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Backbone

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 2

SB 2.7.13, Purport:

The gigantic work of churning the milk ocean by the combined effort of the demigods and the demons required a gigantic resting ground or pivot for the gigantic Mandara Hill. Thus to help the attempt of the demigods the primeval Lord assumed the incarnation of a gigantic tortoise, swimming in the ocean of milk. At the same time, the mountain scratched His backbone as He was partially sleeping and thus relieved His itching sensation.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 72:

Informed by the hints of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Bhīmasena immediately took hold of Jarāsandha's legs and threw him to the ground. When Jarāsandha fell, Bhīmasena immediately pressed one of Jarāsandha's legs to the ground and took hold of the other leg with his two hands. Catching Jarāsandha in this way, he tore his body in two, beginning from the anus up to the head. As an elephant breaks the branches of a tree in two, Bhīmasena separated the body of Jarāsandha. The audience standing nearby saw that Jarāsandha's body was now divided into two halves, so that each half had one leg, one thigh, one testicle, half a backbone, half a chest, one collarbone, one arm, one eye, one ear and half a face.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). In the Kali-yuga, the other yajñas are not possible. First of all, there is no yājñika-brāhmaṇa and paraphernalia, so many things. Perhaps if we perform yajña and pour ghee on it, immediately government arrest. Ghee can be produced immense. I have studied. Immensely, you can produce, by keeping cows. Kṛṣṇa has recommended, go-rakṣya. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya. The go-rakṣya is essential. It is not that animal slaughter stopping, no. Kṛṣṇa could have said paśu-rakṣya. No, Kṛṣṇa has not said. Go-rakṣya. Those who are animal eaters, they can indulge in eating other insignificant animals.

Dr. Patel: I think go-rakṣya must be the backbone of the economy.

Prabhupāda: No, health, brain, everything. Milk is miracle food. And we are practically experiencing in our farms that if the cows are protected nicely, they can supply immense milk. We are getting in our farms, extra milk. Everyone is eating so many preparations, sandeśa, rasagullā, rābrī. They are surprised. In their history they have not eaten all these things.

Dr. Patel: They are eating the milk-producing animal so milk will not...

Prabhupāda: No, they advertise milk is bad.

Dr. Patel: Who?

Prabhupāda: These Europeans, Americans.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Devotee (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda, you always called Back to Godhead magazine the backbone of Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. You have many times said that the Back to Godhead magazine is the backbone of Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. So it is my ardent desire that the Hindi Back to Godhead should be made a regular monthly.

Prabhupāda: Why don't you make?

Devotee (1): There are printing and distribution problems.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We had a big stock of our old issue. We had printed seventy thousand of that. There's only few thousand left, and we have a lot of...

Prabhupāda: If you have got distribution problem, then you...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: And we have a lot of small books which we have just printed. So I wanted the small books to be cleared out. Like in Germany and France also they don't do Back to Godhead every month. They do it every few months so that they can get the books out.

Prabhupāda: It doesn't matter. Every month, if we regularly publish, we get some postal (indistinct). That's... If you every month publish some in certain date, you get very cheap rate for posting. That... All right. So a good thing... (break) Very good boy. So Gaurasundara, if he joins there, it will be still more brilliant for both of them. Because you have got the talent. You are not to be taught. You can teach others how to make dolls. And profusely make this doll exhibition from Bhāgavata. Yes. There's no need of reading book. They will see and understand Bhāgavata. Everywhere, in every branch, you see how many tourists you attract. Do all these things. Kṛṣṇa has given all assistance: money, men, endeavor. Now utilize it properly. Just see how nicely they have made. Nobody will understand this is doll. As if actual photograph.

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- San Francisco 30 January, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your letter of the 26th instant. The service proposal is very nice and I approve of your acceptance this job. Not only your income will be a great help to the society but also it will be a great opportunity for learning how to organize our magazine Back to Godhead. This Back to Godhead will always remain the backbone of the society because more the magazine is popular the more society becomes popular. So your ambition should always be how to improve the quality of the paper so that it may be read by all respectable persons. In future we may have one French edition of this paper. If our Back to Godhead goes on nicely then we can have our all publications without waiting for any other publishers.

