Pariprashnena — Q&A Archive

Haribol Gaurangaliladas,heres a contact list of who should be able to answer your questions.

Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
Copyrights and Permissions
The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
P.O. Box 1437
Alachua, FL 32616, USA
Phone: +1-386-418-8329
Fax: +1-386-462-1761
E-mail: copyrights@bbti.org

North America
(Director: Svavasa Dasa)
P.O. Box 34074
Los Angeles, CA 90034, USA
Phone: +1-800-927-4152
Fax: +1-310-837-1056
E-mail: bbt.usa@krishna.com

Southern Europe
(Director: Madhusevita das)
strada Bonazza, 12
50028 Tavarnelle Val di Pesa (FI)
Phone: (005) 8076414
Fax: (005) 8076630
E-mail: bbt.it@krishna.com

Northern Europe and CIS
(Director: Brahma Muhurta dasa)
Korsnas Gard
147 92 Grodinge, Sweden
Phone: +46-8-53029800
Fax: +46-8-53025062
E-mail: bbt.se@krishna.com

India
(Director: Bhima dasa, Gopal Krsna Goswami)
Hare Krishna Land
Juhu, Mumbai 400 049, India
Phone: +91-22-2620 6860
Fax: +91-22-2620 0357
E-mail: bbt.in@krishna.com

Western Pacific, S.E. Asia, Middle East
(Manager: Ekachakra dasa)
PO Box 380
2765 Riverstone NSW, Australia
Phone: +61-2-9627-6306
Fax: +61-2-9627-6052
E-mail: bbt.wp@krishna.com

Back to Godhead magazine
(Editor-in-Chief: Nagaraja dasa)
PO Box 430
Alachua, FL 32616 USA
Phone: 1-800-800-3284 or 386-462-7794
Fax: 1-386-462-1761
Subscription Information: btg_subs@krishna.com
Editorial Information: editors@krishna.com
www.backtogodhead.com

BBT Archives
(Manager: Ranjit dasa)
PO Box 255
1453 Tom Shelton Road
Sandy Ridge, NC 27046 USA
Phone: 1-336-871-3636
Fax: 1-336-871-3641
E-mail: office@prabhupada.com
www.prabhupada.com

Krishna.com
(Manager: Tamra dasa)
PO Box 430
Alachua, FL 32616 USA
Phone: 1-800-800-3284 or 386-462-7794
Fax: 1-386-462-1761
E-mail: info1@krishna.com
www.krishna.com

Krishna.com Store
(Manager: Tamra dasa)
PO Box 430
Alachua, FL 32616 USA
Phone: 1-800-800-3284 or 386-462-7794
Fax: 1-386-462-1761
E-mail: store@krishna.com
www.thekrishnastore.com

Special Projects and Friends of the BBT
(Manager: Gopal Bhatta dasa, Pranada dasi)
PO Box 27
Alachua, FL 32616 USA
Phone: 1-386-418-8260
E-mail: contact@friendsofthebbt.com
www.friendsofthebbt.com

The huge organisation,the biggest after the bible..seems to have no reports published regarding its finance,how its managed,who decides about the management etc...
Millions of books are being sold each year,and in some countries,its quite austere:should devotees not have a complete regular report of such publishing house,founded by the Founder Acarya.It seems also that there are various pirating going on...

Seems also that not only books are sold!

By Brand
Altar Incense
Blessing Waters
Goloka Nag Champa
Moon Valley
Mysore Soap
Nandita
Nitiraj: Classic
Nitiraj: Colors
Nitiraj: Masterpiece
Prema by Krishna.com
Hem: Precious
Padmini
Ramakrishnananda
Sai Flora
Seva
Song of India
Srinivas Nag Champa

Yes, Gaurangalila das, you should find out about the BBT. You dont seem to know much about the organization. The BBT publishes regular annual reports of all the areas you have mentioned and want more info on. Use the above contact list and get enlightened about the wonderful world of Srila Prabhupadas books! I can especially recommend the hard and excellent work done by the North European BBT!

