06/30/98 - 1891 (see also VNN story# 1863, 1838, 1818, 1697)

Guardians of the Holy Scriptures?

USA (VNN) - by Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti

Dear Bhagavat Dharmaji, Dandavat Pranams

I agree with you. Srila Prabhupada wanted his books to be published by the BBT as he clearly explained. Still I maintain that, at this moment, the most healthy solution for his books is to go beyond the influence of those who fight in courts with their own brothers spending Srila Prabhupada's money.

Srila Prabhupada's books are very difficult to misuse. First of all, to my knowledge with exception to some cd cover printed by Sony, no BBT material has been misused in the Karmi world.

Printing and preaching by individual devotees are like BBT divisions. Nice if they can work together and if they were transparent. But last and not least the books must get out there to the conditioned souls. That is the key issue.

In all these years of disputes the real preaching spirit has disappeared.

The Samkirtan spirit of Mercy for all souls. I know that some branches function quite well. Some BBT trustees have made a good running business with book distribution . That is good if they were transparent, but to my personal experience, they never gave any clear report even to their distributors (clients).

Unfortunately, many BBT divisions are dysfunctional, broken and robbed by employees. These problems are compounded by the Iskcon enmity towards all those who live outside Iskcon authority and practice Vaisnavism, which happens to include many of the former big book distributors of Srila Prabhupada. Harikesh Swami clearly pointed this out in his recent GBC chairman confession. The issues of responsibility have not been allotted to those who really care for the issues. Who cares in Los Angeles whether devotees have books for making Samkirtan in Uruguay? Who cares about making special adjustments for books for countries that have dictatorships, etc.? Instead we have foolish kids decide who may get Srimad Bhagavatams or who may not.

You see my friend, emotionally, you put me in the position of the guy who did not stay with Prabhupada; who does not accept Prabhupada's Iskcon and the GBC. That is precisely the problem. A few Iskcon managers, denounce so many of us and try to monopolize the copyrights only for those who are under their control. Every day, less are under your control. Prabhupada disciples, who still want to preach and distribute books, you have almost none. Face it. There is little way to harm Srila Prabhupada's books more than the current system is harming them.

Making money with transcendental books? Is it that what you fear? Does preaching with other acarya's books have a different effect? Why do we even have to bother with Srila Prabhupada's books, unless we love him and want people to read his books. But you think that you own him, his books, and anyone else who might want to read them. That is the problem. And you still teach that to your members. Who is not working for Iskcon is not a real Vaisnava. He is a cheater. He is not allowed to distribute books. If we had not suffered all this, it would be easy to work together. But you do not want to work with others. You only want people to work under you - and not be accountable to them. You do not even permit a forum for open discussions. Chakra never published any of my entries or any comments I had on any topic.

BBT is a legacy. All of Srila Prabhupada's disciples have a right and duty to defend the legacy of Srila Prabhupada. You do that by pure preaching. But how can you preach purely, if you cannot even get the books of your Spiritual Master or if you are sued for even publishing his picture! Yes, many Acaryas have registered many things to protect their mission. But in most cases, their ambitious disciples created disturbances and forced sincere followers of their Guru to go out and to start new preaching programs, faithful to the substance (vani) rather then to the abuses of the formal institution. Strangely enough, that was the very position of Srila Prabhupada. And many of his Godbrothers did the same. They left the abusive courtcase situation and started pure Vaisnava missions as ordered by their Gurudeva, Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada.

Harikesh Swami admits many mistakes in his confession. Unfortunately, he forgets many of the more heavy ones. And then, as usual, he offers no forum or help for rectification to all those, who happened to denounce all these ills for the last 20 years, and who have been persecuted by the BBT and the GBC by trying to cut them off from their spiritual master's books. What to speak of, trying to kill their connection with their Guru calling them traitors, prostitutes etc. Do you really think that they are qualified to be the guardians of the holy scriptures? Do you really think that karmi publishers would print Srila Prabhupada's books to steal the preaching money we get, when we have to humbly beg people to buy a religious book in this age of Kali.

And while every Tom Dick and Harry puts all their material on the Internet, Srila Prabhupada's books are not there. Why? Only so that we cannot get them. The non-controlled Vaisnava groups may read and print out books without submitting to Iskcon authority. So better to deprive the whole world of the nectar on the Internet. Give them more time to read all the prajalpa which is there. Is that your philosophy?

I made an offer to Swavas Prabhu that I would sponsor all the books of Srila Prabhupada on a server. No cost even for the BBT. So that anybody sitting in the Antarctic in his research cabin can read Nectar of Devotion over a satellite connection. Do you get me? Do I make sense? Or do you want me to enter psychiatric treatment. I thought that this was the mission of Srila Prabhupada. Otherwise, I would never have joined it. Some publishing house with money interest who recruits free salesman with mystical motivations such as "Go out and help the ignorant masses".

You want to tell me what Srila Prabhupada intended to do with his books. You have to go beyond his letter. You have to go to the essence. You have to go to Srila Prabhupada himself and ask him whether he would reject all his preaching disciples who could not bear the injustices and abuses Harikesh Swami confesses to. If this is a moment to settle and to advance, I am in bliss to participate. But let it be all accommodating. Not some new piece of 'cake distribution reform' like at New Vrindavan. No fear. There is nothing to loose and all to gain. Why is there nothing to loose? Because we lost it all already. And, as far as you are concerned, you are just another one of these wonderful Vaisnavas trying to get out of maya. Don't be upset with me. I am also trying to get out . But the truth must be spoken now. Do you agree?

Daso smi
Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti