BOOKS ARE THE BASIS 1
Introduction to Part One 3
1 / Book Distribution:
“Our Most Important Activity” 5
1.1 Three premises 5
1.2 Saṅkīrtana and book distribution 7
Congregational chanting: the spiritual process for this age 7
Saṅkīrtana includes chanting and preaching 11
Books as a means to propagate the yuga-dharma, saṅkīrtana 14
1.3 Bṛhad-mṛdaṅga 14
“Sales of literature, that is our great saṅkīrtana” 14
“For wider kīrtana, book distribution is better ” 15
Book distribution is “the immediate important business” 17
The necessity of going to the people 20
Book distribution cannot be stopped 22
1.4 The best preaching: let Śrīla Prabhupāda preach 24
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s desire to preach 24
“We have to see how books are being distributed” 26
Earning Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mercy 27
1.5 Book distribution is the basis of all preaching 28
Realizations: Book distribution is the best preaching 29
Realizations: Books prepare the preaching field 32
Festivals: “Do you sell many books there?” 35
Books go everywhere 36
1.6 Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books make devotees 36
Prabhupāda’s guarantee 36
Examples of books making devotees 37
Why don’t more people join? 39
1.7 Book distribution is the foundation of the house
in which the whole world can live 42
Book distribution: the basis of a big plan 42
“Ours is a cooperative movement” 43
“Prabhupāda, what pleases you the most?” 47
“Devotional service is absolute, but …” 49
“See to it that the trains are always running” 51
“Please assist me to your best capacity” 53
Conclusion 54 2 / Saṅkīrtana Philosophy 55
2.1 The Mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu 55
No one is more merciful than Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu 56
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mission 56
Starting another person’s devotional service 58
Greatest welfare work 60
“Make all the unfortunate fortunate” 61
2.2 The glories of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books 62
Prabhupāda’s books are the words of bhagavān and bhāgavata 62
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s emotional ecstasies 64
Prabhupāda’s books contain the Absolute Truth 67
As good as Deities 72
Books sanctify us, our preaching, and human society 73
2.3 Prabhupāda’s books are nondifferent from the Lord 78
The transcendental nature of Prabhupāda’s books 78
The Lord’s sound incarnation 79
“Spoken kīrtans” 80
2.4 Book distribution is a transcendental activity 81
Are reading and distributing books activities for neophytes? 81
Book saṅkīrtana and the saṅkīrtana-yajña 83
Saṅkīrtana: both the means and the end 84
Imported from Goloka: books for all seasons 86
The saṅkīrtana movement: Kṛṣṇa’s present incarnation 86
By book distribution Kṛṣṇa appears in human society 87
Prabhupāda’s books purify the atmosphere 88
The confidential understanding of saṅkīrtana 89
2.5 Selling books: the work of vaiśyas or brāhmaṇas? 93
Book distribution and varṇāśrama 93
“No business begging” 94
On making propaganda 95
2.6 Distribution influenced by the modes of nature 97
2.7 Conclusion 102 3 / Qualities of a Book Distributor 105
3.1 What is a book distributor? 105
Preachers render the best service 106
Realizations 108
3.2 Books are distributed by spiritual potency 111
The importance of pure consciousness and motivation 112
Spiritual qualities make a devotee attractive 114
3.3 The qualities of a devotee 118
Verses describing a devotee’s qualities 118
The primary quality and secondary qualities of devotees 119
3.4 Book distribution is a practical
symptom of surrender 121
The six symptoms of surrender 121
Accepting what’s favorable, rejecting what’s unfavorable 122
Firmly believing that the Lord protects His devotees 124
Accepting the Lord as one’s maintainer and master 126
Having no desire other than the Lord’s desire 127
Always feeling meek and humble 128
3.5 Faith in the order of guru and Kṛṣṇa 131
What does it mean to have faith? 131
