Selling records

Expressions researched:
"record" |"records" |"sales" |"sell" |"selling" |"selling" |"sold"

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- August 1, 1972, London:

Devotee (2): I saw Mr.... Who was that? What's that man's name who made your first record in New York?

Prabhupāda: Collin.

Devotee (2): Ah, I saw Mr. Collin at the airport when you arrived in New York at that meeting, press meeting.

Prabhupāda: Oh, he was there?

Devotee (2): He was there.

Prabhupāda: Oh, why did he not see me?

Devotee (2): He didn't come. He was a little embarrassed, I think.

Prabhupāda: He must be embarrassed. He's a thief. (laughter) Desirous man never becomes happy. He did not pay me anything as royalty for the record.

Devotee: Hm.

Devotee (2): He's still selling it, too.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Devotee (2): He's still selling that record.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Must be selling and taking advantage of this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement.

Devotee (2): That's a nice record.

Devotee: Is that Govinda?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Devotee (2): That's a very nice record. Everyone is appreciating.

Prabhupāda: But I heard that rascal always played my record and hear Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotee (1): At least he's benefiting somehow. I saw him in Bombay also one day in the market of Madhubal, Madhubhag(?) temple? He was buying beads for his store in New York.

Prabhupāda: He's selling beads, records, on our account. (laughter)

Devotee (1): He was being cheated himself, in Bombay. He was being cheated like anything. He was paying one rupee for one strand of beads, those poor quality beads.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 9, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi). Now what is the latest record?

Guru dāsa: "Kṛṣṇa, I miss You. Kṛṣṇa, where are you?"

Guest (1): The song?

Prabhupāda: There was...

Guest (1): Song?

Prabhupāda: Yes, song. His song, as soon as one record is published, then millions is sold. Then millions.

Guest (1): I see. And this is the song he has sung, on the recording. Wonderful. Mahāprabhu has chosen right, perfect method of prasāda.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Ah. Janmācāra-guṇodayaḥ. That is practical, we see. If you have got money, then people will come to you, "Oh, you are so learned, you are so qualified." Just like George, or John Lennon. What qualification they have got? But people will go there and take them as very highly learned and scholar and everything. The press reporters take their opinion. But what is their qualification? The qualification, by selling some records they have got money, that's all. What is that qualification? Now of course, they are coming to, George at least, coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, from qualification point of view, they are not learned, educated in university, nor they have got any spiritual assets, born brāhmaṇa family, nothing. Simply money.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Rāmeśvara: So I found out that people spend more money on records than on books in America. That means that if we sell our record in the store, it can bring us a lot of income. In general, people spend more money on records.

Prabhupāda: So you get more income. For using it, let them come and take prasādam. Don't accumulate money.

Rāmeśvara: No.

Prabhupāda: Get money and spend it.

Rāmeśvara: Prasāda distribution is the best thing.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Conversation During Massage -- January 23, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda? I had a question about the prasādam distribution money that I am hoping to get from the record sales.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: I would like to know if some of it can be used for distributing prasādam in America.

Prabhupāda: Why not?

Rāmeśvara: Say, at Ratha-yātrā time.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Rāmeśvara: Big parades.

Prabhupāda: But America has money. Here they have no money. So preference should be given in India. They're poor.

Rāmeśvara: We can take a little bit out for these festivals in America.

Prabhupāda: Yes, if required, if required.

Room Conversation with GBC members -- March 2-3, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: India's leaders, they are now giving stress on agriculture. So we should very nicely organize the Hyderabad. What you have resolved about that?

Hari-śauri: What have you resolved about Hyderabad?

Rāmeśvara: We resolved that we would send money from the record sales to help develop the food projects there, the farm there and the food distribution.

Prabhupāda: First of all you depute two or three GBCs to go there and see what is their program, how they'll utilize the money.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtanananda -- New York 13 April, 1967:

I understand that you are going to take sanction of India Govt for distribution of the literatures. But the present India Government has a phobia against anything which is religious fervour. The best thing would have been to have one small stall for ourselves from the Exposition authority without any cooperation of the Indian Pavilion. Then we would be able to function independently. If we distribute our Prasadam, our literature, try to sell our books and other literatures and go on playing our records and sell them, I think that will be proper utilization of our Krishna Conscious energy. If possible try to work on this line. When I think of Indian Government I become at once hopeless on account of the secular procedure.

