Here at Mayapur my Guru Maharaja was printing one paper. It was selling for only a few paisa. Sometimes whenever one brahmacari would go to Navadvipa and sell even a few copies, I would see my Guru Maharaja become very much pleased....So I am always emphasising book distribution. It is the better kirtana. It is better than chanting. Of course chanting should not stop, but book distribution is the best kirtana. ‘ Letter of October 24, 1974 to Srutadeva dasa – Prabhupada Nectar, Satsvarupa dasa Goswami.
On July 6, 2009, the travelling sankirtan party of ISKCON Ujjain set out to make Srila Prabhupada and their Guru Maharaja ‘very much pleased.’ Ten brahamacari’s left in the brand new, gleaming white sankirtan bus on a month long book distribution marathon. Though previously the bus went on a one week trip to nearby Indore, this will actually be its maiden journey.
Just after breakfast, the clean shaven and energetic young men started packing the bus with drums, mridanga, cushions, dry bhoga, water, stove, LPG bottle and being brahmacari’s, travelling light, their few personal belongings – dhoti, kurta and razor. The books were packed the day before.
The mood was light and enthusiastic especially when Guru Maharaja’s sweet kirtan came streaming from the speaker on the roof of the bus. HG Ganganarayan prabhu, being a hands-on Temple President, not one to sit in an ivory tower, will accompany the group for the first week of their journey.
Though they might not be able to reach ‘every town and village’, they are hoping to distribute books in as many towns and villages as they come across during their journey. The focus will be on the state of Madhya Pradesh and perhaps a bit of Rajasthan, depending on how soon all the books are distributed. They are taking 1200 Bhagavad Gita’s, 700 Krsna books, 400 Science of Self Realisation books, 400 Second Chance, 400 Life comes from Life, 200 Coming Back, 200 Laws of Nature, 200 Journey of Self Discovery, 200 Nectar of Devotion, 150 Srila Prabhupada biography and 10 sets Srimad Bhagavatam mostly in Hindi, with them.
Under the expert guidance of team leader Vijayanand prabhu, who joined ISKCON full time in Mayapur in 1997, the devotees will mostly approach people in offices, banks, shopping centres, schools and colleges, spreading Krsna’s glory as they go.
As enlivening as this experience is, it can also be austere. During this time they will stay at dharmsalas, and at different devotee’s houses, should they be invited. Meals will be made by the brahamacari’s themselves, using the LPG stove and the rice, atta flour and dhal they took with them. Vegetables will be bought fresh at the market every day. Hard work and austerity do not seem to daunt these young brahmachari’s who are all eager and willing to spread the Holy Name to ‘every town and village’.
The other devotees in the team are HG Aditya dasa, HG Hrishikesh Ananda dasa, HG Radharadhya dasa, HG Sivaradhaya dasa, HG Vishambhar Caitanya dasa, HG Ambharnath dasa, HG Gopi Kant dasa, HG Rasananda dasa and bhakta Saunik.
We wish them a safe journey and may the mercy of guru and Krsna carry you in all your endeavours.
‘If you feel at all indebted to me, then you should preach vigorously like me. That is the proper way to repay me. Of course, no one can repay the debt to the spiritual master, but the spiritual master is very much pleased by such an attitude by the disciple.’ Letter of August 14, 1976 - Prabhupada Nectar, Satsvarupa dasa Goswami
Hare Krishna.
Text: Arati devi dasi