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission: his guru’s mission 132
Faith in guru and Kṛṣṇa is the secret of success 133
The greatest opportunity to please guru and Kṛṣṇa 136
Intense association with the spiritual master 137
Are book distributors fanatics? 139
3.6 Energy, enthusiasm, and enlivenment 141
The five factors of action 141
Meditating on the Supercause 143
Desire as the crucial factor 144
Positive thinking 146
3.7 Divine austerity 147
Tolerating difficulties 148
A means to purify and restrain the mind 150
Forced surrender 151
An opportunity to make the quickest advancement 154
3.8 Sources of inspiration 156
Śrīla Prabhupāda made book distribution the top priority 156
Encouragement from the authorities 157
Reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books 159
Enjoying book distribution 161
The example and association of other book distributors 162 PART TWO
PURITY IS THE FORCE 163
Introduction to Part Two 165
4 / The Mass Distribution of
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Books 167
4.1 Śrīla Prabhupāda on mass distribution 167
Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted mass distribution 169
Aggression 170
Books should not be given free 171
4.2 Devotee clothing , Western clothing 172
Statements (in chronological order) by Śrīla Prabhupāda 172
Statements from Bhaktivedanta purports 174
Advantages of distributing books in Western clothing 175
Advantages of devotee clothing 177
4.3 Quantity and quality 178
4.4 Saṅkīrtana transcends mundane salesmanship 180
The limits of mundane salesmanship 180
Techniques aren’t the most important thing 182
4.5 Practical techniques of mass distribution 183
Preaching while distributing 184
The psychology of mass distribution 188
Techniques vary according to time and place 189
The stack method 190
How to approach people in public 191
Asking for donations 198
Giving many books at once 199
Preaching to the faithless — the ninth offense 200
4.6 Unlimited ways to praise Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books 201
Flattering people 207
Handling special situations 208
4.7 Learning from past mistakes 212
Misconceptions that sneaked in 213
The end justifies the means — but where does it end? 214
Don’t leave negative impressions 216
Beware of offending the conditioned souls 217
Why not apologize? 218
The role of managers 218
The call to purity and responsibility 219
4.8 What Śrīla Prabhupāda really said 220
On “cheating” 221
“By hook or by crook” in context 224
“The end justifies the means” in context 225
Instructions on quality, quantity, and honesty 226
“First impressions are lasting” 229
Stop disturbing, but don’t stop distributing 229 5 / Other Forms of Distributing
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Books 233
5.1 Śrīla Prabhupāda on selling sets to universities 233
5.2 The history of set distribution 236
5.3 Methods of set distribution 237
The BBT Library Party 237
Contract sales 239
Follow-up programs 239
Single books and sets combined 240
Selling sets door to door 240
The nāmahaṭṭa model 241
5.4 Distributing door to door 241
Visiting private offices, shops, and homes 241
Distributing in offices 244
5.5 Industries 247
5.6 Book tables 248
5.7 Harināma saṅkīrtana — by bus or padayātrā 249
5.8 Magazine distribution 251
5.9 Mail order 258
General strategy of a mail order service 259
Further aspects of mail order 260
Successful advertising 263
5.10 Follow-up or “contact” saṅkīrtana 263
Cultivating the people we meet 263
Not everyone will live in our temples 264
How many people can we reach? 266
5.11 Bringing the books to the top ranks 268
“Getting top-ranking men to read my books is real preaching” 268
“Getting the support of everyone, not just a select few” 268 6 / Book Distribution as a Lifetime Mission 271
6.1 What does “lifetime” mean? 271
Who really distributes for a lifetime? 271
Staying connected to book distribution 273
What it takes to continue for a lifetime 274
Capacity and quantity 278
Responsibility to Śrīla Prabhupāda 280
