Publishing our books (Conversations, 1976)

Expressions researched:
"book" |"book's" |"books" |"literature" |"literatures" |"manuscript" |"manusripts" |"mss" |"pressbook" |"print" |"printed" |"printer" |"printer's" |"printers" |"printing" |"printings" |"prints" |"publication" |"publications" |"publish" |"published" |"publisher" |"publisher's" |"publishers" |"publishing"

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 2, 1976, Madras:

Prabhupāda: The Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. Twenty-four hours you have to do that. But where is twenty-four hours? You will not twenty-four minutes. (Hindi)

tṛṇād api sunīcena

taror api sahiṣṇunā

amāninā mānadena

kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

(CC Adi 17.31)

(Hindi) ...Nectar of Instruction. I have recently published. (Hindi) There were no book for sale?

Indian man (4): Book was not in sale yesterday.

Mahamsa: That book is not available in India, Prabhupāda.

Acyutānanda: It's a brand new book.

Prabhupāda: No, no, other books, they are not...

Mahamsa: Other books were there. They were on the book table. There was a book table.

Indian man (4): Where it is?

Mahamsa: Many people were purchasing books. (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: Prominent place. (Hindi) Keep in prominent place so that others can see. And any book which is not in stock, you can note down his order so that you can send him later on.

Indian man (5): He will come every day.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Indian man (5): Mostly he approaching every member.

Prabhupāda: No, recently we have published very important book, Nectar of Instruction. For common man it is very nice.

Morning Walk -- February 3, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. A big man's son squanders money and the father pays. Similarly, if you become a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, the father will spend for you. Why do you care wherefrom money comes?

Bhavānanda: Just like, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you had Dai Nippon print fifty thousand dollars in books in the beginning.

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) Yes. Yes. I gave him five thousand and I ordered him fifty-two thousand. And I told him, "The money will come." And he said that "Five thousand he is giving advance. Money will come." So they immediately published Kṛṣṇa book, forty thousand dollar worth.

Sudāmā: And they told me, Śrīla Prabhupāda, later, that that was the first time in the history of their company that they would ever make any such concession.

Prabhupāda: They told?

Sudāmā: Yes. Mr. Ogata and Mr. Kugimoto said, "Somehow by his... He is such a great man, His Divine Grace, somehow we accepted." They were surprised. Remember when he went?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They were mystified by you, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: When I was coming back from America at that time, I came via Japan for this purpose. At that time you were in charge.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Your dealings with them were very memorable.

Prabhupāda: They said, "How we agreed?" (laughs) They were surprised.

Morning Walk -- February 21, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Come on. Money problem, we shall solve. You come and join. Preach. Where is the objection?

Acyutānanda: In America that is called "entrepreneur."

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Acyutānanda: If you back and forward another man to... Usually it's in entertainment, to be a famous actor or a singer, then a man will be behind, supplying money and publicity and everything.

Prabhupāda: (break) ...well, let them translate all our English literature. We shall publish in Bengali.

Acyutānanda: I don't think they have that.

Prabhupāda: Ah, yes.

Morning Walk -- March 9, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Sixty years, they could not do any of these books. And still they are envious. Within sixty years they could not attract any foreign student or any book published. And still, they are proud. They have got all the blessings of Bhaktisiddhānta.

Yaśodānandana: They cannot even attract Indian students.

Prabhupāda: Just see, how black snakes they are.

Yaśodānandana: They do pretty good with old widows, however. (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Getting a lot of flowers here, it seems.

Prabhupāda: Yes. There must be always all full of flowers.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very many flowers coming.

Prabhupāda: They are maintaining big, big monkey.

Morning Walk -- March 14, 1976, Mayapur:

Gurukṛpā: Yesterday down at the Ganges there was everywhere Bhāgavatam class. Caitanya-caritāmṛta class was going on in different groups, and kīrtana was going on everywhere.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (shenai band music) (break)

Gurukṛpā: Prabhupāda internationalized...

Prabhupāda: They can go to the Ganges.

Gurukṛpā: That is better. The lake looks very nice.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gurukṛpā: When we went over to the Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta's samādhi that morning, there were so many fish in the pond that the water was constantly moving. It was very beautiful.

Jayādvaita: (break) Instead of building you the house, we should print books, but I think we have to build you the house because the person bhāgavatam is as good as the book Bhāgavatam.

Prabhupāda: No, that is the conclusion. Yes. Bhāgavata paragiya bhāgavata sthāne. One has to learn book Bhāgavata from the person bhāgavata. Bhāgavata paragiya bhāgavata sthāne.

Morning Walk -- March 19, 1976, Mayapura:

Satsvarūpa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, today starts a big international convention for the Association for Asian Studies, and we're there. It's in Toronto. We have an advertisement in this book, with Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, with a quote by that Bruce Long. And we have that big sign at our booth: "The largest publisher and distributor of books on the philosophy, culture and religion of India." This shows also with all the exhibitors, we're listed, the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. And this is where we are, this booth here.

Prabhupāda: So who is taking care?

Satsvarūpa: Two of the library men who didn't come, just so they could go to this convention.

Conversation with News Reporters -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Reporter (1): Sir, whom do you find more responsive to your movement, women or men?

Prabhupāda: Everyone. Everyone. They are very fortunate. And I am very much indebted to them because they have helped me. Yes.

Reporter (5): Helped in what sense?

Prabhupāda: Helped in cooperation. Without their cooperation.... Now, these books I am writing surely, but they are pushing on, even facing great danger. They are helping me in my translating work, in typing, in composing, in printing. Have you got that film, how they are doing?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: No.

Hari-śauri: Have you got that film? That book film?

Yadubara: I don't have the projector here, Prabhupāda. That suitcase is not here.

Prabhupāda: So if we invite them to see it, that how they are helping efficiently with latest machine.... Therefore it has been possible. Otherwise while in India with great hardship I could publish three books only.

Reporter (1): They are very beautifully printed.

Reporter (5): Where did the money come from to print such lavish editions of your books?

Prabhupāda: The money comes.... We are selling books daily.

Reporter (5): No, but initially you do require a...

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Reporter (5): Initially it requires some money to print such a lavish book.

Prabhupāda: Initially I took some books from here. They are not so nicely printed, but still, I sold them. Then gradually increased. They paid the money and then.... They made contributions. One of my student, he first, Jayānanda.... He.... No, first paid me.... He, he has first paid me five thousand dollars. Then Brahmānanda paid me five thousand dollars. In this way gradually money came.

Room Conversation -- April 20, 1976, Melbourne:

Carol Jarvis: Not necessarily give them free, but perhaps sell them for a price that pays for the cost of producing them.

Prabhupāda: So when they pay for it.... When they pay for it, they will try to see "What these books are saying? Let me see." And if you get free, then you may keep it in your rack for hundreds of years. So that is not the.... But after all, we have to print these books, so who will pay for that? We have no money.

Carol Jarvis: Well, what happens to the rest of the money, though, that is collected in the streets?

Prabhupāda: We are increasing our movement. We are opening centers. We are printing more books. This is my books. I have made a Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. That is my will, and I have given my will that fifty percent of the collection should be spent for reprinting the books and fifty percent should be spent for spreading the movement. So there is no question of material profit.

Room Conversation -- April 22, 1976, Melbourne:

Brian Singer: What does.... When you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, does it mean you come into the chapel, or can you lead the sort of life that we lead and still...?

Prabhupāda: No, going to the chapel, that is one of the means, but there are nine different processes, of which, hearing about Kṛṣṇa is the most important thing, śravaṇam. If you continuously hear about Kṛṣṇa. Therefore these books are there, hearing and chanting. If you cannot read, I'll read; you hear. I'll speak. Or you will speak; I'll hear. These two processes are very important. Therefore we are presenting in English language the subject matter of Kṛṣṇa so elaborately. We have published eighty-two books like this. If you read one book.... This is the preliminary study. Then, if you read it with great attention, you become Kṛṣṇa conscious immediately. Then you understand about Kṛṣṇa from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in sixty books, and then you enjoy the transcendental pleasure in Caitanya-caritāmṛta in seventeen books. So you cannot finish even within your life. So many books are there. And you'll forget reading other books.

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne:

Guest: How do you become informed as to certain events? Is that...

Prabhupāda: We have got enough books to read, these books. If you read our books, in your whole lifetime you cannot finish it. And that is required to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is success of life. So why should.... Of course, we are in touch in the newspaper, but as much as it is required. We are in touch with the material world as much as it is required. We are interested in Kṛṣṇa. To help our Kṛṣṇa consciousness we may be in touch with the material world as much as possible. Just like we are riding car also, we are also using dictaphone, everything, but it is not for any ulterior purpose. It is for Kṛṣṇa's service. Just like we are writing books. This is Kṛṣṇa's service. People may understand about Kṛṣṇa, be benefited. This is our.... And in that way we are printing books, we are selling books, we are writing books.

Morning Walk -- April 24, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Collect and spend. Collect and spend for Kṛṣṇa, that is nice. I am therefore asking them to print books. I have got so much in the Book Fund. Print books. Let there be books stocked and no money stocked.

