Ramesvara, head of the American division of the Book Trust, reported a recent new record in book distribution. In a one-day competition, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta temples distributed 5,406 hardbound books, with some individual devotees selling over two hundred each. Ramesvara's report was dramatic. "Our men are willing to do anything to please you, and all of them have dedicated their whole lives to distributing these books. Our only desire is that you may kindly bless us with greater and greater desire to distribute these books all over the world until every home has whole libraries of your books. By Your Divine Grace's blessing we will never stop distributing these books. We are thinking that this is the highest pleasure in all the three worlds."

Prabhupada's response was equally enthusiastic. "Your report of book sales is over-encouraging. You are all becoming very, very dear to my Guru Maharaja. I started this movement by book selling. I was never a beggar for money, but I was writing books and selling. My Guru Maharaja very much liked my writing, and he used to show others in my absence, 'Just see how nicely he has written, how he has appreciated.' He encouraged me, and my Godbrothers, they also liked my writing. After I wrote that poem for Vyasa-puja of my Guru Maharaja, they used to call me 'Poet.'

"Anyway, I was working writing books and publishing BTG alone, but I could not give the thing shape, so I decided to go to the U.S.A., and now you all nice boys and girls have helped me so much. It is all the mercy of Krsna. Thank you very much."

>From Transcendental Diary