The Reluctantly Given License
BY: HH JAYADVAITA SWAMI
Dec 25, USA (SUN) — An open response to Madhuha Prabhu. Dear Madhuha Prabhu, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Writing about "BBTonly.com," you spoke of what seems to you to be "a veiled public relations campaign to put down Krishna Books Inc."
No, it is not "a veiled public relations campaign." It is an open public relations campaign. From what I understand, the purpose of the campaign, conducted by ISKCON itself, is to make every member of ISKCON familiar with Srila Prabhupada's explicit instructions about who should publish his books and where his devotees should buy his books.
The site, as you know, is a small one, hardly more than a page, and there's hardly more on it than one letter from Srila Prabhupada. There doesn't have to be more, because that letter is so clear, simple, emphatic, and easy to understand.
If that letter makes it seem as though someone is "putting down" anyone, whose fault is that? If you have a problem with the letter, then (my apologies for not saying this more gently) that's between you and the person who wrote it.
You wrote that the legal battle between Hans Kary (Hamsaduta dasa) and the BBT ended "with all the devotees involved, including Jayadvaita Swami, being satisfied." Satisfied is hardly the word for it. The word is stuck.
Srila Prabhupada's desire, as he clearly wrote to every temple in ISKCON, was to have the BBT serve as his exclusive publisher. And now, contrary to that desire, we were giving a license to a second publisher, one led by a person notorious for drinking, guns, and women. And you think we were satisfied?
You wrote: "My question is: if it was against Srila Prabhupada's desire to print His original books, . . . "
There's nothing wrong with printing his original books--or printing
the books where the text is closer to Srila Prabhupada. The BBT does both. The question at hand is the one you were leading up to: ". . . then why did all of the BBT and BBTI Prabhus. . . agree to license Krishna Books Inc. to print Srila Prabhupada's original books in the first place?"
That's a fair question, and it has a plain and simple answer: We agreed to that license to keep a fallen "guru" from taking over the BBT.
Although Hamsaduta (alias Jack London, alias Hans Kary) had been thrown out of ISKCON for, in the GBC's words, "moral and spiritual deviations," he was able to exploit the fact that legally, officially, he had never been removed as a BBT trustee. And the judge signaled his own intention to give more importance to Hamsaduta's technical legal standing than to his moral and spiritual standing. Which meant we were facing the prospect that a person grossly breaking even the most basic principles set forth by Srila Prabhupada could, by a judge's rule, be declared a trustee--indeed, the way the argument went, even the only trustee--of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.
It was for that reason, and for that reason only, that the BBT, with the greatest of regret, agreed to give Hamsaduta and his people a license.
You cited an article saying, "The theme is 'cooperation, not competition.'" The BBT has stuck by that theme. Whatever we agreed to, we have honored. Whether you and others have also done so, you can say for yourself.
You wrote, "There is no need for anyone to try to twist the cooperative licensing agreement made by the BBT to print the original books into sounding as if it's against Srila Prabhupada's desire."
I agree. Srila Prabhupada's letter speaks for itself. There is no need for anyone to twist or turn or make arguments. He said precisely what he meant. He said it loud and clear. He said it for all his devotees. And he said it as the authorized and pure representative of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That's why the letter is there for all devotees to see on BBTonly.com. Now all we have to do as sincere disciples is follow what Srila Prabhupada said.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Hoping this finds you in good health,
Your servant,
Jayadvaita Swami
PS: I have no ill will towards Hamsaduta and am sorry to have to bring up unpleasant things about his past. I have brought them up only to answer your question. And I have no ill will towards you. I encourage you in your service to Srila Prabhupada. May we all serve Srila Prabhupada unlimitedly, within the limits set by his instructions.
