When I joined the Boston temple in 1969, Satsvarupa Dasa was the temple president and also the editor of Back to Godhead (BTG). He was always eager for new articles for the magazine, so I wrote one entitled The Genuine Spiritual Master. By the time the issue with my article reached you in February of 1971, I was already with you in Gorakhpur, India.
After reading my article, you called for me. The temple room was dimly lit—only narrow shafts of light pierced through the slim openings in the wooden shutters along the side. Sitting alone on your raised cushion at the far end of the room, you appeared to me as the very image of the eternal spiritual master. Your voice resonated with the truth of eternal time. I sat at your feet, eyes and ears wide open.
“I saw your article in Back to Godhead,” you said. “It was very nice. You should write. This is your first business. Go on writing. We require many, many such articles about Krsna consciousness. So you should devote yourself to writing.”
“I will try,” I replied. “But why are you asking me? I have no special qualification.”
“We require many to do this work, and we need you also. So, you travel with me and I will guide you. You come and stay with me.”
I was both thrilled and honoured. You had never before given me a direct instruction. In fact, we had hardly ever spoken, and now you were inviting me to stay with you so that you could guide me in writing.
Over the years, you repeated this instruction. In a letter dated 12 August 1971, you wrote:
“In the midst of your heavy duties, go on writing something glorifying the Lord and put our philosophy into words. Writing articles means to express oneself—how he is understanding the whole philosophy. So this writing is necessary for everyone.”
In 1973, I sent you my Vyasa-puja offering. On 23 August, from Bhaktivedanta Manor, you sent me an encouraging note:
“I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter and the nice Vyasa-puja offering you sent. I have sent it to Satsvarupa Goswami for printing in the BTG. Writing is a very important part of our work, and Satsvarupa is always anxious to have new material from the devotees for expanding the BTG. You have a nice talent for writing, and practice makes perfect, so continue. It will be appreciated.”
Since then, I have tried to follow your instruction. In recent years, I have edited Life’s Final Exam: Death and Dying from the Vedic Perspective and written Watering the Seed – With Teachings from His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada; Many Moons: Reflections on Departed Vaishnavas; I’ll Build You a Temple: The Juhu Story; and Dancing White Elephants: Traveling with Srila Prabhupada in India, August 1970–March 1972. This year, I submitted two articles to BTG, which have been accepted for publication. I am now in the final stages of completing my latest book, which recounts my meeting with you and the devotees in Boston from April 1969 to October 1970.
On this occasion, I pray for your blessings—that I may continue to serve you, the devotees, and the world by writing about Krsna consciousness in the right consciousness. As you wrote in your commentary on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 19.132:
“It is certainly not good to write literature for money or reputation, but to write books and publish them for the enlightenment of the general populace is real service to the Lord. That was Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s opinion, and he specifically told his disciples to write books. He actually preferred to publish books rather than establish temples. Temple construction is meant for the general populace and neophyte devotees, but the business of advanced and empowered devotees is to write books, publish them and distribute them widely.
According to Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, distributing literature is like playing on a great mrdanga. Consequently, we always request members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to publish as many books as possible and distribute them widely throughout the world. By thus following in the footsteps of Srila Rupa Gosvami, one can become a rupanuga devotee.”
This is the legacy I aspire to honour.