Room Conversation -- May 5, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: (break) Arjuna in spite of his conviction that it is sinful to kill my relatives, he still agreed to kill. Why?

Bhūrijana: That is supreme moral, Kṛṣṇa's desire.

Prabhupāda: What Kṛṣṇa desires, if one dies, he's above all this material. But it should not be manufactured. The thing is that our spiritual master wants to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and he has repeatedly stressed to distribute books, we shall distribute books by any means, that is good. That is good. And if you become moralist that, "Oh, they're taking this means, that means for selling of book, so I'm big moralist. I'm bigger than him."

Bhūrijana: I don't think there is so much enmity because of the books themselves.

Prabhupāda: No, I think that.. I do not know what they are doing, but I have information that they're not selling books.

Bhūrijana: Some I think. I think some.

Prabhupāda: But not...

Bhūrijana: Comparable amount.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Others who were transgressing the moral principle, they were selling more books. And those who are big moralists, they could not.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They're also distributing one pamphlet printed by Siddha-svarūpānanda. Then if they like they can buy one of Prabhupāda's books. Prabhupāda's book comes second.

Prabhupāda: Sometimes I've heard so many things.

Bhūrijana: But they give those away for free. I mean just in the sense that someone maybe doesn't want to purchase anything. So they give him something for free about Kṛṣṇa.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: First they do that.

Bhūrijana: Only because it's free. Not that a... As far as I know.

Prabhupāda: They get knowledge free, then why they should purchase? If you give them the opportunity that we take material, knowledge free then why they will purchase?

Bhūrijana: If we can become Kṛṣṇa conscious without following the rules and regulations, why follow the rules and regulations? That's what I was thinking a while ago.

Prabhupāda: They should follow what their spiritual master says. Book selling, there is no question of moral and immoral. They must sell. Just like in fighting. Where there is fight, the soldiers, to gain victory, there is no question of moral and immoral. He must.

Room Conversation -- May 7, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: First business, how to get our books. (indistinct) For Russia export from India will be favorable. So government paper we are printing seven, eight rupees price. Make that addition, all the books. Ask them to take paper from the government, huge quantity, and all these books should be published immediately, 5,000 books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: 5,000 copies each.

Prabhupāda: Yes, if possible, minimum 1,000.

Room Conversation -- May 7, 1976, Honolulu:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So we should start to make enquiry now throughout the world, how to push these books forward. Just as you are pointing out-sending books from India to Russia—in this way there may be so many arrangements.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes. Just find out what is the venues to push our books. As much as possible.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Should I concentrate my time for this?

Prabhupāda: Yes, only. This will be your only business. All over the world, see how the books can be pushed. In their language or in English, now we have got several languages. You have seen the latest Portuguese edition?

Guru-kṛpā: Spanish.

Prabhupāda: Spanish. You have seen?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't think I have.

Prabhupāda: Give it to him.

Hari-śauri: It's on the bottom shelf.

Prabhupāda: Last.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This one?

Prabhupāda: Last, last book, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Whew, very handsome.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they have done very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's the idea. If books like this can be introduced, I'm certain that every single Spanish embassy around the world will take a book like this for their library. And there's plenty of them, there's many nations.

Prabhupāda: Eventual standing order, in all the libraries. So they will take. And the get-up is so nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Beautiful. Yeah, that book is nice, the color is good.

Prabhupāda: This is printed in America also. American books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Printed in...

Devotee: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: USA.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: USA.

Prabhupāda: In this way if possible print in Russian language, in black market.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, that's possible and they'll be eager.

Devotee: The young people are dissatisfied, young student.

Prabhupāda: Small books print first of all, see. How the black market takes it, and then big books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There is also all of the eastern European countries.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they have got black market. There must be intermediate man who deals in black market.

Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 :

(break)

Devotee (5): I'm sorry it took so long, but I had a little trouble getting through to them.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Devotee (5): First their..., first the telephone service were not free, and then their line was busy for some time. So I just got through to them a few minutes ago, and he says it wasn't printed by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

Prabhupāda: Then?

Devotee (5): He said they did it independently, unauthorized from Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, and he already chastised them for using the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust label, 'cause it has nothing to do with the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

Prabhupāda: Who is he?

Devotee (5): Uhhh, I'm not sure. Who sent it? Bahulāśva? That devotee named Bahulāśva.

Devotee (6): Bahulāśva and Bhakti dāsa.

Devotee (5): And who else?

Devotee (6): Jayānanda. But Jayānanda... I saw this printed in L.A. before I came here.

Devotee (5): Ohh.

Devotee (6): So I don't think it's a San Francisco endeavor.

Devotee (7): The separations were all...

Devotee (5): No, he said it was done there.

Devotee (6): Oh, in San Francisco?

Devotee (5): Yeah, they printed it while the festival was going on in India, and he didn't know anything about it until he came back and saw that it was all printed. He said they were going to use it for some, something to do with lectures.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Devotee (5): They were going to use it to introduce lectures and so forth.

Prabhupāda: When it was not published, so why did he publish unauthorized?

Devotee (5): Oh, I don't know. He said that he was a little upset about it himself.

Prabhupāda: So this should not take place again. They should be informed that without being passed by the authority, nobody should publish any literature. This is already (indistinct)...

Devotee (5): Without, without being passed by the authorities...?

Prabhupāda: Should not be published.

Devotee (5): Does that mean the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust trustees?

Prabhupāda: Yes. So those who are managing that why their (indistinct)? Where does he live?

Morning Walk -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Jagannātha-suta: Śrīla Prabhupāda, when I was in New York recently to check the color printing of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 7.2, we were presented with two awards which your books had won for color and design, two awards from the Printing Industries of Metropolitan New York. They gave us big wooden plaques with a certificate of excellence, yes, for Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and for Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Hṛdayānanda: You should show Prabhupāda, bring him those plaques.

Jagannātha-suta: Yes, we have those plaques hanging up in the Press building now.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Bring it, I shall see.

Morning Walk -- June 4, 1976, Los Angeles:

Candanācārya: Śrīla Prabhupāda once said that if the moon is dirt and dust, how is it that it reflects the light of the sun so much that it lights up the whole planet?

Prabhupāda: Yes. The common sense. They have lost their common sense.

Candanācārya: It's so shiny that it lights up the whole earth planet at night.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.

Candanācārya: How can dirt reflect light like that?

Prabhupāda: That was my first question.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think that we should write a, we should publish a little book on this, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: If you can.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Maybe one of the scientists.

Candanācārya: There are many scientists who agree.

Prabhupāda: Now our scientists are challenging, Svarūpa Dāmodara and others.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. They could scientifically publish a book.

Candanācārya: There are scientists in England who agree that they didn't go to the planet.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Candanācārya: There are some scientists in England who agree with you that they did not go to the moon.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they did not. Simply propaganda. (japa) (break)

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1976, Los Angeles:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I saw it in New York recently, our president, (sic:) Ādikeśa, he went up against Ted Patrick on television, big television show, and he completely defeated him. So Ted Patrick was saying that, you know, these people are all fanatics. So (sic:) Ādikeśa, at the end, he said, so, if we're fanatics, then the Pope is even more fanatical, so why don't you deprogram him? And everybody laughed at that Ted Patrick. (laughter)

Rāmeśvara: He says we teach our.... I mean he has many arguments. He knows all about the incidents in Germany and Japan, and he uses this against us.

Prabhupāda: He's collected all these bad.

Rāmeśvara: "Lying and cheating," he says.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: A few devotees who have joined him, who left and have joined him, they have given him this inside information, so he tries.... Actually, though, no strong devotee can be changed by him. He only gets the very new men. So now he's written a book.

Prabhupāda: About us?

Rāmeśvara: About his experiences of kidnapping our students and others.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is the book called?

Rāmeśvara: It's called Let My Children Go.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Let Our Children Go, yes.

Rāmeśvara: So we have got our lawyer to start a lawsuit against him, because in that book they are blaspheming us like anything. And this very big publisher, who published the book, has spent lots of money in advertising. And the advertising always uses our name, because it's controversial. They always try to get people to buy the book, saying "Now you can read about the dangerous Hare Kṛṣṇa people."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (laughs) It's a good propaganda, I think.

Rāmeśvara: But we're trying to stop that.

Prabhupāda: America is feeling the strength of Hare Kṛṣṇa movement.

Room Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Either you dress the Deity or you cleanse the floor of the temple, the same thing. You get the result the same. Tan-mandira-mārjanādau. Anything you do. Somebody is cleansing, somebody is chanting, somebody is cooking, somebody is printing, somebody is selling books—everything is Kṛṣṇa conscious. And that is the best yoga. Sa me yuktatamo mataḥ. Yoginām api sarveṣām: (BG 6.47) "Of all the yogis, who is thinking of Me, always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the topmost yogi."

Garden Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: We are publishing one book, Dialectic Spiritualism: Vedic Views of Western Philosophy. We are just going to publish one book, Dialectic Spiritualism. Marx's theory is dialectic materialism (laughs). We are going to establish dialectic spiritualism.

Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: What is your next publication?

Hṛdayānanda: Mine?

Prabhupāda: Portuguese and Spanish?

