Prabhupāda Teaches His Disciples How to Win Mass Support through Book Distribution
Expanding a worldwide spiritual movement requires a perfect balance of absolute faith and highly practical strategy. Śrīla Prabhupāda trains his disciples to depend entirely on Kṛṣṇa for their maintenance while simultaneously working tirelessly to secure the backing of the public. He reveals that the most powerful method for winning mass support is the relentless distribution of transcendental literature and public saṅkīrtana. By engaging the intelligent class to preach on the society's behalf and canvassing the local communities to become life members, his followers build an invincible foundation for the mission. Furthermore, he enforces strict internal discipline to ensure the movement's resources are never drained. Temple centers must learn to grow their own food and become completely self-supported, and married disciples are required to live independently, taking full responsibility for supporting their own families rather than relying on temple funds.
The Power of Book Distribution
The foundational strength of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement lies in its literature. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the most direct way to win the favor of the general public is by enthusiastically distributing magazines like Back to Godhead and profound scriptures like Śrī Īśopaniṣad. When traveling chanting parties arrive in foreign countries supported by a vast array of books, their missionary work is virtually guaranteed to succeed. Taking to the streets for saṅkīrtana and approaching citizens directly ensures that the movement earns the respect and backing of everyone, rather than just an exclusive few. Distributing these books is considered the highest possible service to the previous spiritual masters.
- By going out for sankirtana and selling books to the citizens at large, in this way we are gradually getting the support of everyone, not just a select few.
- I understand from Karandhara that you are one of the most staunch supporters and workers for distributing our books and I assure you that it is the highest service to my Guru Maharaja. Thank you very much.
- If we travel in the European countries with this Kirtan party, supported by our books and literature, I am sure it will be a great successful missionary work.
- When I learn that you are selling many BTGs and are receiving nice support from the community, I am very much encouraged. Now we have published our Isopanisad and you must try to sell it as far as possible.
Winning the Masses and the Leaders
To enact a massive cultural shift, a preaching mission must strategically approach different segments of society. A handful of high-class supporters is not enough; the actual goal is to capture the hearts of the mass of people. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies a crucial distinction: while the masses should provide the broad foundational support, the highly educated "class" of men should be induced to actively preach on the society's behalf. When prominent local leaders and big men utilize their influence to endorse the movement, it rapidly speeds up the process of expansion and gives the devotees the social leverage required to defeat opposing, dangerous political factions.
- We must get the support of the mass of men, and if the leading men can be induced by you to preach on our behalf, then you will be able to speed up the process and actually that is a very great service for Krsna.
- We want that the mass shall support us, but we want that the class shall preach for us, that is the distinction. Is it clear?
- We are more interested that the mass of men shall support us - what good a handful of high-class supporters will do?
- If we have got our place and the support of these big men, I am sure that I can cut down this Naxalite movement. I know how to do it.
Cultivating the Local Communities
Establishing a permanent foothold in any city requires integrating with the local population. Śrīla Prabhupāda places great emphasis on canvassing the Indian communities living abroad, knowing their inherent cultural connection to Kṛṣṇa will make them natural allies. By straightforwardly preaching and collecting signatures, his disciples regain the respect of these communities and convert them into enthusiastic Life Members. This specific membership program provides the financial and social backbone for expanding temples from Tokyo to Toronto, ensuring that the local society takes active ownership in protecting the mission.
- Brahmananda Swami has worked very hard to regain the respect and support of the Indian community in Kenya. Needless to say they are supporting our movement in Kenya and we must be straightforward in our dealings with them.
- In this way of six Life members daily, we shall very quickly expand our Society in India. This Life Membership is the support of our Movement here, so you must stress this program especially. That will be our success.
- There are many Indians in Tokyo and if you canvass them one by one gradually all of them will become our life members and support our activities for expanding widely in Japan.
- Thank you for helping in this way by taking signatures in support of our movement from the Indian people in Toronto.
Establishing Self-Supporting Centers
Dependence on distant headquarters is a dangerous drawback for a growing global movement. Śrīla Prabhupāda expects every individual center and farm project to rapidly develop its own self-sufficiency. Temple leaders must train their local management to generate their own resources and produce their own food locally, rather than traveling hundreds of miles just to secure their daily bread. Earning the backing of the surrounding community is essential to this independence. When local citizens properly appreciate the devotees' work, or when a massive farm project secures government approval, the center becomes an immovable, triumphant fortress of spiritual life.
- My idea is that all our centers should be self-supported. We do not like that idea that for your support you have to go 100 miles to get your bread. That is a very dangerous drawback. You produce your food locally and then support yourself.
- I think, it is proper that you should devote your time for all these three centers and train the local management for being self-supporting.
- It is right that the community members should support the center.
- I am very glad to hear that everything is going on nicely, especially your developing your new 250-acre farm. Yes, if you can get the government to support our project, that would be big triumph for us.
Complete Dependence on Kṛṣṇa
While disciples must actively organize and canvass, their internal consciousness must remain entirely dependent on the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda reassures his followers that a true lover and worker for God never needs to worry about their economic condition; the Lord personally ensures they are maintained. Real preaching success means avoiding reliance on conditional, outside help and instead placing full faith in Kṛṣṇa's supply. By remaining sincere, publishing literature in local languages, and steadily pushing the mission forward, the devotees naturally attract the divine help necessary to expand their efforts on a massive scale.
- Do not depend on outside help. Also, for financial support depend on Krsna. That is preaching success.
- If you are really lover of God, worker for God, don't think of your economic condition, it will be supported.
- If you publish some book in Oriyan language, that book will give you good support. So now you have an opportunity, you are there and Krishna will help. Gradually we will help. Krishna is so kind, He is always ready to help.
- We are doing it. In a small scale it is going on, but if we get some support of the authorities, we can push on in larger scale.
Independence in Family Life
To protect the purity and resources of the temples, clear boundaries must be drawn regarding family maintenance. Śrīla Prabhupāda institutes an absolute rule that the society cannot be financially burdened by the personal lives of its members. Disciples who wish to marry must take the full risk of securing outside income to support their wives and homes independently from the āśrama. Before begetting children, parents are strictly responsible for ensuring they can pay for their education at the Gurukula. By living nearby and maintaining outside jobs, householders can still enthusiastically participate in temple activities like maṅgala-ārati without draining the movement's funds or violating societal laws.
- Get married outside the temple, take all risk for supporting wife and home, live outside the temple, like that. But they should live nearby and take part as much as possible in temple activities, such as mangala aratrik, sankirtana, etc.
- Henceforward I am not sanctioning any more marriages, and those who want to marry must know in advance and be prepared to make outside income to support wife and home separately from the temple, and in the temple husband and wife shall live separately.
- Before having a child the parents should see whether they shall be able to pay for their child's education. The GBC should make an injunction that if they beget children, then whatever the expenses are for supporting Gurukula they must pay for it.
- Our temples cannot support you and your two wives. You will then want three, four, and more. Anyway as an American it is illegal for you to do this. We are trying to minimize sex and you are trying to increase it.
Conclusion
Building a spiritual revolution requires both supreme devotion and immaculate organization. By relentlessly distributing books and canvassing the public, Śrīla Prabhupāda ensures that his disciples capture the broad support necessary to establish the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement worldwide. He perfectly balances this external expansion with strict internal independence, demanding that every center produce its own resources and that every married disciple take full responsibility for their family's maintenance. By following these highly practical instructions while keeping their faith entirely fixed on the Supreme Lord, his followers guarantee that the mission will never lack the support it needs to save human society.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Supporting Us (Disciples of SP). We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.