Question: How to increase the reading practice?

Jayapataka Swami: You see Srila Prabhupada told us that to get first initiation, we should read the Bhagavad-gita ten times! So before I got initiated, I read the Bhagavad-gita ten times. 1,2,3,4,5 cross, 1,2,3,4,5 cross. And after reading the Bhagavad-gita ten times I was teaching an accredited course in Loyola University. Actually Bhagavad-gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, they have so much nectar that we should by reading develop a taste for that nectar. So by reading your appetite the capacity to read more increases. For second initiation I require that they read up to the Third Canto. I may increase it! What do you think?
Devotee:  To get inspired in Krsna consciousness we should read more and in this way we can develop a relationship with Krsna.
Jayapataka Swami: Gadadhara Prabhu, He was asked by Srinivas Acarya to teach him Srimad Bhagavatam. When He showed His Bhagavatam, all the verses in the Bhagavatam were washed away with tears of love. He said, ‘I cannot teach you because My Bhagavatam was washed away!’ So he went back to Navadvip and had the Srimad Bhagavatam hand copied. That was the only way of giving you sastra by hand copy. So now you have so easy you have books printed, you have Bhagavad-gita, audio version where you can hear the Gita and the translation and purports in audible form. I saw a Bhagavad-gita on Srila Prabhupada’s table and I asked him, is reading Bhagavad-gita a beginning book? He said that you read the Bhagavad-gita, where it tells us how we can practice Krsna consciousness under any circumstance. So he stressed the importance of reading the Bhagavad-gita. So hope you read the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Haribol! Thank you all very much!
19-NOVEMBER-2019 NEW PANIHATI DHAM, ATLANTA, USA