Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 31

Achieve the highest perfection just by reading

Now people are reading all kinds of nonsense books and thus their reading capacity is helping to pave their way through the circles of birth and death. If they will simply take to reading this transcendental literature we are presenting, the same reading capacity will elevate them to the highest perfection of spiritual life.

Srila Prabhupada; letter to Harer Nama, 6th November, 1969

The post Achieve the highest perfection just by reading appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

Preaching depends on book distribution

Our preaching work will be measured by the quantity of books we distribute so continue ever-increasingly.

Letter to Makhanlal, 11 December 1973

The post Preaching depends on book distribution appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

Book distributors ki jaya!

You have said rightly when you write that the devotees are working to please me by distributing my books. My mission on behalf of my guru maharaj and Lord Caitanya, to spread Krsna Consciousness would never have been so successful if it had not been taken up by enthusiastic boys and girls such as in San Francisco, especially through distribution of books.

From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Bhakta dasa – 28 June, 1974

The post Book distributors ki jaya! appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

“the only solace in my life”

Regarding sales figures, please endeavor in this way. The sales figures — this is the only solace in my life. When I hear that my books are selling so nicely, I become energetic like a young man.

From Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Ramesvara — 13 August, 1974

The post “the only solace in my life” appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

Demonic nonviolence

Arjuna was trying to become very gentleman, nonviolent, Arjuna: “Krsna, I am not going to fight.” People very much appreciate, “Just see, Arjuna is so gentle, he is trying to become nonviolent, and Krsna is inducing him to become violent.” This is the vision of the demons. They do not know whatever Krsna desires, that is rightful. Krsna wanted Arjuna to fight. That is rightful. And Arjuna wanted to become nonviolent. That is not rightful.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.28 — January 5, 1975, Bombay

The post Demonic nonviolence appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

About 600 commentaries on Bhagavad-gita, all misleading

You cannot understand God by your speculative method. Big, big scholars, they have speculated about Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita. Misled, they could not understand. Just like a big politician, Gandhi, he also has Bhagavad-gita in his hand, but he never spoke throughout his whole life that Krsna is worshipable. He never spoke. Have you seen that he has advised that Krsna is worshipable? Never. Dr. Radhakrishnan, he is also so big scholar. He has commented on Bhagavad-gita. Rather, he says, “It is not to Krsna.” When Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg 18.65], Dr. Radhakrishnan says, “It is not to Krsna.” That is the difficulty. Because they have no mercy of Krsna upon them, they cannot understand Krsna.

Naham prakasah sarvasya yogamaya-samavrtah [Bg 7.25].
Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg 18.55].

This is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. But they are not bhaktas. Tilak, he has described Bhagavad-gita as a karmi; never said that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You’ll find like that, so many, what to speak of others? There are about six hundred commentaries on Bhagavad-gita, all misleading. Therefore we have presented Bhagavad-gita as it is, without any misinterpretation. And it is acting.

Srila Prabhupada, talk on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.44 – October 24, 1974,
Mayapur

The post About 600 commentaries on Bhagavad-gita, all misleading appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

Bhagavad-gita in universities

Please try to introduce the reading of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is in your university where you shall be teaching. I understand that some rubbish commentaries upon Bhagavad-gita are allowed to be studied in every university, so if you can replace our Bhagavad-gita As It Is it will be a great advancement for our missionary activities, and people will thereby be benefited.

Srila Prabhupada, letter to Rupanuga — Los Angeles 15 January, 1969

The post Bhagavad-gita in universities appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

Einstein, Hitler, Moslems, read Gita

Now Krsna gave us a little knowledge, which is known as Bhagavad-gita, and five thousand years ago this knowledge was given, but is still going on, all over the world. In our movement we sell Bhagavad-gita the most. Is it not? We sell our Bhagavad-gita As It Is everywhere and in large number. Because it is full knowledge, not partial. Everything is complete. Can you show any book in the world which has so much sale and which is so much perfect? There is no book. And I am not…, because we are Krsna devotees we are eulogizing like that, but any scholar, any philosopher, any scientist will say like that: “Oh, there is no comparison of this book.” I do not know exactly, but one gentleman told me that Professor Einstein, he was also reading Bhagavad-gita daily. Hitler was reading. Such, such big, big men. But I know many scholars, even Muhammadans, they also read Bhagavad-gita.

Srila Prabhupada; Lecture on SB 1.9.3 — Los Angeles, May 17, 1973

The post Einstein, Hitler, Moslems, read Gita appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

Use your American and European brains to increase

I especially want that my books and literatures should be distributed profusely, but so far I understand this is not being done very perfectly. So I want that you all my students shall very vigorously try for this book distribution. Do not hesitate to use your American and European brains to increase, that is Krishna’s special gift to you, now use it. Any activity which will please Krishna should be accepted favorably, this is our guiding principle. Now apply it in this way, by doing everything and anything for spreading this Krishna Conscious literature, and this is really pleasing to Krishna, know it for certain.

Srila Prabhupada; letter to Kirtiraja, November 1971 Vrindaban

The post Use your American and European brains to increase appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.

Book distribution is very pleasing to Krsna

I am very pleased to see how nice the book distribution is increasing in Germany. Give those two boys who have done so nicely my thanks. Krishna will bless them: ye yatha mam prapdayante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham [Bg. 4.11]. Krsna becomes more and more pleased by seeing the increment of book distribution. Devotional service is absolute but one who preaches His message becomes very dear to Lord Krsna.

Srila Prabhupada, letter to Jayatirtha – Vrindavan 27 October, 1976

The post Book distribution is very pleasing to Krsna appeared first on Bhakti Vikasa Swami.