(Srila Prabhupada's Exercise Book)
Srila Prabhupada On Writing
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(Some quotes from Srila Prabhupada on the subject of writing)
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"Just read from my books and try and explain the meaning in your own words."
(Srila Prabhupada letter, 73-01-26)
"You must all study all of the books so that when the need arises you can repeat in your own words their purport."
(Srila Prabhupada letter, 72-01-06)
"The process is that you should memorize the purports of my books and then speak them in your own words."
(Srila Prabhupada letter, 75-11-15)
"By writing according to our realization we become more and more convinced and all doubts are destroyed."
(Srila Prabhupada letter, 75-11-15)
"Chant Hare Krsna Mantra day and night, read books and expressing the philosophy in your own words write articles for publishing."
(Srila Prabhupada letter, 75-11-15)
"You ask one question about the nature of books. I want you to write as my disciples; on this point, Krsna Consciousness is not limited. Persons like all of the Gosvamis wrote so many books, Visvanatha Cakravarti, and all the acaryas wrote books, and still I am writing books. Similarly, also my disciples will write."
(Srila Prabhupada letter, 72-2-15)
"Everything is there in our books; so learn it and put in your own way by reproducing. You are also materially well-educated so reproduce what I have taught in your own language. These things are new thoughts in your western countries, everyone will be interested. Writing is also required. Let it be published first in our BTG, then sometimes they may be printed into books also."
(Srila Prabhupada letter, 72-5-1)
"Realization means you should write, every one of you, what is your realization. What for this Back to Godhead is? You write your realization, what you have realized about Krishna. That is required. It is not passive. Always you should be active. Whenever you find time, you write. Never mind, two lines, four lines, but you write your realization. Sravanam kirtanam, writing or offering prayers, glories. This is one of the function of the Vaisnava. You are hearing, but you have to write also. Then write means smaranam, remembering what you have heard from your spiritual master, from the scripture. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh... about Vishnu, not for others. Don't write any nonsense thing for any nonsense man. Useless waste of time.
"Vishnu. Write about Vishnu, Krishna. This is cultivation of Krishna consciousness. Hear, write, remember, try to understand. Don't be dull, dull-headed. Very intelligent. Without being very intelligent, nobody can have full Krishna consciousness. It is for the most intelligent man. So that intelligence will come if you try to understand Krishna. We have got so many books. Always try to understand Krishna. Then you are liberated. Simply by… You cannot understand Krishna in full. He is unlimited; our knowledge is limited. But as far as you can, try to understand Krishna."
(Srila Prabhupada lecture, 72-14-8)
"So another, I give my request. You are a poet. You describe about God. You are expert in describing. So you just take this occupation, describing God. Then your life will be successful, and one who will hear you, his life will be successful. That is the injunction.
idam hi pumsas tapasah srutasya va
(svistasya) suktasya ca buddhi-dattayoh
(avicyuto 'rthah) kavibhir nirupito
yad-uttamasloka-gunanuvarnanam
[Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.22]
"There are poets, there are scientists, there are religionists, philosophers, politician, so many other leaders of the society. Avicyuto 'rthah kavibhir nirupitah. To those who are expert, they are given this decision that the duty of all these men, avicyutah arthah, means the perfection of their occupational duty will be completely done when they are engaged, yad-uttamasloka-gunanuvarnanam, when they are engaged in describing the glories of the Supreme Being."
(Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation with Irish Poet Desmond O'Grady, Rome, 74-5-23)
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