Reading Srila Prabhupada's Books

Reading Books written by Çréla Prabhupäda regularly is a very important aspect of our Sädhana.

Çréla Prabhupäda writes:

In my books the philosophy of Kåñëa consciousness is explained fully, so if there is anything which you do not understand, then you simply have to read again and again. By reading daily the knowledge will be revealed to you....You may please me the most by reading my books and following the instructions therein. [Letter to: Bahurupa, Bombay, November 22, 1974]

The instruction given in my books is supposed to be personal instruction. When we read the Bhagavad-gétä As It Is, it is understood that we are receiving personal instructions of Kåñëa. No physical barrier is there in the case of spiritual affairs. [Letter to: Dhrstaketu: Bombay, October 14, 1973]

Read 1 or 2 hours daily & try to understand the subject matter from different angles of vision

So I am requesting all of my students to read my books very seriously every day without fail. In this way, if your mind becomes absorbed at least one or two hours daily in the transcendental subject matter of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, and other books then very easily you will make your advancement in Kåñëa Consciousness. [Letter to: Bhargava, Los Angeles, June 13, 1972]

You should all spend more time reading my books very carefully and stop all this unnecessary manufacturing. [Letter to: Vahna, Honolulu, May 26, 1975]

I recommend you to read books more and more and try to understand the subject matter from different angles of vision and be always discussing it with your godbrothers even while you are working at the press, and when you are working and you cannot read, then listen to the tapes of my lectures and hear in that way. [Letter to: Bhargava, Los Angeles, June 13, 1972]

Don't be too much concerned for the time being with nondevotees, now we must fix-up what devotees we have got in the knowledge of Kåñëa Consciousness, then we will succeed. What good are many, many devotees if none of them are Knowledgeable? [Letter to Satsvarupa, Los Angeles, 16 June, 1972]

Not only chanting; we have to hear

The austerity in our Gauòéya-sampradäya is very simple: following the four principles, restriction, avoiding the offenses, and chanting regular beads. That's all. And hearing. Chanting and hearing, both things. Not only chanting; we have to hear Çrémad-Bhägavatam. In this way we should engage twenty-four hours' business. Hear and chanting... [Lecture: Bhägavatam 6.3.18, Gorakhpur, February 11, 1971]

Çréla Prabhupäda recollects: [Çrémad-Bhägavatam 1.15.41, Los Angeles, December 19, 1973] My Guru Mahäräja accepted me as a disciple because he saw in the beginning I was very inquisitive to hear him. So in the beginning, when many gentleman... I was one of them, was introduced to my Guru Mahäräja, that "They are to be initiated. They want to be initiated, to become your disciple." So when my turn came, he immediately said, "Yes, I will accept this boy as disciple because he is very inquisitive to hear." That was my recommendation. And actually, I was very inquisitive. I could not follow what Guru Mahäräja was speaking, but still, I was asking others, that "When Guru Mahäräja will speak? I will hear." I could not follow. He was speaking in a very high philosophical term. So at that time I had no capacity to under... Still, I wanted to hear him, I understand or not understand. So this is very good qualification.

Read only the books written by Çréla Prabhupäda.

Brahmananda Swami has read me your letter regarding the students there reading other books. I request you to stop this practice. Our students have no time to read our own books, but they have time to read other's books, and the money to purchase them? Why this mentality is there? You are a serious student, therefore you have correctly found out the defect in these books. We don't want babaji class. We want active preachers. [Letter to: Cyavana, Bombay, October 13, 1973]

Reading other books: Only on Authorization

There is no need by any of my disciples to read any books besides my books – in fact, such reading may be detrimental to their advancement in Kåñëa Consciousness. All reading of outside books, except in certain authorized cases such as for example to read some philosopher like Plato to make an essay comparing his philosophy with Kåñëa's philosophy – but otherwise all such outside reading should be stopped immediately. It is simply another botheration. If my students cannot even read my own books thoroughly, why they should read others? I have given you TLC, what need is there to read Caitanya Caritamrta translated by someone else. You are right to stop such reading. [Letter to: Sri Govinda, Jaipur, January 20, 1972]

Should we read Mahabharata?

Regarding reading Mahabharata, why divert your attention in this way? Bhagavatam is also Mahabharata. There are so many books I have presented already, so whatever you have got, just become expert in that. There are many things still yet to be learned. [Letter to: Madhudvisa, Los Angeles, April 29, 1973]

What about Gaudiya Math Books?

Regarding the Gaudiya Math books being circulated there, who is distributing? Who is sending these books? The Gaudiya Math does not sell our books, why we should sell their books. Who has introduced these books? Let me know. These books should not at all be circulated in our Society. Bhakti Vilas Tirtha is very much antagonistic to our society and he has no clear conception of devotional service. He is contaminated. Anyway, who has introduced these books? You say that you would read only one book if that was all that I had written, so you teach others to do like that. You have very good determination. [Letter to: Sukadeva, New Delhi, November 14, 1973]