Hṛdayānanda: In a few days we will be sending to the printer a complete Portuguese Bhagavad-gītā and Spanish Kṛṣṇa book. I think within one week perhaps we will, in one or two weeks, we will send both to the printer.

Prabhupāda: Where is the editorial department?

Hṛdayānanda: Here. That's why I'm here. For Spanish and also Portuguese. I just received information that in Caracas they were selling every day one thousand Bhāgavatams.

Devotees: Wow!

Prabhupāda: What is the price?

Hṛdayānanda: Each book about two and a half dollars.

Prabhupāda: That means about three thousand dollars daily?

Rādhāvallabha: That's very big.

Hṛdayānanda: And they have been defeated by Mexico.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Mexico is selling more?

Hṛdayānanda: Yes. This month, last month in Mexico they sent in for a month, $23,000 for a month. Now the, all of South America combined this month has almost defeated Rādhā-Dāmodara. (Prabhupāda laughs) Almost on the same level now, South America.

Prabhupāda: This competition must go on. (laughter)

Room Conversation with Mother and Sons -- June 13, 1976, Detroit:

Guest: My heart has been captivated by the person that first introduced me to you, George Harrison, and...

Prabhupada: George Harrison? Oh. You came with him?

Guest: I first became interested several years back in what you were writing when I, especially when I began to see the tie with what he was singing. And now, the music he's doing right now reflects what I am looking for myself.

Satsvarupa: He's more following George Harrison than following you.

Guest: I see the two of you as not...

Prabhupada: What is George Harrison's? What is the idea? He is...

Guest: I see both of you standing together, I don't see you apart. That's why I'm here right now.

Prabhupada: Thank you. This boy is also nice. He comes to me. He offers me. He has given one great big estate in London. He financed my first Krsna book. It required nineteen thousand dollars. So I asked him, that "I have no money. If you can pay, I can print." So he gave immediately. I have admitted. You have seen my Krsna book? Show him.

Guest: Oh, yes. I feel that I am personally in debt to him as well as being in debt to you at this point in my life.

Prabhupada: He's a good boy.

Interview with Kathy Kerr Reporter from The Star -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: People are trying to understand. Our books are being very nicely received by the educated circle. We have got so many books. About, for the time, we have got over fifty-four books like this. This book is selling very nicely, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. We have printed recent edition, 350,000 copies, that is finished. Again we are going to print 500,000 copies.

Interview with Professors O'Connell, Motilal and Shivaram -- June 18, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: I write in the night. I get up at half past twelve. I go to bed at half past ten, and I get up at half past twelve. Then I finish my chanting, if there is any balance, and then I begin dictating. And the morning they take it and type it. So this dictaphone is always with me, wherever I go, so my writing book is not stopped. Maybe few pages, but something is there daily. Little drops of water wears the stone. So in that way we have translated so many books. About fifty-four books are already published, besides the small booklets.

Prabhupada Visits Palace and Garden -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau (ŚU 6.23). The Vedic secret(?) is that, parā bhaktir, yasya deve, unto the Lord, similarly, to the guru, they, to them, the whole thing becomes revealed automatically. Vedic knowledge is grasped not by erudite scholarship. Mundane scholarship has nothing to do. The secret is yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau. My Guru Mahārāja wanted that some books should be published. So I tried my best, and he's giving success more than expectation. In the history nobody has sold religion, philosophical books in such large quantity.

Garden Discussion on Bhagavad-gita Sixteenth Chapter -- June 26, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Our Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, the formula is therefore: as soon as you get money, fifty percent spent for printing and fifty percent for temple. This is the basic principle of our Bhaktivedanta (Book Trust)—no saving. As soon as you have got some money, print books, print books. Don't keep it. If you print books, some day somebody will read. But if we keep money, it creates disturbance. I am therefore always insisting, "Print books, Print books." Or construct temple, this building, that building. There is no need of keeping money.

Garden Conversation -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Dayā, dharma, religious principles—everything will be reduced. And the government men, instead of giving you protection, they will act like thieves and rogues. You cannot say anything. Very, very precarious condition, all freedom lost. In Russia, all freedom lost. They have no freedom. The professor giving that testimonial, and "Don't publish it." They are appreciating this book, but they cannot say "That is good book." Just see what kind of freedom is there. A nice book, I appreciate; I cannot give in writing.

Room Conversation -- July 7, 1976, Baltimore:

Pradyumna: In India, there are many Ph.D.'s and scientists who are Vaiṣṇavas, and they write articles. But in India it doesn't go noticed. In the South, there are many.

Prabhupāda: In South, eh?

Pradyumna: In Bangalore and many places.

Prabhupāda: They are all Vaiṣṇavas. So recruit them. You know? Then let them write articles in this. Yes, it will be very nice.

Pradyumna: Yes, we can print on the magazine, "Please write articles," many big men...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, in fact he wanted to put an articles, this very man Sharma, he wanted to write an articles on consciousness.

Prabhupāda: Let them write, we shall publish. And similarly, ask the South Indian Ph.D.'s, we want so many Ph.D.'s writing. Then it will be respectable. People will understand that this is not ordinary thing. All learned scholars they are writing, that will carry some respect.

Rūpānuga: So these persons, I was mentioning to you in the car, that we would like to have them associated in some way with the Institute, so...

Prabhupāda: Yes, if they write articles, if they read our books, that is associated. Not that they will have to come here and sit down with us. Let them read the book and deliberate and write nice article, their opinion. That will be nice. Then you'll get sufficient article for publishing. That is wanted. All the Ph.D. Vaiṣṇavas, they may take advantage of this.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, and it will be respected in the big circles.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. If they are getting respect talking all nonsense, and here we shall glorify the Supreme Lord, why not respect?

Room Conversation -- July 7, 1976, Baltimore:

Rūpānuga: We had another practical consideration. We were thinking, could BBT publish the journal? BBT would publish the journal?

Prabhupāda: But whether you'll be able to publish regularly.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Quarterly, at the beginning.

Rūpānuga: Four times a year. Every three months.

Prabhupāda: Because it must be very sa-vijñānam, it must be very scientific.

Rūpānuga: Oh, yes. I'll see to it.

Prabhupāda: That's all right, BBT publish. Why not?

Rūpānuga: We can provide the copy work and all the graphs and things, and then they would lay it out and do everything, like with your books.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Just like other things. And it will be BBT property. That's all.

Rūpānuga: Your property.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We can also do it for the books also, Śrīla Prabhupāda, isn't it? It will be published by BBT, but coming out from Bhaktivedanta Institute.

Devotee: That will be good for the Institute if the name is on that book.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. From Bhaktivedanta publisher. Yes, that's all right. Can do something like that, there is no harm. But this world is a problem, but we want solution of the problem but we do not know how to solve it. Is it not? Do the scientists know?

Room Conversation -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Dr. Sharma: I'll be writing...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Sharma: ...about the movement in scientific journals.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Sharma: That I'll be writing.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Sharma: And I'll be writing...

Prabhupāda: That is dhiyā.

Dr. Sharma: And I'll be writing...

Prabhupāda: Vācaiḥ.

Dr. Sharma: I'll also be writing in scientific way, books about it.

Prabhupāda: You write in our... We are going to publish one magazine.

Dr. Sharma: 'Cause I think the movement is very scientific.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (aside) No, call Svarūpa Dāmodara.

Dr. Sharma: I shall write in books and give it to the editors here to use it the way they best can. I normally publish... I only last month got a medical prize, a large prize, for medicine. My name is known internationally, medical journals. So I'll submit it to the Book Trust.

Prabhupāda: So, you are qualified medical man?

Dr. Sharma: No, I am only in research. I am not qualified to practice medicine, but in clinical medical practice and clinical journals I am qualified. I used to be...

Prabhupāda: From chemical point.

Dr. Sharma: No, from medicine point.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Morning Walk -- July 9, 1976, Washington D.C.:

Prabhupāda: (break) Publish your book gradually in the magazine Sa-vijñānam.

Rūpānuga: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rūpānuga: In the journal, by.... Step by step.

Prabhupāda: Ah. Then publish in a book.

Rūpānuga: That's good. Like we did with your Bhāgavatam one time, we made little chapter editions. (break)

Evening Darsana -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Yes, my funds are being utilized in printing books, and expanding centers. My book trust is divided into two. Fifty percent for the printing the books and fifty percent for expanding centers.

Interview with Newsweek -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Rāmeśvara: She wants to know, seeing you chose the United States to begin this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement ten years ago, now do you find that in the United States there is the most active membership financially speaking. In terms of contributing to this movement, supporting the movement, is the best field America?

Prabhupāda: No, without finance we can go on.

Rāmeśvara: Without finance we can go on.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Interviewer: Oh, we can go on?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Interviewer: How?

Prabhupāda: Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not have any financial help, but His movement is going on. It does not depend on a..., on financial. It is independent. Spiritual movement is independent of any material help. That is spiritual movement.

Interviewer: But how would you be able to carry out your educational or book publishing program if you did not have a financial backing?

Prabhupāda: How I am managing now?

Interviewer: But now you are doing well financially.

Prabhupāda: You are stressing on financial help but my reply is that this movement does not depend on financial help. That is the reply.

