Date : 19th October 2015
Venue : Govardhan Eco-village, Wada

Forest Govardhan Eco-village and you are going to be making plans or strategies, working out strategies of how to distribute books, of Srila Prabhupada ki….. jai!!

So that got me interested and I dropped in (laughter) I don’t know how I fit in here. We all fit in here, this is a sankirtan moment and book distribution is sankirtan. It’s not only kirtan but it is sankirtan, “samyaprakarena kirtan” wholesome kirtan. And there are all the glories in the books of Srila Prabhupada’s books -Bhagvad-Gita as it is and Bhagvatam as it is. So all are glories of Shri Krishna or glories of the Holy Name.

“nama-sankirtanam yasya sarva-papa pranashanam” (12.13.23)

This is how Bhagavatam ends, “nama-sankirtanam yasya, sarva -papa pranashanam”

So conclusion is, the kirtan and these books of Srila Prabhupada are sankirtan or we could also say Sankirtan that came from lotus mouth of Srila Prabhupada, his realizations. He poured his heart into those dictaphone machines all night long or starting from somewhere in middle of the night as we all slept. Prabhupada would get up and speak his realizations into the Dictaphone machine and then some disciple would transcribe and then some editing and layout and here is a heart of the press, the book. So and then someone opens the book and reads the book what is he hearing? The kirtan performed by Srila Prabhupada. So the books are packed with kirtan, so distribution of those books of Srila Prabhupada is kirtan, is sankirtan. This world is in very bad need of is these books.

“Kaloh Nasht Drasham aisham” okay prior to that Shyam tyaktva swapanam gatha Lord departed for his own planet, taddinat – from that day the kali advented then what happened? Kaloh Nasht Drasham aisham people lost the eye-sight, just during flood-day light and they have eyes but they do not see like, they have become blind, okay then we could also say they have become krodha andha, krodh-andha, krodha is making them andha or lobhandha and kamandha and madandha and what not andha. All these things are making them andha- blind. Then Lord, out of his causeless mercy, adhuna means now or then, when kali advented then “Puran ark udita” Lord appeared in the form of Bhagavatam, brilliant as sun. Lord appeared in the form of Bhagavatam. Idam- means this, idam bhagavatam nama puranam brahma-sammitam. This is called “idam bhagavata? nama” this is called Bhagavatam and this is Brahma samhitam, Srila Prabhupada translates Brahama samhitam as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This Bhagavatam is Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Just few days ago, I was just looking at the dictionary meaning of samhitam, what is this samhitam? And the dictionary meaning is, is equal to, as good as or it has same value as what? Brahma samhitam, the Brahma, Parabrahma and then, there is Bhagavatam, Bhagavatam is same as Krishna; it has same value as Krishna, same value. It represents Brahma, so Brahma samhitam.

So when we, distribute Gita or Bhagavatam and then Nectar of Devotion, this is all Brahma samhitam and these are glories of the Lord. Certainly they are the glories of the holy name, all over

“adav ante ca madhye ca harih sarvatra giyate”

Hari has been chanted, has been glorified in the beginning of Srila Prabhupada’s books, you could say in the middle end everywhere “harih sarvatra giyate”. So people of this age of kali, I mean we were one time very much in the middle of the age of kali and I am sure from wherever we were Maharashtra, Gujarat or wherever we were born, from there we have come here, today Govardhan Ecovillage. Do you think Srila Prabhupada’s books made the difference or Srila Prabhupada’s books they have brought you all the way to this point, yes-no? How many of you would say so? Everybody, Haribol !!!

Then, now we have become, you have become sadhus “sadhava sadhu-bhushana” these are your ornaments, titiksavah karunikah, the tolerance and compassion. So someone was compassionate and he gave you Krishna, in the form of Srila Prabhupada’s books gave you this knowledge opened your eyes. You were blind, right? And then “caksur unmilitam” someone did the operation, someone gave the book and immediately, as soon as he had the books then he had the glasses sastra-caksusa hey !! Now I could see, I could see! So someone kindly guided you, gave you book then you read or others explained those further explained those books or points.

