By the order and by the mercy of his gurudeva, Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja went everywhere in this world. He went to western and eastern countries, and he preached the mission of our guru-parampara in the line of Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada. It is very wonderful how, in a couple of years, he preached all over the world – in forests, on islands in the midst of oceans, on the tops of hills, and everywhere else. How was it possible?
It was possible because he translated so many authorized books, like Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Srimad Bhagavatam and Sri Bhagavad-gita as it is, and he ordered his disciples to distribute them in public places – including even churches, airports, supermarkets, and railway stations. At that time, beautiful teenage girls preached everywhere, with no shyness, dancing here and there – and they distributed his books. They went everywhere chanting: "Sri Krsna Caitanya Prabhu Nityananda Sri Advaita Gadhadara Srivasadi Gaura Bhakta Vrnda," and "Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare."
By this kirtana, and by writing and distributing books, almost the entire world knew about him; and this mission was preached everywhere in a couple of years. I also want this. Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja is my siksa-guru. Also, my diksa gurudeva, Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, told me to translate books, from their original languages, and I am doing so. Up to now, about 50 books have been published, and they are both supplementary and complementary to the books of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja.
In my supplement to his Bhagavad-gita As it Is, I have given additional commentaries of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. Now I want to publish Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, a supplement to what he gave in brief in the form of Nectar of Devotion, and there I will give the commentaries of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Srila Jiva Gosvamipada. Besides this, Sri Ujjvala-nilamani is coming to you very soon. Sri Bhajana-rahasya, Sri Brahma Samhita, Sri Brhad Bhagavatmrta, and so many other books are also standing in a row now, calling out, "You should publish me first." "You should publish me first."
Many devotees are helping me in this endeavor. Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja has sent me very learned scholars – even scholars in Sanskrit, Bengali, and Hindi – and they are helping me. He has also sent me many experts in computers. I want to follow him, and I pray that he may inspire me so that I will accomplish all these tasks. For publication and distribution of books, Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja has sent his disciple Niscintya prabhu. He is very experienced; he has the authority to publish the original books of Srila Swami Maharaja and he is doing so. Also, my most dear, beloved son, Radha Kanta dasa, is assisting him.
I want my books to be distributed; they should not remain in cold storage. I want that, in a cyclic order, thousands and thousands of books should come from the press, and they should at once be distributed and again printed.
Gaurapremanande.
[Endnotes:
Hawaii: May 11, 2002
Srila Swami Maharaja inspired me to go to western and eastern countries to preach the same mission that he preached, and I am happy that by the combined mercy of Srila Swami Maharaja and my diksa-guru, Srila Bhaktiprajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja, I am doing so. Srila Swami Maharaja preached everywhere by his books. The words we speak in classes may disappear into the sky, but what is written as a document, in books like Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the books of the Gosvamis will remain forever and help for millions of years.
Badger, California: June 1, 2002: I heard that today, at midday, there was a very good nagara-sankirtana. I heard that only one hundred devotees attended, but I was hoping there would be more than five hundred. Nagara-sankirtana and distribution of books is the most important preaching. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu preached His mission at the Sankirtana Rasa-sthali in Srivasangam (the house of Srivasa Pandit), and from there He preached everywhere in India. You may be a very high class of sannyasi, or you may have any other high position, but you can never be greater than Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda Prabhu and Srila Haridasa Thakura. Try to follow their examples. Now I am old and I have heart problems; otherwise I would be in the front line of the sankirtana party. So don't be idle. If you go and preach, then Krsna, Radhika, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu will give you inspiration.
Badger, California: June 4, 2002:
I want to say that the distribution of books is a main part of preaching. Although we do a lot of preaching, it may be that much of it will 'evaporate in the air'. In book publication and distribution, on the other hand, this preaching is solid. We are now publishing many books, and, as you are very inspired to distribute the books of Srila Swami Maharaja, your Srila Prabhupada, I want that you will also distribute my books, which are complementary to his. We have published more than forty books, and we are preparing to publish Sri Ujjvala-nilamani and Sri Bhajana-rahasya. I want to make a plan to distribute these books, and I think that it will be very easy for you all to give some attention to this. You can very easily distribute two books of each title, five books of each, or six books of each, and Niscintya prabhu and Radha Kanta prabhu will explain to you how easily you can do it. If you do this, it will be pleasing to Srila Swami Maharaja, it will be pleasing to me, and it will also be very helpful for the devotees. I don't want to distribute these books for the purpose of making money. I want people to have the books so that they can see how glorious they are, and by that they can advance.
Australia: January 20, 2000
Thus Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja preached, and so many came and became happy. Young, very beautiful, energetic persons came. Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja made many preaching centers and established book distribution. He also published so many editions of his magazine. His one magazine, (BTG), became very popular all over the world. He translated so many books, and gradually they were also distributed all over the world. At that time there were very beautiful young ladies. They used to go here and there, to airports, to markets, and everywhere. They knew no shyness. They gave up everything for preaching, and that is why you are now seeing devotees all over the world. After Srila Prabhupada's departure, however, many became very weak and hopeless.
So I want that we go to common people and preach. I am not seeing that same enthusiasm and spirit which was there during your Prabhupada's time. You should have the same spirit – and then you can preach. Nityananda Prabhu went to Jagai and Madai and said, "What are you doing? You should chant Hare Krsna just once." "Oh, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna" and they followed.
