English
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.