6.2 Book distribution is a constant challenge 281
Every day means new surrender 281
Taking shelter in book distribution 283
Stopping full-time book distribution 285
6.3 Overcoming problems in spiritual life 286
False ego and fruitive mentality 287
Self-centeredness 290
Discouragement due to bad propaganda 291
Mental rebellion 293
Lust 296
Doubts 299
Accepting glorification 299
Other services: diversity or diversion? 301
6.4 Psychological dimensions of book distribution 303
Considering the individual’s needs 303
Being properly situated 306
Social pressure 308
The highest ideal and the gradual process of reaching it 309
Varṇāśrama: individual and collective progress 311
6.5 Sādhu-saṅga 312
Association with devotees as the life of spiritual life 313
Preaching: giving our association, not taking theirs 315
“The only difficulty is the fighting” 316
6.6 Spiritual life for a lifetime 317
Importance of sādhana 318
Proper chanting and hearing 320
Daily reading of Prabhupāda’s books 321
“Not that we are simply meant for selling books” 323
6.7 Bhāgavata-mārga and pāñcarātrika-vidhi 324
Running on parallel lines 325
“Bhāgavata-mārga is more important” 326
Balanced life 327 PART THREE
UTILITY IS THE PRINCIPLE 329
Introduction to Part Three 331
7 / Managing and Supporting
Book Distribution 333
7.1 Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books can be
distributed everywhere 333
Temples, books, and chanting in every town and village 334
Where there’s a will, there’s a way 336
Book distribution must be cultivated 336
7.2 Harmony between devotees 337
Śrīla Prabhupāda on cooperation 337
Creating a team spirit 338
Serving the saṅkīrtana devotees 340
Special treatment for book distributors 342
7.3 Temple and saṅkīrtana organization 343
Each temple independent 344
Temple management 345
Inventory and bookkeeping 346
7.4 How to deal with civil authorities 348
Legalizing book distribution 348
Official accounting 350
Dealing with the police 351
Dealing with customers’ complaints 352
When people want to give back books 353
Complaints by phone or mail 354
7.5 Temple economics based on book distribution 355
How temples began to rely on book distribution 355
Book distribution is the safest economic basis 356
“We will always have customers” 360
Preach and the money will come 360
“Deal adequately with all facilities offered by the Lord” 362
7.6 ISKCON and the BBT 363
What is the BBT? 363
ISKCON and the BBT — separate entities 364
The BBT protects Śrīla Prabhupāda’s copyrights 364
BBT, a transcendental collection agency 365
“More books at a lower price” 366
The price formula: double the BBT price 367
7.7 The dangers of immoderate financial management 369
Books are the best paraphernalia 370
Expanding beyond our means 372
The paraphernalia trap 373
Business should support the preaching 374 8 / Saṅkīrtana Strategies 377
8.1 Preaching and book distribution from the temple 377
Śrīla Prabhupāda on the temple’s purpose 377
The temple as a base for book distribution 378
Harināma chanting parties 379
Public programs and festivals 380
Preaching in higher circles 381
Preaching to the congregation 383
8.2 Going out with books 384
8.3 Traveling saṅkīrtana 386
Traveling saṅkīrtana pleased Śrīla Prabhupāda 387
Advantages of traveling saṅkīrtana 388
8.4 The practical side of traveling saṅkīrtana 390
Don’t be attached to facilities 391
Groups and division of duties 391
Vehicles 394
Saṅkīrtana schedule 394
Choosing where to distribute 395
Deities on traveling saṅkīrtana 397
8.5 Book distribution by gṛhasthas living outside 398
The preaching potential 398
Finances 401
8.6 Distributing books and prasādam 402
8.7 Which books to distribute 404
“Every book is meant for everyone” 405
Variety according to time, place, and circumstance 405
Śrīla Prabhupāda on small books, leaflets, and pamphlets 408
8.8 Saṅkīrtana meetings 409
Regular meetings 409
Śrīla Prabhupāda on saṅkīrtana newsletters and reports 411
Suggestions for saṅkīrtana meetings 412
8.9 Maintaining health 413
Dealing with disease 413
Taking rest 414
