So I will not speak much because we are late and we have to distribute awards. So I have very good experience in my life. As one month in new bhakta program, then HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaja he took me on sankirtana. That time he personally was leading sankirtana book distribution. In 78 he was looking after book printing, we had a small press on the basement. That time he personally was distributing books with us and we were distributing one book 1 Re that time it was. We had two broken matador, matador you don’t see nowadays, its history now. That time it was matador.
At that time I realised that in Bengal to distribute books was so difficult. To get money out of a Bengali pocket, at that time Raja Vidya cost Rs 4, they would die giving out such petty amounts even.
kali-kalera dharma — krsna-nama-sankirtana krsna-sakti vina nahe tara pravartana (CC Antya 7.11)
Without the energy of Krishna how it would be possible like this. Within this 25-30 years the way Bengal has changed, mentality of people has changed, its because of books of Srila Prabhupada. (Devotees: Haribol!) What is the proof how Bengal has changed? 78-79 there was a Rathayatra. Guru Maharaja Srila Jayapataka Swami Maharaja on stage, on Rathayatra stage spoke something about Vivekananda, not very bad, some simple things, about his philosophy, something like that. So as soon as he came out of the stage, big group of people led by lady came - Why you spoke like this? On the stage Guru Maharaja had to go and beg apology for that.
And today by reading Srila Prabhupada the whole Bengal has understood what is problem with that other philosophy, yata mata tata path will not work. sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja (Bg 18.66) 30 years before in Bengal how many people would know this verse! How many people would know sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. And today you make statistics how many, thousand people would be knowing. Why? Everybody knows this verse now. Why? Because of Srila Prabhupada. Because of Srila Prabhupada’s books.
Its all mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, actually books are already distributed, nimitta-matram bhava savya-sacin (Bg 11.33). Prabhupada has distributed all his books. We just have to go from house to house with the book bag. People are waiting when ISKCON people will come and give me a book. Eagerly they are waiting for this. So in this way I have seen how Srila Jayapataka Swami Maharaja, since 77- 78 started book distribution with 1 Re book. Then we had a marathon, Bhaktyananda Svarupa Maharaja, Yogesvara Prabhu came, then that time we distributed some Hare Krishna yuga and Bhagavata small books, that time we had one, long before, many many years, first in the world, I remember. Then when Harikesa Prabhu came, that time we did not have so many sankirtana devotees. But then he said we have so many namahatta devotees. Then Harikesa Prabhu he encouraged namahatta devotees, I remember, first time. When namahatta devotees get involved with book distribution, since then Mayapur always coming first or second position in whole world. Why I am telling this? When Prabhupada started our movement, we had only one preaching - book distribution.
When 81 I went with Guru Maharaja round the world travelling, every temple I see including pujari, temple President, GBC, ABC, everybody, they must go book bag. Yes, they must go book bag! Then after that nowadays we have many varieties of preaching programs namahatta, bhakti vrksas, youth forum, chhatra samaja, so many varieties. But I will tell, whatever new varieties of preaching program we might have introduced, until unless we engage our youth forum, bhakti vrksa, namahatta in book distribution, our preaching will not get perfection. The perfection of any kind of preaching program is whether you are engaging them in book distribution or not. So when Maharaja asked how many of you are regularly distributing books? Very few raised hand! Then he said, who does it part time? a few. Many still are there they have never distributed books in their life! If you don't become distribute books in your life how you can become member of Srila Prabhupada’s family? To become member of Prabhupada’s family means you must distribute books. I request everybody please try to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books.
In this way you can become a real family member of Srila Prabhupada. Jaya Srila Prabhupada ki jaya! Srila Prabhupada book distribution ki jaya! Gaurapremanande Hari Haribol!
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