Bali-mardana: In the beginning...

Prabhupāda: Any time, it does not depend on financial help.

Interviewer: Why would you say you were doing so well?

Rāmeśvara: We don't tithe our members. In other words, our congregations do not pay dues. We are depending on Kṛṣṇa. We're simply trying to print books, and we show them to people, and then Kṛṣṇa inspires them to purchase or give a contribution. It's not that we have people making large contributions or a congregation that pays dues.

Interviewer: So where does most of your money come from?

Rāmeśvara: She wants to know where most of our money comes from.

Prabhupāda: Money comes from Kṛṣṇa.

Interviewer: From where?

Rāmeśvara: Kṛṣṇa.

Interviewer: Ah, Rāmeśvara, maybe if Prabhupāda just told how, in the first year how the books were sold, before there was this publishing. There was a time in which there was just a storefront. How were these books sold in the very beginning?

Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda personally went to the printer in Japan. He personally made the arrangement with the printer, the first printing.

Interviewer: But how did he sell his first book in America?

Hari-śauri: On the boat to the ship's captain.

Interviewer: There was a process...

Prabhupāda: I mean to say, "What is our financial arrangement?" Why these questions are being raised? This is not interview about the movement. They are very much interested about our financial help.

Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda's observing that they are very interested in our financial backing.

Interviewer: What do you think about some of the other gurus, if you will, since you are yourself considered a guru? Do you study anybody else?

Prabhupāda: These answers you can give.

Bali-mardana: :She said what do you think about the other gurus.

Prabhupāda: Why shall I think of other gurus?

Bali-mardana: He does not study them.

Prabhupāda: Why shall I think of other gurus? "Oil your own machine." (laughter)

Devotees: "Oil your own machine."

Interviewer: Could you tell me a little bit about your background, when you were young, what types of things you did...

Prabhupāda: Why shall I tell you?

Interviewer: Pardon me?

Prabhupāda: Why shall I tell you?

Interviewer: If you wish.

Prabhupāda: Why shall I wish?

Interviewer: Well, reporters have to ask these questions. Otherwise I would be out of business.

Hari-śauri: Prabhupāda is hoping that you'll ask something that is relevant to this...

Rāmeśvara: People are interested to know about you, Śrīla Prabhupāda. And if they take an interest in you, then they will automatically be interested in your books also. They are very eager to know about the author of all these books that we are selling.

Prabhupāda: But these books, books... We'll speak about the books. Does it depend, what the author was doing previously?

Interview with Newsday Newspaper -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: I am now eighty years old, I am working twenty-four hours. I think I work more than my young disciples (laughter).

Bali-mardana: Oh yes, definitely.

Prabhupāda: I work at night.

Rāmeśvara: It is hard to keep up with Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Hari-śauri: Very difficult.

Prabhupāda: We are not idle creatures.

Rāmeśvara: We are publishing his books and sometimes he is ahead of us by seventeen volumes.

Interviewer: How do you spend your days? You do an awful lot of traveling I understand.

Prabhupāda: Traveling is going on throughout the whole world and wherever I go, at night I write books.

Interview with Religious Editor Of the Associated Press -- July 16, 1976, New York:

Interviewer: Well is Kṛṣṇa consciousness very elaborate?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Interviewer: By elaborate you mean effective, is that?

Bali-mardana: Scientific.

Interviewer: You mean effective by elaborate?

Prabhupāda: Effective also.

Interviewer: I mean is that the proper synonym for elaborate?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bali-mardana: These are some of our books that Prabhupāda has published just to explain this science.

Prabhupāda: We are explaining this science in so many books. It is open to everyone.

Conversation at House of Ksirodakasayi dasa -- July 25, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: There are so many books. We have got program to publish at least eighty-four books like this, four hundred pages each. So we have already published fifty-four books. So if you want to understand Kṛṣṇa through science and philosophy, read these books. Otherwise—very easy method—come here; chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. There is no difficulty. Thank you very much.

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Bhagavān: Twenty-five thousand. The translators have been working day and night for the last two weeks to get everything ready. They are now in Italy. We are printing this book in Italy.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Cheaper?

Bhagavān: Very cheap. Very cheap. Including composition, the book cost $1.75.

Prabhupāda: Oh, very cheap.

Bhagavān: Sixty-four color pictures.

Prabhupāda: It is very nice.

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: Let us not be discouraged. Let us go on with our studies, activities, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Bhagavān: Seeing their foolishness makes one more convinced; it does not discourage.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This failure was assured ten years ago by me.

Jayatīrtha: Yes, you predicted it.

Prabhupāda: Yes, but still, I am saying, "This will be all failure." And still, they are hopeful. My Guru Maharaja is very pleased. As soon as a book comes out, he is pleased.

Jayatīrtha: Especially one so beautiful.

Prabhupāda: He was lamenting that "These men, they did not make, publish any number of books. They are simply after this stone and bricks." He condemned. He was very, very sorry. So I thought that I must take a risk. And he's pleased.

Bhagavān: So now you have books and temples.

Prabhupāda: Yes, temple is automatically.

Jayatīrtha: Without fighting, you've got so many temples.

Prabhupāda: No, I never stressed on temple. I was engaged in publishing the Back to Godhead. Whatever I could do, I did it because I took it very seriously that he is very sorry that these things were not done. He said that "There will be fire in this Gaudiya Math." Āgun jvālbe, he said. Amari taci loka kichui boi kakrayebo (?): "If I can, I shall sell these marbles of this temple and convert them into books." That was his ambition. He started a very nice press and this Tirtha Maharaja sold it.

Jayatīrtha: Sold it?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bhagavān: The press.

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Bhagavān: I was putting together your Vyasasana. (laughs) All night long I stayed up. Also our printer from Italy, he is wanting to present you with the Kṛṣṇa book. He has had his men working seven days a week, composing. They are composing. It is going to be a very nice book. We had one article in the paper. We went to a book fair, and thousands of publishers.... So the article they wrote on us was that "The association for Kṛṣṇa consciousness produces luxurious books."

Prabhupāda: Why not? Our Kṛṣṇa is most luxurious person. He is never poverty-stricken. Always with gopīs, cowherd boys, killing all demons.

Room Conversation -- July 27, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: Half past seven, eight. We are publishing one book, Dialectic Spiritualism. What is that?

Jayatīrtha: Harikeśa Mahārāja's book.

Bhagavān: No, no. Another one Prabhupāda's spoke, the philosophy book.

Jayatīrtha: Oh, the philosophy book will be called Dialectic Spiritualism? Ah, very good title.

Hari-śauri: A Vedic View of Western Philosophy.

Jayatīrtha: Very good title.

Prabhupāda: That's a fact. If one actually interested in real philosophy, they must come to spiritualism.

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Yogeśvara: They've finished the preparation for the printing of the French edition of Kṛṣṇa book and Śrī Upadeśāmṛta and the Italian Bhagavad-gītā, and they should be ready within the next ten days.

Prabhupāda: French language.

Bhagavān: And Italian Bhagavad-gītā is done.

Prabhupāda: What is the political position of the Fascists and Communists?

Yogeśvara: Very mixed up.

Bhagavān: They are called Christian Democrats.

Prabhupāda: They can manufacture so many. Fertile brain in the tract of deserted world.

Room Conversation -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Bhagavān: I wanted to get Kṛṣṇa book published while you are here. So I really pushed our printer to work very hard. I told him, "But the thing is, I have no money to pay you right now," because we had just printed Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He said, "You try to give me five percent down and I'll give you eight months' credit."

Prabhupāda: Ācchā. (laughs)

Bhagavān: So I didn't have the money because we were fixing up. So one girl joined, and she gave eight thousand dollars.

Prabhupāda: And what is the whole bill?

Bhagavān: That was..., the whole bill was about forty-five thousand dollars. So that was sufficient for the downpayment.

Prabhupāda: It is about more than ten percent. He wants five percent.

Bhagavān: But I gave him. (end)

Meeting with Italian Printer -- August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

(translations throughout; printer speaks in French.)

Prabhupāda: Very nice. Hare Kṛṣṇa, thank you.

Bhagavān: He has worked very... He's been trying very hard to get the Kṛṣṇa book out, but he left a little too early.

Prabhupāda: Never mind.

Bhagavān: He told me that Prabhupāda was remarking how nice the Dutch Bhagavad-gītā was. He says that the next books he will print will be even nicer.

Translator: He's very happy to meet you, he says. He wasn't expecting it. He had many questions to ask you, a few questions, but he saw that you were tired today, so...

Prabhupāda: No, no, I'm not tired

Meeting with Italian Printer -- August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Bhagavān: Prabhupāda once gave the analogy sometimes when the horse is sick, the doctor takes the pill in the hand, he puts it down the throat.

Prabhupāda: No, we are prepared. Just like horse is not prepared to take the medicine. But four men force him to take the medicine. Nobody was crying for this edition of Bhāgavata, but we are forcing, "You must read. You must take." We are printing and forcing everyone. French edition, Bhāgavata's edition, they were not dying for this book, but this is our force.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Jñānagamya: But the film can change the opinion. Many times...

Prabhupāda: That is... How they can change?

Jñānagamya: Great books have done this. Uncle Tom's Cabin started a whole war against slavery in the United states. Books and films are very potent. They can make public opinion.

Prabhupāda: Books are different thing, we are publishing.

Arrival Conversation -- August 13, 1976, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, and he's the most reliable. The others I find are not reliable. Even with Yaśomatīnandana, I give him a book, it gets stuck for three months. But now we are moving very fast. The first Hindi Back to Godhead we printed up forty-five thousand, it is sold. So I'm reprinting thirty thousand more in Delhi, and in Bombay, we are producing a new Back to Godhead with thirty thousand first print. Forty-five thousand of first printing is almost sold. People can't believe it. Even Hitsharan Sharma couldn't believe it that we distributed forty-five thousand Hindi magazines in two months.

Prabhupāda: We are distributing millions in English.

Arrival Conversation -- August 13, 1976, Bombay:

(break)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: ...newsstands also. Yaśomatīnandana has made some arrangement with some distributor.

Prabhupāda: Newsstand?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, to news, where they sell newspapers and all.

Driver: They distribute about fifteen hundred on Ratha-yātrā day.

Prabhupāda: Fifteen hundred on?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Ratha-yātrā in Ahmedabad. Now we are distributing these books for one rupee each or 1.50 in Vṛndāvana because now we've got the cost of printing down to sixty paisa...

Prabhupāda: Our Ratha-yātrā in New York was very successful.

Arrival Conversation -- August 13, 1976, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Spiritual Sky in Los Angeles. He has come on a business trip. They were trying to negotiate buying incense sticks from Mysore, sandalwood, and Bangalore. So they are... Did you get those color proofs I sent you of Bhāgavata? Did you like? It's coming out quite nicely.

Prabhupāda: Not as good, not as good as foreign.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It's not as good as foreign? That is... But we are going to be printing the softbound book for seven rupees.

Prabhupāda: All right, we shall talk later on. Now let me...

Arrival Conversation -- August 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Print books many, as good as possible. Let us do our duty.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We have three small Hindi books in production, plus as I said, Hindi Back to Godhead.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Evening Darsana -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: "Bhaktivedanta Book Trust tentative printing schedule: Vyāsa-pūjā." This is first the title, then the printer and the delivery date. "July: 2,000 copies, very early August. Nectar of Instruction goes to the printer in late July, 100,000 copies to be ready by early September. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, First Canto, Part 2, reprint, goes to the printer in late July: 50,000 copies ready by September. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Eighth Canto, Part 1, goes to the printer in August: 20,000 copies ready by late September. Bhagavad-gītā reprint goes to the printer in August: 500,000 copies ready by late September. Then there's a book by one of Prabhupāda's disciples, Satsvarūpa Goswami, goes to the printer in late August. Kṛṣṇa trilogy paperback goes to the printer early September: 100,000 copies each and ready by late September. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, First Canto, Part 3, being reprinted, goes to the printer in early September: 50,000 copies ready by late October. And three catalogues go to the printer early September: 55,000 copies ready early October. There's another new book by Prabhupāda: Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers, goes to the printer in September: 100,000 copies ready late October. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Eighth Canto, Part 2, goes to the printer late September: 20,000 copies ready early November. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Second Canto, Part 2, reprint, goes to the printer late September: 20,000 copies ready November. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam First Canto, Part 1, reprint, goes to the printer in early September: 50,000 copies ready in November. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Eighth Canto, Part 3, goes to the printer in late October, ready early December: 20,000 copies. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Second Canto, Part 1, reprint, goes to the printer early November: 50,000 copies ready early December. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Ninth Canto, Part 1, goes to the printer in late November: 20,000 copies ready early January. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Ninth Canto, Part 2, goes to the printer early January: 20,000 copies ready late February. Kṛṣṇa book, hard-bound, Volume 1, reprint, goes to the printer early January: 100,000 copies ready late February. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Ninth Canto, Part 3, goes to the printer early February: 20,000 copies ready late March. Kṛṣṇa book, hardbound, Volume 2, reprint, goes to the printer in February: 100,000 copies ready early April. Kṛṣṇa book, Volume 3, reprint, goes to the printer in February: 100,000 copies ready early April."

Prabhupāda: We are the biggest publisher in the world about religious and philosophical.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This schedule is only till next March.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) She is Gopālas mother. You can distribute in your hand.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I have shown this schedule to many publishers who print our books. They all say that even big publishers cannot match this schedule. (break)

Evening Darsana (on night of arrival) -- August 16, 1976, Hyderabad:

Indian man (3): This book sales all over the world, six lakhs of rupees?

Prabhupāda: Sixty thousand...

Indian man (3): Dollars. About five lakhs.

Prabhupāda: Books. We are printing books five lakhs, three lakhs, one lakh, fifty thousand. Lowest twenty thousand.

Indian man (3): Volumes.

Prabhupāda: And repetition.

Hari-śauri: They expect to sell twenty thousand copies in one week now. When a new book is published, that first batch of twenty thousand will sell in one week.

Prabhupāda: So here is? (break)

Room Conversation -- August 16, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: My Guru Mahārāja wanted to publish Govinda-līlāmṛta. He asked permission of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. So first of all Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, "I'll tell you some day." And when he reminded, he said, "Yes you can print one copy. If you are so much anxious to print it, print one copy. You'll read and you will see that you have printed. Not for distribution." So we are printing all these books for understanding properly. Not that "Here is Rādhā-kuṇḍa. Let us go." Jump over like monkey. "Here is rāsa-līlā. Immediately..."

Acyutānanda: Even in Kṛṣṇa book rāsa-līlā should not be told in public.

Prabhupāda: No, why? Kṛṣṇa book must be there, in the book must be there.

Acyutānanda: But in public...

Prabhupāda: But you should go gradually. You should go gradually. You first of all understand Kṛṣṇa, then kṛṣṇa-līlā.

Press Interview at Muthilal Rao's House -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:

Interviewer (4): How is the response in the West?

Prabhupāda: Of course it is a foreign thing for them, but still they are coming and taking it very seriously.

Interviewer (5): Do you think they are taking to it because it is novel?

Prabhupāda: Huh? No, many novel things go from here, but they are sticking to it. They are now seriously taking to it. They understand that this is a great science and we are publishing books. We have already published eighty-four books like that. Eighty-four of four hundred pages. And you'll be surprised that throughout the whole world we are selling books about sixty thousand dollars a day. That means six lakhs of rupees. That is the basic income for our expenditure, 102 centers all over the world.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: No, our Gaura-Govinda I think he is doing there nice.

Jayapatākā: He's doing nice in Bhuvanesvar.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He has already few cottages?

Jayapatākā: Of course, I didn't see myself. I heard he has got a few cottages, three, four cottages.

Prabhupāda: So our Gargamuni has seen?

Jayapatākā: Yes, I think Gargamuni has seen. Gargamuni is giving him some help. He printed one Orissan book, and he gives him sometimes some books and help. He is fixed up, that Gaura-Govinda.

Prabhupāda: He's fixed up. That's nice. Let him translate in Orissa and, if possible, in Hindi. And give him few devotees. Then he'll be encouraged.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: With great hardship I published three books. But as soon as I went America, the andha-paṅgu-nyāya became successful. So this is the the position. So instead of becoming envious from political... We have nothing to do with... To the Americans unnecessarily thinking that "CIA, CIA..." Let American money and India's culture combine together, and the whole world will be benefited. America has got enough money; they can spend. Either they give me as the price of my book or anything, money is there like anything.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Now for making member you should be very clear so that no misunderstanding takes place. Books, we shall give five books.

Gargamuni: Yes, that...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: On my form I have already printed we give five books.

Prabhupāda: "When you finish, you return this; you take another. When you finish that..." In this way.

Gargamuni: What we've been doing with members in Calcutta, members who want more of the books, they sign the standing order and they pay us for the books.

Prabhupāda: That is another thing.

Gargamuni: Every month. One book a month and they pay.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Gargamuni: And they sign the standing order.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: And instead of keeping money and take interest, you print books. That is also good. You can sell. Or you purchase land for producing food.

Gargamuni: If we stock money, then there'll be no preaching. But if we print books, then we have to sell the books. So that is preaching.

Prabhupāda: Therefore I am insisting all over, "Print any book." Never mind either Hindi or English or... Print book and keep it in stock, nicely.

Gargamuni: And gradually we will sell. Then we will preach. Otherwise, if we...

Prabhupāda: That is the purpose of my Bhaktivedanta Trust. Fifty percent must be spent for printing and fifty percent for building. That's all. No money. Don't keep any account.

Gargamuni: Then the government will never get envious because there's nothing there.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And we haven't got to keep so many accountant, auditors, and other nonsense, unnecessary things. As soon as there is collection, invest the money in some building or in making some book, book printing. Follow this policy. I am very much eager. I have got money here and there, but I want to spend it in this way. So therefore I am advising take this. We shall invest renovating them and in developing them. Spend money. Don't keep money.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Gargamuni: If we invest in books... Just like this little pamphlet I printed. It cost me fifty paisa. If we sell it in one month...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: Then we will get fifty paisa profit. We will double our investment.

