamaha almost defeated them.

4. Aswathama brutally killed all five sons of Draupadi, when they were sleeping.

Similarly, the Lord has given the assurance to Brahma that all of his work has already happened. Brahma started and first he created the 4 Kumaras, to start building the universe. The 4 Kumaras said that they did not want to build the universe, and instead wanted to go for self-realisation. Then Brahma calmed down and agreed to their demand. He controlled his anger and gave birth to Rudra. He asked Rudra to create the universe. Rudra started the destruction, then Brahmaj stopped him. Brahma then created Svāyambhuva Manu to create the universe. Then the Earth went down into the ocean. He again prayed to the Lord to save the Earth. Varahadev appeared and saved the Earth. We can see that even after we get the blessings of the Lord, we still have to face lots of problems in completing the designated services. Why does the Lord do this?

The Lord;

1. May want to make us more capable to serve.

2. Wants to improve the purity of our souls.

3. Wants to test the level of your devotion.

Difficulties come in our life so that our dependence on God increases. God wants to see how eager His devotee is to get Him, to serve Him. Srila Rupa Goswami said that the essence of bhakti is dependent on Krishna. The more we are dependent on Krishna and Guru Kripa, the more we get involved in Bhakti.

Similarly Lord Caitanya already declared,

param vijyate sri krsna sankirtana

The one who chants the holy name of Krishna will always be successful, but we notice that we face lots of problems in the path of kirtana. We see that Chand Khazi faced lots of difficulties. Srila Prabhupada faced lots of difficulties in fulfilling the dream of his Guru Maharaja.

Similarly, this Sankirtana movement will be successful, but we are definitely going to get difficulties in this movement. We shall not be afraid of all those difficulties.

Every year we do lots of book distribution. We face lots of difficulties in book distribution, but even then, we successfully achieve our target every year.

First, it was a recession, then Demonetisation, then GST was implemented and devotees were worried about the book distribution. But it was successful year after year. COVID 19 came and businesses were down, but then also we distributed lots of books.

param vijyate sri krsna sankirtana

Now this time also the concern is that price of Bhagavad Gita has increased by 60%, but still we are progressing and achieving the targets of book distribution. We shall not be worried and we shall only pray to Lord Krishna.

We shall accept the order of Guru Maharaj to distribute more and more Bhagavad Gitas. Until we distribute Prabhupada’s books on the earth, we are not going to fulfil the purpose of Lord Krishna’s appearance on this earth. The complete Guru Parampara is concerned about the distribution of the secret knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita. Krishna’s main concern is when the living entities will go come to Him.

Lord Krishna imparted all the knowledge required for creating the universe to Brahma and simultaneously also shared the Vedic knowledge to come out of this universe. Brahma plays a dual role. One role belongs to the manager of creating the universe and managing it. The other role is related to the preacher who has to teach all the living entities, how to come out of this universe.

Have you seen the cover of Brahma Samhita book?

Brahma has come with Vedas. It is our family business to distribute the knowledge of Krishna consciousness. In Brahma samhita 11 canto, Krishna told Uddhava that the main dakshina to diksha is distributing the knowledge of the Guru. First of all we have to accept the order of our Gurus. This book distribution is one of the most loving services to Srila Prabhupada and to the complete Guru Parampara. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Maharaja hugged each devotee, who distributed his magazine.

Once one of the disciples of Srila Prabhupada, Buddhimanta Prabhu, distributed a very good number of books. Prabhupada noticed that Buddhimanta Prabhu’s kurta was torn, so Prabhupada gave his own Kurta to him. Prabhupada said that each and every book distributor will go back to Godhead.

There are some steps to be followed to get the mercy of Sri Krishna.

1. We have to accept the order of Guru Maharaj,
2. We have to apply the order in our lives. Prabhupada said that even if we just meditate on how to distribute books, we will be liberated.
3. We have to make a commitment or pledge before applying the order. We have to make a commitment so that we gain energy in applying the Master’s order. If we don’t set a target then our mind will easily cheat us.

How many of you have actually set the individual target in this year’s Book distribution marathon?
I will request all the devotees, who have not taken a pledge, to make a commitment.
4. Pray to Krishna to fulfil the pledge, similar to Brahmaji. Prayers have a magical impact. Prabhupada said that the mercy of Krishna is beyond our imagination. One Bhagavad Gita can change the lives of millions of devotees.

You might have heard how Bhagavad Gita was initially smuggled into Russia and now we have thousands of devotees in Russia. Lots of Russian devotees were tortured and faced lots of difficulties, but even then they did not give up and continue to spread the knowledge of Bhagavad Gita.

Similarly, we see how Krishna consciousness is spreading in Myanmar. There was an atheist doctor, who had come to Mumbai for a conference. He was forcefully gifted the English Bhagavad Gita by an ISKCON devotee. He was not interested in taking this book, but was forced to take it. He took that book to Myanmar and kept it in his cupboard. He had a son who wanted to learn English, as English was taught in his school. His son pulled out this Bhagavad Gita from the cupboard. He saw a coupon in the book for a free gift from BBT Los Angeles. He filled out that coupon and sent it to Los Angeles. On the other side, in Thailand there was a Brahmachari Lilapati Dasa, who was preaching in Thailand. His visa had expired and he was asked to get a recommendation either from a Thailand resident or from a Myanmar resident. He sent a letter to BBT Los Angeles to ask for recommendation from a Thailand or Myanmar resident. BBT Los Angeles informed him that they had a free gift coupon card request from Myanmar and shared the address. Lilapati Dasa visited the address with the free gift. He enquired from the doctor’s son about the free gift coupon. The doctor’s son was very inspired by this service. He welcomed Lilapati Dasa who properly cultivated the knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita to him. He became a very sincere initiated devotee of Srila Prabhupada. He was initiated as Srivasa Prabhu and was the leader of preaching in Myanmar. He served very nicely and translated the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam in Burmese. With this the Krishna Conscious movement started in Burma. So you can see one Bhagavad Gita, distributed in Mumbai, can do wonders. This book distribution service is fully empowered.

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma
sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma

Translation
“In every town and village, the chanting of My name will be heard.” (Caitanya-bhāgavata, Antya 4.126)

Lord Caitanya has already declared that in every village and every town, His name and His sankirtana movement will flourish. We just have to be the reason. We will definitely be getting problems and difficulties, but we shall apply these four principles – accept the order, apply the order, take a commitment and pray to Krishna and with endless efforts, we will get magical results.

You can see that during COVID the preaching spread at a very fast pace. Everything is happening with the planning of Krishna, but we must all try to see the power of the Sankirtana movement in the middle of this planning. You must have noticed that sometimes when we are not able to distribute any books, then we chant Prabhupada’s pranam mantra and magic happens.

How many of you have had a similar experience?

