BBT and investment

Expressions researched:
"BBT" |"book fund" |"invest" |"investment"

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation on Farm Management -- December 10, 1976, Hyderabad:

Now if possible, bring them, bring them first class prasādam, very palatable. Foodstuff means even one has no appetite he'll eat. That is food. Not that even one has got appetite, he'll forget. That is not food. So do like that and for money produce, use cane, sugar cane, rice. We shall spend for that. Don't spoil money, but do like businessman. He invests money, he gets a return. Spend it for Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. There is no question of becoming a miser. I never did it. When I have got that farthing, I want to spend it. Immediately spend. Oh, what I have made this BBT? Immediately 50% for printing, and 50% for spreading this. (indistinct) and understand what I want to do. So whatever is done is done, now do it very nicely.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Rādhā-vallabha: Those books, they print themselves, the gurukula.

Prabhupāda: "Themself" means?

Rādhā-vallabha: They have a little... In Dallas they a little photostat, and Nandarāṇī would write and they would print it.

Prabhupāda: So it is waste of time, waste of money and waste of time.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: If they don't learn, what is the use of the book?

Rādhā-vallabha: In Los Angeles they are learning how to read.

Prabhupāda: This policy is not good. Why?

Rādhā-vallabha: So before I get involved in it at all, I'll make sure Jagadīśa speaks to you.

Prabhupāda: No, no. We should not invest our BBT money in that way.

Rādhā-vallabha: I wasn't going to. That's what I wanted to mention.

Prabhupāda: Strictly. It is not required, unnecessarily investing money. It should be noted.

Room Conversation -- October 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: America, we are thinking of printing small books for them, because for America to get lower price on all books they have to print many hundred thousand. So many books of yours are out of print, out of stock with BBT Los Angeles. But we can get the same price on a lower run. That means that on lower investment we can print the same books, and in this way at least they will have some books in stock of every book you have published. So if somebody wants some book, they won't say that they don't have it, but they can supply it. So I've been writing about this to Rāmeśvara Swami.

Prabhupāda: My point is, I don't wish to keep money in the bank. Invest in printing.

Room Conversation -- October 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Don't keep money unnecessarily. Invest.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No, Śrīla Prabhupāda, there's no money. (laughs) BBT is... I'm always asking Hari-śauri to make his payment quickly, because we have invested everything into printing.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- Los Angeles 1 March, 1968:

Regarding press affairs: When I return to NY, we shall talk together with Mr. Kallman, that if he invests only $10,000, we can have a nice press equipment for conducting all our printing works, including books. In case Mr. Kallman is prepared to invest at least $5,000, then we can also invest $5000 from the book fund. And I think investment of $10,000 will be sufficient for starting a press just necessary for our work.

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 9 September, 1968:

You will be pleased to know that this morning I experimented with my harmonium, and of course, it is just an experiment, still all the girls present here and Tamala Krishna also, they liked the tune very much. Maybe such Sankirtana solo singing; I can give so many. I can give so many verses, just like Cintamani Prakara Sadmasu . . . and explain them in English, so we can produce not only pictures, but also records, in so many ways. So you should be serious about taking quotation of the records as soon as possible and immediately we shall print some records. So far I know, that the records, small records, as Gargamuni told me, it does not cost more than 10 cents. But this big record will not cost more than 50 cents, including everything, I am sure. Anyway, you seriously take quotations about the album, about printing, and just see what will be the cost. Then we shall immediately invest some money from the book fund, to print our second and third record.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Gargamuni -- Tittenhurst 29 October, 1969:

Regarding your keeping some Book Fund money aside for investments, that is all right. Regarding the documents from Bina Musical Instruments, I have received note that they are expecting to ship the goods by the 20th, and as soon as they get the shipping documents they will deposit in the bank and take payment. Unless the documents are presented the bank will not pay.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Karandhara -- London 1 August, 1972:

Regarding the corner property, for which you have offered $73500.00, that is a nice proposal, if the book trust can purchase the whole building outright as an investment and collect the rents as dividends.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to All ISKCON Centers -- Vrindaban 14 March, 1974:

I specifically formed the BBT to invest in it exclusive rights for the printing of all literature containing my teachings, writings and lectures. In this way the collections are to be divided fifty percent for printing new books and fifty percent for construction of temples.

Letter to Ramesvara -- Vrindaban 3 September, 1974:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated August 25, 1974 and have note the contents. Yes, it is good that you have understood me about not investing any BBT monies in business. Regarding the Spanish publications, it appears that these versions are shorter in length than the English ones. One thing is that Gurukrpa Swami has written that he will not be able to legally send any more money out of the country after the final payment to Japan, but you have written in your last letter that he would be transferring money into my account.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Vrindaban 7 September, 1974:

Now you publish in German language all our books and distribute. Krsna will help you in every respect. The BBT collection should be spent 50% for publishing and 50% for construction of temples. At the present moment the Mayapur-Vrindaban projects are going on, so as soon as there is an excess of money it should be utilized here. Not a single farthing should be invested in any business enterprise. Formally it was so done without any sanction. So be careful. Regarding printing, you can print in U.S.A. or any other country. U.K. also has big presses, I have heard that Belgium is also good. Also Holland, and Germany is also good.