Publishing our books (Lectures, BG and SB)

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Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Just like in our movement we collect millions of dollars, but it goes for Kṛṣṇa's service, for constructing temple, for providing the devotees, for publishing books, for spreading this knowledge, in so many ways, not personal expenditure.

Lecture on BG 2.17 -- (with Spanish translator) -- Mexico, February 17, 1975:

Hṛdayānanda: For example, if we offer some food to you or if we just offer, for example, chanting, any activity we try to dedicate to you...

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. The spiritual master is the representative of God. Whatever you offer to the spiritual master, it goes to God. Just like the tax collector. He collects taxes, but it goes to the government. The spiritual master does not take anything for himself. Whatever you give, that is carried to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like in our movement we collect millions of dollars, but it goes for Kṛṣṇa's service, for constructing temple, for providing the devotees, for publishing books, for spreading this knowledge, in so many ways, not personal expenditure.

We have published about eighty books of four hundred pages each for understanding what is this material nature and what is the spiritual nature.

Lecture on BG 4.10 Festival at Maison de Faubourg -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:

So it is a great science to understand what is that spiritual nature and what is that material nature, and we have published about eighty books of four hundred pages each for understanding what is this material nature and what is the spiritual nature. So at the present moment, the people, the whole human society, is missing this knowledge of spiritual nature. Therefore they are attached to this material nature, and here is a formula how we can become detached to this material nature and come to our original nature, spiritual nature. We are traveling all over the world, but there is no university, no institution, no school, no college where the education of spiritual nature is imparted. There is none. The greatest scientist, philosopher, they see that a man... A great scientist, great philosopher, they are working very nicely, but as soon as that spiritual nature is gone, this material nature body is useless.

We have published about hundreds of books. If you simply read these books regularly, then you will understand everything very clearly.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975:

And there is no difficulty to understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is explaining in the Bhagavad-gītā what He is. You read this book very carefully and try to understand Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you understand thoroughly Kṛṣṇa, then tyaktvā... You have to give up this body. That's a fact. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Then no more accepting material body. Then what happens? Mām eti, Kṛṣṇa says, "He comes to Me, back to home, back to Godhead." That is the solution of life, and everything is described in the Bhagavad-gītā and all the Vedic literature. We have published about hundreds of books. If you simply read these books regularly, then you will understand everything very clearly. And first of all you try to read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Then the life's problem will be solved.

We are printing Kṛṣṇa literature almost in all languages of Europe, in English language, in Spanish language, in French language, in Swedish language, in Dutch language and German language, and then Italian language, we are publishing, and it is being sold like hotcakes, anything.

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Bombay, April 7, 1974:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to teach people that the ultimate goal of life is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, either you, Kṛṣṇa or God. Kṛṣṇa is the most explicit explanation of God. If God can have any name, the "Kṛṣṇa" name is the most perfect name, because Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. I have explained many times. Unless God is all-attractive, how He can be God? If God is attractive for a certain limited person or limited area, then he is not God. Then you will say, "Our God, your God, his God, that God." But if Kṛṣṇa is all-attractive, that is real God. And that is Kṛṣṇa. That is being proved. Now Kṛṣṇa is all-attractive all over the world. Otherwise, how in America, in Russia, in China, in Europe, all countries?

Recently I have got several literatures printed in Swedish language. We are printing Kṛṣṇa literature almost in all languages of Europe, in English language, in Spanish language, in French language, in Swedish language, in Dutch language and German language, and then Italian language, we are publishing, and it is being sold like hotcakes, anything.

The Gosvāmīs, they were not only dancing and chanting. But they were also good scholars. Just like in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are trying to publish our books in different languages.

Lecture on BG 4.28 -- Bombay, April 17, 1974:

By reading Vedic literature, you enlighten yourself with knowledge. So this is also yajña. There are so many... Kṛṣṇa is available in so many ways, according to your position. It is not that He is conditioned. He is not conditioned. Therefore it is called ahaituky apratihatā. The svādhyāya-yajña. The Gosvāmīs, they were not only dancing and chanting. That was also part of their business. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau. But they were also good scholars. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau.

Just like in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are trying to publish our books in different languages. Already we have got in European and American, English, French, German, Spanish, Swedish, Japanese, Chinese. This is required. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma. Because people are misled. So they should be given opportunity to study, to understand what is God consciousness, what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So through the śāstras. That is also required.

If somebody wants to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy through Vedānta philosophy, through Upaniṣads, so they are prepared, they are prepared. Therefore we are publishing so many books.

Lecture on BG 4.28 -- Bombay, April 17, 1974:

So it is not that those who are bhaktas, they... That is also complete, chanting and dancing Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau. There is direct process. But if somebody wants to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy through Vedānta philosophy, through Upaniṣads, so they are prepared, they are prepared. Therefore we are publishing so many books. We are discussing Vedānta philosophy, Upaniṣad, all the Vedic literatures. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the essence of all Vedic literature.

We are discussing about God practically whole day and night. We are publishing paper. So in this way one has to learn.