Prabhupāda: That was nicely... That was nicely printed. So in this way invest our books or land. We don't want to keep cash.

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: I'm writing one letter to the governor that I work hard, I print my books and they are selling, and if I bring the money to construct temple, why people are envious? What is the wrong there? Rather, I should be encouraged that I am bringing so much money in India, foreign exchange, by my hard labor. So why they are envious? Why... I have sent this to the governor.

Jayapatākā: To the governor?

Prabhupāda: Governor, Mr. Chandra Reddy. "Why, wherefrom they are getting money, where, why?" That is my very, very hard labor, that's all. Is it wrong if a man works hard and gets money in foreign country and bring in India?

Gargamuni: I think they cannot believe that a sādhu could have so much money from selling books.

Prabhupāda: That may be beyond their dream, but I am not so-called sādhu. I am trying to execute the orders of my Guru Mahārāja, predecessor. I am not a so-called sādhu, taking a saffron robe, begging for fulfilling the belly.

Gargamuni: They have to accept you as an international leader.

Prabhupāda: I must be international leader. Yes, they are surprised how... This is unique in the history, that a single person's books are sold in so many large quantities. I don't think any author has sold so many books. Huh?

Gargamuni: In some of the American magazines they publish a best-seller list of books, and the number of books we sell goes beyond the best-seller list.

Prabhupāda: And especially philosophical and religious books. These people do not touch. (laughs) Untouchable. Has even Vivekananda has presented so many books? A small book, "Thus spake..." And what he will write? What does he know? Simply bluffers. Chaliots.(?) Our Bon Mahārāja is also one of the chaliots. What is the English for chaliot?

Jayapatākā: Bluffers?

Prabhupāda: It means he has no assets but he shows that he is very big. That is called chaliot.

Jayapatākā: Bluffer.

Prabhupāda: Bluffer? Our Tīrtha Mahārāja's Caitanya Research Institute. Here is an Indian Institute for... What is that? Bon Mahārāja's? Institute for Indian Culture and Philosophy. But where is your book? You have seen that Tīrtha Mahārāja's one book? The Vedānta as Caitanya Has Seen, like that. And he has given a picture of himself with effulgence on his head. You have seen that?

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes. You can register it the name. Patron registration. Copyright registration.

Gargamuni: It says it in the book.

Jayapatākā: It says, but you should make sure it's registered.

Gargamuni: Gopāla, he printed it. I don't know if he had it registered. It says in the book, "All Rights Reserved."

Prabhupāda: That is your statement. But it must be legally protected.

Jayapatākā: They may check up and find out not so and then do it. That Bhagavāner Kathā was printed in what book? Do you know?

Prabhupāda: They have got a paper-Gauḍīya.

Gargamuni: These books that Gaura-Govinda, he wants to get printed. How do we know what is being said? I don't know.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the... One Orrian gentleman will come and get him to read this book. Then I can understand where he stands.

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Jayapatākā: I showed your "As Brilliant as the Sun" to Tarun Kanti Gosh and one other minister, and when they saw that, then after, for ten minutes, all they could say was how Prabhupāda, how he is empowered by Lord Gaurāṅga.

Prabhupāda: They said like that.

Jayapatākā: Yes. That's a good movie because it simply shows how you are doing so many books.

Gargamuni: We also showed that to that Atul Krishna Goswami. He came to Māyāpura. When he saw that he was so..., that movie, they had never seen such a thing, the process of printing the books.

Prabhupāda: He has good idea about...

Gargamuni: Oh, yes.

Jayapatākā: He has translated Caitanya-caritāmṛta in Hindi, they say.

Prabhupāda: He presented me one.

Jayapatākā: Many people ask that if the Gītār Gān could be put in Hindi.

Gargamuni: This Gītā Press, they have these little books selling for one rupee, and they've sold lakhs. If we can put Gītār Gān into many languages, it will be bigger than this Gītā Press.

Prabhupāda: So you can... It is poetry.

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Why? Botheration. You have to satisfy your customer, waste time. We keep our machine for our own work.

Gargamuni: We have so many books. As soon as we print a new book, the previous book is out of print. We have to print again.

Prabhupāda: The first machine introduced by you, yes.

Gargamuni: Oh, the mimeograph. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: Then other machines came. I did not know, but I was thinking that if some typist would hear my tapes and type, I was thinking like that. Expert typist. Formerly, it was being done like that. Here, tape recorder. You hear something and then type. Like that. And this machine, you shall, it is, automatically, you hear and type, hear and type.

Jayapatākā: This is made for that.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is the advancement on that idea, dictaphone. Telephone. And the dictation of the author. He's hearing and typing. Nowadays everyone is using. The doctors dictate prescription. The doctor, instead of sending note, he dictates for such and such patient, "He should receive this, take like that..." That is recorded. Another, another, and immediately taken and the compounder hears and... No writing.

Jayapatākā: Actually you are dictating the prescription for the whole world.

Room Conversation -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Devotee: Everywhere we go, the professors are very enthusiastic about the publications, and they say "We will take immediately all the books."

Prabhupāda: Many Indians. How many orders you booked?

Room Conversation -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Visakhapatnam, there is one of my Godbrothers, Purī Mahārāja. Did you go there?

Prabhā Viṣṇu: No. But we saw some books which they published and they had your picture in the front actually. Just on the inside page your picture was there.

Prabhupāda: In Guntur you received order from?

Prabhā Viṣṇu: The State Regional Library. It's the most prestigious library in Andhra Pradesh. They took a complete order for all the books.

Gargamuni: Caitanya-caritāmṛta and Bhāgavatam.

Prabhā Viṣṇu: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Standing order.

Room Conversation with Endowments Commissioner of Andhra Pradesh -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: So this process should be taken, how to make him a devotee. And the easiest process of making devotee is let them come to the temple, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and take prasāda. Then gradually they'll become... I began this movement on this. Very simple. And they have come. I never asked them to study Vedas in the beginning. What they'll read Veda? What do they know? But this process has become successful. So if you take this process it will be very quickly successful. And then literature. I never gave them literature. I have got about eighty books. Not that in the beginning I asked them, "Come here and read books." No. "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take prasāda." Now they are interested in reading books, in publishing them, in selling them and everything. They are doing everything. So if you take the authorized program it will be successful. Otherwise, it will not be successful.

Room Conversation -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad:

Indian man: One feeling I have I must express before you, otherwise whom can I express those feelings. The books are very costly. They are very good, but very costly.

Prabhupāda: What's that?

Indian man: Books. They are very costly for Indians who are very poor.

Prabhupāda: When you are here, you can read all the books.

Indian man: I personally can do this sir, by coming here. But people would like to purchase these books, but they are very costly. If they can be printed in India...

Harikeśa: We're working on printing them in cheaper editions in India.

Indian man: That would be wonderful.

Prabhupāda: Yes, we are trying for that.

Gurukṛpā: Already this Bhāgavatam, First Volume has been printed in Delhi for about three times less cost.

Prabhupāda: So you are not getting that book?

Gurukṛpā: No, in Hyderabad we haven't gotten that.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Gurukṛpā: I don't know. I'm not in a management position. Mahāṁsa Mahārāja is ordering.

Prabhupāda: Get this cheap edition. You can order cheap edition.

Meeting with Endowments Commissioner -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: And we are known the topmost publisher of religious and philosophical books in the world. And we are approved, our books are approved by the greatest learned scholars of all universities. Because they are seeing a new light. No hodgepodge philosophy. India also, wherever we are going. Now within how many days? Within a month.

Prabhaviṣṇu: Yes, one month, in Uttar Pradesh...

Prabhupāda: He has got seventy standing orders. Our books are, say eighty. So eighty books, say, average five dollars. So eighty books, five dollars means...

Prabhaviṣṇu: Four hundred dollars.

Prabhupāda: Four hundred dollars. Such seventy orders. He has secured order in one month, seventy orders. In one place. Standing orders. "Whatever is published give us, and then others, when they will be published, send also." They have not seen even the books.

Meeting with Endowments Commissioner -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: (break) Nobody will be able to check it. He'll go on. That is Kṛṣṇa. Here is dictaphone. I work at night. I get up at half past twelve, one, and I write books. And daytime I'm engaged. And daily either ten page, twenty page written, that is sent to Los Angeles. You have seen our press? And they take care. How our books printed, have you got that film?

Mahāṁsa: I have it in 16 mm only. Yes.

Prabhupāda: Why don't you show?

Mahāṁsa: Just now?

Prabhupāda: Yes. It will take little ...

Mahāṁsa: I don't have a Fairchild. I have it in 16 mm film.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. But the Press...

Mahāṁsa: Yes, the Press film.

