690506 - Letter to Brahmananda written from Boston

Letters by Date, 1969

May 6, 1969

My Dear Brahmananda,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 2, 1969 on your new letter-heading, "Iskcon Books." Regarding the MacMillan Company's printing Srimad Bhagavatam, we may note herewith that the MacMillan's publication of the Bhagavad Gita As It Is and our publication of Teachings of Lord Chaitanya is the difference between heaven and hell. If MacMillan Company can invest their good money for publishing our Bhagavatam, they must take the standard as we have presented. The first canto cannot be reduced less than 200 pages. In the Bhagavad Gita As It Is, we have cut short the pages under the instruction of the MacMillan Company, without explaining many important verses. We are presenting a new philosophy to the world against all foolish impersonalist, atheistic, agnostic and all other imperfect philosophies. Therefore we must have sufficient chance for explaining the purports of Srimad Bhagavatam. So if MacMillan agrees to these conditions, then we can entrust the publication of the Bhagavatam in their hands. Such a big company, world famous publishers, and we are giving them the topmost transcendental knowledge in the world. Why they should become miserly in the set-up and quality of the book?

Regarding Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, I am very glad to know that you are hopeful for great success. The stores demand of 40% for at least 4 copies is all right. There are about 1,000 stores in new York at least. So if they take 3 copies each, we immediately distribute 3,000 copies. Similarly in other big cities we can distribute at least 1,000 in each city. There are at least 25 important cities in your country, so in each city, if we distribute at least 1,000 copies, there is potency of distributing 25,000 copies in your country only, and what to speak of other countries, like England or any other part of the world where English is spoken. So it requires only organization; and now that we have a special "Iskcon Books" department simply for the promotion and publication of our literatures, and you also have the help of Nayana Bhirama and Bali Mardan, so the future looks very hopeful. Now you should definitely organize to distribute amongst the stores in the same conditions you have mentioned. Then our publication department will be a grand success. I would always prefer to distribute our books ourselves and publish them ourselves in our own press. That is my ambition, so you try to fulfill this desire of mine. Acyutananda's address is as follows: c/o Chaitanya Saraswata Math, Kolerganj, P.O. Dist. Nadia, W. Bengal. Please negotiate with him that he may take charge of supplying and purchasing our goods from India. If he takes charge of purchasing our goods from India and sends directly, then we shall be able to save at least 50% of the cost they are charging at United Shipping Corporation. I have already written to him for mridungas which are manufactured in Navadvipa, first quality, at the rate of $4.00 each. Similarly, first quality kholes can be purchased from there, utmost at the rate of __ each. Similarly, many other goods, including murtis, etc. he can purchase and book them regularly to our different centers. I have got news from Jaya Govinda that he has already arrived in Hamburg, and it is a great relief for me. Now Acyutananda is adamant to remain in India, so let him do something for our society. So far as starting a center in India, I am now thinking that that is not needed. I am getting inspiration that I need not bother myself in opening a center in India, since I tried for it and have lost so much money in the attempt. You know first of all I sent $100 to Acyutananda for Kanpur center; that is lost. I sent another $100 to the Sevaiti of Radha-Damodara; that is also lost. I sent for publication to Hitsaran $300, but out of that $100 is lost. Then Nippan Banerjea plundered Acyutananda by two typewriters. So in every way I see that I am losing there in spite of having our own men, like Acyutananda, Jaya Govinda, and others there. So I take it as warning from my Spiritual Master not to attempt in India, but rather to concentrate my energy in this part of the world. So let Acyutananda help us in the matter of purchasing and supplying goods from India. From Hamburg, Jaya Govinda has written to give hope that very soon he will publish Back To Godhead in German language, so I am very much encouraged for his assurance.

My backache is almost cured by this time. I don't feel any inconvenience. I am walking as usual, and sometimes I am galloping the hills, defeating the young boys and girls. So don't be worried. I thank you very much for your kindly taking care of me always, especially when I was in Buffalo. The other day there was a question in class, one Indian boy asked me whether I am happy. So I answered him that in India I left my five children, but here, although I came alone, Krishna has given me hundreds of nice children. So I told him to just compare the practical happiness. So I am not at all inconvenienced under the care of my children here.

The Sankirtan Party must always work regularly; that is our life and soul. You have given nice opportunity to Subaldas. He is very sober and honest devotee. You are going every afternoon for one hour and that is very nice. Four or five men in the temple for kirtans is sufficient. The temple is an ideal institution, and people should come to learn, because if they can make every house like our temples, then their lives will surely be successful. Regarding your proposal for contacting a subsidiary publisher, we are prepared to pay the fee or the cost of the production if they can produce our books of the same quality as Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, and at the same price. We

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