Page 32 - NOBD

6 The Nectar of Book Distribution

in the future every devotee in our movement will know the
art of distributing books. 5
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission of writing books, establishing ISKCON, and
saving the conditioned souls presents a great challenge to his followers: to
apply the instructions in his books for our own advancement and to make
his instructions available to others. Thus preaching and distributing books
are ISKCON’s prime duties.
Preaching is the best way to save ourselves and others, and distributing
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books is the best preaching. Therefore this book is based
on the following three premises:
1. Preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the prime mission of ISKCON;
2. Book distribution is the best and most important preaching;
3. Prabhupāda wanted every devotee to know the art of distributing books.

“Anyone who tries sincerely to present Bhagavad-gītā as it is will advance
in devotional activities and reach the pure devotional state of life. As a
result of such pure devotion, he is sure to go back home, back to Godhead”
(Bg. 18.68 p). This definitely applies to book distribution. Kṛṣṇa says that
His instructions may never be explained to those who are not austere or
devoted, nor to one who is envious of Him. According to these conditions,
most of the people that book distributors encounter are not fit candidates for
Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But Lord Caitanya does not take into account these
conditions, and His devotees are so merciful that they give everyone many
opportunities to engage in devotional service. Eventually some of those
people become purified enough to accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality
of Godhead and become devotees, and finding those devotees makes the
book distributors most dear to Kṛṣṇa. “For one who explains this supreme
secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end
he will come back to Me. There is no servant in the world more dear to Me
than he, nor will there ever be one more dear” (Bg. 18.68 – 69). Kṛṣṇa’s
declaration that preachers are His dearmost servants was emphasized by
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura and Śrīla Prabhupāda, who taught
that preaching — especially distributing transcendental literature — is the
fundamental duty of the saṅkīrtana movement.
Preaching is a devotee’s duty, and distributing Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books is
the best preaching. How any devotee can do that according to his particular
capacity will be his best preaching, whether he does it directly as a book
distributor or indirectly by performing the other activities of the Kṛṣṇa
consciousness movement. Although all devotional service is transcendental