Srila Prabhupada’s Delhi Bhagavatam Reprinted!
These Srimad Bhagavatams are among the most valuable memorabilia one can have of Srila Prabhupada. The timing of their publication coincides directly with Srila Prabhupada’s departure for the Western world.
Srila Prabhupada came to the United States in 1965 on the Jaladuta, an Indian cargo ship. He convinced the owner of the shipping company, Srimati Morarji, to give him free passage. According to Sally Agarawal, the wife of Gopal Agarawal, who sponsored Srila Prabhupada’s trip and made the arrangements for the first three weeks he was in the United States: “The Swami came with so few possessions. He came with the clothes he had on his back, He had a typewriter and he had his books. And he had a bag of cereal. Imagine coming to a country on the other side of the world with so little. And yet he came with so much in himself. The Swami brought a pan with him in which he cooked his food and in fact cooked our lunch too. Our little boy was only six months old when he came and the Swami was there when Bridge first stood. And he laughed and laughed to see him stand up. When he left he was just oceanic, oceanic. He just seemed to take in the entire universe when he left and he left a lot. I enjoyed my association for that one month with him about as much as I have enjoyed anything in my life.”
The books Srila Prabhupada brought with him from India were the first three volumes of the Srimad Bhagavatam he had printed in Delhi between 1960 and 1965.
According to Rocan Prabhu, “These Srimad Bhagavatams are among the most valuable memorabilia one can have of Srila Prabhupada. The timing of their publication coincides directly with Srila Prabhupada’s departure for the Western world. He left India a very short time after the last volume was printed, and it seems obvious that the completion of this task signaled the time for his departure.
“When one reads these original Bhagwatams, perhaps more than any of Srila Prabhupada’s other writings, you can feel the Vrindaban mood. Srila Prabhupada was there alone writing his purports, whereas the other Bhagavatams were translated and written while he was surrounded by many followers and his ISKCON movement was rapidly growing. This was quite a contrast to the circumstances surrounding his first books.
“I feel that every newcomer to Krsna Consciousness should have the opportunity to read these original Bhagwatams so they can get to know Srila Prabhupada in a more intimate way. ”
In Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar, written 2-05-70 in Los Angeles, Srila Prabhupada tells some of the history of his Srimad Bhagwatams:
“…. In 1936, my Spiritual Master left this world leaving a message for me that it would be better for me to preach in English language. So I was thinking very seriously, and then, as late as 1944 I started my paper, “Back to Godhead.” Gradually, in 1954, I retired from my family life and began to live alone in Mathura Vrindaban. In 1959, I was awarded Sannyas by one of my Godbrothers, His Holiness B.P. Kesava Maharaja.
“Then I began translating Srimad-Bhagavatam in 1960; and, perhaps in 1961, I was your guest in the Gita Bagicha. You were very kind to help me partially for publishing my first volume of Srimad-Bhagavatam through the Dalmia Charitable Trust. With great difficulty, I then published the second and third volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam until 1965, when I prepared myself to come to this country with some books.
“With great difficulty, I was able to get the “P” Form passed by the Controller of Foreign Exchange, and, someway or other, I reached Boston on 17th September, 1965. I was thinking, while on board the ship “Jaladuta,” why Krishna had brought me to this country. I knew that Western people are too much addicted to so many forbidden things according to our Vedic conception of life. So out of sentiment I wrote a long poetry addressing Lord Krishna as to what was His purpose in bringing me to this country.
“At that time, I was sponsored by a friend’s son, Gopala Agarwal, who is settled up in this country by marrying an American girl, Sally. I was their guest, and I feel very much obliged to Gopala and his wife Sally for their nice treatment and reception. I was with them for three weeks in Butler, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and then I came to New York. I was getting some money by selling my Srimad-Bhagavatam, thus I was maintaining myself in New York.
After some time, I rented one apartment at number 100 71st Street West, but after a few months, all my things–typewriter, tape recorder, books–were stolen. Then for some time one of my students gave me shelter at Bowery Street.
“I then rented one store-front and an apartment at 26 Second Avenue for $200 per month, but without any source of income. I started my classes and sometimes, on Sundays, I used to chant Hare Krishna Mantra in Tomkins Square Park from three to 5 P.M. During this time, all the young boys and girls used to gather around me, sometimes poet Ginsberg would come to see me, and sometimes a reporter from the New York Times came to see me. In this way, the Hare Krishna Mantra chanting became very popular on the Lower East Side.”