Lecture on BG 4.34-39 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1969:

So this cheating business is going on. So these are absurd. Absurd inquiries are condemned herewith. Yes. One must approach to the real spiritual master in submission. Inquire from him by rendering service. Then, gradually, you learn the science.

Here we are teaching our students—not abruptly say that "You have learned." We are teaching them Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, so many books. And we are discussing about God practically whole day and night. We are publishing paper. So in this way one has to learn. It is not a cheap thing that immediately you learn God. But if you are submissive, if you are really inquisitive, then God reveals unto you.

We have so many activities. Not only kīrtana, but temple activities, prasāda activities, publication activities, so many activities.

Lecture on BG 6.35-45 -- Los Angeles, February 20, 1969:

Devotee: Verse thirty-five: "The Blessed Lord said: O mighty armed son of Kuntī, it is undoubtedly very difficult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by constant practice and by detachment."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now, Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes." Kṛṣṇa does not say that it is not difficult. Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes, it is difficult." But it is possible by constant practice. This constant practice is to engage oneself in something which reminds as Kṛṣṇa. Do something. Therefore we have so many activities. Not only kīrtana, but temple activities, prasāda activities, publication activities, so many activities. Everyone is engaged in some activities and Kṛṣṇa is the central point. Therefore a person who is typing for Kṛṣṇa, he is in yoga system. A person who is cooking for Kṛṣṇa, he is in yoga system. A person who is chanting in the street, distributing our literature, he's also in Kṛṣṇa. So by ordinary habits we are engaged, as in our material life we were engaged in so many things. If we mold our life in connection with Kṛṣṇa, then in every activity there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness and therefore this yoga perfection is there automatically.

We published this Bhagavad-gītā As It Is in 1968, in small edition. It was selling like anything. The trades manager of Macmillan Company reported that our books are selling more and more; others are reducing. Then recently, in this 1972, we have published this Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, complete edition.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:

When I was in America in 1966, one American lady asked me to recommend an English edition of Bhagavad-gītā so that she could read it. But honestly I could not recommend any one of them, on account of their whimsical explanation. That gave me impetus to write Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. And this present edition, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, is now published by Macmillan Company, the biggest publisher in the world. And we are doing very nice. We published this Bhagavad-gītā As It Is in 1968, in small edition. It was selling like anything. The trades manager of Macmillan Company reported that our books are selling more and more; others are reducing. Then recently, in this 1972, we have published this Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, complete edition. And Macmillan Company published fifty thousand copies in others, but it was finished in three months and they are arranging for second edition.

We have published so many important books. They are being appreciated all over the world by scholars, by universities. You also study them, learn Kṛṣṇa science, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and preach in your country. That is my request.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 22, 1977:

So my request is that you people of Orissa, you are ordinarily Vaiṣṇava, so take this seriously. Don't be misguided by rascal who is not guru. There is no difficulty. Suppose, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu: yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). You become guru. Whomever you meet you simply speak what Kṛṣṇa has spoken. That's all. It is already there. You have to repeat only, and you become guru. Our request is that you all respectable gentlemen, you develop this center of ISKCON. We have published so many important books. They are being appreciated all over the world by scholars, by universities. You also study them, learn Kṛṣṇa science, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and preach in your country. That is my request. Our books, mostly they are published in English, and we are getting them translated in other languages of the world, especially in Europe, French language, German language, in Japanese language, Chinese. So those who are very (indistinct) they may come, translate these books into Oriya, and we shall publish them for mass distribution.

We have proposed to publish Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in sixty volumes, but we have published only fourteen. But still, the big, big professors, they are giving us order, forward order, for all the sixty volumes. As soon as scholarly people, they read these books, they'll welcome this movement all over the world.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

Translator: So his question is that how can Catholic people, without rejecting their own religion, take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Prabhupāda: Well, it is not rejecting; it is reforming. The Catholic religion also teaches love of God, or love of Christ. So if I say the truth, it will not be very palatable, but this movement is reformation. But another thing is Catholic, Hindu, Muslim, or whatever you may be, everyone accepts there is God. So we are teaching not to formally accept there is God, but know what is God and love Him. So those who are interested for higher knowledge of God, they'll take it. The point is simply officially to accept God, There is God, know. You know what is God, what is His..., what He is doing, what He is acting, what is His name, what is His address. Everything you know and try to love Him. That we are teaching. So those who are actually serious to know about God, they'll come to this movement. And those who simply know God officially: "There is God. That's all," that is different thing. That is also good. But if you want to know more, then you have to take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are therefore presenting these books, eighty books, four hundred pages each, and just to explain what is God. So it is a great science. Any intelligent man will appreciate. And we are getting good response. Especially in America, big, big university, college, professors, they are now purchasing. We have proposed to publish Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in sixty volumes, but we have published only fourteen. But still, the big, big professors, they are giving us order, forward order, for all the sixty volumes. As soon as scholarly people, they read these books, they'll welcome this movement all over the world.