Circa 1973, there was a precipitous rise in book distribution. Just the conditions were all coming together where it was ready to take off. One of the leaders of book distribution, who was the head of the BBT in Los Angeles at that time, was giving very pointed classes related to Caitanya-caritāmṛta and these sections about the ways in which devotees want to bring others closer as Prabhupāda had done. Prabhupāda commissioned paintings where there was the Rāsa-līlā and the Harīnāma saṅkīrtana (Caitanya Mahāprabhu) in one picture. Of course, we know from the outset of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta: "anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam" (CC Adi 1.4). Caitanya Mahāprabhu's innermost desire was Kṛṣṇa's innermost desire, which is just thinking, "I want to give this to everybody."

A lot of people later, after Mahāprabhu's appearance, said, "You're going to give this now in Kali-yuga? It's just an odd juxtaposition when people in Kali-yuga are satisfied with a little fast food, a little screen to look at, no philosophy to speak of, no logic to speak of, and then you're going to give the Ujjvala-rasa ? The highest thing?" You know others—Prabhupāda Sarasvatī, for instance—are saying, "This is unheard of, even amongst the greatest scholars": 'tathā paramahaṁsānāṁ munīnām amalātmanām bhakti-yoga-vidhānārthaṁ' (SB 1.18.20). Kuntī Devī says this is for the paramahaṁsas—what Kṛṣṇa is giving—and now it's being given in Kali-yuga to everybody.

And this person was then bringing all these points to bear and saying book distribution—going out into public and meeting people for the purpose of bringing them to Kṛṣṇa—that's related to not just Caitanya Mahāprabhu's pastimes, but because Caitanya Mahāprabhu's pastimes are like a reversible jacket. You know a reversible jacket? You can wear it either way. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, you reverse it, then you have Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-līlā. As we hear in the song "Gaurāṅgera duṭi pāda," Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura says, you dive into the ocean of the saṅkīrtana movement, and you come out on the shore of the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-līlā.

So he was preaching with this very enthusiastic devotee that book distribution is in the mood of the gopīs. You see how you could get there. You'd have to show your work on paper, like they say in a math class, "I'm going to see your work." You'd show it in the margins. Do they still do that? You don't just give the answer because you could have looked it up on ChatGPT. You have to show that you did the work. So devotees wanted to know, "Is this accurate?" And Prabhupāda confirmed. He said, "Yes, this is an accurate understanding." This is the mood of the gopīs; the mood of all the great devotees is to distribute the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu has come specifically for the distribution of the Ujjvala-rasa to everybody in the Kali-yuga. 'Māyā-mṛgaṁ dayitayepsitam anvadhāvad,' it is mentioned by Karabhājana Muni that he ran after people to give them this process, even if they were not that interested.

------------------------------------------------------------

To connect with His Grace Vaiśeṣika Dāsa, please visit https://www.fanthespark.com/next-steps/ask-vaisesika-dasa/

------------------------------------------------------------

Add to your wisdom literature collection:

https://iskconsv.com/book-store/

https://www.bbtacademic.com/books/

https://thefourquestionsbook.com/

------------------------------------------------------------

Join us live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FanTheSpark/

Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-bhakti/id1132423868

For the latest videos, subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@FanTheSpark

For the latest in SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/fan-the-spark

------------------------------------------------------------