The Invisible Heroes

In Śrīla Prabhupāda's movement, there are and there were the most amazing devotees who served His Divine Grace with every breath given to them. You will not find their pictures anywhere on the altar, you may have never heard a lecture from them, and surely you would never be able to find them within the official ISKCON leadership.

These brave souls—not many—went out every day on the street, facing humiliation, insults, and arrogance of the conditioned souls while trying to give them one or more of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books.

These transcendental heroes were and are aware that they are operating very close to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s heart, who declared book distribution to be the main purpose of his mission. It was his spiritual master, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Mahārāja, who injected this spirit into his heart by telling him, "If you ever get some money, print books."

ISKCON started with book production and book distribution, and those who understood this to be the core of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s movement quickly learnt that it is this spirit which naturally purifies their lives.

Those engaged in book distribution—especially doing so on a long-term basis—realise that all purposes bhakti-yoga serves are fulfilled in this way.

Book distribution doesn’t tolerate hypocrisy, commands critical introspection, and the following natural humility.
Book distribution opens our eyes so we can see the full range of enslavement of the general population by their demoniac leaders.
Book distribution commands total dependency on the mercy of the Lord, culminating in truly loving Him.
Book distribution makes us aware that, in the name of bhakti, even demons infiltrate Śrīla Prabhupāda’s movement to stop and destroy book distribution itself—including the Founder-Ācārya.

(“When are we going to stop harassing people on the street with these books?” I remember one of the official ISKCON leaders saying.)

Once again, the real faithful servants of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission are not to be found sitting on decorated vyāsāsanas during their Vyāsa Pūjās. You will not find them sitting in meetings issuing papers nobody reads, worshipped by sentimental women who cooked breakfast for them worth 200 dollars in bhoga expenses.

While these saṅkīrtana leaders eat their kichorī cooked in their saṅkīrtana vans, their "leaders" relish meals and enjoy facilities any retired industrial mogul would envy them for.

These unknown and often ignored heroes all have one thing in common: they are protected and invigorated by Śrīla Prabhupāda’s direct flow of mercy. Even if their guardians and official "authorities" degrade under Māyā’s uncompromising dictate into unrecognisable forms—they will prevail. They will flourish, as they are connected—by dint of book distribution—to the core of the guru-paramparā’s mission.

This is the ISKCON Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted us to live in.
This is the ISKCON as it is.