There is no need by any of my disciples to read any books besides my books. In fact, such reading may be detrimental to their advancement in Krsna consciousness--except in certain authorized cases, for example, to read some philosopher like Plato to make an essay comparing his philosophy with Krsna's philosophy. But otherwise, all such outside reading should be stopped immediately. It is simply another botheration. If my students cannot even read my own books thoroughly, why should they...

I am very glad to learn also that you are feeling joy while chanting the mantra Hare Krishna. Yes, it is exactly like this. If anyone chants this mantra in good faith and in simple understanding, then surely this transcendental vibration will act immediately in spiritual bliss. Please therefore continue to chant this mantra as many times as possible throughout the day and night. I do not think there is any inconvenience or loss on your part if you...

Just a year ago it was my duty to wake everyone up at 4 A.M. by running around the brahmacari asrama and guesthouse banging a gong. Srila Prabhupada had been visiting during Janmastami and had inquired from his servant, Upendra prabhu, what was going on. When Upendra had told him that it was me waking everyone up for mangala arati, he had shaken his head and commented, "They have to be woken like a bunch of cows!"

Prabhupada's flight to Melbourne landed and he was escorted to a press conference in the airport's VIP lounge. A hundred jubilant devotees sat on the floor as reporters questioned Prabhupada, who sat with Madhudvisa on a raised dais. The questions were the usual: Reporter: What is your name? Prabhupada: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. Reporter: What do the "A" and the "C" stand for?

Ambarisa dasa: "I was traveling in India with Srila Prabhupada," he said, "when he first told me we could 'conquer' the West by Vedic culture."

Prabhupada asked George [Harrison] if he was reading his books at all. George said he was, mainly the Krsna book. "Mukunda gave me the new books, but there's so much in, ah, there's just so much to read. I don't know how anybody could have written it; it's difficult enough to read all that amount."

A letter from Mahamsa Swami included a progress report on Hyderabad, where another new temple is steadily being built. Work has already begun on raising the dome. The project is costing 75,000 rupees per month, which the devotees are collecting throughout South India. Mahamsa also reported four small books -- Sri Isopanisad, Rajavidya, Perfection of Yoga and Matchless Gifts -- have been translated into Telugu.

For one who is not engaged in devotional service, reading all of the books is simply like licking the outside of the honey jar... If we can simply understand one book, or one sloka, then perfection is there. Lord Caitanya warned about reading too many books, although I see in America this is very popular to get volumes and volumes of books and not understand one.