So I want the same spirit. The books should be distributed everywhere, and preaching should also be in that spirit. Don’t think, "I don’t know anything, I am so weak." Krsna will give you intelligence. I was also very weak, like dry straw. But then I became so strong to preach and serve my Gurudeva, nitya-lila pravista om visnupada astottara-sata Sri Srimad Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Gosvami Maharaja. All qualifications are gradually coming and helping me, even though I am now in old age. So you are not weak.
Maui, Hawaii: May 25, 2000
Also, you should try to give out the books which are published by us. In Srila Swamiji Maharaja's time so many young girls used to do this, and all the boys did it. That is why, very quickly, Krsna consciousness spread all over the whole world. So, again I want this. Nowadays these leaders are not doing nagara sankirtana, hari-nama, but I want that all my disciples should do it. Even if there are two, three, or four persons, there is no harm in that. You should go out with a mrdanga and karatalas. If there is no mrdanga, no harm, you can do it with only karatalas. Just chant, "Haribol, Haribol, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna." And, regarding my books, each devotee should take at least 10 sets and distribute them. I have told this so many times. You can also do this – to serve and please Gurudeva and Krsna – and go on doing it. Thank you.]
Dearest Srila Gurudeva,
Please accept my most fallen dandavats under your cooling lotus feet!Through your divine grace alone, I have a historical book distribution report to give you. In four monthsalone, after launching the book distribution program during your summer tour, your book distributionhas evolved and reached more devotees and people than ever before in the history of our sanga!Initially we had 13 distributors who took the responsibility of distributing your books around the world.Every month we would receive 1 order of books.
Today, we have over 80 distributors in America and are receiving 2-4 orders per week representing anoverall 300% increase in book distribution!!! This figure doesn’t even include how book distribution isdoing internationally.
Householders, Brahmacharis, students, businessmen, fathers, and mothers –all are enthusiasticallyparticipating in this distribution program of sharing your books to others on the street, at homeprograms, schools, universities, festivals, book stores, from their own homes, at their businesses, andmany many other creative venues.
Groups like the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sanga in Florida, Srila BV Avadhuta Maharaja’s party at the LAMath and some key local Bay Area devotees are leading the way in America’s book distribution. TheGanga Matas in England are leading the way in European book distribution by setting a great exampleof how a preaching center can evolve, grow, be successful, and maintain itself through its genuinepreaching activities and its remarkable book distribution! Jiva Pavana prabhu in England isaccommodating and assisting in book distribution for Europe. During the Holland festival there wereover $10,000 worth of books distributed. And so many more devotees in Australia and Canada likeLilasuka prabhu and Prasasya prabhu are participating in Mahaprabhu’s victorious sankirtana
movement.
Attached, for your pleasure, is a list of at least 60 devotees who have ordered your books for distributionin English, Hindi and Spanish and who are distributing them! We are also receiving many reorders fromthese same devotees. Your warehouse in Martinez, CA is quickly depleting by your divine GRACE!Everyone who is ordering books is paying up front for the books as well. Everyone is taking theresponsibility of assuring that your book fund is always full of funds so that the printing presses willnever stop. In addition, we have collected almost all of the past due debts to your book fund. Approximately 90% of the devotees who had debt with your book fund have cleared their book accountdebts in the past year.
Through book distribution your book fund has collected the print cost of all the books that aredistributed. The total collected during this 4 month period is over 5 lakhs ($12,000) at print cost! That isover 20 Lakhs ($50,000) worth of books being distributed to the public at retail!I have also attached to this letter a full summary and detailed report of the amount of books distributedin the past 4 months - ever since the inception of this new program. We have taken at least 120 ordersand sent out over 17,000 books! 65% of the books distributed are booklets. Some of the booklets thatwere distributed are 3000 Way of Loves, 3000 Beyond Liberations, and 1300 of Srila Prabhupada’soriginal Perfection of Yoga! Hardbound books are also being distributed at a steady and growing rate -250 Gaudiya Giti Guccha’s and 200 Jaiva Dharma’s have left your warehouse. In addition, around 1000Hindi books and over 2000 Spanish books have gone!
The team in Martinez (Nirmal prabhu, Vrndaban prabhu, Abhay Krishna prabhu, and AcyutanandaPrabhu) are actively and consistently helping and assisting myself and Radhakanta prabhu inadministration of the book distribution, packing, and shipping the books to all the devotees in the USAand to the whole world! They are fully giving themselves to this service and are committed to fulfillingthe orders that are coming in. Vrndaban prabhu is managing your entire inventory and the shipping ofyour books!
Srila Gurudeva, I would like to humbly request if you have any further instructions to give to your sonsand daughters who are taking the responsibility of distributing your books, please write back to me amessage that I may send to the devotees ordering your books for distribution. Your powerful words willserve as a reminder to all your distributors and all the devotees aspiring to become your distributor thatbeing engaged in book distribution is a DIRECT service unto your lotus feet!
Begging to always remain in your service life after life,
Your son, forever trying to serve you by serving your most sincere & loyal disciples
- Vishwambhara dasa
“I am showering my heartly blessings upon all the devotees who are assisting in the publishing, distributing, purchasing and shipping our books.”