Letter to Brahmananda, Satsvarupa, Rayarama, Gargamuni, Rupanuga, Donald -- San Francisco 28 March, 1967:

Rayarama, you took some quotation for printing the book Gitopanisad in U.S.A. If you therefore take immediately quotations from several places on the following details and let me know then I can decide immediately what to do. You can take further quotations from several places on the following details and let me know then I can decide immediately what to do. You can take further quotations on the following details.

Description: Case boundbook

Quantity: 5000 five thousand copies

Size: 12 1/2 x 9 1/2 flat & 6 1/2 x 9 1/2 folded.

No. of pages: 400 plus the cover

Paper: Best quality offset book

Composition: By the printer in 10 and 12 pt. and italics

Press work: Black ink two sides and one tricolor photo.

Cover: Title engraved and gold stamp on backbone.

Quotation: Each book.

Delivery: Maximum time to be delivered partly in New York, partly in San Francisco and partly at Montreal.

Letter to Rayarama, Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 30 March, 1967:

Rayarama, you took some quotation for printing the book Gitopanisad in U.S.A. If you therefore take immediately quotations from several places on the following details and let me know then I can decide immediately what to do. You can take further quotations on the following details:

Description: Case bound Book

Quantity: 5000 five thousand copies.

Size: 12 1/2 x 9 1/2 flat & 6 1/4 x 9 1/2 folded.

No. of pages: 400 plus the cover.

Paper: Best quality offset Book.

Composition: By the printer in 10 and 12 pt and italics.

Press work: Black ink two sides and one tricolor photo.

Cover: Title engraved and gold stamp on backbone.

Quotation: Each book.

Delivery: Maximum time to be delivered partly in New York, partly in San Francisco and partly at Montreal.

Letter to Rayarama -- Vrindaban 22 August, 1967:

I am so glad to receive your letter of 8/17/67, and have noted the contents. Krishna's Janmastami ceremony may be celebrated in the same way as last year. I understand that Acyutananda is coming here on Janmastami Day, but I have received no word from him. Anyway, if he comes it will be a great joy for us. You will see in the letter to Brahmananda that any student who comes here for studying further in K.C. will have no difficulty for room, board, and tuition. It is a good opportunity for our students, and I shall be very glad to learn how many of you desire to come. In the meantime, I am trying to get other facilities for passage. Please give your primary attention for improving BTG, the backbone of our movement. Kirtanananda is going to be the first sannyasa among my disciples. I am improving gradually. Hope you are all well.

Letter to Pradyumna -- Vrindaban 25 August, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your letters of the 15 and 16th inst., as well as the Janmastami day circular. I am so much pleased that everything is going on so nicely in Montreal, and that you are ever more actively engaged for Krishna, even in the absence of myself and Kirtanananda, It is a great credit to you, and I thank you for it. You should know that it is all due to your sincerity of heart; when we are sincere, Krishna will always help us, either in external direction by the Spiritual Master, or internally by His Paramatma expansion. The program you have decided on for the Lord's Advent Day is nice. I also very much appreciate the work you are doing in trying to promote my books and record, and I am very glad to know that the new BTG is selling well. These publication are the backbone of our movement, and if we can distribute them successfully. then everything will be all right.

Letter to Rayarama -- Calcutta 23 November, 1967:

You may not write anything to Miss Bowtell. I think she will not be helpful in our scheme. The best thing is that you finish up the Gita Upanisad hand it over to Messrs. MacMillan Co. and then make practical progress to start for England. Certainly I shall be in need of your assistance in finishing Srimad-Bhagavatam. On my return I shall make practical progress so that both of us may go on compiling Srimad-Bhagavatam and opening different centers in all parts of the world simultaneously. We are completely dependent on the Supreme will of Krishna. Let us try our best to serve Him and He will give us all facilities in our mission. Our San Francisco friends may be very anxious because I sent them two telegrams, one informing of my arrival and the other cancelling it. You can inform them of the real position as you understand by this letter. The booklets which you have sent are very much appreciated. Printing and painting are our life back bone. Our nice Guru who have been sent to us by Krishna are trying their best and I am sure we shall be successful. More when we meet. Hope you are well. Convey my blessings to all prabhus.

