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Well, this is weird. (OOP BBT Books)

I was checking out Krishna.com’s selection of Prabhupada books, looking for a Teachings of Lord Caitanya. Normally, I’d buy the pre-1978 books (the ones prior to the unauthorized changes) at Krishna.tv, but their privately printed copy of the original Teachings of Lord Caitanya is out of print.

But what I came to discover was that the BBT’s current edition of TLC is also out of print. You can get an Indian paperback, which is fine, but BBT America’s edition is gone.

Krishna.tv has the original edition of Teachings of Queen Kunti (one of my favorite books). But BBT allowed their edition of Teachings of Queen Kunti to go out of print. Weird.

Also, the BBT allowed Teachings of Lord Kapila to go out (TLK was never re-edited after Srila Prabhupada’s edition – I assume). What’s really weird is that on the BBT website, they don’t even have it listed as a book they put out.

This is really a strange thing, isn’t it? Teachings of Lord Caitanya is pretty amazing. As are the other two “Teachings of” books. Why let them go out of print?

My hope (and I realize this is pretty pie in the sky) is that they reprint them as the originals next time around.

Lucky for me, I have the original editions of all of these. I bought Teachings of Lord Caitanya from Krishna.tv a couple of years ago. The other two, I just acquired along the way. Lucky for me, yeah. But what about the devotees who don’t have these books? I can’t imagine there’s a line around the block for the Lord Kapila book, but there’s got to be some need or want for Queen Kunti. And there’s definitely got to be people asking for Teachings of Lord Caitanya (though, like I said, the Indian edition is still available).

Of course, all three books are available for free, online. However, I’ve never been able to get really into a book online. Books are the basis!

I emailed the BBT (America) and asked them if/when they’ll be reprinted. We’ll hopefully have an answer before too long. I’ll let you know what it is when I get it.




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9 Comments

Comment by vamsi vadana dasNo Gravatar
2008-08-27 12:28:39

One reason why they don’t reprint those books so often is that TLC was written before Prabhupada had decided to translate the entire C.C.
TQK & TLK both came out after Srila Prabhupda departure. He didn’t actually “write” those books. They are transcripts from lectures (available on-line etc) plus there is some sort intro written by BBT at the beginning of most of the chapters of TQK because they are not on the orginal tapes.
It is possible for many more new books to be made from Prabhupada lectures, so may be they are working on that.

Vamsi Vadana das

Comment by ericNo Gravatar
2008-08-27 12:32:25

I’m not sure that makes sense though. I mean, it’s true what you say, but that’s not a reason to not reprint them. TLC, especially.

 
 
Comment by Vamsi Vadana dasNo Gravatar
2008-08-28 14:30:21

Well, it’s not cheap to produce books in the States whereas India it is.And in London, at our Soho St temple TQK & TLK are on display. I have a TQK, (we printed 250,00 in the U.K. in 1980) so they turn up quite often over here. Did you know we could have an another different Queen Kunti book on the same verses because the “American” devotees did the book from Prabhupada speaking in L.A. (o.k. little bit in N.Y.C as well) ignoring the Indian lecture series the next year. The BBT was always abit L.A. preduiced after it left N.Y.
Can I ask a question? Why wouldn’t the devotee’s be queuing up around the block for TLK. I luv those lectures. Incidentally, there could be a book on Lord Rvisabhadeva teachings (forgive spelling of Lord’s nam), a book on the Son of Drona, a Pralad Maharaj book -how? These being the subjects chosen by HDG to speak on over a period oh yeah, and a Yamadutta book ( 2 of those ‘cos like with Queen Kunti he spoke on the same verses a different times.

I hope I haven’t gone on too much but the reason why we are so lucky to have these talks on the verses is …either Prabhupada was translating them at that time and He kindly gave us extra insight or that was the where the devotee’s were upto when he came to stay. Here at what’s left of the British Empire, he stayed for over 3 months and began Bhagavad Gita 1st ch. that’s another book. So if a book is in print in Indian BBT (our local library has it’s new S.B. that they stock printed in Bombay, a very fine edition) then it is in print.

Love your record site, Well done!

Regards
Vamsi Vadana Das

Comment by ericNo Gravatar
2008-08-28 15:40:59

I really like TLK too. But it’s never been as popular of a book as TLC or even TQK.

There could be tons of books based on lectures and classes. And it would be great if those could be made someday. But I think it’s important to keep the original Prabhupada books in print.

Thanks for checking out the record site. It’s a real pet project. I enjoy it quite a bit.

 
 
Comment by vamsiNo Gravatar
2008-09-02 13:39:57

Jai Eric (wish I could call you with a sanskrit term before your name, as was done in the past and authorised by HDG, i.e. ekadasi eric ) some news I found TLC, TQK, TLK all available on the Bhaktivedanta European library service, see link on lotus imprints (Hari Suri’s new site.

You know, we both agreed that there should be more books from the lecture series of Prabhupada, like whenever he spoke for a while on a number of verses (how TQK & TLK came about) well Lord Rshabdev gets lots of lectures from Srila Prabhupada, in fact He choose a 5.5.1 verse for His 1st London lecture back in 1969.

