In mid-June 1972, Srila Prabhupada wrote to Madhudvisa outlining new and specific instructions regarding the reading and studying of his books:

I am very much stressing at this point that all my students shall be very much conversant with the philosophy of Krishna consciousness and that they should read our books very diligently, at least one or two hours daily, and try to understand the subject matter from varieties of angles.

This was one of several letters that Prabhupada had sent to members of the GBC introducing something new in ISKCON -- the Srimad-Bhagavatam class. Prabhupada described how the devotees should each day read aloud one Sanskrit sloka from the Srimad-Bhagavatam, repeat the transliteration, chant the sloka several times, and then discuss the subject matter "very minutely and inspect it from all angles of approach and savour the new understandings".

Prabhupada stressed that the devotees' best training was to hear repeatedly from the Bhagavatam in a structured, class format. By such hearing, the devotees would become well-qualified to spread Krsna consciousness. "If they do not have knowledge," Prabhupada added, "how can they go out and preach?"

Regular hearing of Srimad-Bhagavatam would give the devotees the strength to practise the austerities of spiritual life. Such hearing would especially protect them from being allured by the dangerous material energy. Even if the devotees only discussed one verse each day, Prabhupada said, it would take fifty years to finish studying the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Certainly, Prabhupada concluded: "We have got ample stock for acquiring knowledge."

Soon after receiving the letter from Srila Prabhupada, Madhudvisa Swami introduced the new, structured in-depth Srimad-Bhagavatam classes in Australia. As Prabhupada had predicted, the devotees became very enlivened.

- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu