In one sense, book distribution is a simple activity: we just try to present spiritual knowledge to people. Still, when we come to the practical application of this simple idea, the details start to multiply unlimitedly. These are a few points that I can present according to what I have heard from seniors and from my personal experience. 

The first important point about book distribution, in my realization, is that we can’t distribute what we don’t have. We go out to try to give people Krsna consciousness and to convince them about the importance of Srila Prabhupada’s books, but it’s not possible to do that if we ourselves are not Krsna conscious, and don’t have faith in his words.

Lord Caitanya came to personally inaugurate and spread the sankirtana movement, but He never stepped out of India. That’s His mercy, so we could have the opportunity to serve Him by assisting Srila Prabhupada in his mission. As he jokingly said one time:

“Devotee: Prabhupada, they said that if Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted Krsna consciousness in the Western countries, why didn’t He go there Himself? That’s what they told us.

Srila Prabhupada: So He left the credit for me. (laughter)” (Morning Walk, Nellore, 4 January 1976)

We frequently hear about the glories and the importance of sadhu-sanga, association with devotees. In the Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu, Srila Rupa Goswami categorizes 64 principles for executing devotional service, which is explained by Srila Prabhupada both in the Nectar of Devotion and the Teachings of Lord Caitanya. From these 64 principles, five are especially important, since by cultivating these five principles we tend to automatically execute the others:

“…out of all of these the following five are most important: (1) to associate with devotees, (2) to chant the holy name of the Lord, (3) to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, (4) to live in a holy place such as Mathura or Vrndavana, (5) to serve the Deity with great devotion. These items are especially mentioned by Rupa Gosvami in his book Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu.” (Teachings of Lord Caitanya ch. 12)

In his purport on SB 2.1.2, Srila Prabhupada gives us a series of cues about what prevents us from cooperating in spreading Krsna Consciousness. The central point is envy, which comes from material consciousness. 

“The word medhi indicates jealousy of others. The grhamedhis, being interested in family affairs only, are certainly envious of others. Therefore, one grhamedhi is not on good terms with another grhamedhi, and in the extended form, one community, society or nation is not on good terms with another counterpart of selfish interest. In the Age of Kali, all the householders are jealous of one another because they are blind to the knowledge of ultimate truth”. (SB 2.1.2 purport)

We can’t demand to have the association of only pure devotees in this material world, especially if we are not pure devotees ourselves. We can read in the Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta that Srila Prabhupada was not rejecting anybody. Even the lowest person, if he had some sincerity, some propensity to do some service, however small, Srila Prabhupada would accept and engage him. He would “fan the spark” until it became a big fire, capable of incinerating one’s contaminations. Similarly, we should also see the good qualities of others and try to engage them in Krsna’s service, according to their natural inclinations. To those who are newer, we can teach (especially through our own example) and engage them in different services. To those who are more or less on the same platform, we can offer our sincere friendship and cooperation, and we can also engage the ones who are senior by inviting them to give classes, to lead kirtan, to lead different programs, and so on. If we act perfectly ourselves, relationship problems with others are going to be rare. 

Lord Caitanya said that His name will be chanted in all towns and villages of the world. Before Srila Prabhupada came to the west, this seemed something impossible, some kind of poetic exaggeration. Even many of Srila Prabhupada’s own godbrothers had no faith that this could become true in the literal meaning.

HG Suresvara Prabhu: When Satsvarupa Maharaja was compiling the Lilamrta — I was part of the team — he would assign us to interview people, but he gave himself the assignment of interviewing Sridhara Maharaja, back in the 1980s, before he passed away. So he asked a question to Sridhara Maharaja, he said: It was only our Prabhupada who had this order to go to the west and preach? And Sridhara Maharaja said: “No, no, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta was telling all of us this. That’s what he wanted us to do, he wanted to take all over the world.” 

In the past, sometimes book distributors would somehow develop an elitist mentality, giving others the message that book distribution was the best service, that everybody else was in maya, etc. This was not just offensive, but also counterproductive, since it created conflicts and alienated devotees who are not book distributors, but could also assist in different capacities if properly cultivated. Fortunately, this is not so common nowadays, but the same idea may reappear on occasion due to the influence of the material modes.