Surat embraced the grandest Rath Yatra in decades on 7th July, 2024. The day dawned with mild clouds and gentle sunshine, a perfect backdrop for Lord Jagannatha’s divine journey through the city streets.
The atmosphere was charged with spiritual fervor as devotees and curious onlookers alike thronged the path of the magnificent chariot. Despite the textile markets and shops along the route being closed, devotees tirelessly distributed books to every soul eager for darshan.
In the Rath Yatra par
By Atma Tattva Das
For over two decades, Vijaya Dasa has been a key figure in promoting Srila Prabhupada’s books worldwide. In January 2024, Vijaya stepped down from his role as the International Minister of Book Distribution, a position he held for 22 years, passing the mantle to Vaisesika Dasa, another revered figure known for his innovative approaches to book distribution. Vijaya leaves behind a legacy of transformative influence that will continue under Vaisesika’s leadership.
Vijaya’s jour
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi
Madhav Dasa Rupanuga, a 12-year-old boy who lives in Mayapur with his parents, Acintya Caitanya Das and Dr. Shiromani Devi Dasi, recently distributed over 13,000 books in just six months. Acknowledged for his unwavering dedication, he was recently honored with a Chaitanya Charitamrita set from Vaisesika Dasa presented by Jayapataka Swami.
The catalyst for Madhav’s fervor is Vaisesika Dasa’s inspiring association. Madhava enthusiastically participates in the
There is a new sankirtan sensation in New Zealand that is creating a fire of enthusiasm and camaraderie in the community. It is called the “One Book A Day” challenge (OBAD) and was initiated by Bhakta Jordan from The Loft Outreach Centre in Auckland.
Bhakta Jordan himself first came in contact with Krishna Consciousness through book distribution. His sister came home after meeting a sankirtan devotee in a car park and brought him back a Chant and Be Happy. After reading a few chapters, he star
In September of 2023, Kesava Dasa and Kesava Priya Dasi arrived in Ghana, West Africa, at the invitation of Srivas Vanacari Maharaja, the Zonal Secretary for West Africa, to assist with college preaching as well as book and prasadam distribution.
Formerly known as the Gold Coast, Ghana is located on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa. It is known for its rich history and diverse cultural heritage. It gained independence from British colonial rule in 1957 and has since become a stable democrac
A young devotee named Bhakta Kevin, serving at the Los Angeles New Dvaraka temple, has broken multiple book distribution records enthusiastically distributing stacks of Srila Prabhupada’s books newly translated into the Farsi language. As soon as the new books arrived at the BBT warehouse from the port of Los Angeles, Bhakta Kevin immediately made beautiful, ribbon-tied stacks of them, which were named the “Four Kumara Stacks.” He drove straight to a local area called “Little Persia” and proce
As hundreds of thousands descend on Ayodhya for the grand opening of the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Temple on January 22, ISKCON has formerly inaugurated its festival tent in ceremonies and celebrations today in the presence or several senior ISKCON members.
The program commenced with invocation of mantras, offering of an arati to the Padayatra Deities of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai and Srila Prabhupada.
This was followed by the opening of the month long yajnashala (fire sacrifice). Later all the leaders
Dear devotees, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Šrila Prabhupada!
I’d like to use this opportunity to inform you about a successful book distribution program that started back in 2012 and is still ongoing. I hope many of you will get inspiration from this report and replicate it in your yatras. During Vrisabha Prabhu’s (my close friend, a devotee from Croatia) stay in Sarajevo in the period from 2012 to 2014, there was an opportunity to enter libraries with Srila Prabhupada’s
By Atma Tattva Das
In the quaint villages and bustling towns of Norfolk, a retired couple, Shyamlal Prabhu and Danakeli Mataji, have embarked on a remarkable 175,000-mile book distribution journey in the last seven years, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of the local community. This initiative, driven by their deep devotion to Srila Prabhupada’s mission and guided by the instruction of their spiritual mentor, serves as a shining example of dedicated service within the Internati
By Parasuram das
Nitai Doya Prabhu heads up the school distribution team in the Vrindavan area. There are 240 schools and our aim is to install a set of Srimad Bhagavatams in each school. As well as giving each teacher a Bhagavad Gita and each older child a medium size book, and a pocket size book for the younger children.
