740715 - Letter to Radhavallabha from Ramesvara

July 15, 1974

From: Ramesvara

[PLEASE NOTE THE 3 PS NOTES AFTER SIGNATURE ON NEW PAGE]

Dear Radhaballabha Prabhu,

Please accept my most humble obeisances in the dust of your lotus-like feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Here is a brief report as best as I can remember of Srila Prabhupada’s recent comments.

Regarding Pariksit’s drawings, we did not even show Him the picture for Chapter 1 because His Divine Grace was already so annoyed that we were not including the picture of Rupa and Sanatan Goswami offering obeisances to Lord Caitanya’s kirtan party at Prayag that we told Him we would use that on the title page of Chapter 1. On Chapter 2, Prabhupada said that this picture was completely unbonafide. Sanatan Goswami would never sit as if he were equal to Lord Caitanya but would only sit at the Feet of Lord Caitanya. Chapter 3 was all right. On Chapter 4 Prabhupada was angry that this picture was not easily understood. He said, “What is the use of such a picture if no one will understand it? Only the artist will understand it so what is the use? Painting means that as soon as you see you understand what the idea is.” This picture was therefore rejected. Chapter 5, rejected. Prabhupada said, “The title is ‘How to Approach God’ and they have a picture of a child and a man like father and son. What is this nonsense?” You can inform Pariksit that this picture has nothing to do with the contents of this chapter. The confidential rasas are not explained in T.L.C. until the last chapters so as Prabhupada said, what is the use of this picture? It does not convey the right idea. Chapter 6 was all right. Chapter 7, all right. Chapter 8, all right. Chapter 9, all right. Chapter 10, all right. Chapter 11, not so good but all right. Chapter 12, rejected. Prabhupada said, “They have made Sukadeva Goswami look like a woman. This is their hippy mentality. People will think this is a naked woman.” Prabhupada then went on to chastise us for maintaining this hippy mentality. Chapter 13, all right. Chapter 14, all right. Chapter 15, all right but He didn’t comment that the Kumaras were naked. Chapter 16, rejected completely. Prabhupada said, “What is this? What does this have to do with this chapter title?” Then we explained that this was the story of Mrigari becoming a devotee of Narada which was explained to Sanatana. Prabhupada looked at it again and said, “This is very bad. They have made Mrigari look like Lord Caitanya and people will think, ‘What is this – Lord Caitanya, a sannyasi, is dancing inside a house with a woman?’ People will mistake this for Lord Caitanya and it will spoil everything.” Chapter 17, all right. Chapter 18, rejected completely. Prabhupada said, “Why have the made this change? They already have the picture of Prakasananda extending his hand to Lord Caitanya so why have they painted this unnecessarily? This picture – people will think that they are going to fight. They are holding sticks as if they are going to fight. This is very bad .People will think two devotees or spiritual men are fighting.” And then He proceeded to chastise us for making so many changes unnecessarily. Chapter 19 was very good. Srila Prabhupada said, “Yes, this picture is easy to understand along with the title.” Chapter 20, all right. Chapter 21, all right. Chapter 22, rejected. Srila Prabhupada said, “What does this picture have to do with Srimad Bhagavatam? Srimad Bhagavatam means you lay down on the ground?” Prabhupada said, “This means all the artists are wasting their intelligence.” Actually, if Pariksit had looked at the chapter more carefully he would simply have painted Lord Caitanya sitting down speaking Bhagavatam to His disciples. Chapter 23, rejected and Prabhupada got very angry. “This is not Vedanta,” he said. “Vedanta means you close your eyes and meditate on Krsna? Why are they concocting? Anyone who studies Vedanta will accept this as meaningless. Vedanta means ‘janmad yasya yatah’. You analytically study the whole manifestation. You study cause and effect. Anyone who is studying Vedanta will see this picture and think that we do not understand what Vedanta is. Just see, because they are concocting people will not appreciate the books. This is all unnecessary. Who asked them to paint this picture? This book is the highest philosophy, so serious, but because you are doing concoctions you are ruining it all. This is my fear. Do not change. Do not do these unnecessary things.”

At this point, we took all the rest of the pictures without showing them to Prabhupada and said that we will take them all out. By the way, as Maharaj told you, Prabhupada was very angry that the picture of Lord Caitanya’s birth site was taken out. “It is documentary,” He said, “historical evidence. Why are they changing without asking my permission? This must stop.” Then we showed Srila Prabhupada the first page of each chapter showing the embellished capital letter on the opening word. Prabhupada considered it and then said that this is also making the book seem less important. “These decorations are for fairy tales, not for serious philosophy. Have you ever seen a philosophical book with this?”

The day before I went over some of the Krsna Book pictures with Srila Prabhupada. Here are some of His comments – please note that Prabhupada did not make any comments on the pictures which we were planning to keep in and later when Maharaj was called in about midway through the examination he decided to call off everything so we did not have a chance to have Prabhupada give us comments on 50% of the artwork.

1st signature page 3, 4-5

I told Prabhupada we were taking these pictures out. He said, “Why? What will you replace them with?” I tried to explain that in order to add recent pictures which will improve the book we are taking out some of the bad ones. Prabhupada said, “Who has decided this?” And I replied that in New York all these decisions are made about which painting is superior. Prabhupada said, “So they have become the authorities? What is this?”

