20201206 Addressing Prabhupada Book Marathon

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
hariḥ oṁ tat sat

Jayapatākā Swami: So this a very great opportunity to please Śrīla Prabhupāda. He wanted that we should give out the nectar of Kṛṣṇa’s teachings and we see that Lord Caitanya also gave three orders. Bolo Kṛṣṇa, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Bhaja-kṛṣṇa, serve and worship Lord Kṛṣṇa. Karo kṛṣṇa-śīkṣa – read the teachings of Lord Kṛṣṇa. So, Gītā is spoken by Kṛṣṇa and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is spoken about Kṛṣṇa. So the service we can do is to give out these books, the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to the conditioned souls. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura called book distribution as the ‘bṛhad-mṛdaṅga’. I had one family, they bought one book and took it to their home. And then that book was lying around, and seven different members of the family read it. But six people became devotees. Some of the devotees became temple presidents, one became a sannyāsī, they have done immense services – all from one book! So we cannot put any actual value on book distribution. It is a priceless contribution. Śrīla Prabhupāda had said books are the basis.

So I was very inspired by Vaiśeṣika Prabhu’s short video. I hope that all the members of the ISKCON congregation participate in this sacrifice of distributing the books of Śrīla Prabhupāda. So this is a very special service. Since the teachings of Kṛṣṇa are not different from Kṛṣṇa, by the people getting the Bhagavad-gītā, reading the teachings of Kṛṣṇa, they are blessed. And their whole family is blessed. Actually, I read in the māhātmya of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam how someone who keeps the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in their house, that all the devas come and offer their obeisances. So if you want your house to become a place of pilgrimage for the angels in heaven, for the demigods, just keep Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books in your home. So, this is a very wonderful opportunity we have to work as a worldwide team and try to distribute Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books.

I keep up my Virtual Table. Sometimes people take books from my table. I have a 24-hour table which is possible virtually! So I think everybody, all the gurus, the sannyāsīs, they should keep a virtual table. This way, we also distribute Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books. But anyway, I am a handicapped individual but somehow, we are still distributing books through the virtual table. Anyway, it is a great opportunity, and we hope everybody will participate in this ‘Live to Give’.

Lord Caitanya also said,

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra
[Cc. Ādi 9.41]

So sometimes we could translate that as Bhārata bhūmi means India or you can translate it as the whole world. Because this planet was known Bhārata at one time. So any way we should perfect our lives and help others. We should live to give! What is the greatest thing to give? Greater than the teachings of Lord Kṛṣṇa?

I want to thank all the book distributors around the world, all the devotees who are engaged in trying to distribute the message of Lord Caitanya. As our previous ācārya said: prāṇa āche yāra, sei hetu pracāra. Who has spiritual life, they engage in outreach. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Gṛhamedis, they only think about their families but gṛhasthas, they are only Living to Give. Thank you very much! Hare Kṛṣṇa!