How to associate with the Sampradaya-Acarya: Srila Prabhupada.
Indian man: “[we] like your company very much in Toronto and we feel like talk you so much, but we don’t have so much time to talk with you. You have so much mercy, so we have not known much about Krsna from you.”
Srila Prabhupada: “So in my absence you read the books. What I talk, I have written in the books. That’s all.”
Indian man: “Personally we think more greater.”
Srila Prabhupada: “That’s all right. But still, you can associate with me by reading My books.” Srila Prabhupada lecture, August 7, 1975, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
It is not humanly possible to write so many books.
Srila Prabhupada: “Are you reading sometimes my books? Which one?”
George Harrison: “Mainly Krsna.”
Srila Prabhupada: “That is the main book.” [laughs]
George Harrison: “Mukunda gave me the new books, but there’s so much to read.”
Srila Prabhupada: “Philosophy.”
George Harrison: “I don’t know how anybody could have written it, it’s is difficult to read all that amount”
Srila Prabhupada: “Sometimes, they are surprised how one man can write so many books, but it is Krsna’ s grace. Otherwise, not possible. Human being, it is not possible
Srila Prabhupada conversations with George Harrison. London, England – July 26, 1976.
Srila Prabhupada explains why His books are so potent?
Srila Prabhupada explains that they are written by Vyasadeva.
Note: Srila Prabhupada repeatedly told us again and again that He did not invent a new philosophy or his own philosophy. He said that His books were simply the presentation of the message of the great Acaryas.
Srila Prabhupada: Thank you. You have read some of my books?
Guest: Yes.
Srila Prabhupada: They are not my books. I am simply translating. They are written by Vyasadeva, the original Vedic scholar. Srila Prabhupada lecture. Jakarta, Indonesia – June 8, 1976,
Srila Prabhupada explains that they are Krsna’s books.
Ramesvara: The only hope is to read your books.
Devotees: “Jaya.”
Srila Prabhupada: “Not my books, Krsna’s books.”Srila Prabhupada room conversation. Los Angeles, California -. June 8, 1976,
Srila Prabhupada will be remembered for centuries, making history.
Brahmananda: In the airport. And this caused big sensation, because never, even big Indian gurus have come to South Africa. Never have any whites bowed down. It was the first time whites bowed down to…
Srila Prabhupada: They clapped. After hearing me, they clapped. They purchased books. Now they are selling books. Some think my books are more important. We shall give more concentration for pushing and publishing. What do you think?
Devotee: Yes. That is our weapons. They are our strength, they are our guidance, and they are our ammunition. Everything is based on these books, everything. We are…
Srila Prabhupada: One Indian. a very learned scholar in Chandigarh, he has given very good certificate. What is that?
Devotee: “He said that ‘There have been many commentaries on the Bhagavad-Gita including Ramanuja, Madhva and Sankara,’ and then, he said ‘Tilak and Gandhi, but of all of them the commentary by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami is the greatest commentary. ‘Punjab University.’ Then he said later that ‘ In this suffering mankind, God has sent His Holiness A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami(conversation 1977 Feb evening_darsana Mayapura February 15/1977)
(by Yasoda nandana dasa)
75-02-02. Letter: Puranjana
Whatever money is owed to the BBT, that should be paid. As far as record distribution is concerned, if you have no big books, you may temporarily continue, but give a book with each record. With record distribution alone, the result is temporary. They will hear it for some time and throw away. Book distribution is solid. EVEN IF THEY DO NOT READ, SIMPLY BY TOUCHING THEY ARE BENEFITED. IT IS SO MUCH POWERFUL.
72-09-30. Letter: Bali-mardana
Regarding the question you have raised about traveling sankirtana parties and selling of books, yes, we want money. So that is the real preaching, selling books. Who can speak better than the books? At least whoever buys, he will look over. If you have to sell books, do it by hook or by crook. THE REAL PREACHING IS SELLING BOOKS. YOU SHOULD KNOW THE TACTIC HOW TO SELL WITHOUT IRRITATING. WHAT YOUR LECTURE WILL DO FOR THREE MINUTES, BUT IF HE READS ONE PAGE HIS LIFE MAY BE TURNED. We don’t want to irritate anyone, however. If he goes away by your agressive tactics, then you are nonsense and it is your failure. Neither you could sell a book, neither he would remain. BUT IF HE BUYS A BOOK THAT IS THE REAL SUCCESSFUL PREACHING. That is the certificate of my Guru Maharaja, if someone, brahmacari, would sell a one paise magazine, if one of our brahmacaris would go and sell a few copies, he would be very very glad and say “Oh, you are so nice!” So distribution of literature is our real preaching. Now if you cannot handle the matter nicely, that is your fault. But the success of your preaching will be substantiated by how many books are sold. Anything you want to sell, you have to a little canvass, so he gives some money for the service of Krsna. That is his good luck and he gets the chance to read some transcendental knowledge. But if you only irritate and he goes away, that is your less intelligence.
