Find that verse
Partha Sarathi Das Goswami : It was in Johannesburg and it was an afternoon darshan, and Prabhupada was speaking in a general way to about one dozen devotees. There was a Jewish lawyer there also. Then Prabhupada quoted the verse kamasya nendriya-pritir labho jiveta yavata, which is Bhagavatam 1, 2, verse number 10, and then looked directly at me, and I was sitting in front of Prabhupada, and said, "Find that verse," and then there was silence. I started shaking, I started sweating profusely because language is my worst subject. So I was in complete anxiety.
There you can see me performing arati by Prabhupada's mercy. So I really didn't think I would find the right verse. I was handed a Bhagavatam by Pusta Krishna Swami, and I started trying to recall that verse. I had only been a devotee for two years so I was still trying to assimilate the Bhagavad-Gita, I hadn't quite gone to Bhagavatam. But I did remember the third line that Prabhupada said, jivasya tattva-jijnasa, it sort of rhymes. So I looked that up in the Index and there it was. So then I read it, and that was pleasing to Prabhupada. Then Prabhupada continued speaking. So what I understood from this exchange was that Prabhupada was demonstrating to his disciples the importance of reading his books, which we know also. So consequently, I memorized that verse and, of course, many other verses in the Bhagavatam and the Bhagavad-gita. Prabhupada was always stressing how important his books were. A few days later we actually presented Prabhupada the Fifth Canto Volume 1 and Volume 2 in his room, and there is a very famous wonderful photograph taken by Bhargava prabhu of Prabhupada smiling and looking at the pictures. And that Fifth Canto Volume 2 is the hellish planets. Then he told Harikesa, who at that time was a brahmacari, "They think these books are only for selling, but actually they are for reading. I give you permission to read these books 24 hours a day." Of course, Prabhupada was making a point. We can't neglect the mission, but we must also read and understand the siddhanta.
Reference: Following Srila Prabhupada-A Chronological Series by Partha Sarathi Das Swami
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