Diary of a Traveling Preacher gives us a glimpse into the mind
of someone who knows the books of Srila Prabhupada and the
previous acharyas. What is amazing is to read how Indradyumna
Maharaja always manages to let himself be guided by just the
right verse at the right time. Here is a lesson we can all enjoy.
And of course, after reading, comes the next instruction:
“Distribute books, distribute books, distribute books…”

In December of 1970, Srila Prabhupada spent fourteen days in Surat, India, with twenty-five of his Western disciples. Five years earlier, he had traveled to the west on the order of his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, to spread Krsna Consciousness. ISCKON was still a fledgling movement when he returned to India, but he had a strong desire to preach there.The India of the 1970s was a place in which spiritual culture was in rapid decline…

After almost a year of traveling to temples throughout the world, I came back to Poland in late June for our annual Festival of India tour along the Baltic Seacoast. The 300 tour devotees had already arrived at our base and had been preparing for the two-month adventure. I was jet-lagged and exhausted after my flight from Los Angeles. Warsaw’s airport terminal was crowded with people returning from vacation, and as I queued at immigration I thought about the quarter-century…

Dearest Srila Prabhupada, please accept my most humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus feet. Thirty four years ago today you departed from our material vision. Although the departures of pure devotees are celebrated as glorious in the vaisnava tradition, I honestly have never felt this to be a day of festivities. Instead of celebrating, I feel more comfortable spending time alone remembering your pastimes amongst us and reflecting on my service…