Eating 415
Back problems 416
Transcending the body 417 9 / Marathons 423
9.1 Every devotee should experience
book distribution 423
Once a week and during marathons 427
Book distribution — part of a devotee’s training 429
9.2 The importance of everyone going out 427
Why it’s important for one’s spiritual life 428
Why it’s important for ISKCON 429
9.3 Marathons mean extra endeavor 430
9.4 Competition 434
Śrīla Prabhupāda on transcendental competition 435
Śrīla Prabhupāda himself took part in competitions 437
Realizations about competition 438
A case history of a marathon competition 441
9.5 Quotas 442
Quotas as stepping-stones to extraordinary feats 446
9.6 How to organize marathons 448
When and how often? 448
How to create the marathon mood 450
9.7 Marathon meditations 452 PART FOUR
PREACHING IS THE ESSENCE 457
Introduction to Part Four 459
10 / Training New Book Distributors 461
10.1 Importance of the mood of the temple 461
The saṅkīrtana spirit 461
The sign of a healthy temple is people joining 462
10.2 Importance of the leaders’ mood 464
Pushing the priority 465
10.3 Example is better than precept 466
10.4 The bhakta program 469
Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not sentimental or impersonal 469
Proper training 470
Preparation for saṅkīrtana 472
10.5 Points to know before going out 475
Basic book distribution techniques 475
Basic sales psychology 476
10.6 Joining a saṅkīrtana party 477
The first days on saṅkīrtana 477
Distributing books with older book distributors 480
10.7 Lessons to improve the distribution 481
Never quit 481
Quantity rests upon quality 481
Avoid indifference — it’s a battle of wills 482
Determination 482
Avoid small talk 482
Impersonalists 483
Be concise 483
Don’t talk over people’s heads 483
Be aggressive, but . . . 483
Let Kṛṣṇa help 484
Every person is an individual 484
Be personal 485
10.8 Dealing with weakness 485
10.9 Dealing with hostile people 486
10.10 First realizations of a higher taste 488
10.11 Becoming steady 491
Purifying our motivation 491
Tests are Kṛṣṇa’s mercy 492
Overcoming dualities and fighting the mind 493
Realizing your dependence on guru and Kṛṣṇa 494
Kṛṣṇa trains the devotees on saṅkīrtana 496 11 / The Stage of Determined,
Successful Book Distribution 499
11.1 Transcending the mental platform 499
From intelligence to action 499
Distributing without mental discrimination 501
Satisfaction in service 504
You’re never alone 506
11.2 Beyond attachment and false ego 507
“Please distribute books” — the spiritual master’s order 508
Endeavoring to fulfill the order, although we are powerless 508
Realizing that Kṛṣṇa is the controller 510
When Kṛṣṇa begins to drive His devotee’s chariot 512
11.3 How to become empowered 515
How Lord Brahmā became empowered 516
Agreeing to become Kṛṣṇa’s instrument 516
Depend on the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa 524
Seeing people change in front of you 526
The ecstasy of unlimited book distribution 527
11.4 Saṅkīrtana meditations 531 12 / A World Revolution
Through Book Distribution 539
12.1 “Prominent within the next ten thousand years” 539
12.2 On the threshold of the Golden Age 543
“The only hope is this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement” 544
Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest consciousness 546
12.3 Our movement cannot be stopped 547
An historical example 548
Our humble methods will save us and the world 549
We succeed against all odds 549
“‘Hare Kṛṣṇa’ has become a household phrase” 551
12.4 A change of consciousness 552
The change begins subtly 553
Global changes 554
It starts with a small percentage 555
It takes spiritual strength 556
The example of the CIS 557
Revolution in the land of dharma 559
The mass of people can become enlightened from within 563
Unifying the world under Kṛṣṇa’s banner 565
12.5 Appreciating what we are part of 566
“We can explain what God is” 569
Book distributors are transcendental teachers and soldiers 570
Concluding words 573
Contributors 575
Endnotes 579 | 