I am really really interested too, still when this publishing work kept evolving on its i dont know how to refrain that, opulence the technology kept on publishing more and more nicer printing jobs and etc,... hopefully they will keep Prabhup'e4da'b4s specific and monumental work, there s a video by this renowned Beatle, that he was publishing how much Srila Bhaktivedanta Prabhup'e4da wrote, His work is still monumental, now, about pirating, i know of the devotees of His Grace Bhakti-Aloka Paramadvaiti swami, whom still kept on Srila Prabhup'e4da'b4s publishing mission going over, and they are printing i dont know if that can be called as pirate job or Gupta efforts to reach more and more class of different souls on different circumstances in life, but for take for example, those costly books can not be obtained or purchased by the majority of people so God has his own ways, howsoever, as much as i can be attracted to obtain and or having this the most opulent prints of the BBT on hOMe i am only willing to be able to receive its teaching, there is not misapprehensions over this facts, but just disinformation or a lack of a standart, that you can find i think on Back to GodHead publishing work magazine. in reality everything is going as it should be going and so, the huge sankirtan sangas of the Lord Sri Chaitanya Mah'e4prabhu'b4s margas as much as there are, specially the BBT created by Srila Prabhup'e4da internationaly-wide and His monumental Divine Grace is still fixed reaching the needy and it is still being documented.

we just got to be in touch.

jaya radhe.

Good point Gaurangaliladas , I am not sure if Prabhupada would approve the sale of all those other items from WITHIN the BBT.
The Krishna Store should be looked into by somebody,they have a list of all their supporters who have donated money to support the site,their requesting more donations also.So what happens to all the money ? do they break even every year ?, do they make a small profit ? whos their supplier for all those other items ?

These items are incense. Whats wrong with selling that?

5. United Kingdom Customers:
We accept Sterling cheques payable to "W. Barriball" and mailed to:
BLS Bhaktivedanta College a.s.b.l.
Petite Somme 2, 6940 Durbuy, Belgium

Or you can deposit payments directly into our Sterling account:
Bank: Barclays
Bank Code: 20-44-90
Account No: 50490296
Account Name: W. Barriball
Please place as much information as possible on the payment slip - your name, invoice number and client code

For further information please do not hesitate to call or send us an e-mail.

Your servants at BLS.....Bhaktivedanta Library services....
http://blservices.com

ps. Seems like a private account to me,not BBT...
Who is Barriball?

Where do you get the idea that the BBT would be selling incense or other such stuff?? They are not. Its all about Srila Prabhupadas books.

These items are sold by Krishna.com. Are they the same entity as the BBT?

[quote][cite] Gaurangaliladas:[/cite]The huge organisation,the biggest after the bible..seems to have no reports published regarding its finance,how its managed,who decides about the management etc...
Millions of books are being sold each year,and in some countries,its quite austere:should devotees not have a complete regular report of such publishing house,founded by the Founder Acarya.It seems also that there are various pirating going on...

Seems also that not only books are sold!

By Brand
Altar Incense
Blessing Waters
Goloka Nag Champa
Moon Valley
Mysore Soap
Nandita
Nitiraj: Classic
Nitiraj: Colors
Nitiraj: Masterpiece
Prema by Krishna.com
Hem: Precious
Padmini
Ramakrishnananda
Sai Flora
Seva
Song of India
Srinivas Nag Champa[/quote]

" These items are incense. Whats wrong with selling that? " please log on to the " the krishna store " there is a lot more than incense being sold, so who is making all the money , and who is the supplier ? The Krishna Store is a part of the BBT.

Something is going on.

[quote][cite] hariharibol:[/cite]" These items are incense. Whats wrong with selling that? " please log on to the " the krishna store " there is a lot more than incense being sold, so who is making all the money , and who is the supplier ? The Krishna Store is a part of the BBT.

Something is going on.[/quote]

Perhaps a quick email or phone call to Krishna.com and you can get your answer. Why do you think something is going on? Krishna.com is in Alachua, is that right? Isnt it possible that the proceeds are going to the temple there?

Several of the temples have online stores. ie - Krishna Culture (texas), Kansas City has an online store and it seems New York has one also. Los Angeles (Govindas International Imports used to be online but they got so busy that they stopped the online part of their shop. Oh and the Utah temple shop is online also. Arent these shops there to help fund the temples?

