Without literature, how can we enlighten the people at large? My Guru Maharaja used to say that this press is brhad-mrdanga

Expressions researched:
"Brhat Mrdanga" |"brhad-mrdanga"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Just like we are chanting, this is one vibration. And these books are bigger vibration. When we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, a few yards, people can hear, "Here is Hare Kṛṣṇa." But this, my Guru Mahārāja used to say, that "This is bṛhad-mṛdaṅga."

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- London, September 12, 1973:

This spiritual consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is already there in everybody. Otherwise how this European, American, and other foreign country boys and girls, they are taking? It is already there. Simply it has to be awakened by this transcendental vibration. That transcendental vibration... Just like we are chanting, this is one vibration. And these books are bigger vibration. This is... This, when we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, a few yards, people can hear, "Here is Hare Kṛṣṇa." But this, my Guru Mahārāja used to say, that "This is bṛhad-mṛdaṅga." Mṛdaṅga, that drum, you have seen, that is small mṛdaṅga. If I beat on this drum, maybe a few yards, people can heard from few yards. But this is... The books are distributed, it can go from country to country, from continent to continent, actually it is so happening. So our only appeal is that all book sellers, all publishers, may come forward and cooperate with us and distribute the transcendental literature in the unique form. They will find something sublime, and we'll be benefited.

This mṛdaṅga can be vibrated in the neighboring quarter, but our mṛdaṅga, Back to Godhead, that will go far, far away. So therefore this press was considered by my Guru Mahārāja as bṛhad-mṛdaṅga. He said. You'll find in the picture: there is this mṛdaṅga and press. He was very much fond of press.

Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969:

The six Gosvāmīs, they engaged themselves in literary work. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika. They are... You'll find in Rūpa Gosvāmī's books. Oh, how many references are there! From Purāṇas, from Vedas, from this literature, that literature. Highly, great scholars. So that is one of the duty. We have given the list of qualification of a devotee. One of the qualification is poetic. Poetic means not write poetry. Poetic means literary man. They must give literature. Naturally they'll give. That is the nature of devotee. Because without literature, how can we enlighten the people at large? My Guru Mahārāja used to say that this press is bṛhad-mṛdaṅga. Bṛhat means bigger, at large, bigger mṛdaṅga, bigger. Just like we are playing mṛdaṅga. This mṛdaṅga can be vibrated in the neighboring quarter, but our mṛdaṅga, Back to Godhead, that will go far, far away. So therefore this press was considered by my Guru Mahārāja as bṛhad-mṛdaṅga. He said. You'll find in the picture: there is this mṛdaṅga and press. He was very much fond of press. In the very beginning of his, this life, he started one press. You'll find in his life a small press.

Our Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī, he was publishing one small paper, Dainika Nadiya Prakash, in Bengali. And if a brahmacārī would go and sell a few copies, he would be very, very glad. And similarly, he advised me also that "If you get some money, publish book." And he used to say that "This press propaganda, the publication propaganda, is bṛhad-mṛdaṅga."

Lecture on SB 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, April 24, 1975:

If you simply hear and talk about Kṛṣṇa, you become pious, pious. Even if you don't understand the Sanskrit or English, simply if we become eager to hear about Kṛṣṇa, then you become pious. It is so powerful. Therefore it is recommended, yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyām (SB 1.7.7). Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). This should be our practice. We are giving this Bhāgavata translation all over the world. And you will be surprised that we are selling more than thirty, forty lakhs of rupees per month. This movement is helping the whole human civilization. So yasyāṁ vai... If one purchases... That is our propaganda. Somehow or other, we are giving one book. This is in the matter of following the footprints of our Guru Mahārāja. Our Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī, he was publishing one small paper, Dainika(?) Nadiya Prakash in Bengali. And if a brahmacārī would go and sell a few copies, he would be very, very glad. He would be very, very glad. And similarly, he advised me also that "If you get some money, publish book." And he used to say that "This press propaganda, the publication propaganda, is bṛhad-mṛdaṅga." So just to satisfy him we are trying to publish this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, very, very authoritative books, in English. And by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, it is unique in the history that religious book can be sold forty lakhs of rupees per month. It is record-breaking. There is no such instance. Because we are trying to give the opportunity, yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyām (SB 1.7.7). Simply by hearing he will become pious. People are suffering on account of becoming impious. So one cannot understand what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa, unless he has finished his impious activity.

1972 Correspondence

My Guru Maharaja used to say that these literature are the "Brhat Mrdanga," that is to say, the big mrdanga, because like the mrdanga which can be heard from a long distance, simply a few words can have a tremendous effect on millions of people if they are propagated widely.

Letter to Niranjana -- Los Angeles 21 May, 1972:

I have recently heard from Ksirodakasayi in Vrndavana that he is finding difficulty with Hindi translating work. So I am wondering if you can be of some assistance in this connection. I can understand that now is difficult time for you also because of your examination time. But after your examinations, if you can help this movement of Lord Caitanya expand very widely through India by assisting in translating work, then I shall be very much pleased. (My Guru Maharaja used to say that these literature are the "Brhat Mrdanga," that is to say, the big mrdanga, because like the mrdanga which can be heard from a long distance, simply a few words can have a tremendous effect on millions of people if they are propagated widely.) So it is our duty above all to print these words for the general benefit of mankind. Therefore if you can assist me in this manner then that will be the greatest service.