One can't be independent in this world because, although the living entity is complete, he is only complete when he is connected to the Lord. And if there is no connection to the Lord, he is always incomplete. And unless one is complete, he can't be independent.
Just as we emphasize that book distribution is at the forefront of our preaching and that everyone in the temple must see themselves in relationship to the book distribution mission, so we should see that the fruit of book distribution is the attendance at the Sunday Feast. The Sunday Feast should become the vehicle to help people enter deeper into an understanding of loving exchanges between devotees. When the devotees experience loving exchanges, it becomes very inspiring for others.
(Sunday Feast Announcement Moscow, May 1995)
Srila Prabhupada always placed great emphasis on the importance of establishing this Krishna consciousness movement on the authority of his books. He not spoke about that, but he also demonstrated by his own example, as shown by the amount of time he dedicated every day for translating. Wherever Srila Prabhupada would go, not only would he lecture, not only would he take care of managerial affairs, not only would he take personal care of the devotees, but he was also translating books.
By distributing Srila Prabhupada books, we can actually experience satisfaction, real satisfaction of the self, because there is definitely a certain satisfaction that is there within the heart when the devotee of the Lord is pleased. And when you feel that confirmation within your heart that, “Actually, by this activity, I am pleasing my spiritual master, I am pleasing Srila Prabhupada” - there is nothing more satisfying than that. Even despite so many external obstacles and difficulties and anxieties and pressures that one may experience, still even a moment of feeling satisfaction can immediately subdue all these other anxieties and distresses in the mind.
Another reason, one is that its pleasing to Srila Prabhupada, why the distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books is important is because it is meant for the ultimate enlightenment and welfare of whole human society. This was a method that Srila Prabhupada gave us for our own self-purification, and for our own progress and advancement in spiritual life – it was the process of distributing Krishna consciousness through distribution of Krishna’s Holy Name and distribution of transcendental literature.
Spiritual competition means that you always want the other devotee to do more, to do better. Although you'll try extremely hard to do the best you possibly can, you'll always be pleased when you hear that somebody does better. Because it's for Krishna. Why shouldn't we be pleased if somebody does more than we do? Why shouldn't we be pleased when somebody distributes more books than we can distribute? Prabhupada is pleased!
There are many reasons which make distribution of Krishna conscious literatures very important, and that is because it is pleasing to Prabhupada and it is beneficial for human society. But we should also see internally, for ourselves, some sense of importance for distributing Krishna conscious literature. It is important for us, because by pleasing Srila Prabhupada, by pleasing his followers and by pleasing the predecessor Acaryas, we also have a method by which we can please the Lord. And we also benefit. So, it is important for ourselves also that we take to this process.
Anyone who knows what it is like to go out and to stand on the streets and try to introduce Krishna conscious literatures into the hands of the non-devotees, knows that you develop a lot of important qualities by such activity. Certainly you learn the quality of tolerance. And although sometimes we may not feel so compassionate, certainly we can learn compassion.
It is not only distributing Prabhupada’s books that will spread love of Godhead, but it is by distributing them and preaching with love. Prabhupada wanted us to kick out all other motivations. He wanted us to be free from the desire for profit, fame, and followers. He wanted us to make our hearts one with the spiritual master’s order. He wanted us to manifest symptoms of love. This behavior will change the course of the world. It will have a powerful effect on the nondevotees, because they will taste our bhakti. Whenever someone tastes love, he wants to reciprocate with it. Every living entity has a heart, and in that heart is the dormant desire to love Krishna. When we preach selflessly, with love, our preaching will reach that dormant center in each person’s heart and awaken it.
(SB 4.11.8-10 9.20.1995, Kaunas)
Srila Prabhupada also emphasized book distribution as a method for spreading Krishna consciousness throughout the whole world. Prabhupada is pleased, and not only is he pleased but also other living entities who have forgotten their relationship with the Lord can ultimately become satisfied, by making contact with Srila Prabhupada in the form of his books.