One of the great joys of book distribution is distributing a book, and then a moment later, watching somebody pensively reading it. Have you ever seen that? Has anybody ever seen that? How many have really seen it? Raise your hand. It's nice right?. In the airport where we distributed books, sometimes person would buy a book, and then they'd sit down on the bench because they're waiting for a plane, and they would open the book, start reading it. I would sneak behind them and look to see what they're reading, because I was thinking, what are they getting out of this? Where are they reading from that book?
So this is the impetus. HH Gopāl Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja in the very beginning of his promoting book distribution, thought to open a display at a bookstore, and he made a great arrangement for it. It was a campaign for a month that was advertised, money was spent, and afterwards he went to Prabhupāda and reported that it wasn't very successful. Prabhupāda said that is because books are distributed by the enthusiasm of my disciples, enthusiasm, joy—mudā, that sense of 'I'm so happy, I want to give this to other people.' In fact, there's no technique for book distribution, so don't even ask me, because the only technique is to be happy. If you feel happy, then people are going to want what you have. If they look at you and they say, you know, this person looks happy, then they'll say, "Well, what do you have? What can you give me?"
In fact, I had a stint in Chicago O'Hare Airport. It was the second most busy airport on the planet during the years that I was able to distribute books inside that airport. Number one was Hatfield in Atlanta. I don't know what was happening in Delhi, but not as much as now, and definitely not Dum Dum. But in any case, I remember being so happy. Having maṅgala-ārati in the temple, the kīrtans were such that everyone was dancing. And then we would have japa, Bhāgavatam class. Then we would all sit together and take prasāda. Then we would pile into a van and they let us out. It was like we were shot from a cannon, and the only technique I remember is just being so happy that I would actually get a running start, and then I would stop, skid into people, and say, "You look great." Then I would hand them a book, is say, "These are books about pure love for God, and it's meant to wake up pure love for God within your heart. And today, we just ask for a donation to help spread love for God."
That was it. That's all he told people. It was just happiness, expressing happiness, distributing happiness, and being fully aware that if somebody was able to give something, a little attention to the book, take it home, give a donation which will make them have more attention to the book, then it was a big success. That's the life of the person who has the greatest opportunity to follow in Śrīla Prabhupāda's footsteps, to go out into the great unknown, just like catching in the Jaladūta.
Just put yourself in that mindset that you are catching the Jaladūta. What would it feel like, the exhilaration to get on the boat, to fulfill the order of your spiritual master. Books in hand. Not a care in the world about not having facility, knowing that Kṛṣṇa will support you. Are you feeling it?
To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025
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Add to your wisdom literature collection:
https://iskconsv.com/book-store/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025
https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025
https://thefourquestionsbook.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=launch2025
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