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Guest Vyapaka das

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Guest Vyapaka das

Dear BBTI Trustees,

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

This is an open letter regarding BBT India’s legal attack against Jitarati Prabhu, who printed a box-set of the original Srimad Bhagavatam, resulting in the books being impounded. It is being sent to Bhima das for distribution to all the BBTI Trustees.

Recently, it has come to light that Jitarati offered to donate the entire printing of the 5,000 sets held by court order to the BBT Archives. The profits from their sale would be split between future printings of the Bhagavatam and building a world-class facility for the Bhaktivedanta Archives.

In addition, he would dovetail his 40+ years of successful business experience into marketing the Bhagavatam sets globally.

This offer was turned down because you stated that you had no interest in seeing future printings of the Srimad Bhagavatam sets.

The exact words are: "Well the BBT devotees are ready to have the donation to the Archives. They will take care of the distribution and make sure that the proceeds go to the Archives. They are not interested in having a perpetual arrangement. Where the Archives keep this set in stock. But agree bbt should keep the pre 78 in sock [sic]." (email from Bhima das, BBT India)

Your logic escapes many rank-and-file devotees as this seemed to be a win-win situation for the Archives, book distribution and the spreading of Krishna Consciousness.

Another one of Jitarati’s printing efforts was the pocket Bhagavad Gita As It Is, beautifully printed on Bible paper. He sold 250,000 copies and it was widely accepted and appreciated among devotees worldwide. To condense the contents to pocket-size, the word-for-word and transliteration needed to be eliminated. The BBTI’s reaction was a resolution prohibiting future publications employing this format.

However, it soon came to light that other BBTI publications employed this same setup with no adverse reaction from the Trustees. This double standard strikes many of the 250,000 readers of the pocket Gita as underhanded and reflects poorly on your group.

Thirty cases of the pocket Gita were delivered to the BBT and Delhi temple. You obviously appreciated the printing as your reaction was to take out the page listing KBI as the publisher and then replace it with the name of the BBT before distribution. Doing so is illegal, immoral, improper, hypocritical and corrupt. Shame on you!

Perhaps your reaction was because you are against the publication of the original books. If so, this raises two questions:

1.       Why did the BBTI grant a license to Krishna Books International (KBI) to print the originals, if this is your frame of mind?

2.       And, why did the BBTI recently print Prabhupada’s original Bhagavad Gita?

Perhaps you feel Jitarati, at heart, is against the BBTI. If so, then:

1.       Why did he give the BBTI the complete digital format of the original Gita?

2.       Why did he introduce you to all of his printers in China in the hope that it might be beneficial to the printing of Srila Prabhupada’s books?

3.       Why did he give a generous $10,000 donation to the Bhaktivedanta Archives to improve their facilities and service to Srila Prabhupada?

4.       Why has he donated monthly to the Archives for years?

5.       Why does he continue in his efforts to support Srila Prabhupada’s Archives by donating the profits from this and future printings of the Srimad Bhagavatam boxset?  

6.       Why did he advise BBT India on the best way to print their original Gita on Bible paper, based upon his research and experience with the pocket Gita?

7.       Etc., etc., etc.

You seem to have quite a chip on your shoulder regarding a devotee, who has gone out of his way, to assist you in the mission of distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books.

Your reaction was to impound them and drag it into the corrupt India legal system. The alleged crime was that he paid for the printing from his business account rather than funneling it through KBI. To many this seems to be an overly harsh reaction.

What does it take to satisfy you? It causes many of us to question your motivation? Do you think Srila Prabhupada would be pleased with all this; or does that even matter to you?

Jitarati is personally financing the project, will single-handedly arrange distribution and then dedicate profits to the Bhaktivedanta Archives and further book printing.

To summarize, many, many devotees are deeply disappointed with your action. You are supposed to be leaders 0f the movement, entrusted to protecting Srila Prabhupada’s most important contribution to humankind, his books.

And look at what you do.

We pray that you change direction and embrace Jitarati’s generous offer. It is a win-win situation for BBTI, BBT India, Jitarati, the Bhaktivedanta Archives, and most importantly, the countless conditioned souls needing the knowledge and direction found in Srila Prabhupada’s transcendental literatures.

Hare Krishna,

Vyapaka das

 

Email sent for distribution to:

Bhima das
BBTI Trustees
GBC Executive Committee
copyrights@bbt.org

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