The teachers use Srila Prabhupada’s books as text books.
Annually 180,000 books are distributed.
On the banks of Radha Kund, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarawati Maharaja instructed
By Kulavati Krishnapriya Devi Dasi
Annually, the Prabhupada Marathon unfolds as a transcendent occasion for benevolence across ISKCON communities on a global scale with the “Live to Give” Campaign. This year, the BBT MCI Team (Marketing, Communications, and Innovation), under the expert leadership of Vaisesika Dasa, has set the goal of distributing 3.7 million Bhagavad-gitas worldwide between September 30th and January 7th, 2024.
Vaisesika Dasa said, “This campaign aims to realize the seventh p
My dear devotees,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
In a letter to me dated December 1971, Srila Prabhupada wrote, “Go on increasing books and go on increasing my pleasure.” December is a special opportunity to focus on Srila Prabhupada’s desire that we distribute books—and thus increase his pleasure. As he wrote in the same letter, “I am most pleased especially to hear that you are distributing many books.”
tad-vag-visargo janatagha-viplavo
yasmin prati-slo
By Chandni Raj
A seminar on book distribution was conducted for devotees at the New Mayapur temple, France. Vijaya Prabhu, ISKCON minister for book distribution, was the guest speaker at the seminar. Participants presented their questions on improving book distribution to him. The session was also attended by visiting devotees from Poland.
Devotees were excited to meet a highly experienced senior book distributor to whom they could address all their questions and receive guidance from. Various
A toddler devotee is taking the French yatra by storm with her extraordinary will to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books. Sangita, the two-year-old daughter of New Mayapur’s temple presidents Locanananda Das and Gandharvika Rai Devi Dasi and granddaughter of Paris temple president Gaudamandala Das, accompanies her parents every week on Harinam Sankirtan.
She shares Prabhupada’s books with interested parties from her pram or often standing, joining the other devotees in their Sankirtan efforts.
Meet Loka Manohara Giridhari Das, a devotee who finds great joy in distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books a few years after discovering them with his family. Today, he is a seasoned book distributor working in Johannesburg’s central business district, an area often associated with high crime rates.
When asked what motivates him to distribute Srila Prabhupadas’ books, Loka Manohara Giridhari Das speaks from the heart, “There’s no other feeling like it, you know…the thrill of distributing Srila Pr
“You are distributing this knowledge, so you become immediately recognized, very dear servant, very confidential servant of Krsna. He says personally. [Bg. 18.69]. “Amongst the human beings those who are doing this preaching, nobody is dearer than these persons to Me””
“To be quickly recognized by Krsna, this is the short-cut process. He never says those who are sitting in a secluded place meditating or chanting, doing nothing. He never says that “They are My very dear devotees.” But those who
For about ten years, I maintained myself and my family by driving a taxi. Srila Prabhupada’s kirtan always softly played in the taxi, and I was distributing his books to my passengers. Some happily accepted, and some refused as always.
One day, I picked up a passenger from the airport to take him downtown, about a forty-minute drive with traffic.
On the way, he recognized the maha-mantra in the background and started a conversation with me. I slowly introduced him to the message of the Bhagavad
By Ekantita-buddhi dasa
I continue to distribute books. Even though the military is trying to catch and recruit all young men, Krsna protects me.
I walk along the main street, and of course I look around, but I continue to offer books. The people react very well and take books. Krishna protects me from the military.
On a recent Saturday, I was at a big market from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and people took 115 books. Then I went and dined at Food for Life and continued distributing until 6 p.m. The peop
By HH Bhakti Raghava Swami
I was walking down Rideau Street in the city of Ottawa some time during the summer of 1973. Although I had still not found what I really wanted in life, I was somewhat relieved that I had been able to walk out of the expected social pressures of modern day society.
I had already finished my university studies, graduating from Ottawa U in 1968, had worked for three years as a Social Worker with the Children’s Aid Society in my home town of Timmins in Northern Ontario,