Letter to Mukunda -- New York 13 May, 1967:

Regarding publication of the Bhagavad-gita the quotations so far received are 11000 to 13000 thousand dollars. I have got about 6000 thousand dollars and I am eager to have the balance from any other source. The profit derived from record selling may be given to this fund. Gargamuni is paying me in that way. I wish that you may also follow the same principle.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Allston, Mass 14 May, 1968:

So far from my side, I can say that if you have got a party who can travel with you, then you can travel with them for some time with the Sankirtana party. If you go in the bus with your Sankirtana party, then we must sell our literatures, magazines, books, records, etc. The whole institution is not in very sound financial position, so we should always remember this position and try to sell our articles so that we may again publish our books and literatures. Back to Godhead is already in difficulty for financial matter. It is giving me some anxiety. Back to Godhead may not be stopped publication—it will be a great setback for our missionary purpose.

Letter to Harivilasa -- Montreal 10 June, 1968:

If you can manage, I can send you 1000 record albums, and the price of such records will be about $4000, which means according to Indian exchange, about 40,000 Rs. Now if you can manage to sell these records and/or distribute them free to respectable persons, and take some contribution for the Deity, that will be nice, instead of appealing as suggested by Mr. Poddar. Mr. Poddar or Mr. Lal or Mr. Dalmia, all of them know about our activities, and Mr. Dalmia tld me that there is demand for the record albums and I already sent 5 record albums to him. Now, if you can arrange with their cooperation to exchange 1000 record albums for 20 pairs of Murtis, it will be a great service to the society.

Letter to Acyutananda, Jayagovinda -- Montreal 21 August, 1968:

Regarding gramophone records: When I was in India, Acyutananda knows that my record player was stolen. But when we went to Calcutta, one gentleman loaned us his record player machine, and it was nicely played. This is known to Acyutananda. This means that our record was played in another gentleman's machine. So there is no difficulty to play the records in Indian machine.

Now the summary is that you should definitely let me know immediately whether you can take charge of the printing works, whether you can distribute or sell the records, and whether in exchange of the records you can send me the Deities. These services are most important.

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

Regarding records: You must take quotation from different record manufacturing company, or from the same company immediately, from whom you took our Hare Krishna record. We shall ourselves issue so many records. And so far this record is concerned, in a suitable moment you can talk with Mr. Kallman that Swamiji was telling that he has not received any royalty of 5%. The agreement is there; you can see. So he must pay. But if he does not pay we don't mind; we shall issue our own records and try to sell. But you can speak with him, that Swamiji is speaking like that. At least, he must give us the concession that whenever we shall require the records, he must give us at cost price. So far you have already paid him $500.00 for one thousand records. You must take delivery of them and send them to India. There to Jaya Govinda. Because you cannot get the money to keep this man as our friend without any disturbance and settle up things peacefully.

Letter to Yamuna -- Seattle 23 September, 1968:

You will be glad to know our disciple Sriman Dinesh is preparing another record, Cintamani Prakara Sadmasu, and other songs and speeches, 20 min. each side. And it will come out very soon. Regarding our former records, if you want we can send you for selling there. Hope this will find you all in good health. And awaiting your further letters about preaching work.

General Lectures

Speech to Maharaja and Maharani and Conversations Before and After -- Indore, December 11, 1970:

Yamunā: The Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra was number one in Czechoslovakia. We have one record. I just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa over and over, the mahā-mantra, and in that country it was the most popular of all records.

Prabhupāda: In Germany also. We sold fifty thousand records in Germany. And there is another record, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. That is also selling very nicely. And recently another record you produced? What is that?

Yamunā: Yes, that will be a long-playing record, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It's name is Bhaja Hūre Mana, Mana Hū Re.

Prabhupāda: Ah, bhaja hūre mana, śrī nanda-nandana, abhaya-caraṇāravinda re.

Yamunā: And saṁsāra prayers, vande 'ham prayers.

Prabhupāda: So that is not yet out?

Yamunā: Well, from what I understood, Mr. Harrison wants to get it out before Christmas, but I have not heard from Śyāmasundara what has developed.