Life membership is based on books

[Bhakti Vikasa Swami]

I seem to remember Srila Prabhupada stating that the life membership program is
based on distribution of his books, and I seek a quote in this regard.

[BVKS Sanga]

From "Pariksit Rao" 

Date 12-03-2023 15:14:59

Subject Re: Life membership is based on books

Dear Gurumaharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Here are some quotes that might be relevant:

Now the most important point is to recruit life members as many as possible. Please let me know how many you have made. The money received of the life membership fees should be divided into two: 50% for building fund and 50% for my book fund. By distributing of our books and literatures through this program of life membership, our institution can become greater and greater all over the world.

- Letter to Dayananda -- Calcutta 8 February, 1971

From the beginning it was my program not to sell books but to make life members. The idea is that in India when we speak of price Rs. 64/ for KRSNA book or say Rs. 30/ for Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, practically their hearts begins to fade because in India most of them are not accustomed to pay so much price but when we speak of membership they agree to contribute very easily because Indian mentality is still charitable toward the cause of spiritual activities. So either reduce the price or not, if we endeavor to create life members it will be easier task. For example you are delivering a set of books; KRSNA, TLC, NOD, Handbook, one copy of BTG land you are taking favor for Rs. 101/ by reduction of price. If you take the real price of these books, it comes to somewhere near Rs. 220/ but if we make a member with the same delivery of books, we get the full membership fee.

Therefore we should contribute more energy for making life members than selling. When there will be no possibility of making members, at that time we can sell books at reduced price. Actually if it is possible to sell 100 sets of books per month, then you can do that. 

- Letter to Syamasundara -- Gorakhpur 15 February, 1971

So our members especially, I mean to say, those who are inmates, they, and those who are becoming members, ordinary member or patron member, we are giving them books. Please read them carefully. Don't take books that "I am member. It is my duty to take books and keep it in the almirah." No. Read it thoroughly. 

- Lecture SB 03.26.41 - Bombay 16 January 1975

I am always pleased and looking forward to seeing more beautiful pictures in our books. In India we make life members simply from the high quality and appearance of our books with illustrations. Our society is unrivalled in this respect and this is your credit who are working so selflessly to illustrate my books.

- Letter to ISKCON Artists -- Bombay 2 May, 1974

I am very pleased to learn from you your system of filing of all life members to insure that they receive all our literatures. Our life members in India must be kept alive. This literature will keep them alive, plus kirtana. 

- Letter to Yadubara -- Los Angeles 21 May, 1972

The books are very urgently required here because we have made about 35 members and none of them have been supplied with any books. Every day they are asking for books and this is not very good for us.

- Letter to Tamala Krishna written from Nairobi 5 October 1971

Wherever there is preaching strength there is also success, no matter it may be pandal-show, or making members, travelling Sankirtana party, whatever it may be—just maintain our strong position of purity of routine work and preach and distribute literature, that's all.

- Letter to Giriraja -- Bombay 28 December, 1971

So you must distribute these books, and so life membership distribution program must be vigorously done.

-  Letter to Tamala Krishna written from Los Angeles 3 July 1971

Your insignificant servant,

Raja Pariksit Dasa

[BVKS Sanga]

From "PIYUSH AGARWAL"

Date 12-03-2023 15:30:37

Subject Re: Life membership is based on books

Hare Krishna Guru Maharaj

Please accept my humble obisences at your lotus feet

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

All Glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga

Guru Maharaj, these are the following quotes (highlighted in bold):-

Yours Servant

Sivanatha Dasa

1.) Letter to Dayananda -- Calcutta 8 February, 1971

My Dear Dayananda,Please accept my blessings. I am very much pleased to receive your letter dated 27th January, 1971. I have been thinking of you and not having heard anything from you in such a long time, so I'm very much pleased with your letter. Recently Nandarani wrote me a letter and I have replied that.I understand that both Nandarani and yourself are advancing in Krishna Consciousness and that is a great solace for me. We require many boys and girls like you to spread this movement. Please do it carefully and help others to become Krishna Conscious. I'm sure that Karandhara and your good self, assisted by the others are doing well in that center. I shall soon be returning and shall be glad to see how things have improved much during my absence.Also I am very pleased to know that the Deity thrones are now in hand. I have already dispatched big Deities like the ones in London, given by Mr. Birla. I hope by this time you might have received shipping documents and on receipt of this you do the needful. As soon as the Deities are received, you should prepare very nice gorgeous sets of clothes for the Deity.Now the most important point is to recruit life members as many as possible. Please let me know how many you have made. The money received of the life membership fees should be divided into two: 50% for building fund and 50% for my book fund. By distributing of our books and literatures through this program of life membership, our institution can become greater and greater all over the world.Please offer my blessings to the others there. Hoping this will meet you in good health.Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

2.) Letter to: Dr. Y. G. Naik — 

Toronto 7 August, 1975 75-08-07 

Dr. Y. G. Naik, M.Sc., Ph.D. Retired Principal, Gujarat College, 66 Hemdeep, Sharda Society Ahmedabad, 7 INDIA Dear Dr. Naik: 

