An interview with Radhanatha Prabhu
While visiting the ISKCON center in Kansas City, Missouri (the locals call it "misery"), I had the good fortune of associating with one of the greatest inspirations in ISKCON, Radhanatha Prabhu. He joined in 1975, in Philadelphia, and shortly after joining he contracted a disease that put him in crutches and then a wheel chair. Last year he had his legs amputated. Despite all this, he has been enthusiastically distributing books for the past twenty-eight years! I'm a big fan of his, so I decided to interview him.
Vijaya Dasa: What year did you start distributing books?
Radhanatha: I joined in Philadelphia in 1975, and after a few weeks I went out on book distribution during the Christmas marathon. The devotees were making headway distributing books in the subways, airports, and other places.
What inspires you to distribute books?
When I read Srila Prabhupada's books, I get inspired to distribute them. I used to be into welfare work; I always wanted to help people. From reading Prabhupada's books I could see that these books are the ultimate solution to all problems. I read the Krsna Book that my sister gave me, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Perfection of Yoga, and by reading these books I became very inspired to take up the process and give it to others.
What do you say to distribute books?
It depends on the person's mentality. The face is the index to the mind. If they look very sinful, I just try my best and pray to Krsna. If they say they're Christian, I say, "Yoga means to think of God, always, so this won't impede your faith in Christ, but it will help you understand what a great devotee Jesus was because He was always thinking of God." With other people, I hand them a Bhagavad-gita and tell them that A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's translation has sold more than 15 million copies and has the best translation, and why it is best. Small books I distribute randomly. I tell them that this book will help you to become more successful in life.
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