711228 - Letter to Bali-mardana written from Bombay

Letters by Date, 1971

Tridandi Goswami
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Date: December 28, 1971
Camp: ISKCON Bombay

My dear Bali Mardan,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 16, 1971, and I am very glad you are sincere to make an effort for managing our ISKCON Press. But what is that management? Simply taking money and no production. So I approve of Karandhar's plan not to give more money to the Press until all debts and books owed are cleared and settled up. If you think that by lowering the prices of our books that things will improve, I have no objection. But always work in consultation on these matters with Rupanuga, Karandhar, Bhagawan, Satsvarupa, and Jai Adwaita. I think that you six men are a very favorable combination for successfully managing book business. Now do it very thoughtfully, with agreement among yourselves, and I'm sure there will no difficulty. Practically our Society means books, so if there are no books, how can we preach?
Your proposal to make a series of smaller books is approved by me. It is very nice. That will help in teaching the young children also. If the Press is running 24 hours, then everything is all right. Something must always be produced. I am very encouraged by the small pamphlets sent to me by Karandhar which he is printing in Los Angeles. I wanted that our Press from the very beginning should print such leaflets, but that they have not done--simply trying for equalling Dai Nippon, consuming money like Dai Nippon, and producing nothing.
Diacritical marks must be maintained. These are internationally accepted by all scholars, so I want they should remain. If they are a botheration, then leave out the Sanskrit words altogether, or wherever there is Sanskrit word keep the English spelling or pronunciation in brackets following it. For example: "KRSNA (pronounced 'Krishna')." If you are printing children's books you may avoid Sanskrit words. But in my speeches there must be Sanskrit. This changing from one standard to another is not good--either avoid Sanskrit, put English pronunciation in brackets, but use the diacritical marks wherever there is Sanskrit.
So far the books shipped to Africa, this will be a contribution this time. But from now on books used in Africa and India shall be printed in those countries, and you may send them the plates of each books required by them for printing locally.
I am not much fond of the idea of changing things to accommodate the public--better to change the public to accommodate us. Therefore I suggest wherever there is Sanskrit used there should also be English spelling in brackets. In this way, the public will become accustomed to Sanskrit language so that in future we may use only Sanskrit and they will understand.
If I am able to translate more, with each book there is a new idea--same subject matter but from a different angle of vision. Therefore, I want to end this touring and begin full-time translating. So kindly help me in this way by organizing ISKCON Press very nicely.
I hope this will meet you in good health and cheerful mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Bali Mardan das Brahmachary
ISKCON Press
32 Tiffany Place,
Brooklyn, New York
U.S.A., 11231

ACBS/sda