The fact is that we have to adopt the same tactics as ordinary salesmen adopt, but the difference is we do it for the satisfaction of Krsna, they do it for sense gratification. Actually we have experienced that sometimes out of sentiment someone gives to ISKCON and then laments and wants it back, but that does not mean we should give it back. Our policy is that his money which would have been used for purchasing cigarettes, liquor, sex literature, meat, will give him the opportunity to gradually become purified. So if by tactics we save that money from being spent on cigarette packets, that is good. If we can take some money and give some literature, that is a good service. So far irritation is concerned, a child is also irritated when he is given instructions, but that does not mean that we should stop. Invite them in our feast, that is a better indication.
So if the sankirtana parties in Satsvarupa’s zone are irritating the public for selling so many books, that is one thing, but by their selling books they are doing the greatest service. What your one hour of preaching will do, they will hear and go away, but if they have one book at home, they will read, their friends will read, and something solid work is done. So the art is to sell many many books and not to irritate the public, so you may instruct all the others how to do this successfully. That is sannyasa. That is GBC. There are so many places to go, so why there should be business competition sankirtana parties in New York? This problem should be adjusted between the GBC men.
72-11-03. Letter: Brahmananda
Yes, that is a good proposal, print many many books in African language and distribute widely, that is real preaching work. If you sell a book to someone, that is better than your speaking to them–WHAT WILL YOUR THREE MINUTES’ PREACHING DO? BUT IF THEY READ A BOOK IT MAY TURN THEIR LIFE. Go on preaching, that is the highest perfection of activity, and do not worry for anything, Krishna is so much appreciative of this preaching work that He will give you every facility, as much as you have ambition
One thing is, if that printer is so cheap, why not print all our European books there? ANYWAY, PRINT BOOKS, DISTRIBUTE PROFUSELY, AND THAT WILL BE THE BEST PREACHING WORK. WHAT WILL YOUR THREE MINUTES’ PREACHING DO?–BUT IF THEY BUY ONE BOOK, IT MAY TURN THEIR LIFE. SO MAKE THIS YOUR IMPORTANT TASK, TO PRINT OUR BOOKS IN FRENCH LANGUAGE AND OTHER LANGUAGES, AND DISTRIBUTE WIDELY, AND THAT WILL PLEASE MY GURU MAHARAJA. NEVER MIND IT TAKES LITTLE TIME TO MAKE PROGRESS, OUR PROCESS IS SLOW BUT SURE, AND WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT IF WE CONTINUE IN THIS WAY WE SHALL GO ONE DAY BACK TO HOME, BACK TO GOD HEAD.
KB 90 Summary Description of Lord Krsna’s Pastimes
Following in the holy footsteps of Srila Sukadeva Gosvami, we have tried to present this book Krsna for being read and heard by the conditioned souls of this age. BY HEARING THE PASTIMES OF LORD KRSNA, ONE IS SURE AND CERTAIN TO GET SALVATION AND BE TRANSFERRED BACK HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD. It is recommended by Sukadeva Gosvami that as we hear the transcendental pastimes and activities of the Lord, we gradually cut the knots of material contamination. Therefore, regardless of what one is, if one wants the association of Lord Krsna in the transcendental kingdom of God for eternity in blissful existence, one must hear about the pastimes of Lord Krsna and chant the maha-mantra, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
THE TRANSCENDENTAL PASTIMES OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD KRSNA ARE SO POWERFUL THAT SIMPLY BY HEARING, READING AND MEMORIZING THIS BOOK KRSNA, ONE IS SURE TO BE TRANSFERRED TO THE SPIRITUAL WORLD, WHICH IS ORDINARILY VERY DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE. The description of the pastimes of Lord Krsna is so attractive that automatically it gives us an impetus to study repeatedly, and THE MORE WE STUDY THE PASTIMES OF THE LORD, THE MORE WE BECOME ATTACHED TO HIM. THIS VERY ATTACHMENT TO KRSNA MAKES ONE ELIGIBLE TO BE TRANSFERRED TO HIS ABODE, GOLOKA VRNDAVANA.
