Los Angeles SD Newsletter VOL. 3, ISSUE 12
PREACHING IS THE ESSENCE
LETTER TO GERMAN DISCIPLES
To German Disciples, Bombay May 6, 1977
My dear beloved disciples,
Please accept my blessings. I know that over the past years you have suffered so many tribulations to push forward Krsna consciousness in Germany. But this has not stopped you from your determination to serve the cause of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. A devotee is pleased when there is difficulty, for in these difficulties he is forced to remember Krsna. We cannot expect that the people of Kali-yuga will welcome our attempt to spread Krsna consciousness. It is just like a lunatic asylum: The patients are running around madly and when the doctor tries to give them treatment, they insist that they are not crazy. Sometimes the patient even strikes the doctor. So our task is like that. We cannot stand to see people suffering due to ignorance. What is that ignorance? They do not know that they are not their body. This Krsna consciousness movement is meant to deliver people to the proper understanding that they are not their body, that they are pure spirit soul. We may or may not be appreciated, that is not our concern. We must execute the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu which is:
"Yare dekha tare kaha krsna upadesa
amara ajna guru haya tara ei desa
[Cc. Madhya 7.128]
"Whomever you meet, instruct them to follow the orders of Sri Krsna as they are given in the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. In this way by My order become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land." So our business is to satisfy the acaryas and Krsna. If they are pleased then we know our work is successful.
Go on spreading the sankirtana movement more and more. I am only one person, but because all of you have kindly cooperated with me, this movement has now become a success all over the world. Be assured that there is no more direct way to preach than to distribute Krsna conscious books. Whoever gets a book is benefitted. If he reads the book he is benefitted still more, or if he gives the book to someone else for reading, both he and the other person is benefitted. Even if one does not read the book but simply holds if and sees it, he is benefitted. If he simply gives small donation towards the work of Krsna consciousness he is benefitted. And anyone who distributes these transcendental literatures, he is also benefitted. Therefore sankirtana is the prime benediction for the age:
kåñëa-varëaà tvisa kåñëaà
säìgo päìgästra-pärñadam
yajïaiù saìkértana-präyair
yajanti hi su-medhasaù
Hoping this meets you all well. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
THE FOUNDATION STONE
Letter to Karandhara, Bombay 27 September, 1973
My Dear Karandhara Das:
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 12, 1973 and am so glad to learn that you have again ordered to Dai Nippon Printing Co., for so many books This engladdens me when I see our literature very widely distributed. This was the subject matter of my Guru Maharaja's satisfaction. He liked to distribute books more than constructing temples. He personally advised me to print books if I have got some money. So by His mercy we are printing books and constructing temples, as well. Although in the beginning we had no such opportunity, but still I brought some books from India, and that was the foundation stone of our Krsna consciousness movement. So I want all our centers should give very much importance in the matter of book distribution.
YOU ARE ALL INTELLIGENT BOYS
Letter to Sri Govinda,
Bombay 6 December, 1974
Regarding your question, actually it is a fact that ultimately everyone should preach and distribute books if they want to please me in the best way. Book distribution must be given stress always. He has spoken the right thing. If you do this sincerely, it is a fact that Krishna will supply everything else required. So you say that your men are like the four Kumaras disobeying Lord Brahma. Does it mean you are Brahma? But, it is a fact. Here in India we are not arranging for publishing Hindi books and other languages for profuse distribution in India. That is my immediate program. I blindly follow my guru maharaj. I do not know what is the result. So I am stressing on this point of book distribution. He told me this personally.
Book distribution is bhagavata marga and temple worship is pancaratriki viddhi. Both are important for cultivating Vaisnavism but comparatively speaking bhagavata marga is more important than pancaratriki viddhi. As far as possible both should go on in parallel lines but still bhagavata marga is more important than the other.
So you are all intelligent boys, so you should judge the desire of my guru maharaj and help me in that way.