Until now devotees have been searching for these incredibly rare copies of the first three volumes of Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad Bhagavatam he printed in India. They are practically impossible to find and if they should become available they are collectors items worth thousands of dollars.
The wonderful news is that a limited edition of exact replicas of those original Bhagavatam volumes Srila Prabhuapda carried with him from India to the United States in 1965 is now available.
The book is presented in exactly the same way as Srila Prabhupada himself personally printed it. As hard-bound, cloth covered 6″ x 9″ volumes with the beautiful original color dust jacket Srila Prabhupada designed and had an artist paint for him.
This is a strictly limited printing and as you can imagine the books are selling very fast.
When Srila Prabhupada was selling his Bhagavatam sets in 1965 he was charging $25 for the set. Now in 2006, 41 years later, we are able to offer you the exact same three books for just $39. If you were to adjust this price for the inflation since 1965 that is less than $5 in 1965 money!
This three volume set of Srila Prabhupada’s original Delhi Bhagavatam is truly a priceless treasure that you will keep and cherish for your whole life and will be valued by generations to come. These books are printed on the best quality paper, with the best quality binding and will last for hundreds of years.
Please go to www.krishna.tv for more information and secure your set now.
http://krishnastore.com/srila-prabhupadas-original-delhi-bhagavatam-set-h-krishna-988.html
Hope you are well and happy in Krishna consciousness.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
About the Author
Madhudvisa dasa My first contact with a Hare Krishna was a most merciful Mataji in Oxford Street, London who sold me a "Higher Taste" cook book in 1984 while I was on holidays there. I started seriously reading Srila Prabhupada's books in Australia 1985 and by 1986 Srila Prabhupada had convinced me "Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead" and "we should surrender to Krishna." I joined the Hare Krishnas in Perth, Western Australia in 1986. Since then I have been chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, reading and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books and preaching as much as I can. That's my life and full-time occupation now really. I like it more than anything I've ever experienced before. Srila Prabhupada's books are so amazing... Even after reading them all many times they're still fresh and new. They are truly transcendental! That's it really. Now I'm just hankering to once again see the world chant Hare Krishna, dance and feast and float away in the ecstasy of Lord Caitanya's Sankirtana movement as it did in Srila Prabhupada's physical presence. Let the whole world drown in the ecstatic flood of love of Krishna!
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Hare krsna prabhu, I saw a gofundme where some devotees are going to reprint 2000 sets of the delhi bhagavatam.
I was just wondering when they are reprinted will they be available on the krsna store?
Thanks and here is the gofundme link
https://gofund.me/f2428542
Yes. They will be available on KrishnaStore.com once they are printed, however I am not sure when that will be.
Hare Krishna Prabhu.
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupāda.
Prabhu do you still sell this Orignal Bhagavatam as shown in pic . Can i have reprint copy of this as shown above . From where i can purchase this book , what money i have to pay for it .
Now this is out of print. It is no longer available.
Hare Krishna Prabhu.
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupāda.
Prabhu do you still sell these Bhagavatams?
No. It is out of print. Not available any more. Only maybe you could try second hand book websites, that would be your only hope. We do have the PDF you can download at:
https://krishna.org/srila-prabhupadas-delhi-bhagavatam-pdf-download/
Hare Krishna !
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All Glories to Srila Prabhupāda !
I wanted to ask you if the BBT edited the Bhagavatam in this reprint.
Since they changed ALL the Original Books of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada I am a little surprised that they would print the exact same Bhagavatam in this edition (did they remove some sentences (for example the one about Buddhism being a caricature) ? Did they correct some words ?)
Thank you for your amazing website !
– Your eternal servant.
No. This Delhi Bhagavatam is NOT edited. It is photographically reproduced from the original books Prabhupada printed himself in Delhi. There is no editing.
Hare Krishna! Are these original Dehli Bhagavatam volumes still available?
We still have a few sets at http://www.krishnastore.com but not many and when they are sold it will be out of print. So please order it ASAP.
May I post an announcement on this website about the reprinting of the book, Srila Prabhupada A Friend Of All written by Mula Prakriti dasi?
Thank you and dandavat pranams, Nityananda das