Prabhupāda: You can show, they'll be... How in the American industrial process we are printing our books. I made the Book Trust, sixty thousand dollars they are selling. So as author, I could have derived from them at least six thousand, ten percent minimum. Six thousand dollars per day. Six thousand dollars means sixty thousand rupees. That could have been my daily income. But I take little khicuḍi from them, that's all. (Harikeśa laughing)

Meeting with Endowments Commissioner -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: So we have got big program. Any amount of money you bring to us, we shall spend it immediately. (pause) (kīrtana in background) (break) There is a logic, andha-paṅgu-nyāya. One man is blind. Another man is lame. Both are useless. When they combined together the lame man was taken by the blind man. So the lame man has got eyes, he was giving direction, "Go this way." So both their work was done. So I say that India is lame and America is blind. Let us combine together. Then we can give a great culture for the benefit of the whole human society. India has no money-lame. And they have got money but they have no knowledge. So let us combine together. This is logic. Andha-paṅgu-nyāya. So by this cooperation they have... When I was in India I published three parts of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with great difficulty. And now since I have gone there I am publishing every month a book. So on account of their cooperation we are able to publish so many books and organize the sale all over the world. But it is true that this culture is very much welcome all over the world. That is happening. That is real execution of the mission of Kṛṣṇa. Not to keep Kṛṣṇa within the boundaries of certain areas.

Meeting With Member of Parliament, Mr. Krishna Modi -- August 31, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: So if an Indian brings from foreign country by his labor eight lakhs of rupees per month, how much credit he should be given? He should be recognized. But instead of recognizing they are criticizing.

Krishna Modi: This is their way, sir. They have to. They must do it. Because...

Prabhupāda: So you kindly speak to the Parliament that "This is the position, that he is working day and night..."

Krishna Modi: Oh no, I will speak very high about this. Let them, let the matter come. And if not come then we will take this matter. I will give the question. You please reply how much money is coming and in what way they are doing.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Krishna Modi: I will ask the question.

Prabhupāda: Prove that the American government is supplying some way. No. We are selling our books.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually when you go abroad you can even see how our income's coming. How our temples live. We are all over the world.

Prabhupāda: That is our books are being printed.

Krishna Modi: A very big thing it is. It is marvelous that you have done such a thing. It is proud of India that...

Room Conversation -- September 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: It is due to the blessing of my Guru Mahārāja. He directly told me that "If you get some money, publish some books." I took it seriously, so he's helping me. All our Godbrothers, they didn't take it. Did not know it, neither... Even they... They know it. Because from the very beginning, Guru Mahārāja was serious about publication. He started press and published these books. This Bhāgavata was published by him. And the journal, six journals, he was very much fond of publishing, publication. Very, very. He told me directly that if it was possible to get the marbles from this Gauḍīya Maṭha and sell it and convert it into books, I would have done it. Because I know there will be blazing fire in this place. (break) And by Kṛṣṇa's grace, by selling books we are getting. This is Kṛṣṇa's grace. Otherwise... This Bon Mahārāja is so proud of his institution. He could not do this. He could have done it. For the last forty years.

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhaktivedanta Swami started translating Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-caritāmṛta and Bhagavad-gītā in 1936. When the late prime minister, Shri Lal Bahadur Sastri, saw Bhaktivedanta Swami's Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he said, "His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda is doing valuable work, and his books are a significant contribution to the salvation of mankind.' Presently Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, a division of ISKCON has published over sixty books of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. These include Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 25 volumes, and Caitanya-caritāmṛta, 17 volumes. These books have been acclaimed by both Indian and Western scholars. The books are being used by about three thousand universities all over the world, including Oxford, Cambridge, and Harvard universities. In India, in the last four months, close to four hundred institutes have placed standing orders on Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's books."

Prabhupāda: Calcutta University purchased.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, I said four hundred universities. I didn't... "Even Russian scholars have praised Bhaktivedanta Swami's books and placed orders. For your information, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust is the leading seller of books of Vedic culture outside India."

Prabhupāda: Topmost publisher of religious and philosophical... In the world. That is admitted.

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhaktivedanta Swami has written over eighty books which are being sold in every country in the world. These books are selling twelve doubled(?) sixty thousand dollars daily which is about five lakhs. We have over a hundred centers all over the world and all these centers are being run by book sales. In the last three years, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust has published over two million hardbound big books. About three and a half million softbound medium size books and about fifteen million magazines on Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So you can see the wide acceptance of these books. Out of the 2,800 major universities in America, about ninety percent have purchased one or more of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's books. Occasionally we receive contributions. This is not in cash but in kind. For example, Alfred Ford donated two buildings to our Society, one in Honolulu Hawaii, and the other in Detroit, America. In London..."

Prabhupāda: Thank you. You can go and play. You cannot understand.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Go and play. "In London, George Harrison donated a big castle which is now called Bhaktivedanta Manor. We have purchased many buildings and converted them to temples from the sale of our books. What is wrong if a portion of Bhaktivedanta Book Trust sales are transferred to India for construction of temples? Fifty percent of Bhaktivedanta Book Trust income is spent for further publishing and the other fifty percent is spent to build temples all over the world. In fact, Blitz should appreciate this because Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's books are bringing valuable overseas currency into the country without any cost to the Indian public.

Press Interview -- October 16, 1976, Chandigarh:

Interviewer: One question. You have priced these books very high comparatively for the poorer countries. Do you have any plans to reduce...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: You have priced these books very high for poor countries.

Haṁsadūta: We're printing locally now. The same books, but local printing so that they can be afforded by the public.

Prabhupāda: Yes. When we print locally it will be sold at half-price.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This Bhagavad-gītā for example, it's going to be sold to the masses at fifteen rupees in about three weeks. We are printing the Indian edition with 48 color plates. The government of India is giving us concessional paper for printing. They are very pleased with our... We're getting lot of concessional paper so we are expanding the printing.

Interviewer: What is the price of this edition?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This is, in America it's seven dollars, seven dollars ninety-five cents.

Press Interview -- October 16, 1976, Chandigarh:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Could we just take two minutes of your time? This is a review from Śrī Baradraj, Principle of Government College for Men, Chandigarh. He says, "Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is one of the great classics of India. This commentary is a significant contribution to the religious literature of this country. Many of the conflicting views on certain ślokas have been beautifully resolved by Swamiji. I congratulate the members of the Society for bringing out this wonderful work in such a lucid form. I shall be looking forward to the other publications." This is a review from Dr. Varsneya (?), senior professor and Head of Hindi Department, Dean and Curator of Arts, honorary librarian, Allahabad University, Allahabad. "Śrī A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda has really done a great service to Indian philosophy, religion and culture by translating Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam into English, with learned commentaries, and has thus provided source material to the Western world. Other philosophical and religious works published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust also present a golden opportunity to the Western philosophers and scholars to drink deep at the celestial fountain of ancient Indian philosophy and spiritual wisdom." I'm just reading a few very quick ones. There's one from a leading professor in Chandigarh who you must be knowing. Dr. Jagadish Sharma, M.A., (indistinct) Delhi? He's from Punjab University. Author of nineteen books including Encyclopedia of India. So here is what Dr. Sharma says. "India's contribution towards the revivalism of the Hindu civilization culture by way of printing the Harvard Oriental Series was tremendous. But the work done by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda is unsurpassable." He says it's even greater. "His Holiness has done a great service to the Indian culture by re-interpreting the concepts enshrined in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. This edition of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam will go a long way to help the scientists in rediscovering phenomena of the universe which is yet to be discovered. The printing and the get up of this book is excellent. The thoughts of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam radiate to anyone who sees it. This book helps to brighten the gloomy and dark clouds which are covered by the nuclear fear and apprehension of society."

Prabhupāda: Where is that book, Scientific Basis of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness? Some of my students, they are Ph.Ds in science. They have written this book, Scientific Basis of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. And we are going to publish another book, Life Comes From Life.

Interviewer: Sir, why don't you present us one set of... (laughter) Some part...

Prabhupāda: Because this is our means of income. Kindly give us some contribution, you take as many... (laughter)

Interviewer: I could only purchase one book. I cannot purchase four dozen books. Now you are here, I think you should present us one set so that we may read this.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We have a library here where everyone can come and read. Besides, five or six other, fifteen libraries in Chandigarh have all our books. You can visit either of those fifteen or the Hare Kṛṣṇa... (Guests talk at once)

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: At least I save doctors bill, (chuckles) I am always sick, but I never go to the doctor. Give me little nim, give me little this (sounds of hand striking table), that's all. Then what less expenditure we can make? As far as possible we do not go even to the doctor.

Hari-śauri: Well, It's because of these things, that they're wondering well then, what do we do with the money?

Prabhupāda: We spend for Kṛṣṇa. Just like spending it, lakhs of rupees in Bombay for Kṛṣṇa.

Hari-śauri: Yeah, I agree.

Prabhupāda: Every month.

Hari-śauri: We just have to show them how many books we are printing and everything, too.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: It's not that we're letting the money sit and accumulating.

Prabhupāda: No. I am daily canvassing Gopāla Kṛṣṇa, "Print book! I don't want to keep the money in the bank, convert into the books and keep it in our..." I am asking.

Hari-śauri: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: Whatever little money I've got, I don't want to keep in the bank. I want to convert it and purchase paper, print book. Then these rascals will never be able to take anything from us.

Hari-śauri: No.

Prabhupāda: That I am asking every time. Ask Gopāla that, "Print books and keep it nicely, otherwise somebody may steal and sell in the market." Our books should be printed and kept very safely. This is our program. And they are speaking from the Vedic literature. We don't manufacture any magic, any jugglery, any mystic power. We have no mystic power. So, which point they will find fault? (laughs) I don't think we have got any loophole.