You will also notice that as soon as you get a false ego, your book distribution will be stopped. You will notice that by the mercy of Srila Prabhupada ISKCON devotees are welcomed everywhere. If at some places you are not welcome, then you also need not worry and should keep on focusing on distributing books. Prabhupada’s books are so powerful that even if someone touches these books, their devotional service will start. We all must accept the orders with our heart, and come forward to distribute more and more books. We shall not have any doubt about the movement and shall not fear or shy away from book distribution. We shall think big and go out for book distribution.

Speaker: HG Navin Nirada Prabhu

Topic: Successful Book Distribution

Hare Krishna

I feel honoured, blessed and happy to be in your association.

Krishna, because of His causeless mercy, has given you the best place in the world to distribute Prabhupada’s books. I distributed 700 books in a day just a few months back. But now I’m distributing much less in comparison. These scores are always changing, but what must be steady is our dedication, our focus and our meditation.

I distributed books mostly in Rishikesh and Jagannath Puri and I can honestly tell you that you have the best audience. Practically everybody wants these books in India. It’s just a matter of making them available. I have a friend Chakadola Prabhu. He’s in Noida and an IT. Every day he is distributing around 150 books via the internet and if you do the math, that’s 5,000 books a month and 60,000 books a year.

Here in Mayapur HH Jayapataka Swami is distributing over a thousand books a day. There’s so many others who have book tables. Go from one person to another or distribute books at the Harinama. Mayapur is distributing between three and five thousand books daily. There are some people, who are going to industrialists and other big people and requesting them to buy hundreds and thousands of books at one time. Even if you think you are just an ordinary layman, like myself, you can just take a few books in your bag and wherever you go, wherever you walk, you just smile at people and you can introduce the message of Krishna Consciousness to them.

I guarantee you that each one of you will distribute at least five or ten books every single day, without even working hard, without even making big plans. You just go out and smile at people and say, “Hare Krishna” and then they say, “Hare Krishna! Do you have something for me?”
And we say, “Yes.”
When they look at you like, “You have something for me? You have something good.”
“Yes, we have the best thing.”
Of course, you can give them your business card and it’s got your contact details and your social media. But how much will people get from that? If they touch these books, read just one word or one shloka, their life can change. When you have a nice interaction and you give them a book, at the end you can also give them your contact details. Just don’t only give them your contact details, without giving them the books. It looks like people are doing fine. It looks like people are happy, but if you could talk to them, you will realise that everybody’s struggling.

janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi –
duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (B.G. 13.9)

Suffering is everywhere and if you add daily traffic and smoke then you got a very volatile combination.

Just a few days ago I met a student in Puri. His mom had died, and he was struggling with his studies. I took some time to listen to him and give him some consoling words. He was really touched that I took time to hear his story and to show him some empathy. He walked with me to the bank and he gave me 500 rupees for a small book, because a small book was all I had left. You see we’re not book sellers. Amazon sells books, Flipkart sells products, but we are not moving products. We are moving hearts. Often, people need to be convinced by our own personal example. The vast majority, have heard of Bhagavad-gita. They’ve heard of the Vedas. They just need to see a practical example of what happens when a person applies himself to this practice. They look at the book and they look at you and if the two don’t match, it’s not good and they don’t take a book. So, before we go out we have to chant good rounds like all of you were doing just now, a minute ago and I jumped in and disturbed your Bhajan.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

Then people look at you and they go, “Hey, I want what you have. Can I have that?”
Yes! We give him the book.
But if we’re thinking, “Oh, I have job problem, family problem, money problem, this problem, that problem, then people look at you and they will say, “ If I read this book I will become like him. I don’t want that.” And they just run away.

I was distributing books at the University of California, in Berkeley and I approached one student and he told me, ‘You already asked me yesterday. Why are you asking me again?”

I said, “You’re wearing a mask. I can’t see, so I can’t tell. You look like anybody else, so I’m sorry.” He took off his mask and he had a beard. He said, “I’m a Muslim. But you’re glowing, you’re effulgent, I want what you have.” And he took the book. Everyone is looking for happiness.

I met another person in San Francisco and he also was a little hesitant, probably because he had seen me before. He thought that I knew him and so he was a little surprised. We were just passing each other, and he was like, “I know you” and he thought I knew him too. I didn’t know what I should, I tell him. And I said, “Abdullah, right? And he said, “Yes.” And he took a book.

Now the point I’m making here is that if we’re not sama-darsinah (see with equal vision). If we don’t see people with equal vision, we’re not even Kaniṣṭha-adhikārī (neophytes). We’re not even beginners on the path of bhakti. We’re not pushing Hindu tattva or nationalism or this or that. We’re propagating bhakti, pure loving devotional service to the Supreme personality of Godhead and that’s common to all the religions. That’s the only thing that makes the world go on.

Yesterday, I was walking around with the elephant procession of Radha Madhava when I met two students. They’re not students anymore, but they still looked like students. They were IT professionals from Uzbekistan and they were going on a boat tour in India. They rented a car to come from Kolkata to Mayapur for a one day trip and they were just appreciating Mayapur. I explained a few things to them and they were very happy, I asked them if they had books? One of them very proudly took out the English Bhagavad Gita from his bag and showed me with enthusiasm. “We have the book.” Uzbekistan, is again a different culture, different mindset, but the people are looking for happiness. They’re looking for bhakti. All I’m saying is that don’t limit yourself to one demographic. If you want to be a Swami Narayan you have to be a Gujju. If you want to be this, you have to be from that district; if you want to be that, you have to be part of that group. You want to be a bhakta. It can be anybody.

Of course, in Marathon times, we go to places where we can do the most amount of distribution, which means where there’s a lot of people – like train stations, bus stops, in the market, in malls. But we should put some effort to go to places like Jawaharlal Nehru University, and BHU Varanasi. We must go to these places, where people study law, language, arts, philosophy, psychology, history. Yes, we have a few engineers in our movement. We also need the arts and the humanities. Now, how do we reach 1.4 billion people? We have a thousand people here. If each one of you teaches a few or let’s say 12 people. You know, Jesus only had 12 disciples. Not a hundred! Not a thousand !Nor a million! Only 12! So, your mission is to find 12 people to train in Krishna Consciousness and to empower them to become an agent of change. That means engaging them in sankirtana. Sankirtana is the only thing that works in Kali-yuga. You go out with them and you show them, how to distribute books. This is the only hope. If they don’t feel that special mercy, that dependence, that same helplessness, that Prabhupada felt when he stepped off the Jaladutta, not knowing where to turn, then, they will never really taste that special secret of bhakti. If we don’t give people the chance, the opportunity to engage in sankirtana, in book distribution, we are cheating them. We’re cheating ourselves. We’re not looking for members. We’re not looking for followers. We’re not looking for money.

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ
kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye
mama janmani janmanīśvare
bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi

Translation
“ ‘O Lord of the universe, I do not desire material wealth, materialistic followers, a beautiful wife or fruitive activities described in flowery language. All I want, life after life, is unmotivated devotional service to You.’(CC Antya 20.29)

That is what we’re praying every day, Mahaprabhu’s prayer.

Okay, you want a few tips how to distribute a lot of books.

1. Inspiration, sadhana, very attentive rounds.
2. You have to get books, you have to carry books wherever you go.
3. You have to show those books. You have to make them visible. You have to put them in people’s hands.

And for that, you have to be a little bit organised. In some places you can just stand there and show the books and people will come forward. But in most places that may not be the case. You have to have a personal connection.

I was just walking around all over India and I just asked people, “English wala, Hindi wala or what kind of a wala are you?” And then they would say, “I speak this or I speak that or I speak everything.” I say, “Wonderful! That’s great. You’re qualified. Here, this is for you.” Boom! You put the book in their hands.

You can tell them for this month of Gita Jayanti, we’re giving everybody a Bhagavad Gita. I was on the beach in Puri. I just walked by the 5 star Mayfair Hotel. It’s one of the most exclusive places. There was an Indian couple. They were middle-aged like myself, and they were a little curious as to why a white guy is wearing the Brahman thread? We talked a little bit and then I gave them a book and then the man asked, “So, you’re selling these? I said, “No! This is a gift for you and you give whatever you like.” So the lady, very happily, gave 500 rupees for a small book.

Very few people wake up in the morning and think I need to buy a Bhagavad Gita today. But if you’re at the right place with the right consciousness, the people will buy books like anything.

A few years ago, I was in Bangkok on Khaosan Road which is the tourist spot and I met a young couple from Britain. I gave them the book and the lady said, “You wouldn’t believe it, but this morning I woke up in the hotel room and I was thinking I need to read Bhagavad Gita. Now you give me a Bhagavad Gita.” She couldn’t believe it. This is just magical.

You can learn how to have short dialogues. Mostly people are looking for inspiration. They’re looking for a personal example of an individual who is practicing. You can also open the book and read one shloka or just one sentence and you’ll see what impact it will have. I was walking past a house. I saw a lady talking to some workers in the driveway. I saw that she had seen me, so I turned around. I came back because Krishna told me, “Hey, why don’t you talk to her.” I went to the entrance, took off my shoes and my hat and I handed her a book. I said, “Upanishad, Sri-Upanishad.” And she said, “Yeah-yeah! I have heard of this.” She happily went and fetched the donation. Yes, you can argue. You can debate. You can try to convince people and it will work for some, but in doing so you will lose a lot of energy and a lot of time.

kali-kālera dharma — kṛṣṇa-nāma-saṅkīrtana
kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana

Translation
“The fundamental religious system in the Age of Kali is the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. Unless empowered by Kṛṣṇa, one cannot propagate the saṅkīrtana movement.(CC Antya 7.11)

These books are distributed by Krishna’s potency, by the enthusiasm of the devotees. Srila Prabhupad said,”Don’t teach them techniques. Just teach them how to be sincere devotees, then the master in the heart will teach them everything.”

One time I was in Mumbai in one of the train stations, and it was rush hour traffic – five o’clock or six o’clock in the evening. People are coming home from work. Everybody was dull, tired, non-responsive and just walking like zombies. I know some devotees like to use microphones, and they are screaming the 50 percent discount that they’re offering. That works for them. It doesn’t work for me. Everybody has their own style. I tried to talk to people, but they were not responsive. It was like a big flow of fish or like a big flow of animals, all doing the same thing.

So I just started:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

Few people started looking at me and I’m like, “You, you and you, come here. I got something for you.” And I gave them the books. Then I continued chanting till a few more people paid attention. If you can go out with a small group, some can chant and others will distribute. If there is chanting, it becomes much easier to distribute books. People naturally take books because they understand that these books explain the chanting. This goes together and these people look happy. I also want to sing and dance in my life. If I read these books I will learn how to sing and dance. So yes, I want this.

If you can’t do anything, you can sponsor books distributors You can cook food for the harinama book distributors. You can make hats and shawls, and other things to give as gifts.There was one lady in Srivas Thakur’s house. Her name was Dukhi. Every day all she did was get water from the Ganga and prepare different rows of pots for Srivas Thakur and also for Lord Caitanya to use the water from these pots for bathing. Caitanya Mahaprabhu appreciated her service and said, “ From today your name is not Dukhi. Your name is Sukhi.”

hā hā prabhu nityānanda, premānanda sukhī
kṛpābalokana koro āmi boro duḥkhī

I am very miserable. I’m very fallen. I’m very unqualified, but by the mercy of Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda we can also become sukhi.

You’re very fortunate because you have spiritual guidance and senior association. You’re very blessed. To the degree we surrender to the mission of Guru Gauranga, to that degree we will become empowered. To the degree you help others, Krishna will help you.

Thank you for allowing me to address you. This is a very special time. People go out to buy gifts, to spend money. People are looking for hope, They’re looking for an alternative for something that’s positive in this negative world. Get together with your friends and if you don’t have any friends, make some new friends and go out and do sankirtana and I give you a “money back guarantee” that from this seminar your life will change. It will never be the same again.

When you engage in the sacred presence you will realize Krishna’s presence. You will realize Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s special mercy wherever you are. At the Ratha-yatra they had seven kirtan parties, with kirtan leaders, and dancers and chanters and people playing the cymbals and mrdangas. However many of the devotees could see Lord Caitanya personally dancing in each and every one of those groups. I guarantee you the same will happen to you. You will see Lord Caitanya’s presence and Srila Prabhupad’s potency everywhere. Use whatever talent Krishna has given you. It might be your humility. It might be your sincerity. It might be your wit, humour, boldness. Whoever you are, just use those talents in Krishna’s service. In this way, they will become perfected.

We have a thousand devotees here. If you all meet with 10 or 20 or 50 of your friends and you go out and distribute a few books then that will be lakhs and lakhs and lakhs of books just from this group. This is a very critical time in the history of humanity. People are being bombarded by so much propaganda. There is so much negativity, aggression, exploitation, corruption and hypocrisy. These books will create a cultural, a spiritual revolution in the hearts of misguided humanity. We may be very unqualified, but we have the greatest gift.

Whenever, people get together and they hear about Krishna, at that moment there will be no fear, no anxiety, no material hankering and people become happy and peaceful through the performance of devotional service.

I wish you a happy marathon and please remember – the more you help others the more Krishna takes care of your life. What is your benefit? My commission is only one percent. I only want one percent of your mercy. I would rather have one percent of each and every one, than a hundred percent from one person.

A few moons ago I was 15 years old. I received one of Prabhupada’s books and it changed my life. We have a very powerful, a very potent substance here, Use it or lose it. If we don’t appreciate what we have, we will lose our appreciation. Don’t just be a superficial devotee. Don’t just float on the outskirts. Dive deep into the nectar of Harinama sankirtana.

Say a little prayer for this fool, so that I can also make some spiritual advancement. Thank you for your kind attention for tolerating me, giving me your precious time and I wish you a wonderful sankirtana experience.

It’s already been declared that this movement has been declared to be a victory. The only question is, “Will I be part of that success or am I just going to be another loser like the whole rest of them.” If you want to be part of the winning team join the sankirtana movement of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Every day is a victory! Every book is a victory and every effort, every step you take, is a victory.

Book distribution tips – Gopeshwar Prabhu

I am blessed, Maharaja to be in your shelter and in your divine association. Maharaja had also come to Faridabad and all the devotees were blessed by his katha and kirtana. I am really very grateful and need the blessings of Maharaja and all Vaisnavas so that I can do some humble service.

Depending on your mercy I will try to say something. I welcome all of you and I thank for calling me. I will try to speak something by the mercy of Maharajaji.

I will talk on a sloka from Canto 10, Chapter 2, Verse 19 of Srimad Bhagavatam, the chapter title is Prayers by the Demigods to Lord Krsna in the womb.

om namo bhagvate vasudevaya
sā devakī sarva-jagan-nivāsa-
nivāsa-bhūtā nitarāṁ na reje
bhojendra-gehe ’gni-śikheva ruddhā
sarasvatī jñāna-khale yathā satī

Translation:
Devakī then kept within herself the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the foundation of the entire cosmos, but because she was under arrest in the house of Kaṁsa, she was like the flames of a fire covered by the walls of a pot, or like a person who has knowledge but cannot distribute it to the world for the benefit of human society. (SB 10.2.19)

In this verse the word jñāna-khala is most significant. Prabhupada says in the purport that knowledge is meant for distribution. The more we hide the more we lose, the more we share the more we gain. Our process is sravana and kirtana.

Prabhupada gives one more example in the purport. We should also gain knowledge from materialistic people. Whenever scientists or philosophers awaken to a particular type of knowledge, they try to distribute it throughout the world. Otherwise the knowledge gradually dries up and no one benefits from it. India has the knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā, but unfortunately, for some reason or other, this sublime knowledge of the science of God was not distributed throughout the world, although it is meant for all of human society.

It’s very important that we also share our knowledge on a large scale. And our treasure is knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā. Although India has the sublime knowledge Bhagavad-gītā, Indians have not done their proper duty of distributing it. Therefore, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has been set up to distribute this knowledge as it is, without distortion. Although previously there were attempts to distribute the knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā, these attempts involved distortion and compromise with mundane knowledge. But now the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, without mundane compromises, is distributing Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, and people are deriving the benefits of awakening to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and becoming devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

We always speak of our right, but we never speak of our duty.

Prabhupada has made ISKCON and the 7 purposes of it were,

To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all people in the techniques of spritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life, and to achieve real unity and peace in the world.
To propagate a consciousness of Kṛṣṇa as He is revealed in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam.
To bring the members of the society together with each other and nearer to Krsna, and thus to develop the idea within the members and humanity at large that each soul is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
To teach and encourage the sankirtan movement, congregational chanting of the holy name of God, and to reveal the teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
To erect for the members, and the society at large, a holy place of transcendental pastimes, dedicated to the Personality of Godhead.
To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simple and more natural way of life.
With a view towards achieving the aforementioned purposes, to publish and distribute periodicals, magazines, books and other writings.
These 7 purposes will be fulfilled by the distribution of books. Book distribution is the foundation.

Our senior Vaisnavas and devotees say in Kali yuga there is no need of temples, but we build temples to attract people and as they come to temple they will get the knowledge of Gita and Bhagavatam. Srila Prabhupada further writes therefore that the proper distribution of knowledge has begun by which not only will the whole world benefit, but India’s glory will be magnified in human society.

We Indians say mera bharat mahan, and we want to glorify it all. But Srila Prabhupada says when we propagate about Bhagavad-gītā in the whole world, then only we can truly glorify our nation. Prabhupada writes in the purport that there are two benefits. The world will be benefited. Each person will be benefited and India will be glorified in the right sense. We should read Gita and also distribute Gita. Every house in India has a Gita, each person knows about the Gita. So what’s the use of distributing Gita in India? They have Gita but do not have “Gita As It Is.”

So many speakers and commentators do not know anything about Gita They do not understand Gita. In Kuruksetra Gita Jayanti is celebrated and also in Faridabad and many speakers are called to speak about Gita. They speak for 10 to 15 minutes, but no one presents Gita As It Is. The only proprietorship to describe Gita is with the pure devotee of Krsna and that is Srila Prabhupada.

When people come closer to Gita they gain knowledge. They come closer to Lord Krsna. They achieve happiness and peace of mind. Prabhupada says in purport of verse 3.21.31 that a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, a devotee of the Lord, is always compassionate. He is not satisfied that only he is a devotee, but he tries to distribute the knowledge of devotional service to everyone. There are many devotees of the Lord who faced many risks in distributing the devotional service of the Lord to people in general. That should be done.

Srila Prabhupada is such a saint. HDG left Vrndavana to spread the knowledge of Gita. We all can see Lokanath Maharaja fully surrendered to the Lord and still he gives his association on zoom. We also should try to be a good devotee. How can we do that? Srila Prabhupada is awakening us. Prabhupada says, “Do not be satisfied that you have gained knowledge. No!” We should not just silently sit at home, but we should go out and distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books.

It’s said that books are our best friends. When no one is with us when we are alone, that time Lord Krishna is with us, but we are not connected. In such cases distribute books and when a person reads Gita he will come closer to Krishna.

It’s very important that each house has a Gita. In fact every person should have a Gita. When people say we have a Gita I say, “You have to two mobiles so why not two Gitas.” You should have 3 copies of Gita. One copy at home, your personal copy and one at your office, so that you can read it as you get time.

You can see the Lord became the chariot driver for Arjuna. The Lord is ready to be the Driver of our life and how is that possible by the medium of Bhagavad-gītā.

Rules of book distribution:

Strong sadhana. The food of soul is harinama kirtana. When our stomach is full we burp which means that we are satisfied. Like that when a devotee is satisfied, he will go out and distribute books. When I was a child I saw a movie named Sholay 5 times and I inspired many to see the movie. We should be satisfied first then we can preach to others. This will happen by good sadhana.

Like we take a vow in Kartik, we should take a vow to distribute books. If sadhana is good then you can distribute books.

To distribute books, we need enthusiasm. Gopal Krsna Maharaja once said to Srila Prabhupada that we should display books in stalls at the airport. Srila Prabhupada agreed and later on he asked Maharaja how the book distribution was. Maharaja said that the all books were sold. Srila Prabhupada said, “ This is due to the enthusiasm of my devotees.”

We need some marketing strategies, but strong sadhana is very important. A marketing company did a study that when 90% of the people buy any product, they depend on the recommendation. 64% of the people had heard about the product from word of mouth.

So how to distribute books?
1. Strong sadhana
2. Go to the mall and set up a stall
3. Set up a stall in factories
4. Set up stalls in market places.

I started like that. I used to go out during lunch time and display books and many people would come and buy books. Some devotees put stalls in different places. They also take children with them. When they see children carrying a Gita, it has a knock on effect As other children are missing mobiles, so our children are a good example.

Your stall should be well presentable and books should be nicely visible. Play Hare krsna kirtana that makes a good atmosphere.

Use the Triple C strategy .

Connect – Connect, praise – you are very smart; glorify the person you meet. If the ambience is very nice, people will be attracted to your stall.
Convey – This is Gita, Gita Jayanti is there. Every verse in the Gita is given nicely.
Convenience – Give the Gita in his hand. Touch the book on his head. Show Prabhupada’s picture. Show the picture of the sloka – dehino smin yatha dehe.

Encourage them to read some lines which will serve as inspiration. Then they will like the book. Then as he reads Gita, Prabhupada is directly preaching to him. Anything we do, we only do by the mercy of our spiritual masters. So whomever you meet, encourage them to read some lines from Gita.

The other group is people known to you. I recommend devotees whom you invite to your children’s marriage. Make that list and go to them with a Gita and ask for sponsorship. 92% of people buy the product because someone has recommended it. Gopal Krsna Maharaja says, “ We are not going to ask for anything. In fact we are going to give them Krishna.

They will spend that money on some other thing, like an addiction. So always be confident that we are not going to ask for money. Even if we go to ask, what is the problem? We keep asking throughout life. So why not ask some money for Gita. When you go for sponsorship ask them for sponsorship of 10 or 20 or more Gitas.

Veni Madhav Prabhu was asking why people give donations? The common reason is because someone is asking. So we should got to people and ask for donations.

Set some targets. In Faridabad we give targets to different preaching groups. Do not shoot arrows in the air. Targets should be there. We will always keep remembering the target while chanting in the morning. We should pray, “Krishna, please help us.” Our targets should be big as the Lord’s mercy, which is big. If we set small targets, then how will we get big blessings.

Try to work on professionals. Why not give Gita with the products you sell. We should go to doctors to tell them to give Gita to every patient. Now every year they take 1000 Gitas. Prabhupada said, “Lets shoot the rhinoceros.”

The contacts for house wives would be their relatives. HG Vaisesika

Two people should go for big meetings – one sadhu and one businessman. In reality he is also a devotee. The sadhu will convince the party and other person will seal the book distribution deal.

Question. We are doing book distribution, but so many people say that they already have a Gita. How to convince them?

Answer : Inspire them to read books at multilevels. Take 5 Gitaa and distribute to your loved ones. Encourage them read the last sloka. Tell them to take 3 copies – one for your home, your personal copy and another for your office. If they have Gita, give them Bhagavatam or other books.

Bhagavad-gītā, the topmost knowledgeable book

Hare Krishna

As Maharaja mentioned, we are celebrating Bhagavad-gītā Marathon worldwide from November 15 to January 15. In India the distribution went up to 3 million Bhagavad-gītās out of which we distributed 250 thousand.

While on distribution a person inquisitively asked me, “What is the benefit of reading Bhagavad-gītā?” To which I answered, “Reading Bhagavad-gītā gives the reader association of the Lord.” In the book of Gita Mahatmya which is the compilation of verses of Varaha Purana and also the conversation between Lord Vishnu and Mother Earth. One of the verses of this conversation describes:

Sahayo jayathe seegram yatra Gita pravarthathe
Yatra Gita vicharascha patanam srutham,
Tatraaham nischitham prithvi nivasami sadaiva hi

Translation
Help will reach quickly where Gita is, and Oh earth, in the places where Gita is read or heard, I would definitely be there always. [Gita Mahatmya from Varaha Purana]

Here, as we read about the importance of reading Bhagavad-gītā, we know that the Lord personally resides at whichever place it is read or heard. To have the association of the Lord we simply need to read Bhagavad-gītā. The Lord is present in His name, form, and scripture, if we wish to see Him, then we should be doing these 3 things. People wish to see the Lord. We must guide them to read Bhagavad-gītā and chant His holy name. This is a simple condition to see the Lord. As we see an advertisement on pamphlets or bill boards, we hurriedly do the needful to get it. But we miss the important part written in the corner *conditions apply * to which we get doomed. Similarly if you wish to see Lord Krsna then must follow certain conditions.

Generally Bhagavad-gītā is respected as a pious and pure book, but it is literally an expansion of the Lord which can be seen by pure devotees only. In Srimad Bhagavatam there is a beautiful verse describing the Lord’s disappearance from the material world.

kṛṣṇe sva-dhāmopagate
dharma-jñānādibhiḥ saha
kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām eṣa
purāṇārko ’dhunoditaḥ

Translation
This Bhāgavata Purāṇa is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the Age of Kali shall get light from this Purāṇa. [ŚB 1.3.43]

The merciful Lord left behind Him the great teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā so that one can take the instructions of the Lord even when He is not visible to the material eyes. Material senses cannot have any estimation of the Supreme Lord. However by His inconceivable power the Lord can incarnate Himself to the sense perception of the conditioned souls in a suitable manner through the agency of matter. This is also another form of the Lord’s manifested energy. Thus the Bhagavad-gītā, or any authentic scriptural sound representation of the Lord, is also the incarnation of the Lord. There is no difference between the sound representation of the Lord and the Lord Himself.

One can derive the same benefit from the Bhagavad-gītā as Arjuna did in the personal presence of the Lord. We too can derive the same benefit which Arjuna got while on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, by reading and hearing the Bhagavad-gītā. As Sant Tukarama has said,

Apuliya hita jo ase jagata, dhanya matapita tayachiya
Kuli kanyaputra hoti ji saatvik, tayacha harikh wate deva
Geeta Bhagwat kariti shravan, akhand chintan Vithobache
Tuka mahne maj ghado tyachi seva, tari mazya daiva paar naahi

Translation
Parents of a person, who know what is in his best interest, are really blessed (by having given birth to him), Even God is overjoyed about those persons in whose clan children of pious thoughts are born.Where there is unceasing reading of Bhagavad-gītā, Bhagavat and contemplation of Lord Vitthala, If people in such place are served by me, then I will consider my fortune as unparalleled. [Sant Tukaram Gatha Abhanga 4]

Sant Tukaram is happy and grateful to the devotees of the Lord and to their parents who have given birth to such devotees.

People wake up from their sleep, but they are still sleeping in their spiritual consciousness. They don’t understand the goal of life. The purpose of their human birth is unknown. Some people know the purpose, but do not know how to utilise the opportunity. We have to travel towards the Lord, but do not know the gateway. People have the mindset of enjoying and exploiting the material world.

Yavat jivet sukham jivet, rinam kritva ghritam pibet,
bhasmi bhutasya dehasya punaragamanam kutah

Translation
As long as you live, live happily. Take debt and drink ghee. Once the body is reduced to ashes, how can it come back. [Charvaka]

By earning money one can beat poverty. By chanting the holy name one’s sins are destroyed and by remaining silent one’s fights can be avoided. Srila Prabhupada gives an example in Nectar of Instruction. When one talks unnecessarily, they are inviting their death. A toad makes a noise unconsciously to which a snake is attracted – as its prey. One who is wide awake to make life purposeful, is not scared by death. There is no use of putting oil in the unlit lamp, similarly our life should be utilised in the service of the Lord.

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur dhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca
tasmād aparihārye ’rthe na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi

Translation
One who has taken his birth is sure to die, and after death one is sure to take birth again. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament. [BG 2.27]

People close their eyes to the funeral ceremony in order to avoid the feeling of sadness. For example while drinking milk the cat closes its eyes assuming that nobody notices. Similarly, death will approach us irrespective of whether our eyes are open or closed. Saint Shankarcarya said, “One who wants to be successful in life should not be bothered about death. Only then will his efforts be paid off.” Devotees too should have the attitude of fully surrender to the Lord, fearing that death can arrive at the next moment. Only then can one get serious in devotional service. A devotee does not die, but gets promoted to the spiritual planet. A devotee’s death illicits mixed feelings of happiness and distress.

Swami Vivekananda had visited Chicago. There he saw people were commenting on his clothes. He said, “In your country, people are considered gentleman by their clothes. But in our country they are known by their culture and values.” Moving further he saw religious books were put on display and the Bhagavad-gītā was beneath all the other books, denoting that it is the foundation of all other religious books.

The topmost love in the material world is of a mother towards the child, the perfect wife is Sita and the topmost knowledgeable book is in Bhagavad-gītā.

ekaḿ śāstraḿ devakī-putra-gītam
eko devo devakī-putra eva
eko mantras tasya nāmāni yāni
karmāpy ekaḿ tasya devasya sevā

Translation
Let there be one scripture only, one common scripture for the whole world — Bhagavad-gita. Let there be one God for the whole world — Śri Krsna. Let there be only one hymn, one mantra, one prayer — the chanting of His name: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Let there be one work only — the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. [Verse 7 Gita Mahatmya by Krsna Dvaipayana Vyasa, Padma Purana]

Bhagavad-gītā teaches us how to live our life and Srimad Bhagavatam teaches us how to depart from the world.

Offering prayers to Bhagavad-gītā

Hare Krishna !

I was told to speak about Bhagavad-gītā. In the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, Srila Prabhupada has offered this Gita to Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana. He is the main acarya of the Gaudiya Vaisnava sampradaya. He has composed Govind Vidya Bhashya on Vedanta. Baladeva Vidyabhushana has very nicely praised Gita. These are his words. He is praying to Gita. The last word is pranami Gitam ! It means I offer my obeisances to Gita. We will try to understand Baladeva Vidyabhushana’s words.

ajïäna-néradhir upaiti yayä viçeñaà
bhaktiù paräpi bhajate paripoñam uccaiù |
tattvaà paraà sphurati durgamam apy ajasraà sädguëya-bhåt svaracitäà praëamämi gétäm

Translation
I offer my respects to the Gita, which was spoken by the Lord endowed with perfect qualities, a work by which the ocean of ignorance meets its complete end,1 by which pure bhakti becomes fully nourished to the highest degree, and by which the supreme truth, normally difficult to understand, becomes eternally manifest. (Prayer offered by Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana to Bhagavad-gītā )

Two days ago I was in Vrindavana Dhama. I attended the morning Bhagavat class by Vrindavancandra Maharaja there. He mentioned this verse in the class, so I have taken it from there. Maharaja very nicely elaborated this verse. Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana is offering obeisances to Bhagavad-gītā.

What are the special qualities of Bhagavad-gītā?

It is a set of good qualities.

sadgunya bhrut means one who carries all good qualities. Who is this? Lord Sri Krsna! He has all the divine qualities. Maharaja was explaining that the qualities that a mother possesses, are seen in her child also. In the same way the qualities and emotions of a composer are found in his composition. The Lord is sadgunya bhrut and He has composed Bhagavad-gītā so Bhagavad-gītā has a set of all divine qualities. One more beautiful meaning is one who gathers all the good qualities mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā will also become sadgunya bhrut.

How is this Gita ? First it is said,

agyan nirdhirupaiti yaya vishosh – niradhi means ocean.

It is said that in this material world living entities have ignorance equal to the ocean. The living entity is trapped in ignorance and he has forgotten his original form. He is gone away from the Lord. Therefore he is called agyan niradhi. Maharaja explained that niradhi means the place with a continuous source of water. During summer the lakes and ponds are dried up. Sometimes some rivers also dry up, but we have never seen the ocean dry up. The ocean has so much water, but it never crosses its limits and it never dries up. We know this about the salty water ocean that we have in this material world. The universe has many, many huge oceans. The speciality of the ocean is that it never dries up. In the same way the ocean of ignorance of the living entity is never completely removed. As mentioned here vishosh means to dry up. Hence Bhagavad-gītā can totally remove the ocean of ignorance from the life of living entities.

The result of this is -bhaktiù parāpi bhajate paripoñam uccaiù – the living entity starts loving devotional service of the Lord.
1. Gita inculcates a set of good qualities.
2. Gita removes the ocean of ignorance from our heart.
3. It connects us with loving devotional service to the Lord.

The soul is thirsty for infinite ages and Bhagavad-gītā removes this thirst and nourishes the soul.

tattvaà paraà sphurati durgamam apy ajasraà – The knowledge from Bhagavad-gītā re-establishes our connection with the Lord. In this way Srila Baladeva Vidyabhushana has offered obeisances to Bhagavad-gītā.

Today I recall that one year back we elaborately discussed Gita Mahatmya. Shankaracharya has written Gita Mahatmya and it is in the Varaha Purana. Varaha dev has narrated it to Prithvimata (earth). We have discussed it earlier, but today we will try to know about some different aspects.

oṃ pārthāya pratibodhitāṃ bhagavatā
nārāyaṇena svayaṃ
vyāsena grathitāṃ purāṇamuninā
madhye mahābhārate
advaitāmṛtavarṣiṇīṃ bhagavatīmaṣṭādaśādhyāyinīṃ
amba tvāmanusandadhāmi
bhagavadgīte bhavadveṣiṇīm

Translation
Om! Goddess Mother Bhagavadgītā!
I repeatedly invoke you who were taught by Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa himself for the sake of Arjuna, the son of Kuntī. {You who were} faithfully collected and reported by the ancient sage, Vyāsa, and placed in the middle of the Mahābhārata, you who are in eighteen chapters, you who have the nature of showering the nectar of non-duality, and who is the destroyer of the life of becoming {saṃsāra} [Gita dhyanam by Sankaracarya]

Here Gita is mentioned as amba – it means mata. Sankaracarya mentions, “He mata! I take your shelter.”

Which Bhagavad-gītā ? pārthāya pratibodhitāṃ bhagavatā nārāyaṇena svayaṃ means the Bhagavad-gītā which Narayana has personally narrated to Partha. This Bhagavad-gītā is part of the very ancient scripture Mahabharata which is composed by Vyasa muni. This Gita has 18 chapters and it is a form of the Lord. It pours nectar of deep knowledge about the Lord. The importance of Gita is mentioned in many scriptures. eka eka shloka koti ashawamedh saman!
Maharashtra ke sant Shri Namadeva Maharaja or Ekanath Maharaja has said this. Each verse of the Bhagavad-gītā has importance equal to billions of ashwamegh Yagna.

Vrindavancandra Maharaja was explaining.

Bhagavad-gītā has importance, but the Bhagavad-gītā composed by Srila Prabhupada has a very special importance. Maharaja was explaining his experience. Four or five years ago before COVID, Radha Govind Maharaja Swami again studied Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. After that he called Srila Vrindavancandra Maharaja and instructed that whatever happens in his life, he should read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is everyday. It is really divine. He has given lectures on Bhagavad-gītā and Bhagavatam his entire life and now he is so old that he is not able to do much. Still he was sharing his experience that we should read Bhagavad-gītā daily.

I was reading a shabdanjali by a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, Sivarama Swami Maharaja. He has written a letter explaining the importance of studying the books of Srila Prabhupada. I will read it:

Dear Srila Prabhupada,

Please accept my humble obeisances. I congratulate you on the occasion of your appearance day. Jaya!

I was thinking of writing a homage for you. At the same time I was reading the letters that I have received. At that time I saw a different kind of letter. I am entering it in my offering. A small girl has written this letter.

Dear Sivaram Swami,

Hare Krsna. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I hope you do not mind my writing to you. I have never written to a spiritual master before. You do not know me. My name is Bhaktin Dora and I live in Pecs (Hungary). I am 14 years old, and I live at home with my mother and older sister.

This is a very old letter. I saw it in very old offerings, maybe from 1996 or 1997.

Letter continued :

Some years ago I went to the Hare Krsna Festival with a friend. I was not very interested, but I enjoyed the chanting and dancing at the end. After it was over I bought a book, The Science of Self-Realization. I do not know why; generally I never read. I think it was because of the chanting.

I took the book home and cannot remember what happened to it. One day my mother found it and was very angry with me. She thought that I was reading this kind of thing. You see, our family members are all very strict Catholics. They thought Krsna consciousness was some kind of “brainwashing.” Actually I wasn’t reading the book; I had forgotten all about it. Somehow it just “appeared.” Anyway, my mother was going to throw it away.

My grandmother, who is 68, was in the kitchen at the time. She lives in the apartment upstairs. She came in and took the book. She looked at it and scolded me in a very heavy way. I thought that would be the end of it. I did not mind so much, as I was in a lot of maya at the time.

About a week later I overheard a conversation between my mother and grandmother. Granny was saying that this was not some ordinary book. She said that what Prabhupada was saying is what Jesus Christ said and that Krsna is God. I was very surprised. She said we should listen to what Prabhupada said and chant Hare Krsna because that was the religion for this age. There was a lot of talk about how Christianity was no more and no one was following the Bible but what Prabhupada said was pure and perfect.

Things really took a turn from there. One day my grandmother visited the nama-hatta [local Krsna center] here and began to chant on beads. She also began to buy Prabhupada’s books one by one. She was spending all her pension buying what she called the “beautiful holy Bhagavatam.” Sometimes she could only afford to eat potatoes, but she kept buying the books. The devotees even came to her flat and helped her set up an altar. When I went upstairs, there were Krsna pictures everywhere.

That was really the beginning. One night Granny had a dream about Prabhupada. Something really happened to her then. I don’t know what it was, but she began to get very enthusiastic. Next she began to get the whole family involved. I mean, not just me and my mother and sister, but her two sons, their wives and six children, as well as her brothers, sisters, and relatives. Before, she used to carry a Bible with her and quote Jesus Christ. Now she has a Bhagavad-gita and quotes “the good Lord Prabhupada.” She became a veritable transcendental terror. Everyone in the family has to chant at least one round a day. In addition Granny made everyone become a vegetarian, including my dog Sikra, and we offer our food to a picture of Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya.

Now I am also getting out of maya and chanting and reading a little also. Where I go to school my friends inquire about Krsna, since they know I am a devotee. The whole family goes to the nama-hatta, all sixteen of us. During the Christmas marathon [for book distribution], we all tried to distribute Prabhupada’s books. Even Granny would take books with her to the market and sell them to the vendors. Everyone is afraid of her because she is fearless. They all think she has gone crazy, but she doesn’t care.

Now she is saving to go to Budapest to see the newly installed Deities. She has heard that Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda “came” to Hungary and are being worshiped there by the devotees. She says she wants to see God just once in this life.

At this year’s Hare Krsna festival, you were speaking to the guests after the kirtana. You must remember my grandmother because she came and sat right beside you and asked so many questions. At the end when you stood to leave, she even kissed your hand, remember? I also wanted to ask a question, but I was shy. Could I please ask you now? I hope you do not mind, Maharaja.

I want to know what kind of man Srila Prabhupada was. He must be so dear to Krsna to have spread this message all over the world. What are these books that changed my family so much? How is it possible that he can speak so powerfully through them? You must feel very fortunate to be his disciple. How great a man he is! Sometimes when my Granny chants in front of a picture of Krsna she cries. How does Prabhupada do that? I want to cry like that too. Granny dreams of Prabhupada, and sometimes she talks to his picture. Although it says on the cover of the book that he passed away, is Prabhupada really dead, or is he still alive? Do you think I can meet him some day?

I am sorry that I have gone on so. I would like to be a good devotee one day and help you and Prabhupada spread Krsna consciousness. Please could you answer my questions?

Your servant,
Bhaktin Dora

Now Sivarama Swami Maharaja asked Prabhupada in his shabdanjali “ Prabhupada how compassionately you showered your mercy on an old woman. She never met you and she never saw any devotees. She is not initiated by you and she got your unconditional mercy. Her life changed drastically in a few months after reading your books. What did you move in her heart that changed her life in her final days? She did not have any devotee association or she was not staying in a temple and she was not connected with the institution. Srila Prabhupada, I want to know what you used to talk with her through the picture. I have so many pictures of you, but you have not talked to me through the pictures. However, I also do Deity worship, but I assume them to be marble Deities. But this old lady has a conviction that the Lord is coming. How have you given her such emotions and vision? I heard that she was crying. What mercy have you showered on her that I have not received? How many people have crossed the boundaries of rules of regulations by the strong boat of your mercy and practice Krsna consciousness?

This is a very beautiful letter. We have such two letters but due to the short time we cannot take it.

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, is a very special book which is changing the lives of many people in this world. Early morning I had this thought. I had a book in front of me – It’s my request. Prabhupada has written many quotes in this. One famous quote was written to Hrdayananda Maharaja – These books are the main pillars of our movement. Everything depends on these books. Study and distribution of these books should be our motto.

I remember Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja’s words – You really want to please Prabhupada? We take additional vrata in Kartik. Why do we do Kartik vrata? We know that we get special benefit by doing extra rounds in Kartik and by offering deepdaan to the Lord. What is the purpose of this vrata? If we do some specific activity for a long time then it becomes part of our daily life. Marathon is also the same. It is just the beginning. If we really want to please Prabhupada or if we want to protect ourselves, then it is necessary for each devotee to participate in this marathon. We were hearing from various devotees for the last few days – Vrajajanaranjan Prabhu, Vedanta Caitanya Prabhu, etc. I liked it very much. I was thinking that brahmacharis in temple are distributing books and the grhastas are sitting at home. This is good. You are all doing book distribution and we will hear from you all sitting at home. Recently Maharaja showed how our Bangalore devotees had arranged a stall and were distributing books.

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to South India, He met a Brahmin there, who is known as Kurma Brahman. That Brahmin offered service to Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s and Mahaprabhu gave him His association. He experienced divine pleasure in the association of the Lord. As soon as Caitanya Mahaprabhu was leaving, he immediately caught Mahaprabhu’s lotus feet and he said, “I will also come with you.” He said the following famous verse at that time,

kṛpā kara, prabhu, more, yāṅ tomā-saṅge
sahite nā pāri duḥkha viṣaya-taraṅge’

Translation
The brāhmaṇa begged Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “My dear Lord, kindly show me favor and let me go with You. I can no longer tolerate the waves of misery caused by materialistic life.” [CC Madhya 7.126]

He Mahaprabhu, please take me with You. Why? sahite nā pāri duḥkha viṣaya-taraṅge’ – since I am not able to handle the waves of this grhasta life. Bhaktivinoda Thakure has mentioned these waves of misery in Siksastakam. This world is known as bhav sagar – ocean. We see continuous waves in an ocean. In the same way in the grhasha life also continuously waves originate of various desires.

If you have taken a bath in the ocean then you must have seen that the waves continuously come, and at times with a lot of speed. The waves have so much power that they can pull you inside also. The waves hit us really very strongly. Sometimes they can hurt us. In the same way the desires of this life are like the waves of the ocean. Each desire pulls us inside the material world. They are the cause of misery. Therefore the brahmin is requesting Caitanya Mahaprabhu, “If I am not with you, then these waves of desires will pull me more in the material world.” We can experience that when we are with devotees and Guru Maharaja, then we have spiritual thoughts. But that will not last long. And again we are trapped in the thoughts of this material world. How will we be free from this ? Specially grhastas face this problem. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given the answer here.

prabhu kahe, — “aiche bāt kabhu nā kahibā
gṛhe rahi’ kṛṣṇa-nāma nirantara laibā

Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “Don’t speak like that again. Better to remain at home and chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa always. [CC Madhya 7.127]

Mahaprabhu said to him not to say this. Stay at home and follow these two things. Then you will not be affected by this world. What are these two points ? First you should chant continuously. Your tongue should do this work all the time. Then someone will say that at first this is impossible and even if we try, then we have to deal with many people in a day. We have to talk with them. Keep in mind that Caitanya Mahaprabhu is giving this instruction to a grhasta, and not to sannyasi or brahmacari.

yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa
āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa

Translation
“Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as they are given in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.” [CC Madhya 7.128]

When you are not dealing with anybody then you should continuously chant. Whenever you are dealing with someone, then you should talk about Krsna to them. Krsna upadesa means book distribution in reality. Other forms of Krsna upadesa is also available, but the main is book distribution. What is the difference between giving a lecture and distributing books? A lecture sometimes increases pride in us, but book distribution develops humility in us.

In the eighth chapter of the Srimad Bhagavatam Vamanadev has asked this question – We do various devotional services of the Lord. The question! Is the Lord pleased with the service or not? We chant, do kirtana, offer bhoga, then how we will know whether the Lord is pleased with our service or not? Lord has given some hints. You will see the following symptoms if the Lord is pleased with you. It is said that if after doing a service you feel humility, then you can be certain that Krsna has accepted your service that day. If however you feel proud after doing service, then it means that the Lord has not accepted your service.

When I was in Vrindavan I heard that maximum humility is developed by doing book distribution. Yesterday I was saying that at the time of COVID, the virus was spread in the air. In the same way in Kali-yuga, all the drawbacks of Kali-yuga are spread everywhere – fighting, envy, lies, cheating, fraud are present everywhere. What should we do to protect ourselves? We should practice social distancing and use a mask. Which is this mask? This mask means preaching. If you preach then you will be reached. If you continuously talk about Krsna, if you distribute books, then an aura develops around you. Krsna’s words protect you from the viruses of Kali-yuga.

A special example was presented there by Sarvabhauma Prabhu. If a tap is not used for a long time, then junk accumulates in that tap. When we open the tap then initially all the junk comes out and slowly fresh water starts coming out of it. In the same way, it is said that when we go out in this world, then we come out of our comfort zone, hesitate, and we give a book in someone’s hand. The junk of jealousy, hatred, negativity, Vaisnava offence is blocked inside us. Then the tap of generosity and compassion starts flowing. What is the effect of this? If this devotee goes out in this world and gives books to others, then immediately mercy from all the acaryas of the lineage start flowing to him. We have to protect ourselves from Maya devi and we have to please Srila Prabhupada. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said,

kabhu nā bādhibe tomāra viṣaya-taraṅga
punarapi ei ṭhāñi pābe mora saṅga”

Translation
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu further advised the brāhmaṇa Kūrma, “If you follow this instruction, your materialistic life at home will not obstruct your spiritual advancement. Indeed, if you follow these regulative principles, we will again meet here, or, rather, you will never lose My company.” [CC Madhya 7.129]

Theme : Daily routine of Prabhupada disciples

A few days ago we were in Pandharpur Dhama with Radheshyam Prabhu who said that the special quality of Prabhupada’s disciples is that they did kirtana and book distribution. Therefore book distribution is called our family business. Earlier this was their main work. Now with other responsibilities this service has taken a little back seat. They had a balanced routine – they would chant for two hours, read for 1 hour and everyday they went out and did,

udilo aruṇa pūraba-bhāge,
dwija-maṇi gorā amani jāge,
bhakata-samūha loiyā sāthe,
gelā nagara-brāje

Translation
When the rising sun appeared in the East, the jewel of the twice-born, Lord Gaurasundara, awakened, and, taking His devotees with Him, He went all over the countryside towns and villages [Udilo Aruna Puraba Bhage, Text 1, Bhaktivinoda Thakura]

Mahaprabhu used to do sankirtana on the roads with other devotees. Wherever you are staying if you want to purify that place, then everyday you should do sankirtana outside. He told me that especially in America he goes out from morning 7:00 to 7:30 and he does kirtan with karatals. Along with this, every evening he went out and showed Prabhupada’s books to unknown people. I was really inspired to know this. My personal experience is that when we get another important service then gradually we forget this service. Especially in marathons, we should do this service.