Bhagavat Dasa: Prabhupada said, "Can you quote this verse?" The two of us looked at each other, and I thought, "Tamal Krishna Goswami will quote the verse," but Tamal Krishna Goswami thought I was going to do it. Neither of us knew the verse. Prabhupada said, "Just see. You are not reading my books. Every day you have to read, study, and learn my books just like a lawyer learns the law books. You must know everything, chapter and verse. If you do not know, how will you preach? Unless you know my books how will you teach these men? Do you know that every day even I read my own books? Do you know why I read my books?" We didn't want to venture any answer. Prabhupada said, "I read my books every day because even I learn something new when I read my books. These are not my books. I do not write these books." It seemed as if something mystical came over him at this point. He said, "Every morning, when I sit here to write my books, Krishna comes personally and dictates to me what to write. I simply take dictation from Krishna to write these books. Therefore, when I read them, even I learn something." The way he said it was so dramatic that we felt the weight of his words. I was thinking, "I'm speaking with a person who's speaking with God, who's right next to God. I'm only one person removed from God. He's so close." Yet I knew, because of the state of my own consciousness, how far away I actually was. But by some grace, I was being placed right next to God by being with Prabhupada. It was amazing.

From Srila Prabhupada Remembrances DVD recordings, Ch. 13.