In our childhood, we saw every village, every town, the transcendental knowledge. Any common man could speak about Ramayana, Mahabharata, Lord Krsna. And system was — still there are, but practically closed now — that in the evening, in the village, everyone should assemble in a place to hear messages from Mahabharata, Ramayana, especially, because these two books can be understood by common man. Not Vedanta philosophy was discussed. So my maternal uncles was in the suburb of Calcutta, about ten miles from our house. So sometimes when we used to go there, so in the evening after taking their meals, by eight o'clock, they would go to a place, assemble, and hear about Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavata. And they should discuss while coming home, and they would go to bed thinking that memory. So they'll sleep also Ramayana and Mahabharata. Yes, and dream also Ramayana and Mahabharata.

From Srila Prabhupada's talk on Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.14-15 — May 31, 1972, Los Angeles