Manuscript discovery at Radha-Damodara - A gem resurrected from amidst dusty shelves

Researchers at the Radha Damodar manuscript library announce a new discovery.

Vrindavan, Sept. 12, 2004.

A new document has just been discovered in the Radha Damodar manuscript library, announced library curator R.D. Gupta on Thursday. Written on palm leaves, it contains a letter from Narottam Das to Jiva Goswami containing the annual book distribution totals for the year ending with Gaur Purnima of Shaka 1501 (AD 1579):


N.B. These are the total scores for the entire Sripat, not just the individuals named.

Narottam concludes his letter with the following comment: "joto din amader hasta-lipi chariya grantha chapaibar anya kono rokomer nuton kayda paoa na jaiba, toto din amadiger pustak-bitaran karjo anekta sthagit hoiba. ek din nischay kono ek mahatma aisa chapa-khana abishkar koriya, dhanyatidhanya hoiya, samasta prithivite grantha biliyaiya diya, mahaprabhur prema dharma aguan koriya diba. taha na hoiba parjanta, amadiger nyay dina-hina char ki korimu? emoni paraspar harikatha alochana kora, thakur seva kora, lila kirtan kora, malay nama-jap kora ity adi korile ki labh? bhagya hoile, sei din abar janma labh koriya, amara-o hate ghate bajare boi bikri koriya prema labh korimu. natuba, hay hay! ki koriya paimu?"

(Summary) Narottam laments the poor scores and said that until someone comes along and invents the printing press, it looks like it will be impossible to develop prema. He prays to take birth in that distant future so that he too can distribute books in the streets and marketplaces and get Mahaprabhu's mercy, for what use is chanting or worshiping, or discussing Harikatha when the book distribution scores are so low?

Jagat:
LMAO

So I am correct in assuming that RDTSKP is a post Gutenberg venture?

This is hilarious.....Hahaha

Surprisingly, only Jagadanandaji was able to read those palmleaves after all these time!
Thank you, I needed to laugh specially in a day like this!

Very funny. Keep laughing . But I for one have a little different take on the book distribution experience. What is wrong with taking it seriously, at least for what it was worth, which wasn't something to dismiss, in my opinion. Tripurari Swami, for example, said last night that, with his experience, nowadays he would do things a little differently, but still he thinks that book distribuition as set up by Bhaktivedanta Swami in Iskcon in its beginning was a mystic experience/activity. And one that, to him (TS), did indeed bring some degree of prema. I agree with him.

Aren't we all still printing books and looking for ways of distributiong them while forsaking other opportunities at achieving prema?

I don't think Jagat or anyone else meant to belittle anyone who was sincerely trying to serve their Gurudeva, nor were they trying to demean the idea of distributing books per se - at least I didn't feel that was the intent.

I saw some humor in the posts - it's good to laugh. The serious questions about book distribution and how it was implemented in Iskcon are legitimate. I also agree with my Guru Maharaja - but I also have to honestly say that one of the first questions I asked him had to do with the obviously corrupt practices that went on in the name of 'sankirtan' in the Iskcon institution. I liked his answer very much - he basically said that the sincerity of the devotees who engaged in book distribution and their hearts intent determined the outcome for themselves and others.

I had many experiences while distributing books that could not have come by other engagements in Krsna's service. Many people were profoundly touched and their lives altered by recieving books that opened their eyes to a reality which they previously had little idea of. I have to say that the engagement was also very much a ego effacing practice for me and helped me to see Krsna in every person in very practical and revealing ways.

The fact that the activity of distibuting books and knowledge became secondary to money making for many doesn't take away from the pure preaching that went on. At the same time I think it's fine to point out the obvious - the original idea became adulterated and, for many, the emphasis on giving changed to one of taking. Humor is often used as a means of social commentary and in the context of the historical record as it relates to book distribution and 'keeping score' I think it 's actual pretty funny.

Your servant,
Audarya-lila dasa

Rupa Goswami, illustrating the benefits of zAstra-sevA, cites the following verses from Skanda-purana in his Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (1.2.207-209):


Certainly we are aware of the great merits of zAstra-sevA. We only wish that those who choose to involve themselves with the aforesaid service would treat those precious granthas with appropriate respect, and also treat them in such a way that others would come to genuinely respect them. When the vaiSNava-zAstra becomes a mere object to be sold by whatever means, and the monetal aspect predominates over the spiritual aspect of the matter, it becomes doubtful whether Narayana joyfully dwells in the house of the recipient or in the heart of the salesman, as far as favorable deeds of devotion are concerned anyway.

Rochford's history of sankirtan in the Bryant and Ekstrand's book is quite a fascinating resume. No, Anand, I was not mocking Tripurari Maharaj's service. He said almost the same thing to me, and I honor what he did. Tripurari Maharaj gave himself totally to book distribution and I admire the fact that he did it so thoroughly and with such commitment. But look what he is doing now.

I even did a little of it myself, when it was still books--and I went to jail at least three times for book distribution. I also got beat up in Mayapur, and I once got chased by drunk bikers with a burning log, so if Srila Prabhupada is handing out transcendental brownie points for book distribution, then I got some for all that too. Just like you did in your father's beach house.

Prabhupada also said to know what was in the books. And here's a quote from Narayan Maharaj (page 229 of Ekstrand's book, article by Srila Das):

US$10,000.00 REWARD FOR MISSING 40 PAGES


From the Introduction to In Search For the Goal of Life, by Bhaktigaurava Narasingha Maharaja:

“In 1977, just on the eve of our Divine Master’s departure for the eternal abode of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, I found a handwritten manuscript at the bottom of an old metal trunk in the Radha-Damodara temple. The handwriting was easily recognizable as Srila Prabhupada’s. After the disappearance of His Divine Grace, I carried the manuscript with me wherever I went, showing it to interested devotees. On several occasions, my godbrothers suggested that I publish the manuscript for wide-scale distribution.

The original manuscript of more than two hundred pages was entitled Lord Caitanya: His Sannyasa and Sankirtana Movement. Unfortunately, 40 pages were missing from the middle section.For several years, we searched for those missing pages but were unable to find them.”

Note: For collection of reward, said 40 pages must be unpublished. Authenticity of said 40 pages subject to scrutiny.