20201007 Zoom Address to Bangladesh Book Distribution

The following is a zoom session with His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on October 7th, 2020 in Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur, India. Zoom session with held with the Bangladesh Book Distribution devotees

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

hariḥ oṁ tat sat

Jayapatākā Swami: Anyway, Śrīla Prabhupāda had wanted that his books be distributed. But if people the book distributors offer books ask what is in these books, they say, we don’t know, we only sell the books. This, Śrīla Prabhupāda did not want. You should read and understand the books, and after experiencing what is in these books, then there will be a desire to distribute these books. The Bhagavad-gītā and the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam – these are Lord Kṛṣṇa’s teachings. Bhagavad-gītā was spoken from the lotus mouth of the Lord and the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is about the Lord. And it is also a book, scripture, incarnation. Wherever this Purāṇa is there, the demigods come and pay obeisances. This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is so potent that even a little study of this we get the association of the Lord. And studying the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from 1st canto onwards we understand and experience the qualities and pastimes of the Lord. And if we read the 10th canto, the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa, we understand that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But the way He interacted with the people like humans, like how He paid obeisances and respects to elders, and embraced the people of His level, the paṇḍitas seeing this kind of behavior of the Lord, become amazed. How beautifully He interacted. If we read every canto to canto of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we can understand the special qualities of the Lord. Ordinarily, people cannot understand. The Lord is not a part of this material world. When we read these books we can understand that He was present before the creation and He will be there after the dissolution. This universe is created from Him and is manifested. Many people believe that where there is identity, manifestation, that is the material world. The impersonalists think that the Para Brahman is formless. But the Lord is a person, but He is not an ordinary person, He is sac-cit-ānanda. This way, everything can be understood if we read the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That is why we have to study the scriptures. When we read these scriptures, we will realize that these are invaluable assets. And my desire is that the ordinary people also get this knowledge. If these scriptures are possessed by many people, as many of them will get this knowledge. To read one scripture it would take many hours. That is why the devotees who distribute the books, if they read the books or scriptures, then they will be especially empowered.

I heard that there was a man in Los Angeles, he was a narcotics dealer and sold it. He somehow bought a book. At that time his enemy who was a rogue, came and fired gun shots at him. At the very moment he was killed, but in his hands were the book on Kṛṣṇa. That way, he was so fortunate. That keeping that book in hand and dying, he was very fortunate. This way how many people will we make fortunate by distributing these books. His Holiness Bhakti Nityānanda Swami, he got a book, he read, then his family, relatives read and all those who read it all become devotees. This way if we distribute books, even if the person who takes the book, he or she just keeps it on the desk, and his relative gets to read the book and he can understand the spiritual aspect. That way, my desire is that all should get into the path of devotion. Our grand spiritual master used to say that this is ‘Bṛhad-mṛdaṅga’. Usually a mṛdaṅga, the sound of it travels some meters away. But this book, can go so long away. So this book distribution is very important. If we distribute books, we get the blessings of God and those who take it also get His blessings. And if they take it home, the residents at home also get the benefit. In this way, from these books, we understand that the name of God, the qualities of God, the pastimes of God, all are non-different from Him.

In the ancient Durgā-pūjā, I heard that they would keep the śalāgrāma-śilā in the pūjā, and then after worshiping that, they would offer the prasāda to Mother Durgā. Now, some of the people still observe it but many don’t. This is the natural procedure. Durgā, Śiva, they want kṛṣṇa-prasāda. Receiving kṛṣṇa-prasāda, they are extremely happy. Anyway, my only hope is that all become devotees, that they become Vaiṣṇavas. His Divine Grace Abhaycaraṇāravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, he was a goṣṭhyānandī. He wanted that the devotee numbers should expand. There are two types of devotees – goṣṭhyānandīs and bhajanānandīs. Those who worship the Lord and help themselves they are bhajanānandīs. Those devotees who want to take others also along with them to Goloka Vṛndāvana, they are called goṣṭhyānandīs. They want that devotee numbers should increase. I see that many of you have downloaded the Jayapatākā Swami App.

I am very grateful to you for that. And many will download, that is good. Every day, four or times, I post messages about what I do during the day, what happens every day. If there is any work I mention about it. There is a way you can do worship, pūjā. There is a procedure to offer conch, lamp, flowers, etc. the Lord. That way for offering to Lord Rādhā Mādhava, Pañca-tattva, Narasiṁhadeva worship. Anyway, you are all distributing a lot of books. Śrīla Prabhupāda told me that I should distribute 10,000 big books and one lakh small books every month. Now I cannot do it myself. Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted that I should enthuse everyone. If you are all enthused, then every month please give the tally of how many books you distributed to His Holiness Bhakti Vijaya Bhāgavata Mahārāja. There is a saṅkīrtana newsletter every month published in Los Angeles.You can also send the numbers to them as well. I want that they understand that even though Bangladesh is an Islamic country, still a lot of Bhagavad-gītās and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatams are distributed. So you read the books and distribute the books. If you have any questions you can write in the chat box.