So I think it is our turn, it’s your turn now, to be kind to our brothers or fellow human beings and give them helping hand, give them knowledge, give them knowledge packed poured into those books in the form of word-meanings and translations and purports. Give those books out and yeah this will be very pleasing to Srila Prabhupada and then

“yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado”

And Lord also has said that towards the end of Bhagvad Gita, He says, what is that? No one is dear to me as dear as he or she, who shares this samvadam, this conversation between Krishna and Arjuna. This conversation which is very confidential, beneficial and that person becomes very-very dear. Of course.Lord is pleased with them and they are very dear to him. So this knowledge distribution, book distribution is not a business or sometimes it is also said if there is any business authorized, transcendental business that gaudiya vaishnavas do that is book distribution. All Acaryas,

“nana-sastra-vicarannaika-nipunnau sad-dharma-samsthapakau nana-sastra-vicar”

Big pile of scriptures in the middle and Goswamis are sitting around and they are doing nana sastra vichar and they are writing, they are contemplating, they are sharing and then those three Prabhus were the first, travelling sankirtan book distribution party from Vrindavan, the grantha-mandir, eventually these books were piled in a cart and Narottam das Thakur, Shyamananda and Srinivas Acharya, 500 years old, original Sankirtan party, transporting books.
And I think we also, did some, atleast Prabhupada sent us from Vrindavan to Mayapur in 1976. He also asked us to start a bullock-cart sankirtan party. And Srila Prabhupada, he did even inauguration of that Bullock cart Sankirtan Party. And what were we doing, we were distributing, those days we would not have so… many-many books as we have them now or English books they were getting printed but certainly we did not have them in vernacular language. Prabhupada used this word, he wrote me a letter. So travelling and travelling anyways, our party has reached Kanpur, our destination was Mayapur. So there I wrote to Prabhupada that our Party needs, we could use some financial assistance and Prabhupada sent me a reply. And he said, “Outside help is no good” (Guru maharaj laughing). And, he said “you should distribute books in vernacular language and raise your funds and that way manage”.
And Prabhupada enclosed Sankirtan newsletters, says “your god brothers from the west look at the scores, they are distributing books and this is how they are also maintaining our institution, you do the same with the Bullock-cart Sankirtan”.

So that was a big challenge it took quite some time but eventually our padayatra Sankirtan book distribution party also not only they, So, okay on the way, there were bullock-carts, it’s not a carts, it’s a chariot, it’s a ratha pulled by the bulls and there is a kirtan in the front, it’s amplification and the deities are in the chariot. Prabhupada is seating on the front and there is a driver and I was just there last week in the Trupati ratha, I also drove.

And as people hear kirtan even bulls unless we do kirtan the bulls are not very enthusiastic to pull the cart (laughter). And as the kirtan is heard by all people, passersby or those who are in the field or wherever they are, immediately that gets the attention and then they look and something is moving on the road and they, they come running, they come running and ones they are there, there is darshan, there is a charanamrita and we distribute books. I just did that, few days ago and then we made all those who had bought the books and there were lot of people, so many on my right side, so many on my left side and we took a photograph and they were very happy, carrying books.

Then also the bullock cart sankirtan party in 1976, we had a much simpler set up but even then as we entered the village, we would have a group of brahmacharis, they would perform kirtan in the front of the cart and other few this side, few other side going from house to house and would cover the whole village. Kirtan is on and of course we would also do bhiksham dehi, bhiksham dehi…we would have been also begging for alms or whatever they could give atta or potatoes or yeah chilli for you and collecting grains and vegetables and distributing books also along with the kirtan party.

