Hare Krishna
"There is no doubt about it, to distribute books is our most important activity. The temple is a place not for eating and sleeping, but as a base from which we send out our soldiers to fight with Maya. Fight with Maya means to drop thousand and millions of books into the lap of the conditioned souls. Just like during war time the bombs are raining from the sky like anything… "His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (11-14-02)
Dear Prabhus and Matajis
Could you mercifully give some advice on book distribution techniques? Any specific essay by Maharaja on this topic?
I just went on distribution twice so far and the joy of trying to be an instrument to the best of one's ability according to time, place and circumstance and audience.. is indeed difficult to put into words. What I realized is that despite what one's best attempts and approach, unless Sri Krsna situated as the supersoul inspires one, one will not be a success nor the person will agree to take the book even for free! Book distribution has been a very experience for me, I realized that we are not the doer, we are not even actually distributing the book, we are just out there on the streets as instruments (surrendered) in the hands of Sri Nitai-Sacinandana to be used as He likes.. If HE wants their deliverence they will get the book we are just puppets for the the greatest of planners to use or to ignore… If He utilizes us in His service we feel immense joy, if He does not we think the fault is in us.
One more thing is that as a beginner book distributor, one can see how ISKCON is gradually expanding despite everything… One meets people who bought the book and are reading and come back to us to say the book is very interesting…So blissful.
Plus, one learns steadiness: book sold or not , do not give up, chant and continue your service with a big smile and enthusiasm and pray to Srila Haridasa Thakura when the mind bugs the soul. Tolerance is enhanced, one sees people in different modes react differently as predicted in the BG!
Last but not least, as soon as one thinks, " I am a big book distributor, others are sitting in the temple", Krsna mercifully arranges for this pride or envy (of other book distributor) to be detected and corrected to the joy of all of us.
Your lowly aspiring servant