Śrīla Prabhupāda said that the children who come in gṛhastha families, they are all Vaikuṇṭha kids. They should be taken great care of and taught devotional service so that they serve the Lord nicely.

Hare Krishna! 

Question: I want to distribute books and do that but in between lose enthusiasm. What should I do?

Jayapatākā Swami: Even if you lose interest in between, you should not stop and still continue. And that way your enthusiasm will return. This is called anartha. There will be anartha-nivṛtti, then ruci which is taste, then āsakti – attachment and then slowly more and more attached to the holy name. 

Question: If we have pdf format books then everyone can easily read on the mobile phones. People don’t want to buy the books physically. What should one do?

Jayapatākā Swami: Please talk to BBT. There are some e books of BBT but I don’t know if they are in English only or Bengali. Transcend, there is a site where e books are available. But how the e books can be sold, you should speak to BBT. I will also speak to me. Good question.

Question: What is required for book distribution?

Jayapatākā Swami: The desire to serve the Lord. Mercy on the conditioned souls. When you distribute books to someone, pray to the Lord that He bestows His mercy on them. This way the Lord if He bestows His mercy on that person, they may take the books. One devotee in New Orleans airport, was trying to distribute books the whole day but no one took any. Then he prayed to the Lord requesting that someone come and take some book. At that time a plane landed, and many passengers alighted and left. He went up to one such passenger and showed him a book and asked him to take it. He said that today was my worst day! Worst day! I will not see anything. The devotee said, sir, when one has the worst day, I have come to help such a person. Why was it the worst day for you? He said, “Why did I study, why did I go to university? Why did I get married? Why did I take up a job? Everything for pleasing my mother. And today my mother died! My worst day!”

The devotee said, “Sir, your mother did not die. Here is the Bhagavad-gītā, it says that the soul is eternal, and body dies. Soul does not die. Your mother is still there.”

The man said, “She is? Can I take this book?”

“Sure”, the devotee said.

He said, “I only have 20 dollars, is that okay?”

The devotee said, “That is okay, give whatever you have.”

This way, if we pray to the Lord, what can not happen?

Haribol!

Gaurāṅga!

Nityānanda!

Śrīla Prabhupāda kī jaya!

Question: How will we educate people about Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityānanda?

Jayapatākā Swami: They all know Kṛṣṇa, they know Rāma. Then speak about Kṛṣṇa and Rāma. Lord Caitanya said that all the time chant and worship Kṛṣṇa. I met a person who said that he was chanting for the past 26 years the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra but do not get any happiness. Then I asked him do you chant the name of Lord Caitanya? He said no, I am from another sampradāya. Then I gave him the Pañca-tattva mantra—

śrī kṛṣṇa caitanya prabhu nityānanda
śrī advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

wrote it down for him. I told him chant this mantra first and then chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. If you chant this way, you will get good result. After three months I went there and saw him. He saw me from far and came running to me. He fell down flat and paid obeisances. “What mantra did you give me!” he said. “I am so happy now! What mantra did you give me?” If you live in Lucknow they don’t know anything but you have this knowledge, then preach the names of Kṛṣṇa and Rāma to them. And teach them the significance of Nitāi-Gaura. Lord Gaurāṅga had come to Vṛndāvana, to Banaras. And how so easily He distributed the holy names of Kṛṣṇa and Rāma.

Haribol! Haribol!

Nitāi Gaurāṅga!

Question: If someone only does book distribution and not do any other devotional service? Will they still go back to Godhead?

Jayapatākā Swami: Will they not chant? Will they not have kṛṣṇa-prasāda?

Devotee: Yes they will do these two but after that only book distribution.

Jayapatākā Swami: If they do book distribution all the time then what is the difficulty? We have to always do some service or the other. If they distribute books all the time, that is good. Those who are in Māyāpur they cannot distribute books all the time. They come and contribute in the ārati, they dance. This way they do different services. But if they do book distribution there all the time, what is the difficulty? It is even good. But we have to always be doing one service or the other. One cooks, if there is no cooking then we have a problem. Like soldiers, one cooks, and one goes out. Similarly, our devotees also, someone cooks, and someone does some other service. One will distribute prasāda. If they say that we will not do any other service. Those who distribute books can also do any other service. But the time allocated for book distribution, they should do that. But they can also distribute prasāda, and they should have prasāda. During ārati they should participate and do everything. One service or the other we have to do. As many books are distributed, it is good. But all the time we should do one service.

Question: When we go for book distribution, the people say we have this book and another also they say we have it. Then we feel bad. What to do?

