Devotees,Temples May Fail But My Books Will Live Forever
Hamasdutta Dasa: In the early seventies, there were three BBT Trustees, Prabhupada, Bali Mardan and Karandhar. Not long after Karandhar left, we were in London one morning when Prabhupada unexpectedly called me into his room. He was sitting on his bed and he said, "I want to appoint you as a BBT Trustee." I understood that this was a highly confidential service because it had to do with the publication and distribution of Prabhupada's books. I was astonished that Prabhupada asked me. I said, "But Prabhupada, you have so many educated disciples with an M.A., B.A. or Ph.D. I didn't finish high school." In fact, when I had brought Prabhupada his letters a few days earlier he had said, "Why does every letter you write have two or three spelling mistakes?" I said, "Well, Prabhupada, I didn't finish school..." He saw I was embarrassed so he said, "Oh, yes. You see?" and he picked up a dictionary. He said, "I always carry a little Oxford dictionary, and so should you. When there's a word you don't know, look it up. That's how I learned English." To this day I bring an Oxford dictionary everywhere I go and whenever I see one, I immediately think of Prabhupada. That was the effect Prabhupada had on us that everything that he referred to in the course of his preaching, either formally or casually, became a springboard for Krishna Consciousness. Anyway, when I said, "But Prabhupada, you have so many educated disciples and I can't even spell properly", he stopped me. He said, "I am asking you because without being asked you have published and distributed my books. You have understood the importance of my books. The devotees may fail, the temples might fail, but my books will live forever." We couldn't imagine how the devotees or the temples might fail. How could they fail? At that time there was a colossal, dynamic, energetic environment. People were coming. money was flowing, and books were being printed and distributed. Failure was unimaginable. But Prabhupada's glimpse of that made his books so important.
Reference: Memories Anecdotes of a Modern Day Saint - Volume 3 by Siddhanta Dasa
Recently Added
Trending Today