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Reading books other than Srila Prabhupada's

• Subject: Reading books other than Srila Prabhupada's
• From: Chuck G
• Date: Mon Jul 03 13:00:37 1995
• Message-Id: id558

Dear Chuck


Thank you for you letter. I have been wondering if I should write to you or not so
I am glad to receive it.

>
>It's been a little while since I heard from you.
>I hope you got the letter I mailed you and hope you were not offended >by it.

No. I am not offended by it. I understand your points and you presented sound
logical arguments, etc... But I am dedicated to following Srila Prabhupadas
instructions and he clearly wanted us to read his books... I have read Srila
Prabhupada's books many, many times. I may think now I am advanced enough and I
can go and read other books as well, and it might even be that I am. But the
problem is if I do that anyone I preach to will see me doing it and follow my
example... But the difficulty is Mayavadi philosophy is so subtle it is very
difficult to tell from Visanavism. Of course the books of Jiva Gosvami are
bonafide but that is not all one has to be concerned about. There are so many
translations of the Bhagavad-gita and, technically speaking the translations may
be correct. But the  consciousness of the translator enters into the matter as
well. Srila Prabhupada said Dr. Radha Krishna's translation of the Bhagavad-gita
was 90% right for the translations... Put the purports! Full on mayavadi
philosophy...

So you may be able to tell what is right or not but you may have seen the letter
from Bhakta Paul on alt.religion.viasnava. He is a new bhakta, he has hardly read
anything from Srila Prabhupada's books and he is out "researching Radharani". He
sent me a reply to the response I posted in a.r.v. and he said something like "I'm
only interested in Radha... Where did I say anything about Krishna?" And he said
his research was being done under the guidance of his "spiritual master"... This
sort of "research" is nonsense. He should be reading Srila Prabhupada's books,
distributing them, going out on Hari-nam sankirtan, attending the Bhagavatam
class, etc... But instead he's "researching Radharani..."

This is the problem with introducing books other than Srila Prabhupada's. Some may
actually be bonafide but by far the majority of them are certainly not. Most
devotees can't tell the difference at all. It is not an easy thing. I have
included my reply to Bhakta Paul's second letter and I would appreciate your
coments.

Also in your letter you said my BTG was "illegal", and I accept that. I certainly
used a lot of BBT material in it... But my mood was to give people the chance to
read something about Krishna, that's all. So I distributed more than 30,000 BTG's
last year and as a result so many people chanted Hare Krishna, read some stories
about Krishna. I have so many "sankirtana" stories. When I go out and seriously
try to distribute books or BTG's I meet so many nice people... I remember one
young boy, about 14-15, he came running up to me one day saying he had read the
BTG and enjoyed it. So I said "fantastic" and went through the "speel" to sell him
the next issue. So he gladly bought it. Then I asked him, "Tell me something about
Krishna?" So he said he had only read that one BTG but he really liked the way
Krishna looked after His friends [he had read the Krishna Killing The Aghasura
Demon story I had printed from "Krishna Book"]. He was so impressed that Krishna
saved His friends from the Aghasura demon. This one boy, who now thinks Krishna is
very nice, to me makes the whole endeavor worthwhile. Even if it was only him. But
there are thousands of people like him in Sydney who have come a little closer to
Krishna because of the BTG's. So it is valid preaching. ISKCON won't sell me the
books. So I have no choice. To preach we have to distribute something...

As for printing another magazine I am lamenting the loss of BTG as a preaching
magazine... That is the real point. We don't have a BTG as Srila Prabhupada
established it any more. We have an in-house publication which is not really
distributed outside the existing devotee/congregational community. Not that the
existing publication is bad... It serves a purpose, but not the purpose Srila
Prabhupada established BTG for.

>
>Srila Prabhupada created "ISKCON", "Int'l SOCIETY for Krishna
>Consciousness".  As in most "societies" there is both a consensus of
>opinion, as well as some differances of opinion also - this is
>expected.


Yes. He wanted it to be "Unity in Diversity". That was to be the theme. Not a
"consensus". Consensus means compromise. He wanted independent temples run by
temple presidents. He didn't want big centralized bodies at all... But it,
unfortunately, didn't eventuate. Differences of opinion are not tolerated in
ISKCON. Particularly if your opinion is Srila Prabhupada didn't die... that he is
still living in his books...

>
>What everyone agrees on is that there is always need for more people to
>help spread the message of Krsna Consciousness.  You have shown an
>inclination in this area, and I hope you will continue in this regard.

Yes. I have tried to preach. I have tried to do something for Srila Prabhupada,
that is all. My attempt is small but I have to try and do something. We are living
in a terrible time. There is almost no morality any more. Society is going down-
hill so quickly. And it's largly because ISKCON is not preaching very much...
Where are the book distributors? Where are the Hare-Nam parties? It is a very sad
thing. I spent last year in Sydney and ISKCON used to be very visible there but
last year I was on the street every day distributing BTG... But I only saw
devotees [dressed as devotees] once during the whole 12 months... And they are
selling stickers.. Not books.


>
>But in any society, individuals do also need to be sensitive to others
>as well.

In our society we have to follow Srila Prabhupada's instructions and encourage
others to follow as well. Being "sensitive" doesn't mean compramising the
principles. We speak the truth, we don't say anything outside the knowledge coming
to us in the disciplic succession and that is potent. It will be effective. It may
also upset some people sometimes. But what can be done about that? I may have
upset Bhakta Paul or I may have upset you, but I have told you the truth. I have
just repeated what Srila Prabhupada said on these issues.

>
>> I am an enthusiast of the works of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
>> Prubhupada, and I have tremendously enjoyed reading his
>> literal translation of the Bhagvad-Gita and his teachings
>> recorded in The Journey of Self Discovery.  I am currently
>> making my way through the books of the Srimad Bhagavatam.
>
>> It would be nice if the text from these books was made
>> availible over the internet... Is that somehow possible?
>
>> I have very little money, I own only one book, and the rest
>> I have read at a library, making the books availible on
>> the world wide web would be a wonderful thing.
>
>Srila Prabhupada's writings are usually covered by copyrights by the
>Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, and therefore it would not be permissible to
>simply post Srila Prabhupada's books on the Internet.  If someone
>wanted to do that it would have to be BBT.

I have written to him saying much the same thing. But the BBT should do it! Why
not? They already have everything on folio... It's just a matter of converting the
database to a form that can be used on the WWW... Very little work. And it would
be so nice to have Prabhupada's books on the internet. It would increase interest
in them and increase the sales as well.

Thank you for your letter. Please don't take offense at my statements.

Your servant


Madhudvisa dasa

>Yes. I have many times thought of this... But unfortuantely I am not in a
position to be able to do it. That would have to be done by the Bhaktivedanta Book
Trust, the publishers if Srila Prabhupada's books or at least approved by them.

>
>I have some difficulties with my relationship with ISKCON for one reason or
another so I am not in a very good position to suggest it to them.
>
>ISKCON have a home page, I'm sure you have seen it, if not you can find it eaisly
by searching for Krishna on most of the search programs. It would be good if you
suggest it to them. It would not be difficult for them to do as they already have
a computer database system which contains all Srila Prabhupada's books, lectures,
conversations and letters. It would be quite simple to make it available on the
net...
>
>So try and convince them to do it. It will be a great service to Srila Prabhupada
and Krishna and I am sure you will get their blessings for your efforts.
>
>Thank you for your response to my www pages and I encourage you to keep reading
Srila Prabhupada's books and keep chanting Hare Krishna. These are the most
important things...
>
>Thank you very much. Hare Krishna!
>
>
>Madhudvisa dasa.
>

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