Hari-śauri: We simply have to...

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Hari-śauri: ...present our whole program and...

Prabhupāda: Our only business is how to establish Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the only business. Our quarrel with our men: Why this temple is not clean? Why there is no flower in the Deity room? This is our fight.

Room Conversation -- November 4, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: One complaint is standing, that with our life members and others, subscriber, they always complain they are not getting paper, they are not getting book. That is the general complaint.

Akśayananda: They send regularly. We are sending. But many times the mail is stolen, magazines, Back to Godhead.

Prabhupāda: That is a fact.

Akśayananda: Yes, it is very difficult.

Prabhupāda: Because there are so many nice picture. I have seen. When I was printing my books in a Delhi press, so one peon was coming there to work part time as compositor. So his mailbag he will put somewhere in the press and he will being composing. And all other compositors, they'll check the mail bag and if something is attractive, they will take. I have seen it. Our magazine is so...

Akśayananda: It's so beautiful.

Prabhupāda: ...full of pictures, so naturally, as soon as they, the picture and..., they take it.

Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Dr. Kneupper: Do you think if a person is to be a real believer in God he has to also worship Kṛṣṇa or speak of Him?

Prabhupāda: No, God means Kṛṣṇa. He has to understand it. Therefore so many books. God has many names, millions, of which Kṛṣṇa name is the most important. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. Then you have to understand the science of God. How Kṛṣṇa is God, that you have to understand. But for that reason we are publishing so many books. We have already published eighty-four books, simply in English language. And they are being translated in German, French, Portuguese, then Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, Bengali, like that.

Room Conversation -- November 11, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So I saw that one, that Mr. Maiman (?), he has got so many boxes all down his room. So I asked, "What are these?" "No, these are different cinema house collection. The ticket, half of the ticket, is put into this box before entering. So I count this slip. Then I can understand what is the income. That's all. Let them do whatever that." So I am simply asking, "How many books they are selling?" (laughter) If the sale is going on, "All right, that's all right. Let them do whatever they like." The books are printed and distributed? That is all right. Then other things, you do whatever you like. Never ask.

Room Conversation -- November 15, 1976, Vrndavana:

Jagadīśa: (showing book) Sanskrit, English transliteration, word for word.

Mr. Saxena: I see.

Jagadīśa: Translation and purport so anyone who doesn't know Bhagavad-gītā can read, "Bhagavad-gītā is the widely read theistic science..."

Mr. Saxena: Thank you, thank you, thank you. You must have also this missionary spirit. (Hindi conversation) So I am at your disposal now.

Prabhupāda: Yes. You give him one single room. So we have given word to word meaning, translation, purport. This book also we are selling, millions.

Mr. Saxena: I see.

Prabhupāda: We have published the small book and big book, eighty-four.

Press Conference -- December 16, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: I have my book trust. The daily collection of book trust is five to six lakhs of rupees. Daily.

Guest (9): Daily. Oh, book trust. Oh, by the sale of books.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. And I have asked them, "Fifty percent, you print books again, and fifty percent, you spend." That's all. Same thing.

Guest (9): Spend on what?

Prabhupāda: Spend for this purpose, propagation. That is my mi... And if I would have taken some royalty, then my daily income would have been not less than 75,000 per day.

Guest (9): After income tax, little would be left.

Prabhupāda: There is no income tax. We are charity.

Guest (9): 75,000 daily, you said.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because five to six lakhs daily collection. If I take minimum fifteen percent, what it comes to? Big, big authors, they get twenty-five percent.

Room Conversation with Mr. Tombe (M.L.A.) -- December 25, 1976, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: These are all of Prabhupāda's books. Eighty books.

Prabhupāda: Eighty-four books we have, I have written within ten years. And our publication house, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the first in the world for publishing religious and philosophical books. We are selling not less than six lakhs worth books daily.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This is Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, publishing division.

Mr. Tombe: I have got only a few of them now. I would like to pick up...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Here, these are... We only have sample copies in India. So I'll tell Girirāja to bring you some. These are only sample copies for Prabhupāda's display.

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Guru dāsa: In Bhuvaneśvara you are going to have any plan for making a temple?

Prabhupāda: What is my plan, that is always there. That is to print books and construct temples. Throughout the whole world this plan is going on. Fifty percent construction, fifty percent printing books. Whatever I get money, I give him. That's all. I am the same beggar. Either it comes ten lakhs or fifty lakhs, ten crores.

Room Conversation -- December 28, 1976, Bombay:

Rādhā-vallabha: When we reprint the Kṛṣṇa Book trilogy this year, the hardbound, I was wondering, could we put more pictures in the second and third volumes? Not changing, but additional.

Prabhupāda: Why increase cost?

Rādhā-vallabha: I don't think it would be that much. The first volume has over sixty pictures and the second one only has thirty-two and the third only has twenty-four. Anyway, anything we do will increase the cost but not so significant. Few cents. We were thinking that the Kṛṣṇa Books were originally printed many many years ago and since then we have a lot of nice paintings of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes that we could put in.

Prabhupāda: If you can give without increasing price, there is no harm. Or for this cents. Let us.

Jagadīśa: Prasāda is ready.

Rādhā-vallabha: If it's only an insignificant increase then we'll put some in.

Prabhupāda: But you don't increase price.

Rādhā-vallabha: Oh, to the temples.

Prabhupāda: No, to the customer.

Rādhā-vallabha: Yes. That's no problem.

Room Conversation -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is Ram-Krishna, he's a big brother.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He's also dying now, Tejiyas told me. He's old now.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. He's of my age. Not less. But he's after three, four wives. His business is to go from one wife's house to another wife's house and each wife's house, expenditure of ten thousand rupees per month. (chuckles) He's a very funny businessman. He has made his wife director and they take money. So to avoid income tax... So, huge expenditure. Each, one house. Income tax cannot say, "Why you are maintaining?" (indistinct) That is not their business. It is comparison. Just like Bhogilal, he's maintaining big, big establishment. So I became his guest for fifteen days. He wanted to stay. I stayed for fifteen days. I first, my requisition was that he you must give me exclusive typewriter for writing my books. So he gave me. And if I would have asked for typewriter he would have given. But I was working with my broken typewriter. I went to our Tīrtha Mahārāja in Māyāpura, that "You give me a room (Śrīla Prabhupāda taps on table) and a typewriter, (tap) and print my books. (tap) Give me some (indistinct) (tap). I join you."

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He said no?

Prabhupāda: He did not say no, but the printing of books, that was difficult task for him. He had no money. He's hardly collecting for maintaining. And India, printing of books is a big job. There is no guarantee of sale.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He must be feeling sorry for it now. Of course, he's dead. But later on he must be feeling sorry that if he would have given you... Agreed to your request...

Prabhupāda: Yes. These things I would have done from Caitanya Maṭha.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I never knew... We never knew that you went to Tīrtha Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) No... Rather, it is Guru Mahārāja's institution. I first of all gave him...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: A chance.

Prabhupāda: He's head man. "All right. I shall join you."

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: When was this? Which year?

Prabhupāda: In 1953. Before going to America. Two years before.

Girirāja: '63.

Prabhupāda: '63, yes.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: '63 you were already sannyāsa.

Prabhupāda: No. '63 I was in Vṛndāvana. Before that.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Before sannyāsa.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes.

Hari-śauri: Before coming to Vṛndāvana.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes. At that time I was not sannyāsa. That means it was before '58. Somewhere in '57 or... So I tried my Godbrothers, that if they give me facilities for this, then I shall join. Otherwise, I will work independently. So nobody was able to provide me with this.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Nobody?

Prabhupāda: Well, they had no money. It requires money, printing of books.

Hari-śauri: How did you manage to get your first Bhāgavatams printed?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: From donations.

Prabhupāda: Donation. This Dalmia, Jayadala, he gave me about four thousand.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: H.N. Sharma always tells me, "I helped your Guruji print the first books."

Prabhupāda: That was through Hanuman.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Everybody is now taking credit for helping. Now that you are so big everybody says, "I did this. I did that, I did that."

Prabhupāda: No, actually, these Dalmia started with four thousand rupees.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They're nice people.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I met two of them. They were...

Prabhupāda: He gave me twice funds. Four thousand once, five thousand. Five thousand he gave me when I went to America for the second time.

Room Conversation -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Easy Journey to Other Planets. They finished printing it yesterday and they're binding it together. One or two days, it always happens. When I give a date sometimes it gets delayed. So I figured the distribution of Hindi books will be very good. Ludhiana and Mathurā and also not much investment will be required. It's very common, devotees go every year and they are tired of it. So this year we should concentrate on book distribution. If we have a pandal in Mathurā every evening starting at six o'clock. If we can reach Mathurā at five for book distribution it will be nice. Actually I was also thinking of having a three day pandal in Agra.

Prabhupāda: Agra is very good.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Agra is even bigger than Mathurā and our book distribution would be good. I'm going to write and see what the possibilities are.

Prabhupāda: Nearby cities we can...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, that is what I'm thinking of. Near Vṛndāvana.

Prabhupāda: Away from Vṛndāvana.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.