Please accept my greetings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 11, 1975. After long years it is pleasing and surprising to receive an affectionate letter from you. I think I met you sometimes in the year 1958. Since then in 1965 I came to America and started this missionary activity from New York in 1966. Now the Society has got about 100 branches all over the world. And, everywhere we have got Deity worship; Guru Gauranga, Radha Krishna, and Jagadisa. Prasadam in this country means a full meal. From the very beginning even when I was alone, I was cooking myself for at least one dozen men, and I distributed full meals. According to Caitanya Mahaprabhu philosophy, prasadam should be taken up to the neck, akantha. In Jagannatha Puri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's only occupation was holding Sankirtana at least four hours every day and distributing prasadam to the devotees. It is stated in the Caitanya Caritamrta that the Lord was so liberal that He would give to every man prasadam quite sufficient for being eaten by two or three men. So we are trying to follow by distributing prasadam very liberally, and we invite everyone without any discrimination. Everywhere we have got temples we distribute prasadam especially to the poorer men. I am enclosing one issue of our "Back to Godhead'' magazine which contains photos of our prasadam distribution starting on page 12. This prasadam distribution is going on all over the world. Regarding the free distribution of books, there is no need in this country. They have sufficient money and sometimes they pay more than the price. Here in this country if literature is given free of charge, they throw it away. In most cases we offer our books and ask for a contribution. And, sometimes they pay three rimes or four times the requested price. So about money matters they are very liberal. Krishna has given them money, and they spend it very liberally. You will be interested to know we are collecting about Dollars 250,000 per month. This means about Rs. 20 lakhs per month from book sales. I have written about 50 big books of 400 pages each and about a dozen small books, and all of them are being sold in the above mentioned figures. We spend also very liberally, and whatever we collect we spend it also. The first book was started with your foreword, Easy Journey to Other Planets. Now they are selling revised editions and perhaps it is the best selling item. Since I have come to this country, I might have sold this Easy Journey about one half million copies. My Krishna books are selling more than that. So by Krishna's grace our books are being appreciated by universities, libraries, and respectable professors, and some are being used as textbooks in the universities. I am enclosing herewith a copy of our book catalog which contains some of the comments of the professors. I hope you will enjoy it. Also I am enclosing a copy of one book, Scientific Basis of Krishna Consciousness, written by one of my Ph.D. students. You are also a scientist, and I hope you will enjoy it. In India we have got a program of membership and patronship costing Rs. 1,111/- and 2,222/- respectively, and all of our members and patrons are receiving all of the books free of charges. So any member can come to our temples and live as long as he likes and take free prasadam. So if any Indians students come here as our member, we shall welcome him and give him a place as well as prasadam free of charge. We have already organized the Ratha Yatra ceremony, and we hold a great Love Feast festival every Sunday in everyone of our branches. Now I advised to organize more festivals during Janmastami, Lord Ramacandra's Appearance Day, and Gaura Purnima, the Appearance of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. I am addressing this letter to your Indian address because I could not properly reply your letter earlier because your letter has been redirected to me from the many places I have been on tour. I am also sending a copy of this letter to your address in USA in care of your son. I am very anxious to meet you again. I am returning to India by October, and I am inviting you to come to our Vrindaban temple and live there for some time. I have got a very nice Guest House there, and I would suggest humbly that since you are already retired from service and your sons are well situated, that you may retire from your family life and live in Vrindaban in the vanaprastha order. Our Vrindaban temple is appreciated as the best in this quarter. The Governor of Uttar Pradesh stayed with me for two days recently, so at least for a few days you may come there and live with me. Learned scholars like you are now needed to represent the cause of Krishna consciousness because without this consciousness the human society is doomed. So I require the help of respectable learned scholars like you for spreading this movement more and more. According to the Vedic system this body is perishable and the ultimate form of this body is to become ash, stool, or earth. Therefore it is advised by the great pandita Canakya that the body should be sacrificed for a better cause. That is the idea inherent everywhere, especially in India. Everyone is advised to achieve the result of pious activities by engaging this body for such purposes. That is the greatest gain. According to the Vedic varna asrama it is compulsory that one retire from his family life and engage this body for Krishna's service at the end of his life. As it is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: tat sadhu manye 'suravarya dehinam sada samudvigna dhiyam asad grahat hitvartma patam grham andha-kupam vannad gato yad harim asrayet [SB 7.5.5] I hope you will try to understand my point of view and join this movement to make it more appreciable by the people in general all over the world. Thanking you once more for your letter, and more when we meet. I hope this finds you in good health. 

Sincerely yours, 

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami 

ACBS/bs

[BVKS Sanga]

From "Gopal Ramamurthy" 

Date 12-03-2023 19:59:03

Subject Re: Life membership is based on books

701028 - Letter to Rupanuga written from Amritsar

Sannyas means they should travel extensively, create new centers and new devotees—that is sannyas business. Also they can create life members.

