English
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!
