Get the Mercy!
Dear Prabhu's
Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada wanted everyone in our society to learn the art of book distribution. Why did he stress this so much? Because he knew that these books will change people's hearts and bring them happiness, just as they have, millions of times. He said that even if someone touches a book he benefits, what to speak of reading it, appreciating it, or becoming a devotee.
A devotee is para dukha dukhi: he dislikes seeing others suffer. While this world is a place of suffering, as Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, when we give people books, we're giving them an opportunity to enter an ocean of bliss. Lord Caitanya instructed Rupa Goswami, "The ocean of the mellows of devotional service is so big that the breadth and length of it cannot be measured. But just so that you can taste it I will describe a drop of it". So all the instructions that Rupa Goswami received were just a drop. Let's give out some drops!
It's nice that we are able to hear sankirtan stories and read quotations from Prabhupada about the importance of preaching. But what would be really nice is that we actually take up the mission in some way. Some devotees do book distribution, and some devotees have other responsibilities. But everyone may be able to do something. When you go to a store, bring a book with you because you may see someone who looks very nice and you can offer him a book. When you have free time, you can go to a shopping area or a university for an hour or two. You can get books from the local BBT or temple and pass out some mercy. If you give out the mercy, then you also get the mercy.
Your Servant,
Vijaya Das
