Since 2002 throughout the world every year we have been increasing book distribution. And this is mainly because of the leaders in our society, such are Gopala Krishna Maharaja, Jayapataka Maharaja. We have many leaders in our society, guru’s, sannyasi’s. But there are some guru’s and sannyasi’s that are really into book distribution. And they pass it on to their disciples.
I recently heard that 70% of the book distributors here in Mayapur are disciples of Jayapataka Swami. (Devotees: Haribol!) So he is encouraging them, inspiring them to distribute books and what is the result? They are number 1 in the world.
And Gopala Krishna Maharaja also, his disciples are very dedicated to book distribution. Why? Because he is inspiring them.
So its still coming from the top. As we heard Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, he got his inspiration from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. Srila Prabhupada he got his inspiration to distribute books from his spiritual master Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. And now leaders around the world are getting their inspiration from Srila Prabhupada.
Actually our biggest year in book distribution in our ISKCON society was in 1977. Srila Prabhupada was ill and everyone knew that there is nothing that is going to make Srila Prabhupada feel better than book distribution. So there was a full on marathon for months and months. Did18 million books in 1977. We haven’t done that much since then. Why? Because of Srila Prabhupada. And now we are having this 50-50! 50 years, 50 books! Actually we having many more devotees in our society than 1 million. But 1 million, you know, really dedicated, householders living outside, and devotees within the temple So if we get 1 million devotees to distribute 50 books, that will be 50 million books! Much, much, much more than we have ever done in the past. So hopefully we will be able to do this quota!
So this book distribution its actually a war on maya. Srila Prabhupada many times he said that, he wrote one letter, he said, ‘Our temples are not places for eating and sleeping but they are bases from where we send out our soldiers to fight against maya! To fight against maya means to drop hundreds and millions of books into the laps of the conditioned souls!’ Just as when during the war time the bombs are falling from the sky like anything. So these books are also like bombs and people get them and put them in their homes and they are ticking away. People pick them up and it destroys their ignorance. So generally wars are not very nice. Who like war! Nobody likes war! But this war against maya is a friendly war! Anybody ever heard of a friendly war? (laughs) For this is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s war against maya, its a friendly war. We are going to very nicely, very gently, encouraging people to take Srila Prabhupada’s books and this kills maya.
I will tell you an interesting story. This is in 1976. One young man he went through the New York bus station, big, big huge bus station. And there was one devotee there distributing books. And this devotee was very nice, very kind, very gentle, very friendly, very personal. And he was speaking to this young man. And then he explained the book, asked for donation. He said, no, its nice but I am not very interested! But he noted that this person is very nice, very nice person. But he didn't take the book for whatever reason.
Two years later, he is in Florida at one of the rest areas there where devotees also distribute books. So again he met a devotee and again the devotee was so nice, so personal, so friendly but this time he wanted the book but he didn't have money. So he said I am sorry, I don't have any money. But do you have a temple nearby here? The devotee said yes. So he gave him directions were the temple was. And he went to the temple and again he found all the devotees so nice. He didn't want to leave. So he joined the temple. So he has been a devotee now for 39 years. Never read a book! Never read one line but he was very impressed with the devotees. Why? Because they had absorbed Srila Prabhupada’s books. And they were absorbed in the holy name and the result of that is one develop’s very nice qualities.
So this is the goal of this Krishna consciousness movement that we develop very nice qualities and then when we go out to distribute books, people will be impressed and they would want to learn more, and want to associate with the devotees, and want to read the books and want to chant the holy name.
So this is the power of Srila Prabhupada’s books. Books change people’s lives. Just like here in West Bengal, so long it was a Communist country. Why? Because they were distributing these little leaflets about Communism. So many books change people’s lives, the Bible, Darwin’s books. But these books change people’s lives in a very very positive way. So they can become pure. This is the power of Srila Prabhupada’s books. People read these books and they can become purified. They can transcend the material nature.
So I want to thank the devotees here in Mayapur for being such a good example for devotees all around the world by going out and distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books. They are very austere, living in a bus, how many devotees in each bus? 8 or 10 devotees in each bus! Thats austere! But they are doing it year after year after year after year. And Krishna is reciprocating with them.
So thank you very much! Hare Krishna!
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