Krishna, the Reservoir of Pleasure

Everyone—every plant and single-celled organism included—prefers pleasure to pain. The Vedas say this is because our source—the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Person—is also the supreme enjoyer. The frustration we feel at not being able to have a good time all the time arises from our misconception of who we are. We're spiritual beings, yet somehow we think we'll be happy by enjoying material things. That never works.

Since its first publication in 1970, Krishna, the Reservoir of Pleasure—a collection of essays on the personality of God—has been widely distributed by Krishna devotees in many languages. The title piece was transcribed from a lecture that Srila Prabhupada gave in San Francisco in 1967 on this famous verse from the Srimad-Bhagavatam,

"Sri Krishna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatma [Supersoul] in everyone’s heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.17)

When presented with the first printed copy of Reservoir of Pleasure, Srila Prabhupada said, "Krishna, the Reservoir of Pleasure and Other Essays is so much attractive I think this book will be sold like hotcakes. Thank you very much."