73-12-25.Letter: Gurukrpa , Yasodanandana
Whatever is to be learned of the teachings of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura can be learned from our books. THERE IS NO NEED WHATSOEVER FOR ANY OUTSIDE INSTRUCTION.
74-11-22. Letter: Bahurupa
I am pleased to hear that you are chanting 16 rounds daily and reading my books regularly and following the four rules. IN MY BOOKS THE PHILOSOPHY OF KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS IS EXPLAINED FULLY SO IF THERE IS ANYTHING WHICH YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND, THEN YOU SIMPLY HAVE TO READ AGAIN AND AGAIN. BY READING DAILY THE KNOWLEDGE WILL BE REVEALED TO YOU AND BY THIS PROCESS YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE WILL DEVELOP.
75-09-18. Letter: Babhru, Satyaki
PLEASE CONTINUE READING MY BOOKS SERIOUSLY AND EVERYTHING WILL BE REVEALED TO YOU.
74-11-22. Letter: Hugo Salemon
So far your worship of Lord Jagannatha in your home and your becoming initiated. It is alright provided you have the recommendation of the temple president. I am very glad to see that such a young boy as yourself you are taking serious interest in this Krishna Consciousness Movement. Please continue in this way Our process is something universal. It cannot be checked by any means. Anyone in any place, in any country can chant Hare Krishna. If it is possible to go to the temple, then take advantage of the temple. A temple is a place where by one is given the opportunity to render direct devotional service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS YOU SHOULD ALWAYS READ MY BOOKS DAILY AND ALL YOUR QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED AND YOU WILL HAVE A FIRM BASIS OF KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS. IN THIS WAY YOUR LIFE WILL BE PERFECT.
75-11-15. Letter: Janajanmadhih
So, if you are strong enough to preach Krsna consciousness there, that is very good; that as long as you chant your 16 rounds and follow the four regulative principles, then you will get the strength. THE PROCESS IS THAT YOU SHOULD MEMORIZE THE PURPORTS OF MY BOOKS AND THEN SPEAK THEM IN YOUR OWN WORDS. DO NOT ADULTERATE OR CHANGE ANYTHING. THEN YOU WILL BE THE PERFECT PREACHER. You should also distribute our books as far as possible. If you do this sincerely, then you will be successful.
731208SB.LA Lectures
So if you want to understand Bhagavad-gita, then we must understand in the same way as the person who directly heard from. This is called parampara system. Suppose I have heard something from my spiritual master, so I speak to you the same thing. So this is parampara system. You cannot imagine what my spiritual master said. OR EVEN IF YOU READ SOME BOOKS, YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND UNLESS YOU UNDERSTAND IT FROM ME. THIS IS CALLED PARAMPARA SYSTEM. YOU CANNOT JUMP OVER TO THE SUPERIOR GURU, NEGLECTING THE NEXT ACARYA, IMMEDIATE NEXT ACARYA. Just like our, this Gau…, Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s cult; we cannot understand Caitanya Mahaprabhu directly. It is not possible. We have to understand through the Gosvamis. Therefore you’ll find in the Caitanya-caritamrta and at the end of every chapter, the writer says,
sri-rupa-ragunatha-pade yara asa
caitanya-caritamrta kahe krsna-dasa
This is the process. He does not say that “I’ve understood Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu directly.” No. That is not understanding. That is foolishness. You cannot understand what is Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore repeatedly he says, rupa-ragunatha-pade… “I am that Krsna dasa, Kaviraja, who is always under the subordination of the Gosvamis.” This is parampara system. Similarly, Narottama dasa Thakura also says, ei chay gosai jar mui tar das, “I am servant of that person who has accepted this six Gosvamis as his master. I am not going to be servant of any other person who does not accept the way and means of…” Therefore we say or we offer our prayer to our spiritual master, rupanuga-varaya te, rupanuga-varaya te, because he follows Rupa Gosvami, therefore we accept, spiritual master. Not that one has become more than Rupa Gosvami or more than… No. Tandera carana-sebi-bhakta-sane vas. This is the parampara system.