By Sikhi Mahiti das ( ACBSP )
Within a few more weeks, the annual Book Distribution marathon will begin. During this Christmas season, the materially entangled souls will be enthusiastically spend money for the holidays. They think this will relieve their suffering. But, the vaisnavas know that there is no gift in the mall that will quench the unlimited thirst for material enjoyment. Therefore, they take to the streets, malls, door-to door, and office holiday gatherings to give the gift that will satisfy the whole world, Krsna Consciousness.
The face of the typical book distributor has changed since the early days of ISKCON. The face of a young bhramacari or bhramacarini in the airport or street intersection is changing to a grhastas with a regular job, home, and kids in school. These Weekend Warriors are manning tables in shopping malls with wife and children begging the condition souls to take home the nectar of the spiritual world in the form of Srila Prabhupada’s books.
This is a picture of Dindorkar family of ISKCON Atlanta distributing books at the Global mall in Atlanta. It is vey inspiring to see this entire family performing the yuga dharma of sankirtan. They could be out and about enjoy their well deserved weekend doing what other families do on the weekend. But, they are blissfully engaged in fulfilling the desire of Srila Prabhupada by distributing his books.
Even our senior citizen vaisnavas are tasting the nectar of distributing books. Have a look at the photos of Sachisundari dd (jps) distributing books in a parking lot
(with permission of course) at the age of 75 years. She is from Nepal and has been serving in ISKCON Atlanta for many years. She is praying that she will have the strength to participate in this year’s marathon.
Distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books is the responsibility of every follower of His Divine Grace. We shouldn’t think that it is the temple devotees primary activity. Why should they have all the nectar anyway? Even the vaisnavas in Iraq are distributing books. Let us all, especially the grhastas, start making plans on how we can at least go out for one hour during the Book Distribution marathon of 2008. Every little bit counts. As one devotee said in an email message to the book distribution group; “If every devotee takes responsibility for purchasing and distributing one book, we will have a large offering to Srila Prabhupada this marathon”. I kinda of took the liberty to paraphrase his remark to fit this holiday book distribution season.
If you can’t go out this year, sponsor a case of books or even one book. Give them to the karmis we interact with in our daily lives. If we meditate on how to distribute a book, Supersoul will show us the way. The Atlanta marathon will kickoff November 23rd, the busiest shopping day of the year in America. Please make plans to go out at some time during this holiday season. For ideas on how to distribute books, visit http://www.distributebooks.com/ maintain by His Grace Vaiseska prabhu (acbsp).
All glories to all the vaisnavas and vaisnavis, all glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga.
Brhat Mrdanga Ki Jaya!!!
ys, Sikhi Mahiti das (acbsp)
Beautiful pictures. This expansion of “Weekend Warrior” book distribution is a great thing that is happening.
Even if the individual scores are not as big as full-time distributors, we can field lots more distributors this way, practically unlimitedly, and some customers will be able to relate more easily to weekend warriors who have responsible jobs during the week than to “drop-out”, full time renunciates.
It may be easier to get and keep legal spots when the distributors seem less like, well, “outlaws.” (Of course, all pure devotial service is “outside” the laws of material nature.) :-)
The face of book distribution may be changing, but the book distributors’ faces are still, as always, the most beautiful, compassionate, merciful faces the passersby will see.
Seeing kids on book distribution is great, too, as long as they are in a safe and happy environment. I would not bring them to every spot, because some spots have dangerous traffic and/or dangerous people.
Anyone over 65 should get double points for each book distributed. Anyone 75 and over should get quadruple. :-)
I wanted to add something to the comments by Akruranatha prabhu. The picture of the family distributing books was taken a few weekends ago. The table was manned by various families throughout the day between 11 am – 10 pm. That table sold 470 laksmi points worth of books that day.
I’ve heard of other Weekend Warriors distributing 600 – 1,000 laksmi point worth of books at Walmarts and other Supermarkets. When people see a book table in front of a store with a nice family tending it, it is hard for them not to take a book. We don’t give the families any lines either. They speak from their heart.
Book tables can be setup at Gas Stations, sporting events, and weekend farmer markets. Visit www.distributebooks.com for ideas.
I’d like to add a nice quote from Srila Prabhupada to increase our enthusiasm to distribute books.
Letter to Jayadvaita, November 18, 1972
“These books and magazines are our most important propaganda weapons to defeat the ignorance of maya’s army, and the more we produce such literature and sell them profusely all over the world, the more we shall deliver the world from the suicide course. So your work is the most important preaching work, may Krishna bless you more and more. Thank you for helping me in this way.”
Letter to Jaya Gopala, July 12, 1969
“Krishna Consciousness is the absolute need of the present day society, and there are many people who will come to join us if we simply make these teachings of Bhagavad-gita and rest of the Vedic literature available to them.”
Conversation Toronto, June 21, 1976
“Literatures are selling, they are appreciating, learned circle. Takes some time, but if we stick to our principles and do not make any compromise and push on—in this way, I have given you instruction, it will never stop; it will go on. It will never stop. At least for ten thousand years it will go on.”
Book distribution Ki Jaya!