1st signature page 6-7

Prabhupada looked at both Putanas and said the two-page spread is far superior to the picture in S.B. 2:2. He pointed to the houses and the people in the picture in Krsna Book and said, “Look how nice this is.” And then on the S.B. picture He said, “This is less, simply a black face, no houses, no people. How can they think it is better?”

1st signature page 8

I pointed out that this picture was not correct because Ananta Sesa was not painted and therefore we thought that it could be taken out. Prabhupada said, “So you correct it. You paint in Ananta Sesa.” I explained that we cannot at this time. Then Prabhupada said, “Then do not take it out. It is very important scene. You have nothing to replace it with.”

2nd signature page 2-3

Prabhupada approved that we change this picture for the cart picture in 2:2. He said that the new picture was better because it showed the demon, Sakatasura, so it was more complete.

3rd signature page 2-3

Prabhupada said, “How can you take out this picture? (the name-giving ceremony) It is a very important scene. What do you have to replace it with? Anything I approve then do not change.”

4th signature page 2-3

I told Prabhupada we were taking out this picture of Krsna imitating the animals. He said, “Why? What do you have to replace it with?” I showed Prabhupada the different pictures of the cowherd boys that had been selected including Krsna and Balarama pointing to the trees, Krsna with the cows, etc. He said, “No, this does not replace it. This is very important, Krsna imitating the animals. Who has given you the authority to do this? These pictures of Krsna and cows are general but this painting is a specific pastime.”

4th signature page 4-5

Prabhupada said, “You cannot take out this picture of Bakasura. You have nothing to replace it with.” At this point Prabhupada was so angry that Bali Mardan Maharaj closed the book. Prabhupada said, “You make no changes. Once I have decided that a picture can be published it can never be changed. If you want to change something, better you must ask me first. They are not authorities.”

After this I showed Prabhupada some pictures we wanted to add in Volume 2 and 3 provided we do not change anything. “Adding is all right,” He said, “provided you do not substitute or subtract.” (unless you consult Him first) He pointed to the picture of Krsna and Balaram entering Mathura but commented that “Krsna has too much hair. This is their hippy tendency.” When I showed Him a picture of Krsna being chased by Jarasanda, Prabhupada rejected it angrily saying, “They are painting Krsna with too much hair, like hippy. They have this tendency. You must teach them not to do like this. ”When I showed Him the picture of Krsna on the rocks, Prabhupada said, “This is not a good painting. The background is not good.” Bali Mardan said, “The background is too flat.” Prabhupada said, “Yes, it is not a good painting.”

Earlier that morning, Prabhupada called me in alone asking for an explanation why the books were being published so slowly. I explained about the new prices and how we had to make changes. This is what made Him call for a complete examination of all the changes. He said at that time, “These paintings are like our trademarks.” And He pointed to all the paintings in His room. I said, “Yes, Prabhupada, but I have to tell you that they want to change the rasa dance painting.” “Who wants to change it?” He exploded. “What is this other painting?” He said, shaking His head. I had to run downstairs to get the picture and run back upstairs. He held the painting in His hand for several minutes and then began to shake it. “This painting is not good. It is like hippy dance. It is like a play thing. They have painted crows in the picture.” Prabhupada pointed to the other rasa dance painting on his wall and said, “This is dignified, elegant, not like this hippy thing.” He was so angry. He said, “Who says this is better.” I said, without naming anyone, “The artists think this is better.” He said, “Who?” I said, “Prabhupada, I think it is Jadurani and also Radhaballabha is in charge.” Prabhupada said, “They are rascals…” Sudama was cringing on the far wall and I was shaking like anything at Prabhupada’s Lotus Feet. It was a very bad situation and I think you get the idea. Jai, Prabhu, I hope this finds you recovering and always determined to surrender everything in order to please Srila Prabhupada. Haribol.

Your unworthy servant,

Ramesvara dasa Brahmacary

(BBT)

/kdd

P.S. Bali mentioned that the cover of Bhagavatam 4:2 should have also been used as an inside picture. When we reprint Bhagavatam 3:2 we must take out the rasa dance painting. Prabhupada’s comment regarding the three Deity worship pictures in Bhagavatam 2:1 that we are taking out is that they are childish, and in regards to the picture of Maharaj Pariksit worshipping the Deity, “They have made Maharaj Pariksit appear more important and prominent than the Deities.”

P.P.S. Srila Prabhupada showed me tonight a picture of Himself which He appreciated very much. He told me that this picture should be painted immediately so please find a copy of it enclosed. (He indicated that this should be a nice sized painting.)

P.P.P.S. In the garden this evening Prabhupada was describing that in the beginning He wrote a summary of Krsna lila, the 10th Canto because in the event that He was unable to complete the whole Srimad Bhagavatam at least we would have the pastimes of Krsna. He said that now, when He reaches the 10th Canto, He will publish it in a minimum of 30 volumes! (10th Canto alone is 30 volumes minimum.) Prabhupada then went on to describe how Krsna’s right and left legs are the first and second Cantos of Bhagavatam, His waist is the third Canto, His abdomen, the fourth Canto, His chest, the fifth, His neck, the sixth…His smiling face the 10th Canto and His smile is the rasa lila. “Therefore,” He said, “I do not like that picture of the rasa dance.”