Room Conversation – November 3, 1977, Vṛndāvana

Don't keep money. Spend it for Krsna

Tamala Krsna: Lay down? [pause] Then I was calculating what it would mean for the whole year.

Prabhupada: Now we have to open temple in every village.

Tamala Krsna: Temples in every village?

Prabhupada: Yes. Then spend money.

Tamala Krsna: And then spend the money.

Prabhupada: Don't keep money. Spend it. The karmis, they spend for sense gratification. You spend for Krsna.

Tamala Krsna: Well, there's plenty of money to spend.

Prabhupada: Karmi.

Tamala Krsna: We also have plenty.

Prabhupada: No, no, karmi.

Tamala Krsna: Yes, I understand. I said there's no shortage of money.

Prabhupada: No.

Tamala Krsna: Krsna's giving us... I figured out, Srila Prabhupada, that if we... Just like we did in September, I multiplied times twelve to see how much money in a year your books are selling. And the BBT, in one year, can expect to make, around the world, about $8,100,000. In rupees that comes out to seven crores, seventy thousand rupees. Seven crores, seventy thousand rupees.

Prabhupada: What karmi can earn so much!

Brahmananda: What is that?

Tamala Krsna: What karmi can earn so much. For the temples, that means that by selling your books, the temples will collect about sixteen million dollars in one year. Or in other words, fourteen crores, nine lakhs, forty thousand rupees.

Prabhupada: They'll believe.

Tamala Krsna: Well, believe it or not, it's a fact.

Prabhupada: Fact, yes.

Tamala Krsna: Actually I don't think these men like Bajaj or any of them could possibly make this much money even in material activities, what to speak of spiritual. Spiritual, they lose money. They have to support it. But we have such a genuine religious movement that it supports itself. We don't require to construct big materialistic enterprises. We simply preach, and Krsna supplies all the money.

Jayadvaita: Bajaj is just burdening the world with motorcycles, and you're providing the highest subject matter for hearing and chanting.

Prabhupada: Where there is need of money, send there. I mean to say, just like Africa and other backwards... I am simply dreaming, and you are actually on the field.

Tamala Krsna: We are actually what?

Brahmananda: On the field.

Tamala Krsna: Yes, but that's because we're in your dreams. If you weren't dreaming like this, we would be on the material field.

Jayadvaita: It's like Maha-Visnu is lying down, the whole material world is being expanded by His dreaming. So you're lying down here, and the whole ISKCON activities are being expanded by your dreaming.

Prabhupada: [chuckles] Hmm. [pause]

Tamala Krsna: Do you want to hear some of the newsletter?

Prabhupada: Hmm.

Tamala Krsna: It says here... This newsletter is written by Ramesvara. It's especially meant for encouraging book distribution, Srila Prabhupada. It says, "Later on in the morning, Prabhupada sent for Gopala Krsna Prabhu and explained to him that he wanted to print as many books as possible. 'My point is,' Srila Prabhupada said, 'that I don't wish to keep money in the bank. Invest in printing.' So in this way, although... Then Prabhupada went on, referring to Harikesa Swami, after he presented six new hardbound German books to His Divine Grace, 'He is very intelligent boy. My Guru Maharaja is so pleased. He used to say whatever money is there was to be used for printing books. He was so happy to print books. So you do it all very nicely. I printed my books, and now you do it. These are the first class, and there is no defect. German printing is very favorable. This is all right. Thank you very much.' " It says here, "Harikesa Swami told Prabhupada that now he has to become more healthy to finish the Bhagavatam. Prabhupada replied, 'Healthy? I have nothing to do with this body. I have to do with the spiritual world.' Bhagavan Prabhu mentioned to Prabhupada how many books his zone was distributing. They are trying for twenty thousand big books in one week. Prabhupada was very encouraged and told him, 'Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati will give them all blessings. He wanted this very much.' An hour later Hrdayananda Maharaja was in the room and told Prabhupada that they had printed 100,000 copies of Krsna book in Portuguese. Prabhupada said, 'Thank you very much. Printing of books is our life force.' Prabhupada looked through the books and again he asked, 'How many published?' When he heard 100,000, 'Oh, how they are selling, and what is the price? Very good collection? Print more books. This is life. This material body-only bones. So go on, and this is life. We are not concerned with bones and stones. Our concern is the living force. The living force is actually sustaining these bones. Bones are not life. Print books as I have shown the way: half again for printing and half spent for propaganda as you like. In this way go on.' Then he turned to Jayapataka Maharaja and asked him if he was doing that. He told him, 'Whatever propaganda is needed, you go out and spend, but print books and distribute. Whatever English books we have got, if we translate into Bengali, you have got enough stock.' Jayapataka Swami replied, 'Yes, we have got a treasure house,' and Prabhupada said, 'In this way, in all languages, distribute. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. Chant Hare Krsna.' " It says here, "Prabhupada is translating the Third Volume of the Tenth Canto, and Volume Two is now just being printed and will be available for shipping to all temples on November 11th along with a new book written by Srila Prabhupada called the Teachings of Lord Kapiladeva. Fifty copies..., thousand copies of each volume have been published."

Prabhupada: Fifty copies?

Tamala Krsna: Fifty thousand.

Prabhupada: Oh.

Tamala Krsna: It says here, "This is the year of Europe," Srila Prabhupada. It says here, "Here are the totals for book distribution in North America." And Europe is leading. The number one zone is Bhagavan Prabhu's. Number two zone is Jayatirtha Prabhu's, England. And the number four zone is Harikesa's zone. So Europe is leading the distribution.

Maybe sometime later on today you can do a little translating, Srila Prabhupada. No? Actually, the kaviraja recommended that you shouldn't do that for a few days. Does that sound right? Okay. Anyway, I think Pradyumna and Jayadvaita have some work to catch up with, so they have enough to stay busy. Should we chant japa now, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Hmm. [break] [end]