Суд над Бхагавад-гитой / Attempt to ban Bhagavad-gita

After departure of Srila Prabhupada it was decided that book distribution should be given more emphasis then Samkirtan. If you noticed, in the letter you quoted Prabhupad says, Samkirtan and book distribution should go on. So, someone decided to merge those two terms, which I don't mind, but somehow or other book distribution became Samkirtan and Samkirtan became just harinam. Finally mass and regular harinams were nearly or completely stopped in many places. Book distribution was flourishing, which is OK, but only for a while. After some time it was also stopped or nearly stopped in many places. It was replaced with 'sticker sankirtan' or 'cold karmi records sankirtan' or 'Hong Kong paintings sankirtan' This is a type of 'sankirtan' or 'book distribution' which no sane devotee would like and it's a pity our book distributors had to do that under the order of their not mature enough seniors. But there were some who liked that, 'cause money is the honey and we don't feel much credit to them or such a 'sankirtan' 'cause their nonsense activities combined with other factors which I don't want refer to here, have almost destroyed our Movement in the West. But if you are not tired already, let's go deeper and explore what were the reasons of what has happened.

Lord Chaitanya says in His Siksastakam, vidya vadhu jivanam – Sri Harinama Sankirtana is the life and soul of transcendental knowledge. And I guess you are agree book distribution is about disseminating the transcendental knowledge. Perhaps you will also agree with me when I say the spiritual organization can be maintained only by spiritual energy. At least in ISKCON's case it's proved that by Srila Prabhupad's mercy ISKCON was and is maintained by the spiritual energy, but when our leaders decided to reverse to material methods, there was a disaster. What represent the spiritual energy in the material world? As Srila Prabhupada taught us, the spiritual energy of the Lord is consisted of His Name, His Form, His Qualities an His Pastimes. So, the Harinama Sankirtan or chanting Hare Krishna, the Deity form of the Lord, His Qualities described in the sastras and His prasad, and the Holy Places of pilgrimage are the outlets of the spiritual energy for us in this world. Among those the Holy Name is the most easier to approach and the most merciful manifestation of the Lord's spiritual energy. Hope you'll agree with this point. Srila Rupa Gosvami says although generally it is said there is no difference between the Lord and His Holy Name, still one difference is there. The Holy Name is MORE MERCIFUL then the Lord Himself. This is why Srila Prabhupada started our Movement underneath a tree in the Tompkins Square Park in New York with chanting of the Holy Name. Then there was prasadam's turn, and finally the philosophy went up the stage. But as one learns the philosophy it should make him to seek shelter in the process of chanting Hare Krishna.

In any case, Sri Krishna Samkirtana makes transcendental knowledge alive, without the process of chanting Hare Krishna everything dwindles, like our history shows. Without the Holy Name's and His representative, Srila Prabhupad's mercy, the spiritual energy can leave our Movement and everything will be destroyed. This is what was done by some of our immature leaders in some parts of the world in the past. You may refer to Aindra Prabhu's conversations on this item for more details, but my point is book distribution is maintained by Sri Harinam Sankirtan, and Sri Harinam Sankirtan expands by book distribution and directly also. If Sri Harinam Sankirtan is neglected it brings about the problems. There is only one reason why it can be so. Sri Harinam Sankirtan cannot be done with the material motives. Bishaya charia se rase majjiya mukhe bolo hari hari. Otherwise it is easier to distribute anything else except Srila Prabhupad's books and the Holy Name. For Sri Harinama Sankirtana and its item, book distribution, one must be free from any material contamination, or at least one must aspire for that. Otherwise Sri Harinam Sankirtan becomes just an Indian music and dance performance, which for some mundane reasons like lack of professionalism may not look very attractive, and book distribution becomes just a form of business for solving 'bread problem' which doesn't bring home enough cash without the spiritual energy's mercy. Then they may evolve to some sort of Hare Krishna Bands or shows or even a kind of Eastern Relaxation Music and 'painting sankirtan' respectively.

So, the Holy Name is of utmost importance in our spiritual life. When Srila Prabhupada was asked how to increase the book distribution, he didn't reply, use this technique or that type of book distribution 'mantra' his reply was about improving japa, which is chanting of the Holy Names...
And one interesting fact to wind up the letter. Once in 90th two of SP disciples decided to make a poll in North America to know what ordinary people think of us. They found out in those places where Sri Harinam Sankirtan goes on regularly public's opinion about us is better then in some other places where we are not seen on the streets dressed in dhotis, saris and with mridangas and karatals in our hands...