"You must read my books everyday!"

Srila Prabhupada had just been preaching for 30 minutes to some wealthy life members in front of Tamal Krsna Goswami and Bhagavata Dasa, and now the gentlemen had just left the room.

"Can you quote the verse I just said?" Srila Prabhupada suddenly asked his two disciples.

Tamal Krsna Goswami and Bhagavata Dasa both looked at each other in dismay as neither of them knew the verse.

Srila Prabhupada retorted, "Just see! You are not reading my books!
Everyday you have to study my books; you have to study my books 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. How will you teach these men unless you know my books?

Do you know that everyday, even I read my own books?
He asked them both, sternly, "Do you know why I read my books?"
Once again, they didn't dare to venture any answers. Srila Prabhupada replied himself, "I read my books everyday because even I learn something new when I read my books!

Do you know why I learn something new when I read my books?
Because these are not my books. I do not write these books."

Bhagavata Dasa describes that when Srila Prabhupada started to speak at this moment, it was like something came over him, something so mystical.

Srila Prabhupada continued, "Every morning... when I sit here... to write my books...Krishna comes personally and He dictates to me...what to write.
So I simply take dictation from Krishna.
Therefore, when I read them, even I learn something new."