1981 I Just Long To Distribute Books
Category: Offerings to Prabhupāda by Śivarāma Swami
Title: 1981 I Just Long To Distribute Books
Upload date: 1981-08-23
1981 I Just Long To Distribute Books
I recall as a new bhakta, standing on a street corner in Montreal trying to distribute your books, intent, perhaps a little bit sincere, when the overwhelming realization of a tiny fraction of the significance of these transcendental literatures became revealed. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā (and other books), various transcendental seeds sown within the homes of the misled and unfortunate population of the world, overwhelmed by lust, greed, and anger, driven by demoniac leaders to hellish regions—you were their only hope. For on every page you have described the simple and sublime message of Godhead, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, to rise above the painful modes of nature and resume the spiritual heritage of every being as the eternal servant of the all-beautiful Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, your intimate friend. By reading one word, one line, or simply by touching them these souls are eternally benefited, what to speak of earnestly studying them. To simply have such a book in one s home turns it into a temple, to dust such a book constitutes devotional service, and to understand and follow the contents yields the varied tasty fruits of love of Godhead. What is the master-plan, how will these seeds sprout and grow, and what is the time? I do not know these things; perhaps in time you shall reveal them. I am satisfied to sow the seeds. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said,
idaṁ bhāgavataṁ nāma purāṇaṁ brahma-sammitam
uttama-śloka-caritaṁ cakāra bhagavān ṛṣiḥ
niḥśreyasāya lokasya dhanyaṁ svasty-ayanaṁ mahat
”This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the literary incarnation of God and it is compiled by Śrīla Vyāsadeva, the incarnation of God. It is meant for the ultimate good of all people, and it is all-successful, all-blissful, and all-perfect.”
kṛṣṇe sva-dhāmopagate dharma-jñānādibhiḥ sah
kalau naṣṭa-dṛṣām eṣa purāṇārko dhunoditaḥ
”This Bhāgavata Purāṇa is as brilliant as the sun and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purāṇa.”
So many times I have heard you stress over and over your Guru Mahārāja s instruction at Rādhā-kuṇḍa in 1932— ”If you ever get money, print books.” Wherever I go, it seems that this instruction lingers in my mind, in my heart, and I can hear you say, ”Our only request is that, in as many languages as there are around the world, print and distribute these books.” I can only hang on to these instructions as a drowning man will hang on to a life-support, for in them I feel your divine presence, executing them I feel confident that I am acting to please you.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, I am not a very good disciple; I am simply without much intelligence. While others make vast plans to spread this movement in so many ways I can only see this one need. I only desire this one service and pray you give me your shelter in this way. Others may say I am a fanatic, or I have tunnel-vision, still what can I do? I do not get any greater pleasure than by distributing your books. I know of no greater ecstacy than to see countless conditioned souls with the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in their hands—the expansive blue spiritual sky illuminated by the rays emanating from the countless Vaikuṇṭha planets that surround the lotus-like home of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa who eternally calls the forgetful living entities to rejoin Him in transcendental loving mellows. I know of no greater knowledge than that contained in your books and it is the most wonderful thing to read them.
Śrīla Prabhupāda, I hope that by serving the mission of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam I am serving you. I want to dedicate my life, this one and as many others as you desire, to help you print and distribute Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam all over the-three worlds. (Maybe I am babbling like a fool.) I simply pray at your lotus feet that you may give me the strength and intelligence to never be diverted from this service. Your separation weighs heavily on me, but when I can contribute to seeing masses of books inundating the world, I know you are present. Please allow me to be with you in this always.
Your eternal servant,
Śivarāma Swami