As 2015 is the 50th year of HDG Srila Prabhupada’s entry into western land, ISKCON Mayapur is making all the arrangements to make 2015 book distribution marathon a mega event. So, it was announced that this year marathon will be celebrated from 1st October, 2015 to 31st January, 2016 for a period of four months instead of the normal three months. ISKCON Mayapur conducted an event on 23rd September to encourage devotees to engage in book distribution. The event was inaugurated by HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj, HH Bhakti Purusottama Swami Maharaj and HG Pankajanghri Prabhu.
HG Pankajanghri Prabhu highlighted the importance of book distribution as major service to Lord Krsna. He went on to say that if a devotee fails to engage him/herself in the service of book distribution, their service is not considered beneficial.
HH Bhakti Purusottama Swami Maharaj stressed the need to give top priority to book distribution service. He wanted that everyone should to engage in this service to please Srila Prabhupada. He gave a strong message to all the temples to make book distribution a mandatory service, rather than being satisfied with daily services like mangala aarti, lectures and distributing prasadam. Maharaj even went to the extent of saying that a married woman in India looks very beautiful and attractive in golden ornaments, but she loses her charm and beauty if she becomes a widow. Similarly, a temple without book distribution is like a widow. This gave clear direction to the devotees to engage in book distribution always. He recollected his initial days when he was asked to engage in book distribution within a month after completing new bhakta course. He concluded that material world is superior to Goloka Dham since sastra daan is a rare opportunity available only in the material world and not in any of the other planets including Goloka.
The assembled devotees become ecstatic when they saw HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj entering the stage for his lecture. After giving a short, transcendental kirtan, HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj added further on the importance of book distribution. He wanted all assembled devotees to take part in the great mission of Srila Prabhupada. He referred to the speech of HH Bhakti Purusottama Maharaj and described the beauty of Lakshmi Priya, wife of Lord Caitanya. He narrated how beautiful were her golden ear rings and how glittering were her golden bangles and golden waist belt. HH Jayapataka Swami showed His humility and gave full credit to the efforts of Mayapur devotees who were instrumental in achieving sale of more than 7 lacks book units last year. On the other hand, HG Sankarshan Nitai Prabhu gave him the credit for his constantly encouraging the devotees by sending letters even while he was undergoing treatment for critical illness in Delhi.
HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj wanted everyone to actively participate in book distribution service and asked all the assembled devotees if they all will involve in it. The devotees’ whole heartedly showed their support and raised both their hands to commit themselves in the great service. Maharaj wanted everyone to take a pledge in front of Lord Caitanya for distributing the scriptures. As Maharaj is known for his humor, he displayed that during the course of this lecture when he said that the organizers wanted him to speak short but he remember that only then. With that HH Jayapataka Swami Maharaj ended his inspirational speech. It gave great inspiration to all the assembled devotees to participate in the mission. A devotee came forward and took a commitment to sponsor 3000 Bhagavad Gita books. HG Nareshwar Prabhu took a commitment of 1000 books.
HH Bhakti Purusottama Swami wanted all to take a pledge of distributing at least one book to their friends or family members. As the program was nearing its completion, HG Bhadracharu Prabhu read the sankalpa mantra and made everyone to take a sankalpa for their yathasakthi.
These transcendental books, the life line of ISKCON have to be spread continuously. HH Bhakti Purusottama Swami Maharaj wanted support from all the devotees and exhibited his desire to double the amount which Mayapur is giving to BBT every year for printing the sastras.
Before the start of the program, Mayapur Sankirtan Department inaugurated two new vehicles for Sankirtan. HG Pankajanghri Prabhu performed an aarti for the buses. A Deity of Srila Prabhupada cut open the ribbon at the entrance of the bus.
Srila Prabhupada transcendental book distribution ki jai.
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