Jayapatākā Swami: Why should you feel bad? It is not that everyone will take a book from you. If they say they have this book, they say we have the Bhagavad-gītā. Then we should ask them do you have Bhagavad-gītā As It Is? If they have, how did they like it? Then you can ask them what is there in chapter 12 verse 32? We know that in chapter 12 there are only 20 verses. Do you really have the Bhagavad-gītā and do you read it? It depends on how much time the person has, you can then have a discussion. You can ask them how did you find reading this book? What are the books you have? If there are many people, then you can say good and go to other people. We want to serve the Lord. If someone says, I have the books, then good. Maybe they bought it from someone else. But do they really have Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books or what books? You can inquire.

Question: There are poor people, when we go to distribute books and cannot afford to pay. What should we do?

Jayapatākā Swami: If they are genuinely interested in reading books and they are poor, if they give little money you could give the small books. Some people give more money and some less so this can be balanced out. One person came to me who was distributing books in Howrah station. One government staff took the book and read it and said that I read the book and I became peaceful in mind and I will follow the book always. What should I do? The book distributor said, come to the temple.

He said, “I have my wife, children, cow, my sister who is physically challenged. Can I bring them?”

The book distributor said, “I will check with the temple authorities and let you know.”

He said, “But I have read the book, I am determined now, I want to do something and follow the book. What should I do?”

The book distributor said, “Then you become a life member.”

He asked, “How much do I have to pay?” The book distributor said, “It would be some few thousand rupees.”

The man said, “I am poor, I don’t get much salary. I can maybe pay in instalments. I want to do something! What should I do?”

“Then you buy some more books.”

Because of this I established the Nāmahaṭṭa. That way people can stay at home and do devotional service. If everyone comes to the temple, that is not practical. This way, distributing books means being the representative of guru and Gaurāṅga. Giving everyone the opportunity to serve the Lord. Haribol!

Question: When I go for book distribution sometimes people say you are selling books and this is an ISKCON business. Then I get offended and sometimes get angry too. What should I do in such a situation?

Jayapatākā Swami: If we go to print books we cannot do that for free right? There is a price for the paper, price for printing. Compared to many other books, the price of our books is much less. If you go to other book stalls, the price of the books are Rs. 300, 400 or 500. Our Bhagavad-gītā is Rs.150 or so, in Bangladesh probably Rs. 100 or 200. We see that we do not take much profit. Now, if you can get it printed for free, then we can also distribute them for free. You can say that.

Question: How do the women distribute books when they are busy with work at home?

Jayapatākā Swami: Now in every country there is a situation and procedure. In the West there is no problem. Women and men mix freely. Women go for preaching and book distribution and there is no problem. But in Bangladesh I cannot say much. As per Bangladesh culture, I don’t know if unwed girls can go with men. That the leaders of Bangladesh can say. But mostly the ladies cannot mix with men and men cannot mix with women. This way if women mix with women what is the inconvenience? I don’t know if there it is convenient for women to go along with men in Bangladesh. In the university there are hostels for women, there the women can go. Ordinarily, the Hindus have a separate hostel. And men cannot go to women’s hostel. This way women can go and distribute books in the women’s hostel. When I was in Montreal, I used to go the university hostel to distribute books. Women are generally at home, they can in the evenings or when they are free they can distribute books. In this time of pandemic, many people distribute books through the telephone or internet. Here every day 100 or more Bhagavad-gītās, 10 or 12 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam sets, Caitanya-caritāmṛta 2 or 3 sets are distributed. Today was the birthday of a devotee, therefore, from our virtual book table they donated 50 Bhagavad-gītās. Because I cannot go to all, I have this virtual book table and the devotees donate here. Some people send by courier and some just donate. That way you can call your friends, relatives and distribute the books. His Holiness Bhakti Vijaya Bhāgavata Swami knows very well in this regard. Every day the boys in the saṅkīrtana team distribute books. There are ten buses but they are not able to go but still they distribute books.

Question: If you have any personal tips for book distribution please share Guru Mahārāja.

Jayapatākā Swami: Our books generally attract the people. When I used to take the saṅkīrtana party out there was His Holiness Bhakti Cāru Swami and other devotees in the party. We would distribute the books and my job was to arrange the stay of the devotees overnight. Then I had a system – I used to find out the richest and generous person in that area. Then I would associate and go to them. I would ask them where is the most pious person where we brahmacārīs can stay? Where could we go? Then they would say, no, no, you can stay with us. The Hindus in gṛhastha-āśrama cannot spend much, I used to take a list and would ask where the bazar was even though I knew where it was. How will I be able to offer bhoga offering to the Lord? They would grab the list from me and say, no, no, we will get it. This way, every day we used to stay in different places and we had Nitāi-Gaura Deities, we used to cook for Them, the initiated devotees, they would cook and we would offer to the Lords. We were guests and we used to give them the prasāda. They would be very happy to have the prasāda. They were vegetarians or not I don’t know but we used to cook, offer and give kṛṣṇa-prasāda. We used to give the family including the women and others prasāda and they were very happy. We used to go to the bazaar and bring the devotees back and give them prasāda. This was our principle.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!