Other than some of the questionable items that are for sale, I like the online shops.

" Isnt it possible that the proceeds are going to the temple there? ". why would a BBT assets proceeds be going to a temple, any temple ?

..what to speak of Alachua, thats Sesas zone, they have a lots and lots of devotees there who can support Sesa.

[quote][cite] hariharibol:[/cite]" Isnt it possible that the proceeds are going to the temple there? ". why would a BBT assets proceeds be going to a temple, any temple ?[/quote]

Not the books! The incense etc. Geez, are you just trying to find problems where there are none or what?

hariharibol: either you come with a reasonable argument or you are just filling the ranks of "Idontreallyknowwhy"enraged for personal reasons critics.
I assure you that those rantings do not help to stir the real positive opposition that our movement needs.

" I assure you that those rantings do not help to stir the real positive opposition that our movement needs" why do we need " real opposition " ?
Havent the "real opposition " devotees all been kicked out of Iskcon?

" Geez, are you just trying to find problems where there are none or what? " how do you know that there are not any problems?

I will conact the BBT managers and report back with what I have found.

so if you do not think that change can be implemented, why you keep ranting again and again?
Better to use your time soundly and leave those who think something can be done proceed.
This forum is a good opportunity, but it is all about education, not dialectical wrestling or sheer denounce for the sake of it.
I will be interested in your investigation about the BBT, but not in your a priori verdict.

...whos ranting ? I am just expressing myself, isnt that allowed ?,It wasnt my question in the first place.
" those who think something can be done proceed" who are they and what are they doing to improve things?

[quote][cite] hariharibol:[/cite] how do you know that there are not any problems?

I will conact the BBT managers and report back with what I have found.[/quote]

Didnt say there arent any problems. However, I am questioning your propensity to insert problems into every little thing. For instance, the selling of incense by Krishna.com! I dont see any problem with a temple shop selling incense.

I, too, am interested in your investigation. But lets stick to facts.

Its not a Temple Shop, its the BBT, and there are many other items for sale, take a look.

" insert problems into every little thing " , can you give me some other examples ?

It is an online shop that sells BBT books just as the other shops do and should. This is an example of you inserting.

BBT was kidnapped by Harikesh?

BBT International, Inc. Claims Copyrights

USA (VNN) - VNN has learned that the BBT International, Inc. (BBTI), a corporation created by Harikesh Swami has recently filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles county courts against Hansadutta das, BBT trustee appointed by Srila Prabhupada. In that complaint (lawsuit), BBTI claims that the 1972 BBT, registered and operated by Srila Prabhupada and other trustees, was never valid and was thus never the owner of the BBT copyrights. BBTI also claims that whatever Srila Prabhupada wrote and published belongs automatically to ISKCON as "works for hire," meaning ISKCON supplied Srila Prabhupada with pen, pencils and paper, along with office, secretaries and place to eat and sleep; therefore whatever work was done by Srila Prabhupada automatically became the property of ISKCON, just as a hired farm hand would have no claim over the fruits of his labour working on the estate of some master.

BBTI wants the court to rule that the BBT created by Srila Prabhupada be declared as invalid and its trustees declared invalid and that the corporation named BBT International, Inc. be recognised as the legal owner of the copyrights of Srila Prabhupadas books and that Harikesh Swami, Jayadwaita Swami, etc. be recognised as the officers of the corporation named BBT International, Inc.

The BBT International Inc. lost a similar lawsuit filed against devotees in Singapore for copyright infringement of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. In that case, the defence was "Show the legal documents and prove to the court that BBT International, Inc. is the owner of Srila Prabhupadas copyrights." The case went on from 1992 to 1997 at a cost of at least $100,000 to BBT International, Inc. BBTI never produced any documentation to convince the court that BBT International, Inc. is the legal owner of Srila Prabhupadas copyrights.

The copyrights were given by Srila Prabhupada to the BBT registered in 1972 in Los Angeles, of which Srila Prabhupada himself was a trustee. BBTI could not prove that Hansadutta was not a bonafide BBT trustee appointed for life by Srila Prabhupada. This 1972 BBT is today still the legal owner of Srila Prabhupadas copyrights.