Erm, I was hoping to get you going on this, (it’s why I mentioned it) you see I am a bit old (55) and have no computer skills except basic e-mail, and you sound a bit of a computer-type, because really, WHY hasn’t there been more books from transcribed lectures, I mean there’s always plenty of other books coming out, right?! Wouldn’t you just love to be reporting in a couple of years time that The Teachings of Lord Rshabdeva is out of print again…

regards

Vamsi

Comment by ericNo Gravatar
2008-09-03 09:48:00

Haribol! I’m not sure that I’d be ok with you calling me Ekadasi Eric. Haha. . It *is* an inauspicious day, afterall (which is why we fast). You could call me “Bhakta Eric,” but I’ve found when you slap the “bhakta” before your name, automatically nobody takes you seriously.

That’s great that the books are still in print over there. But “everybody” knows that the real BBT is the one based in LA. :)

As for more books, New Vrndavana’s Palace Press (long ago defunct) once released a book containing all of the Varnasrama Dharma lectures that Prabhupada gave at New Vrndavana. And maybe that’s something that should be a local thing.

The Lord Rshavdev lectures were done in London, so the Manor could use some of the money being spent on that court case (you know, the one where they screwed up and left the cow alone with a vet) and use it for something good.

But the big reason why there haven’t been more books from transcribed lectures is, I think, due to devotees wanting to write their own books. That’s not a bad thing. But the by-product is, of course, no new Prabhupada books.

The Lord Rshavdev book (for example) would be easy as pie to produce. It would take only a few days to get it laid out. But I strongly doubt that it would ever happen. I’d be shocked if a new Prabhupada book (that wasn’t composed of “sound bites”) was released ever again. Of course, I’d love to be wrong about that. Hopefully I am.

 
 
Comment by vamsi vadana dasNo Gravatar
2008-09-06 09:26:35

Dandavats Eric Prabhu, ( can’t think of another sanskrit title begining with e at the moment) . that palace press books sounds good. Very much topical at the moment. Ekasdasi a bad time, are you sure, I mean we fast on holy days don’t we.

Prabhupada spoke on S.B.5.5 all over the world, actually London only got 2 or 3 days on that chapter, most of the new book would have to come from Vrindavan Dec 1976, where he spoke lots on that 5th ch. and some of the 6th ch. although there are lots of other times/places His Divine Grace choose that S.B 5th Canto 5th Chapter as his subject matter for that day.

On the court case and cow there wasn’t one and even if there was these days it would be funded by interested parties, that is to say, only intested parties get stuff done. The funding of a court case if there was one would have to start from scratch and would be the impetus for raising the money. Like TLR becoming a book and not just on line lectures, that would have to come devotee’s who have influence and are convinced there was need for it. In other words a campaign that keeps turning up untill someone either says “Yes, good idea” or ” No, we don’t need a new book”

To be done to BBT standard it would take more than a few days, more like a couple of years, yes, that long, for paintings to done, editing, etc. sure you could knock out something, but only the best for Prabhupada was the mood in the 1970’s when those books were coming out.

And part of the nectar of helping to produce a book on S.B.5.5 is learning every thing about Lord Rshabdeva, and his teachings including the Snake Yoga that he showed, the important verses that Prabhupada requotes in many lectures, the points he makes over different years on the same verses, a whole host of things you gain by losing your self in a project to make TLR real. I mean you would have to listen to every talk Prabhupada gave on S.B. 5.5 you would be very conversant on every thing about a TLR before you could even mention it to BBT.

Yes the devotee’s must write and print their own books but for every one they make they should be helping to make a new book for Prabhupada from his lectures, I like a 2nd Canto book cos’ Prabhupada spoke a nice series of talks on them plus that’s all before Sukadeva begins Bhagavatam ( He doesn’t speak in 1st Canto.)

The real BBT is now based in Bombay, the L.A. is there but mostly in-house work, printing and money coming from India. Otherwise why so many books all bearing the BBT Bombay.

Prabhupada allowed Bhakta’s to add a sanskrit term to their christian names, it’s in a letter, could be because in the time of Saraswati Thakur, Hari Nam was given without changing their name, as 99 per cent Indians had Vedic names, Name change came with 2nd initiation. So, when shouted across the ashram, a bhakta’s name, it would remind you of Krsna even though he hadn’t got Hari Nam. It was used in ISKCON but was stopped< could be to encourage diksa.

Am glad you like English weather so much to move Seattle. When I was in Seattle the devotee’s told me that it has the same weather as London. Hope you have your brolly.

Regards

Vamsi Vadana das

 
Comment by Suresh DasNo Gravatar
2009-11-28 19:57:15

There is a small paperback edition in print (can’t remember name) with a beautiful magenta cover that is the teachings of Lord Rshavdev from Srimad Bhagavatam 5th Canto. I give them out as gifts to yoga friends. Totally freaks them out though, because the first chapter is all about giving up sex, as a prerequisite for practicing yoga.

Perhaps the reason that can be traced to why books are not being reprinted is lack of funds. Most of the books now are printed overseas. Paper is at an all time high in price, and the US$ is at a 14 year low. The printing costs have increased 4-5 times over last printing, making some of them impossible to make again. I inquired about it at the BBT a couple of years ago. Printing costs are even higher now.

There is also the extreme lack of distribution in all parts of the world now except India, which may be another explanation for lack of reprinting. You can’t justify reprinting 25,000 copies if only a handful are going to be distributed.

 
Comment by Suresh DasNo Gravatar
2009-11-28 20:02:36

I used to distribute the original “Nectar of Devotion”, printed by ISKCON Press in Boston, before the BBT came into existence. The cover was improperly stiched and the pages fell out. I explained to potential buyers how to fix the book, and people would actually buy them in that condition.

 

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