Later on in 77, the BBT travelling sankirtan party, Gopal Krishna Maharaj, while my bullock cart sankirtan party was on the road, then I also was asked to while overseeing the bullock cart sankirtan party I would also be travelling for the BBT vehicle sankirtan party distribute books and from time to time see how the bullock cart is running or walking as this was, Prabhupada had approved that. Prabhupada had approved, I do the bullock cart sankirtan and then Gopal Krishna Maharaj’s intervention he also wanted me to do the BBT travelling sankirtan party so when we had a van and we had installed the speakers on the top of the van and sound system and we would go to towns and villages. We would start from one end of the town, we would put on Prabhupada’s kirtans out loud and brahmachari’s with the book bags, door to door, shop to shop and kirtan then I would get on the mike and also make announcement encouraging “the book distributors are coming and we are from here and please they have gift for you, book for you, Gita for you, go for it and this and that”.

And those were the days, Bhagvad Gita “daha rupeya madhe Bhagvat Gita” (Marathi). Same Bhagvad Gita, we have distributed in 10 rupees. Aamogh-lila you remember Amogh-lila? Once, he travelled from I think Pune or Mumbai to Pandarpur, Akshaynanda swami also and he was distributing books. “ghyah-bagha daha rupai fakta daha rupai fakt daha rupai” (Marathi). So we would announce, I would announce and distributors would distribute books, again the kirtan on. So that was nice mostly that was a formula that we would apply wherever we went.

Put on the kirtan and along with a vehicle kirtan parties the book distributors would move and they would give all the encouragement. Hye!! look, look our vehicle is here, our party or we are here and as devotees heard they are inspired, they were getting, all the strength from the sound vibration of “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare” .

And so big support for those books distributors, they are not by themselves and you know, there is no one around me just me and only me, it’s me to face the maya, all the forces by yourself. This is also not advisable, Prabhupada always sent us in pairs even for life membership program in Mumbai that we would be doing and we always went in pairs. That gives you strength, so having a party, what to speak of having a bigger party and then, what to speak of having a kirtan on loudspeaker and when all the books are sold out you come back and fill up your bags again and then go out and as it’s to be a transcendental fun, and then move to the next town to the next town and to the next town.

And so last time that our party had travelled to and by that time we had a name for our party called Narada muni travelling sankirtan party. We started with BBT but then we gave a name because we were travelling so extensively like Narada muni would move, swiftly. So it was month of November 77. That reminds you of something? Yeah, so we were on the road and we had gone to Himalayan Mountains and Badrikashram for long time we had no news of Srila Prabhupada’s health and those days no mobiles or no SMS and ohh what not? Even telephone forget it even calling from Delhi to Vrindavan, not so easy but we were at Himalayas .

So we finally decided to return to, to climb down and return to Vrindavan . And as soon as we arrived in that Krishna-Balarama temple we went straight to Srila Prabhupada’s quarter and we requested secretary that we are allowed to have darshan of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Prabhupada kindly allowed. And our whole Narada Muni travelling Sankirtan Party, brahmacharis mostly, we were all brahmacharis, I was only sanyasi, I had taken sanyasa.
So Prabhupada on the bed, lying for months he was in the bed only. Only occasionally they would make him sit for some feeding, some drinking or just for a change, otherwise mostly lying down. So as we sat around Srila Prabhupada in that such a state and as he knew that we have just returned from a traveling sankirtan, those days traveling sankirtan means book distribution, Book distribution party is here.

And immediately Prabhupada opens a dialogue. And this is just may be 5-6 days prior to Prabhupada’s departure on 14th of November he departed and we are talking about 5-6 days prior. So immediately Prabhupada is enquiring, ohh!! which book is selling the most? And which books are we carrying selling? The whole dialogue, this is how books were on in his heart or on his mind and books….books….that’s why distribute books, distribute books, distribute books . And I will never die so far the books are being distributed that makes me, gives me life or I feel young. And otherwise also, secretary always used to tell us, there is a pile of mail that Prabhupada would receive and the first mail that he would be interested about reports of the book distribution. Those mails are first reported to Srila Prabhupada.

