ISKCON Press and the GBC

Expressions researched:
"ISKCON Press" |"gbc" |"Governing Body Commissioner;"

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami, ISKCON Māyāpura project president and Governing Body Commissioner; Śrī Patita Pāvana dāsa Brahmacārī, Bhakti Śāstrī, ISKCON Māyāpura; and the editors of Back to Godhead magazine, ISKCON Press, Los Angeles, California."

Conversations -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Now immediately a vote should be formed. You cannot do independently. That will not be allowed, anything. In Bengali there is a word, pañce mili kare kārya, hari duḥkhi nāhi lasa(?): "If you do something, combined together, five men, then whether you are defeated or you are victorious, there is nothing to be shameful." Hari duḥkhi nāhi lasa. So you are doing everything independent. We do not like to interfere with your business. You become angry. So that should be stopped. You cannot be allowed. You'll be (indistinct). It has no meaning. (pause) What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is a... I don't know if... You gave this to the press? This was given to the press. "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. ISKCON Candrodaya City at Śrīdhāma Māyāpura."

Prabhupāda: What is this? Not from our letter given?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It says, "The birthplace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in the district Nadia, prepared under the direction of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda and by his disciples, His Holiness Surabhīr Abhipālayantam Swami, ISKCON Māyāpura Project architect and director of construction; His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami, ISKCON Māyāpura project president and Governing Body Commissioner; Śrī Patita Pāvana dāsa Brahmacārī, Bhakti Śāstrī, ISKCON Māyāpura; and the editors of Back to Godhead magazine, ISKCON Press, Los Angeles, California."

Prabhupāda: Perfect article.

1970 Correspondence

I do not know why there should be such a lack of money for ISKCON Press. Every Temple reports very good books sales, but where is the money going? Anyway, your rectification program by the GBC in the matter of right payment of bills for literatures is good.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 25 November, 1970: Regarding book binding, if you can produce only ten hardbound books per day that will suffice for our own purposes. For large quantities of hardbound books we shall have to depend either on Dai Nippon or some outside binder. But the softcover books are very good. Simply they must be sewn. I know these paperbound books are very popular with the college set in your country, so we should encourage them to take our books in that way also. I do not know why there should be such a lack of money for ISKCON Press. Every Temple reports very good books sales, but where is the money going? Anyway, your rectification program by the GBC in the matter of right payment of bills for literatures is good. So now please bring things under the right order. I fully approve of your idea to prepare every available manuscript up to the stage of printing, even if they remain in the layout stage for a while. I may tell you that I am not so much encouraged to work on translations unless I see that the literature is being printed or at least being prepared for printing. I have done some translating recently, but it is not yet decided whether to send you the tapes or to transcribe them here and send you a copy of the manuscript. Very soon you will know about this. I will be encouraged if you keep on with the work of readying my manuscripts and printing them.

If you are individually the manager of ISKCON Press, I have no objection, but you must work nicely and the GBC will be satisfied.

Letter to Advaita -- Surat 19 December, 1970: So far your need for constant engagement in press work is concerned, I do not see that there should be any difficulty if you attend the classes daily when our literatures are read and discussed. It is alright if you do not attend the Arati, but you must remain fixed up by attending the classes. Two hours daily in the classes will not be too much time away from press work. I give you my permission to work in this way. Now adjust things as you find it convenient and please begin work again immediately. I know that you are in need of constantly working the press and the press is constantly in need of being worked. If you are individually the manager of ISKCON Press, I have no objection, but you must work nicely and the GBC will be satisfied.

It is my opinion that he should remain as individual manager of ISKCON Press because of his experience and ability in the matter practically. I do not think that you are able to be the manager because you have got too many other very important duties. So the management may be returned to Advaita and the GBC may cooperate in this way for the continued uninterrupted function of our press department.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Surat 19 December, 1970: I have written one letter to Advaita requesting him to take up his duty again unflinchingly and print our books especially the enlarged edition of Bhagavad-gita at this moment. I have great hopes that our ISKCON Press will continue and expand by the grace of Krsna. I have advised him that he must attend daily classes regularly, but there is no need of his attending other functions like Aratis etc. I have given him this special permission in this case, so you also please let him do anything, but let him be always engaged in printing our books and other required literatures. It is my opinion that he should remain as individual manager of ISKCON Press because of his experience and ability in the matter practically. I do not think that you are able to be the manager because you have got too many other very important duties. So the management may be returned to Advaita and the GBC may cooperate in this way for the continued uninterrupted function of our press department.

1971 Correspondence

That is the business of ISKCON Press. Now you are again in charge, so please see that everything gets done with the cooperation of GBC.

Letter to Advaita -- Allahabad 21 January, 1971: I am so glad the press workers have become enlivened in their work. This is required if we at all wish to be a truly worldwide organization. Worldwide means worldwide distribution of literatures. That is the business of ISKCON Press. Now you are again in charge, so please see that everything gets done with the cooperation of GBC. Everything must be done cooperatively. Your present schedule of printing is very encouraging. The chapters of Srimad-Bhagavatam are very successful. They are selling good, that's nice. One dollar the students can easily pay and if they read, immediately they will get some sense.

ISKCON Press is simply meant for printing our books and there must be sufficient work for printing; otherwise what is the use for maintenance? First of all it was suggested that the printing place would be situated in our N.Y. building. Now it has gone to another building. So I shall require the GBC members to inform me what is the actual benefit by such removal and keeping the press in a different building.

Letter to Karandhara -- Calcutta 17 May, 1971: No, maintenance expenditures cannot come from the book fund. I do not understand why the press has moved and a new location fixed up, all for the cost of $10,000. What is the benefit of it? The Bhagavad-gita As It Is, is being attempted to be printed in ISKCON Press, but it is taking time—years. Does it mean in this way that the book fund will have to pay $1,500 per month and await printing? ISKCON Press is simply meant for printing our books and there must be sufficient work for printing; otherwise what is the use for maintenance? First of all it was suggested that the printing place would be situated in our N.Y. building. Now it has gone to another building. So I shall require the GBC members to inform me what is the actual benefit by such removal and keeping the press in a different building. The policy of maintaining a white elephant is not good.

So far ISKCON Press Europe, that was simply imagination. It never took shape. So it is better if you amalgamate it. This matter and similar topics should be consulted properly with you and the GBC members for the proper course of action.

Letter to Advaita -- Calcutta 1 November, 1971: Regarding Bhagavad-gita, if the Morocco binding is as costly as the hard binding, then we will prefer hard binding. That is already advised to Karandhara also about printing more copies. He knows all the details. So far ISKCON Press Europe, that was simply imagination. It never took shape. So it is better if you amalgamate it. This matter and similar topics should be consulted properly with you and the GBC members for the proper course of action. And for meeting your expenditures, taking on commercial printing jobs sounds all right. If you can maintain in this way and at the same time go on printing our books, that is our success.

Karandhara proposes to establish a rival ISKCON Press in Los Angeles. This is a very good idea. It will accelerate my work, especially when I return to L.A. So he is thinking to buy some computerized typesetter which will reset Krishna Book type in a very short time for a pocketbook edition. So you all GBC members discuss among yourselves what is to be done.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Delhi 5 December, 1971: Regarding Krishna Book paperback size, I originally intended the pocketbook size for the Africans, who have not got sufficient money. And if Brahmananda is ready with at least half of the total cost for printing 50,000 copies each volume or 150,000 copies total, then let him send and we shall invest for recomposing. I think the total cost is $36,800, so he will have to supply at least $18,400 before we can spend for recomposing. So I think the best thing is to reduce our existing plates to 5 1/4 x 7 1/2 size and print Krishna Book in that way, as many as required. But I have just received a letter from Karandhara, wherein he proposes to establish a rival ISKCON Press in Los Angeles. This is a very good idea. It will accelerate my work, especially when I return to L.A. So he is thinking to buy some computerized typesetter which will reset Krishna Book type in a very short time for a pocketbook edition. So you all GBC members discuss among yourselves what is to be done, but I have no objection to the 5 1/4 x 7 1/2 size. It is still legible for everyone.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

So far Bali Mardan is concerned, I think he is presently managing our ISKCON Press, but I have asked for the GBC to review the position of our Press, and the question of managing the Far East Zone may be also settled by them at that time.

Letter to Amogha -- Madras 15 February, 1972: So far Bali Mardan is concerned, I think he is presently managing our ISKCON Press, but I have asked for the GBC to review the position of our Press, and the question of managing the Far East Zone may be also settled by them at that time. For the time being, since there is no one there to supervise as GBC, you may address your questions to Karandhara in Los Angeles and he will advise you.

If Mohanananda is advising, that's nice for the time being because Bali Mardan is in New York with ISKCON Press. I have asked the GBC to settle this matter of a replacement for Bali Mardan.

Letter to Upananda -- Calcutta 19 February, 1972: I have noted with pleasure that you are increasing your book distribution and that you have "struck at the very heart of the city of Melbourne." You have understood our philosophy rightly, that we boldly challenge anyone—philosopher, scientist, educationist—to understand our philosophy, and for that we enter without hesitation into the heart of the biggest cities and preach to anyone and everyone the message of Lord Caitanya, who himself was like the lion in strength. If Mohanananda is advising, that's nice for the time being because Bali Mardan is in New York with ISKCON Press. I have asked the GBC to settle this matter of a replacement for Bali Mardan.

I think you are doing very nicely there in ISKCON Press, so you should stick there and manage everything as you are already doing. So far your GBC duties are concerned, everything is going very nicely here and in Australia in your absence.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Auckland 15 April, 1972: Thank you very much for the copy of BTG #44, it is very nicely done. I think you are doing very nicely there in ISKCON Press, so you should stick there and manage everything as you are already doing. So far your GBC duties are concerned, everything is going very nicely here and in Australia in your absence, so for the time being there is no need for you to come here. I am going to Hong Kong on the 19th, and there we shall discuss if Bhurijana may open one center in Manila, as he has suggested. Then on 20th we fly to Tokyo, and on May 6th we shall reach Honolulu. So I shall be very much satisfied if you stay there at ISKCON Press and go on increasing the beauty and importance of our Back to Godhead magazine, and be happy.

You have done something since becoming manager of ISKCON Press, that is your credit. But one thing, you say that portions of Bhagavatam are missing. Pradyumna Prabhu says that he has sent the synonyms for chapters 15-33 in Canto 3 from Australia some time ago, but that the situation for receiving mail there in New York temple is not very good and that often letters are neglected or lost. Why these things are going on? I have appointed this GBC to maintain the standards. I don't do these things. I am always careful about the mail and the money.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Honolulu May 9, 1972: I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 1, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. I have written one letter to Rupanuga that he should take your help how to organize the weekly inventory and payment for books distributed, so you may see that letter from him and do the needful. I am very much pleased that you are producing so much nice literatures! You have done something since becoming manager of ISKCON Press, that is your credit. But one thing, you say that portions of Bhagavatam are missing. Pradyumna Prabhu says that he has sent the synonyms for chapters 15-33 in Canto 3 from Australia some time ago, but that the situation for receiving mail there in New York temple is not very good and that often letters are neglected or lost. Why these things are going on? I have appointed this GBC to maintain the standards. I don't do these things. I am always careful about the mail and the money. This is very serious business, if we go to so much effort to make these books available to the human society, and then no one takes care and portions are lost, and no money is paid by the temples to Book Fund, then what is the use? We must have a very efficient office at each temple, with facilities for prompt distribution of mail to the proper persons, not that the mail is simply left in a corner for everyone to pick through and find out for themselves. No, it should be delivered to the proper persons. And strict accounts must be kept. Atreya Rsi is there and he is always wanting some such engagement, why you do not engage him in being temple treasurer, keeping the accounts and records, answering the telephone? We must be very careful not to slide back into whimsically doing everything. You are GBC, and I see by the results of your being there that you are able to do these things, why you do not help Rupanuga and do them?

You are GBC man and in charge of ISKCON Press. This will free you for preaching more and traveling, because you are also sannyasi.

Letter to Bali-mardana, Pusta Krsna -- Los Angeles 18 September, 1972: Now I want very much to get that building in New York so kindly inform me regularly what is the progress. I understand they have refused our offer of cash $600,000, so you may offer more, up to $900,000, or as you see fit, reducing the cash outlay, also as you see fit. And try to take a mortgage for fifteen years. If Kesava is there he may become the President of the New York Temple. If he is able to get that new place, then he will have done something big and he can take that post of President of New York Temple. And you are GBC man and in charge of ISKCON Press. This will free you for preaching more and traveling, because you are also sannyasi.