Why did a 70 year old author single handedly wrote, edited, collected donations for printing and sold his books going door to door ?
Writing and publishing books is a painstaking task involving multiple people with varied talents and skilss. Authors prepare a manuscript, take help in the editing work, approach a publishing house, get homebooks published and the publishing house takes care of the design, paper, formatting, printing and distribution of books. But how easy it would be to write if the same person had to buy the paper, do the designing, editing, formatting, getting the printing done and distribute the books all by himself. Seems very difficult, isn’t it? Especially when you are not young and energetic. But this has been accomplished, in his mid sixties by the Founder Acharya of ISKCON, His Divince Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
However all of this is like showing a lamp in front of the sun when compared to Srila Prabhupada’s overall literary achievements. Most writers start young, when they have the resources, intelligence and the energy to write. But Srila Prabhupada’s literary career actualised when he started writing the First Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam at 65 years. He translated Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, Caitanya Caritamrita and in total 60 enormous volumes of literatures in a matter of 15 years, such that reading 1 page of his book everyday would take us 122 years to complete and 15 years if we read one book monthly.
Dr. Thomas J. Hopkins, Professor of Religion, Franklin and Marshall College writes, “There is little question that this edition is one of the best books available on the Gita and devotion. Prabhupada’s translation is an ideal blend of literal accuracy and religious insight.” And Dr. Garry Gelade, Professor of Psychology at Oxford University comments, “This is a work to be treasured. No one of whatever faith or philosophical persuasion who reads these books with an open mind can fail to be both moved and impressed.” While Dr. R. E. Asher, Professor of Linguistics, University of Edinburgh emphatically proclaims, “It is axiomatic that no book can be expected entirely to satisfy all its potential readers. Here is one, however, which can be said to come remarkably close to that ideal… we have here the ideal of what an edition of a Sanskrit text for a Western audience should be.” Even Sri Lal Bahadur Shastri, the late prime minister of India, wrote back in a letter, “His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is doing invaluable work, and his books are significant contributions to the salvation of mankind,” when Srila Prabhupada gifted him the first canto of Srimad Bhagavatam.
What makes these literatures even more amazing is that Srila Prabhupada was not a full fledged writer. He was running an International Organization, which had over One hundred centers worldwide, in over 15 countries for which he travelled round the globe 14 times. There was a lot of management involved, apart from his daily lectures on Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, 2300 recordings of whom are available till date. He had over 5000 disciples worldwide, to whom he was. teaching and counselling through letters. 7000 of those letters have been compiled in 5 volumes of books. Since he was such a powerful and influential personalities, he was constantly meeting with important people in every city he went to. Such conversations have been transcribed in 42 book volumes.
Doing all of this, his whole day was very busy. So Srila Prabhupada took 3 hours of rest from 10–1 and then translated book from 1–5 am (late night to early morning). Any ordinary person wouldn’t be able to write something constructive and convey meaning if he writes at dead of night. But Srila Prabhupada did so. And his books have changed the lives of millions till date and is still going strong. His followers are working hard day and night to publish books in different languages and distribute it amongst the masses.
The books have now been translated into all major languages of the world, with Bhagavad Gita As It has been translated in about 50 languages. Many books have even been translated. in not so widely spoken dialects. like Catalan and Zulu. Over 540 million copies of his books have been sold worldwide, making Srila Prabhupada the most read author in Religious books. His Bhagavad Gita is the most widely read edition of Bhagavad Gita in the whole world.
Why did an old man like Srila Prabhupad took so much pain for writing books in his final years ?
This is because he wanted to bring a spiritual revolution in minds of people by presenting to them through logic and reason the concrete and detailed information about our relationship with God or Krishna and how to revive it to be established in our natural position of eternal happiness.