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 21 December, 1967:

Regarding the Teachings of Lord Caitanya, it must be very nice. I think Dai Nippon Printing Company agreed to print our books 6 1/2" x 9 1/2" size best paper 400 pages 10 to 12 point composition with best hard back binding with gold lettering on the backbone at $5000.00 for 5000 copies. I think you will immediately contact the company and send the manuscript for printing without any delay.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- San Francisco 23 March, 1968:

So far discussions of political affairs in BTG, it is not a very good suggestion. But if you can present political affairs in spiritual light, as I wrote some articles in the original BTG in the matter of political divisions of India, and catastrophes thereof. That requires a very thorough understanding of the whole situation, and if you can do this, it will be a great service. I wanted therefore a combined editorial board. Unfortunately, you have to do everything yourself. For this work I think you will have to invite cooperation from others who may help you. Anyway, BTG must be improved to the fullest extent, because it is the backbone of our society. Think over it, and do it nicely as far as possible, and if necessary, you can stop any other activities. But people like your lectures also, and I hope you are delivering your nice lectures in the classes. For the time being, you stop thinking of Srimad-Bhagavatam, and we will make plan when I meet you in N.Y. It is very nice that you are preparing a book on the life of Lord Caitanya. Also, if you can get the Isopanisad printed that is very nice. Part of it is in the original BTG, and part is manuscript there. As for Brahma Samhita, I am not working on it at the present moment, but I have thought of it. But I will see to it later on.

Letter to Rayarama -- Montreal 8 June, 1968:

I have not heard anything from you in long time what is the situation with publication of our Back To Godhead. So I am anxious to know when it will be again published, and if it can be regularly printed, even on our mimeograph machine. It is too much important that it must be distributed regularly, as it is the backbone of our mission. So, even it is not printed very expensively and highly, still, it must be distributed even in mimeograph copy. And then in future we can print it very nicely, when there is the money there to do it. So please see to it, and please let me know the position by return of post as soon as possible.

Letter to Mukunda -- Seattle 1 October, 1968:

Why don't you get Back To Godhead from New York? Here the Sankirtana party, headed by Jayananda and Tamala Krishna is doing very nice. They are collecting an average of $45 daily, as contributions, and selling an average of 100 copies of Back To Godhead. So try to get immediately copies of Back To Godhead from New York and try to sell them in large quantities. That is our backbone. In meantime, our Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and Teachings of Lord Caitanya are also coming out by the end of this month. So Kirtana plus distribution of our books and literature is the basic principle of our success. Even if we do not have our own temple it does not matter, but if we can hold Kirtana 24 hours, and distribute our publications, that is our great success. I have now received one letter from Syamasundara. about the bank affairs, and will reply him shortly. I received also one letter from Malati, and one from Yamuna, which are very nice, and I shall reply them in my next. If there is no immediate program of my going to London, then I may go next either to Los Angeles or Boston. Hope this finds you all alright.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- London 25 November, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 21, 1969 and noted the contents. The dummy BTG #30 Special Rathayatra Issue is very, very nice. Regarding the printing order, I think henceforward you should publish 50,000 at least and they may be distributed as follows: 20,000 to the East Coast, 10,000 to the West Coast, and 20,000 to the others (Middle States and other countries). The idea is that BTG is our backbone of Krishna Consciousness propaganda, and since you have taken charge from Rayarama's hand, certainly it has improved in so many ways. Recently I have received one letter from Rayarama which he has signed his name to as "Raymond". That means he has drifted from our society completely and his letter is very discouraging. He has accused everyone save himself. So I do not know what can be done with him. In the Bhagavad-gita we understand from the 16th Chapter that when a living entity becomes envious of Krishna, he is put into the darkest region of material existence, exactly in the same way as when a citizen is disobedient, lawbreaker, he is put into the prison cells. So this is nature's way beginning from Krishna, and one has to undergo such stringent regulative principles of material nature in such disobedient position. So I have not replied that letter; I have got it in the file. When I return to Boston, if you like, you can see it.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Advaita -- Surat 19 December, 1970:

