BBT Copyrights

from Bhagavat Dharma Dasa

In a letter on VNN, Paramadvaita Swami writes:

"Copyrights of the holiest books on earth [Srila Prabhupada's books] in the hands of either party [i.e., the BBT or anyone else] are ludicrous. This could never have been the desire of Srila Prabhupada. . . . No greater blessings could happen at this point then the judge's decision to declare the writings of Srila Prabhupada public domain. . . . If anyone dares to prohibit a disciple of Srila Prabhupada to publish his words, glory and picture, he must be out of his mind. . . . Every disciple in our family has the right and duty to . . . publish. . . his Guru to his heart's happiness."

There are those of us who still adhere to such ludicrous duties as preserving Srila Prabhupada's copyrights. We don't share Paramadvaita Swami's wish that the judge bless the world by placing Srila Prabhupada's writings in the public domain rather than in the domain where Srila Prabhupada put them. And we're out of our minds because we believe that the right to publish Srila Prabhupada's books belongs not to anyone who feels it in his heart but instead to the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Perhaps we poor creatures might be forgiven for recalling the instructive letter from His Divine Grace reproduced below.

Your Servant.

Bhagavat Dharma Dasa

The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International

Srila Prabhupada's memorandum follows:

Vrindaban

14th March, 1974

Memorandum to All ISKCON Centers

My dear disciples,

Please accept my blessings. Now that our ISKCON is growing into a huge, world wide organization, it has come to my attention that sometimes centers are printing my literature, taking collection and spending all outside the jurisdiction of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. This must not go on.

I specifically formed the BBT to invest in it exclusive rights for the printing of all literature containing my teachings, writings and lectures. In this way the collections are to be divided fifty percent for printing new books and fifty percent for construction of temples.

The BBT can authorize a center to print, as in the case of foreign translations, with the agreement that when the foreign printing becomes financially solvent they will pay royalties to the BBT. But all printing of ISKCON literature must be by the BBT or under their sanction and approval.

If temples print independently it will be at the cost of the books I am, myself printing, and could eventually cause the financial ruin of the BBT, meaning I could not order new books from the printer or have sufficient funds for construction of temple projects.

I trust this is now clear and you will all do the needful. If you have any questions in this matter you can write me directly or consult with the GBC representative.

Your ever well-wisher,

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

CHAKRA 12-Jun-98