So with us also I personally experienced that how dear it was to his heart this book distribution. I had also humorously mentioned to Srila Prabhupada same time that while we were at Badrikashram “Srila Prabhupada, we showed your Bhagvad Gita to Srila Vyasadeva” I said. Because while at Badrikashram, we had visited the cave of Srila Vyasadeva’s cave. There is a Ganesha Gufa not far away from there. So because we were carrying Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagvad- Gita, so I thought, he resides there. We did not see him but for sure he saw us and sure he also saw Prabhupada’s Bhagvad- Gita. So I threw that humorous statement. We showed your Bhagvad-Gita to Srila Vyasadeva, Prabhupada. Prabhupada was happy to hear. So, the very first conversation of we talk more, but it began with the book distribution and which books, and which books is selling the most and these enquiries.

So, it’s important that you, you the second generation, and also third generation, I see some more new bodies, some older and some older sons and some have departed also. That we know how our founder Acarya His divine grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabupada , what value what importance he gave to this book distribution activity and of course, he was instructed to do so, not whimsically, he had this idea of. If you ever get money what you do with that money? Print books. So this was Swami Bhaktishiddhant Saraswati Thakura’s instruction.
And finally there was money and then there were books and he did not want them to be just printed and stored and take a photograph, looks nice, good stock. Fill in the stores, print out and pack the godowns and the other part is emptying the godowns, distributing books. So, yeah also, of course read books, read books of Srila Prabhupada more you read, you will realize the mahima, the mahatmya, the greatness of those books and you could be more convinced. This book is the most valuable thing in the world I want to give this to others share this gift. And this is kari kar para upakar giving others, giving Srila Prabhupada’s books to as many people as possible; there is the demand all over. There is a big demand everywhere.

I was just in China two months ago and we had opportunity to distribute Prabhupada’s Chinese Bhagvat Gita as it is (everybody clapped and said Haribol) and we ended up with distributing 1200 Bhagvad Gitas in 10 days (Haribol). And that was nice and that also was kirtan and book distribution or program was mostly kirtan little talk. Mostly kirtan and then those who were coming for kirtan party and they had to pay entrance fees which included the cost of the book. They were giving books free but that was part of the entrance fees. So we were doing kirtan, chanting and distributing books at the same time.

Srila Prabhupada ki… Jai!!
Srila Prabhupada transcendental book distribution ki…… jai!!
Nitai Gaur Premanande Hari Haribol!!

Hare Krishna, quite a good gathering here like Naimisharanya. I am seeing ocean of devotees here, I am floating in the middle of the devotees, souls all over I won’t call them bodies, all devotees all over.

Radha Vrindavan Chandra ki….Jai

My family was sad when I became bramachari, they used to make remark saying “he was a good boy now he has gone mad”. When my friend’s used to play cards I used to chant, then my sister used to cry saying why my brother has become mad? Why he is not playing like others? Then things changed for betterment. My parents used to think I will become a modern man and I would come on motor bike and one day I arrived with bullock and padayatra and all their dreams were scattered.

By now all my three brothers and friends and villagers are getting ready to go back to God head. That was the theme I was going to speak today as its Sunday, I don’t have slok today. Prabhupada wrote 8000 letters, we not even write 8 letters. One letter was written on 21st Nov 1956 New Delhi to Rajendra Prasad our President that time. And wrote many letters to other politicians. One day Prabhupada was walking doing morning walk near India gate and one disciple said to him “Prabhupada you should be president of India”. And he said “I am not interested, rather I would like to become guru of president of India”.

Prabhupada is writing to president of India “I have realized thoroughly that going back to God head is the privilege for mankind. He thought president would do some arrangement. The aim of life should be to make sincere efforts to go back to Godhead. Go back to God and He is calling, going back to Godhead is going back to Krsna- Rama. But human beings should make sincere efforts to back to God head but on the contrary the tendency is to go back to hell. They are sincerely preparing to go to hell. Instead arrangements should be make to send them to Godhead.
Please note this, please therefore save the citizens of India from this great fall down to hell. Believe me or not but I have got the clue of going back to Godhead after leaving this body I will be going back to God head as I leave my present material body. In order to take all my contemporary men and women back to Godhead, I have started paper back to Godhead. Please don’t be amazed, what a wonderful thought this man has. Don’t think I am mad man, when I say I will go back to Godhead it’s quite possible for everyone and for all us. To teach us Prabhupada writes, it’s quite possible for everyone to go back. So everyone includes each one of us and all of us to go back to Godhead.