You may immediately resume your former activities and work the press according to your best ability because I am very eager to see our own press printing the majority of our publications. The first thing now should be the printing of the new, enlarged edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. That will be a great boon to our Movement. I have already decided that the necessary funds for printing the book should come from the England sales of our KRSNA book. London has got $20,000 worth of KRSNA Books so they should sell them and send immediately $17,000 to ISKCON Press for printing according to your estimate. The plan to print 10,000 copies, 5,000 for India and 5,000 for U.S.A., etc. is approved by me. Please do it. I have been very much encouraged and pleased to receive the two latest chapters of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Second Canto. So this printing must go on. ISKCON Press remains our big mrdanga and the backbone of our Movement.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Damodara -- London 1 September, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 28th August, 1971 and have noted the contents carefully. It is good news that Ocean City temple, started by Baltimore and Washington centers as a summer project, has succeeded and even one devotee has come from there also. And BTG distribution is solving all financial difficulties there in Washington. So go on selling them vigorously. Sankirtana and BTG distribution are our backbone for preaching and all other things are secondary. If you can distribute one BTG you go forward one step for our preaching advancement, what to speak of distributing our books also. So do it enthusiastically and Krishna will bless you more and more.

Letter to Locanananda -- Delhi, India 8 December, 1971:

Practically, it is in your hands now to manage things, so I can translate and write books. So Krishna has given you good brain, good body, good education—everything—so you may use it in the best way for spreading knowledge about Him. He shows His special favor by making you a big officer because now you must become very responsible and serious to organize and administrate things, and as leader you must set the highest KC example, so in this way Krishna is forcing you to advance in spiritual life. Now just do all our routine work nicely. This routine program is the backbone of our Movement, and we stand solid on such program such as chanting, speaking, arati, reading scriptures, prasadam, like that. These things are sufficient for us. Any sane man will be attracted to such program. And if we perform everything nicely and always seize every opportunity to preach about Krishna, that is our formula for success. Of course management must be there, but if preaching work is strong, management will automatically be strong. So in all cases, become a very good preacher, and this will please me very much.

Letter to Patita Uddharana -- Delhi 8 December, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of November 24, 1971, and I have noted the contents. I am pleased to see that routine work is going on nicely in Columbus center under your supervision. This routine work, such as chanting, speaking, rising early, cleaning, cooking and offering prasadam, arati, reading books—these activities are the backbone of our Society, and if we practice them nicely in a regulative manner, then our whole program will be successful. If we become slack or neglect these things, then everything else we may try will fail. So it is very important that you keep your standards very high in these activities, then your preaching will be strong. Preaching is our real business, preaching and distributing books. If your preaching work is strong, then your management of temple affairs will also become automatically very strong. Just like if the head wills it, the hand will move. Preaching is like the head of our KC Society—if the head is removed, the whole body dies. Managing is the hands, which work nicely if the head is healthy. If the hands are removed, the body will not die, but it will be crippled. So preaching is more important than management, but both must be there if the whole body is to operate nicely.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Kulasekhara -- Bombay 10 January, 1972:

One thing: You must be attentive that our routine work—such as rising early, cleansing, chanting, temple worship, reading, sankirtana, etc.—should always maintained at the highest level of Krishna Conscious standard, as the smallest neglect or inattention to these matters of routine practices will cause all our other programs to fail. These things are the backbone of spiritual life. So it is natural that in these things like chanting regularly 16 rounds and holding daily arati and kirtana are observed faithfully, then people will be attracted and our preaching will have effect and the management of temple affairs will become very easy matter.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Rocana -- Bombay 21 November, 1974:

I am in due reciept of your letter date October 28th, 1974. I have replied your previous letter of September 17th 1974 and a copy of that letter is enclosed herewith. I am very glad to note of how you are increasing the "Back To Godhead" distribution there in such a remote place. Our "Back To Godhead" is the backbone of our movement so we should always be thinking how to increase it increase it increase it. I note that your are installing Gaura-Nitai deities on Govardhana Puja, please send me the report of how the festival went on.

Page Title:Backbone
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Serene
Created:04 of Mar, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=1, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=0, Con=2, Let=17
No. of Quotes:21