We are making life members here in India and getting good response. The membership plan is as follows:

a) LIFE MEMBER receives all our books thus far published as well as all future publications, as well as a lifetime subscription to BTG. He is also free to visit any of our temples, take prasadam there and stay there if he likes. Price is 1111 rupees (7 1/2 rupees per dollar).

b) DONOR MEMBER receives all our literature thus far published as well as a life-time subscription to BTG. Price is 555 rupees.

c) SUBSCRIPTION MEMBER receives a lifetime subscription to BTG. Price is 222 rupees.

d) COMMON MEMBER receives a one-year subscription to BTG. Price is 33 rupees.

So this same system may be introduced in other parts.

 

710703 - Letter to Tamala Krishna written from Los Angeles

 

The books in India should not be sent to U.S.A. The contract for distributing our books was a pseudo contract, so it was cancelled. So the books must be distributed in India. There is no use in sending the books back here. So you must distribute these books, and so life membership distribution program must be vigorously done.

 

710215 - Letter to Syamasundara written from Gorakhpur

 

From the beginning it was my program not to sell books but to make life members. The idea is that in India when we speak of price Rs. 64/ for KRSNA book or say Rs. 30/ for Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, practically their hearts begins to fade because in India most of them are not accustomed to pay so much price but when we speak of membership they agree to contribute very easily because Indian mentality is still charitable toward the cause of spiritual activities. So either reduce the price or not, if we endeavor to create life members it will be easier task. For example you are delivering a set of books; KRSNA, TLC, NOD, Handbook, one copy of BTG land you are taking favor for Rs. 101/ by reduction of price. If you take the real price of these books, it comes to somewhere near Rs. 220/ but if we make a member with the same delivery of books, we get the full membership fee.

Therefore we should contribute more energy for making life members than selling. When there will be no possibility of making members, at that time we can sell books at reduced price.

 

730103 - Letter to Bhavananda written from Bombay

Most of the money collected in India has been deposited in my Bhaktivedanta Book Trust fund for printing and purchasing books for distribution in India. Actually, our main business in this country shall be to distribute our books profusely. Mayapur, Vrindaban, these temples shall be utilized for the most part by foreigners. So far the work in India of spreading Krsna consciousness, there are already millions of temples, so what shall our two more temples accomplish for spreading Krsna consciousness? They are meant for the foreigners and big life members. But our emphasis for preaching work will be on these books. Just as I introduced this life membership program based entirely on books, so you and other leaders here in India meet together or correspond frequently to devise more and more methods for introducing our literatures to the Indian public. That is the most important business.

 

750327 - Conversation with GBC - Mayapur

 

Prabhupāda: What is that something? The first something is that everyone is complaining that they are not getting books. You just, first of all, do it, how to stop these complaints.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We've got to get the books . . . (indistinct)

Jayatīrtha: In India?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayatīrtha: This is the problem.

Prabhupāda: The India is membership, and the members, if they are dissatisfied, then? This is not good. So find out the ways how these complaints can be solved.

Haṁsadūta: So does it mean that the BBT should take charge of the Life Membership program or to see that they're supplied the books?

Prabhupāda: No. Life Membership . . . suppose you make one Life, he has to be supplied books.

Haṁsadūta: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So fifty percent goes to the . . .

Haṁsadūta: Book Fund.

Prabhupāda: That is stated in the BBT. That is the main purpose, that fifty percent must go . . .

Haṁsadūta: For printing. Fifty percent for printing, fifty percent for building.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. This is the main purpose.

[BVKS Sanga]

From "Srngi Das"

Date 12-03-2023 20:58:57

Subject Re: Life membership is based on books

Respected Guru Maharaja,

Please accept my humble obeisances.

Following are a few quotes that might be relevant to the theme mentioned.

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Letter to: Sukadeva
—
Allahabad
27 January, 1971

71-01-27

 

“It is encouraging to hear that already you are distributing BTG so nicely, so continue in this way. Also you should widely distribute our books, especially to the schools and libraries. We have also initiated a life membership program for distributing our books and you can inquire about this program from Karandhara . I have noted how you already have been invited into peoples homes for Sankirtana program. Such engagements are ideal for making life members and distributing our literature. That has been our program in India and it has been very successful. So continue this program”

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Letter to: Tulsi
—
Bombay
24 February, 1971

71-02-24

 

“..So far as book distribution is concerned, this program should also be given much energy. Also for distributing our books we have initiated the life membership program. This program has been very successful here in India. If you can develop it nicely there in San Diego, it will be a great asset to your preaching work. So cooperate with Karandhara Prabhu and develop it nicely…”

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Letter to: Bhavananda
—
Bombay
3 January, 1973

73-01-03

 

“..But our emphasis for preaching work will be on these books. Just as I introduced this life membership program based entirely on books, so you and other leaders here in India meet together or correspond frequently to devise more and more methods for introducing our literatures to the Indian public. That is the most important business”

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Letter to: Dayananda
—
Calcutta
8 February, 1971

71-02-08

 

Now the most important point is to recruit life members as many as possible. Please let me know how many you have made. The money received of the life membership fees should be divided into two: 50% for building fund and 50% for my book fund. By distributing of our books and literatures through this program of life membership, our institution can become greater and greater all over the world.

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Your servant,

Śṛṅgī dāsa