BBTI now claims that the 1972 BBT created by Srila Prabhupada was never valid and that Srila Prabhupada was simply a hired hand by ISKCON, and thus everything he produced was automatically the property of ISKCON, and he had no right to give his copyrights to any trust.

I get the feeling that the main point is being missed here....the fact that Srila Prabhupadas books are being distributed all around the world by some very dedicated devotees in ISKCON.

You forgot to include the story date: 03/16/98. Its been settled out of court.

so, what has been settled? Is Hamsaduta still a legal trustee of the BBT with rights over Srila Prabhupadas books?

Hansaduta gave up his trustee-ship claim in exchange of right to print SP books (1st editions) and to sell them outside ISKCON.

Pardon me, right to print SP books and to sell them looks like same but outside BBTi. So he virtually retains his rights.
Does that mean that original BBT (not BBTi) still exists and Hamsaduta is trustee? Who else is legally still trustee?

Afaik, the original BBT doesnt exist neither is Hamsaduta trustee. Best if you ask any current trustee.

[quote][cite] rasa108:[/cite]I get the feeling that the main point is being missed here....the fact that Srila Prabhupadas books are being distributed all around the world by some very dedicated devotees in ISKCON.[/quote]

Iskcon is plagued with scandals,as it was badly managed by self- appointed gurus,including one who led it like cult leader[Keith Ham,New Vrndaban]Innocent devotees,thinking they were working for Prabhupada,were abused,as the leader had them sell all sorts of paraphernalia for his grand projects,but millions of dollars were used by him-for legal fees- to get away from criminal activities,including murders[still unresolved]
Due to these scandals,book distributors are now rare,mainly in USA,and these books have been proved to have been too much edited,contrary to Srila Prabhupadas orders.In distant territories,where scandals are not well known,books are being sold,after translation. So,as books are the basis,its quite important to know whats going on in BBT,which is the heart of Iskcon.
It seems as if these gurus have been fighting to possess personally the cash cow of Iskcon,whereas it should be cooperation among everyone to distribute such important knowledge to humanity,while the profits should have been for Mayapur project[50%] and other projects 50%.If there were a clear history of such management,everyone would have been happy...
Another fallen guru-Bhagavan das and Krishna Kant Desai,editor of Back to Prabhupada- are managing krishnabooks inc.,supposedly non-profit,with the permisssion of BBT.So,they actually have he right to publish pre-1977 books.Its supposed to be a non-profit organisation,but all this was not the order of the Founder Acarya."Only one BBT,whose profits are reinvested in books and Iskcon projects.You can try to get an answer from Krishnabooks Inc..if youre lucky!
As far as Hansadutta is concerned,hes not ritvik,but still claim to be the original trustee of BBT,while he was excommunicated by Iskcon.He also has books for sale!

From Hansaduttas blog
http://hansadutta.com

"Early one morning in the late part of 1974, at Bhaktivedanta Manor, I was called to Srila Prabhupada'92s room. Prabhupada was sitting on his bed, I was sitting on the floor. He asked me if I would accept his appointing me to act as a BBT trustee. I of course immediately accepted the appointment. At the same time I also wondered, why would Srila Prabhupada appoint me, when he has so many other disciples much more qualified than myself, to such a confidential and responsible position? So I very carefully put forward my question as to why he would ask me to be a BBT trustee, when in fact he had so many other discicples with qualifications far better than myself. I in fact did not even finish high school, so why me?

Prabhupada immediately replied, '93Because you have understood the importance of my books. Without being asked, you published and distributed my books.'94 Then after a long silence he said, '93The devotees may fail, the temples may fail, but my books will live forever.'94

Of course I was struck dumb at the time. I could not understand what Prabhupada meant by saying: '93The devotees may fail, the temple may fail, but my books will live forever.'94 Now many years later I can still hear his words ringing in my ears, and I can see what he meant. The devotees have for the most part failed, the temples have failed, but the books continue, and will live forever. It is obvious and sadly clear, but the books will live forever"

So,its up to you to choose which books,which BBT...!