I attended the first Hare Krishna festival at Chowpatty beach. A function was held there and procession would go to cross maidan and they had advertised ‘European sadhus are in town”. I was amazed, American scientists are ok, but sadhus I was amazed. So it was catching attention so I went, I heard Prabhupada talking about going back to Godhead.

In the first meeting I was introduced to this idea of going back to Godhead. And he always talked about going back to Godhead. Politicians talk about, “chalo Delhi” you are from galli they take you to Delhi that’s all. When somebody dies they write svargavasi, who knows he is savrgavasi or narkavasi. I also have heard this prayer ‘Mora ei abhilsa” o! tulsidev america desi dibo vasa.
Braham linatva is also goal for some. But Prabhupada is a vaisnava he wants all of us to go back to Godhead to Krishna…”golok namni nija dhamani”.
Two types of kingdoms, material existence we are already here but we don’t belong to this world. This is a wrong place for us.

‘Krishna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare
nikata aste maya taare jhapatiya dhare’

Bhoga vancha and immediately we are caught in that species and this species up and down and round and round. And then we become human being and that’s a privilege. If you know Krishna, you get to know everything about his kingdom and the suffering you go through “padam padam yat vipadam ne tesam” this is real, no exaggeration.

“punarapi jananam punarapi maranam punarapi jananii jathare shayanam
iha samsaare bahudustaare kripayaa apaare paahi muraare”

This is Sankaracharya he wrote this prayer, but “Mayavadam asatsastram” he messed with Mayavad also.
“I have gone through so much suffering so please Lord get me out of this”

Buddhadev also he wanted to have Bharat darshan, his father never wanted to let him go out he knew he will come across so many sufferings. No daddy I want to go, ok he saw a dead man, oh! What happen all are walking and one person is lying and all are carrying him? He is gone he is dead, Oh! Does everyone die? Ya!! You will also die for sure. Then he saw a man suffering from leprosy and pus oozing all over. Oh! Does everyone get sick? Will I also get sick? Yes of course you will have your turn and he saw a old man, does everyone become old? Yes and will I also become old? Yes of course. Siddhartha came back to palace and said I have seen much bring my chariot and I want to find solution to all these problems. And in middle of night he left the palace and young beautiful wife, he went to Gaya and became enlightened Buddha and that enlightenment was his way of getting solution.

Prabhupada knew who we are and where we have to finally go, Back to God head. Well I will go but I want to bring many men with me. So Prabhupada started in 1944 Back to Godhead magazine, he started many things, festivals, feasts, youth preaching. In jhasi there was advertisement in paper “youth wanted”, Prabhuapda said “I will train them to propagate Krishna consciousness all over, introduce dhama all over. So Prabhupada gave us dhama and festivals. Whole world is advertising- go to tajamahal, go to Hawaii and other places and they are trying to popularise those places and bring them to those places. But Krishna bhaktas they popularise dhama, vrindavan .Krishna is wonderful, his devotees are wonderful, sweets are wonderful. Everything is wonderful. So this wonderful Krishna, wonderful devotes of Krishna, wonderful dhama and its always welcoming us to return go back there . So one who is knowledgeable will go back to Godhead.

The scientist also are coming to this conclusion “if there is matter then there must antimatter also” so what’s that antimatter, that’s spirit soul. What matters is- we are sprit souls we are not matter. Those who come to this conclusion- the most confidential matter explained in Gita – “are you here Arjuna come here, come near, oh! Dear do not fear I am here”.

“man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaisyasi satyam te pratijane priyo ‘si me”

Prabhupada also said this when we went to see Prabhupada after are sanyasa ceremony, four of us sitting Prabhupada said ‘you just do these things – Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend. So Lord is swearing here “satyam te” we also promise but we don’t follow…”zhoot ke alava kucha nahi kahunga”
So Arjuna says -I will follow as you say, Krishna promises you will come to me “pratijane priyo si me”
Promise is a promise gentleman’s promise and why I m doing this because you are very dear to me O! Arjuna . Why does Krishna come to this world? To bring the forgotten souls back to Godhead.

“maya-mugdha jivera nahi svatah krishna-jnana
jivere kripaya kaila krishna veda-purana”

So that the souls return back to him, Krishna comes here. I am fine and the world is fine I am ok but Srila Prabhupada always emphasized on going back to Godhead. What’s the purpose behind all this – Krishna wants to go back to Godhead. One Mataji was saying “I am old maharaj I want to make sure that I will go back to God head” so she also had got clue.

It’s not that only Indians are allowed to go back to Godhead- no, all are allowed . There was a time when not even a single muslim, single christian, single hindu existed there was no discrimination there was only sanatana dharma. They were all souls this designations were not there. Kali is making this all very complex and entangling. So for all the souls globally Prabhupada made that arrangement that all go back. So Prabhupada went to New York in Jaladuta. So ISKCON is also boat collecting devotees and taking them back to Godhead. Once you see the beauty of Radha Vrindavan candra, you won’t go back …hye! Don’t go to keshi ghata and if you go don’t look at that blue boy and if you see that blue boy you will be mad man you will never come back…he was a good boy (laughter)

“Kamaladala jala jivan talamala” whole existence is like this hence the advice is “bhajahu hari-pada niti re” -be engaged in devotional service.

“samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam mahat-padam pu?ya-yaso murare?
bhavambudhir vatsa-padam param padam padam padam yad vipadam na tesam”

The lotus feet of the Lord are like boat and If you board the boat the material ocean will become equal to hoof print of calf then its dam easy to cross over, this was said by Brahma Ji.

Lotus feet are boat you get into the boat and reach the shore of material existence and you reach Krishna’s kingdom. ISKCON temple is also boat – prasadam, kirtan, sravanam and Prabhupad is the captain of that boat, Prabhupada ki ..jai.

Foreign devotees sing with guitar “we are going back to Godhead join us Prabhupada is are captain” that was Prabhupada’ s mission ultimately Krishna’s mission -taking all back to God head. Seeing all of you I can say Prabhupada’s mission is getting accomplished. All our Aharyas are pleased seeing this and you are all linked to Paramapara family and there are 602 temples all over and then there are centres and Namahatas. So stepping In the ISKCON boat and going back to Godhead is pleasing to Prabhupada Krishna and for all of us. So all of you spread the words around- “youth wanted” – It’s not only for old ladies but it’s for all .As souls we are all young, Prabhupada said once in a lecture there is no question of young or old, we are same age. As soul there is no old or young it’s never too late, grab the opportunity.

I asked a man what’s your name? He said I am Mr karmarkar …kar …mar…kar, , kar ..mar then kar. So I thought we are all kar..mar..kar. Life is tough then you die then you again take birth, life is tough and then you die..kar…mar ..kar..We have to stop this kar…mar ..kar..business. So Krishna has made that arrangement and we are on our way, forget the rest it’s all illusion. The world has created this illusion. Stop all this get out, if someone says God is not there, I don’t have to go back to Godhead, God has created such philosophy. God created such illusion.

“avatirne guar chandre vistirne prema sagare
yena majyanti majyanti te maha anartha sagare”

Caitanya Mahaprabhu has expanded this Krsna prema. ISKCON is also doing the same thing and “Those who do not throw themselves in this prema sagar then they will drown in mahaanartha sagare. If you try to enjoy here you will end up in sufferings. There are two sagars – Prema Sagar and Mahaanartha sagar and those who are intelligent will always go for Gauranga….Gauranga ..Gauranga.