600,000 books distributed!
Tamal Krishna Goswami arrived from America at 5:00 a.m. this morning to serve as Prabhupada's secretary for the month of January. Prabhupada was very happy to see him. He brought with him the newly printed volumes I and II of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sixth Canto. The books look beautiful with gilt-edged pages and a new full-color painting for the end covers. The painting is of Sukadeva Gosvami, surrounded by all the great sages, speaking the Bhagavatam to Maharaja Parikshit on the banks of the Ganges. The front cover and spine are gold stamped, giving an attractive, high-quality appearance.
Prabhupada is delighted with them.
Prabhupada also received the first copies of a new pocket-sized book he translated: Sri Upadesamrita - The Nectar of Instruction, by Srila Rupa Gosvami. Srila Prabhupada appeared very satisfied with it and immediately asked how many copies had been printed. When he heard there were only ten thousand, he wanted to know why.
Tamal Krishna Maharaja explained that the BBT staff thought that the book is meant primarily for devotees, thus the small print run.
But Prabhupada made it clear that he wants the book for mass distribution as well. He told Tamal to inform Ramesvara to print at least 100,000 immediately.
Tamal Krishna Maharaja then gave him the final book distribution figures for the six-day Christmas period. The figures were astounding, and Prabhupada laughed in clear enjoyment over 600,000 books distributed! In New York alone they had sold 18,000 Krishna Book trilogies in just one day! The figures are utterly unprecedented, and Srila Prabhupada beamed as he heard the scores and some of the stories of how it was done.
At 8:55 a.m. Srila Prabhupada, Tamal Krishna Maharaja, Harikesa, and I flew to Madras.
Reference: Transcendental Diary Volume 1 by Hari Sauri Dasa
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