Spiritual Sky

[Pratyatosa]

Dear Prabhus, PAMHO AGTSP!

Well there you have it. Thanks for the informative quotes, July 9th Prabhu. (See below) This proves that it's definitely not a very good example of devotees using their own intelligence without a direct order from Srila Prabhupada. Spiritual Sky was definitely Srila Prabhupada's own idea for a grhastha business venture. There was even a very positive article in the Wall Street Journal about Spiritual Sky.

I heard that Spiritual Sky gambled and lost. They got a huge incense order from K-Mart is what I heard. They went deep into debt in order to fill that order. K-Mart declared bankruptcy, so Spiritual Sky never got paid. Therefore Spiritual Sky had to declare bankruptcy also. K-Mart recovered from bankruptcy, but Spiritual Sky didn't. Was this an example of losing one's intelligence due to being blinded by greed?

Does anyone know who thought up the name, Spiritual Sky?

Your servant, Pratyatosa Dasa

On Sun, Jul 4, 2010 at 7:44 AM, july9th <july9...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Paratrikananda dasa says in  "A Summary of Srila Prabhupada's
Miraculous Accomplishments from 1965 to 1977":

"He instructed his disciples in 1967 to start an incense business to
provide financial support for the temples. Within four years the
business, Spiritual Sky Incense, generated an annual revenue of one
million dollars (equivalent to $4,600,000 in 2004)."

Confirmed by Srila Prabhupada's letters:

"If there is labor cheap you can organize there some incense
manufacturing concern. I wish that in every center we shall now
manufacture incense very good quality. The only thing you have to
assured to get the splinters or the thin sticks. If you think it will
be possible to get, then immediately start the work. The ingredients
are the splinters, charcoal, starch or gum and essential oils. It will
be very lucrative business and the profits will be sufficient to
maintain the center once you begin the work. I will give you many
business ideas by which you can accumulate nice profits. For business
four things are required. Namely place, labor, capital and
organization. For incense we have already organization. Little capital
you are gathering. The poverty place means you can get cheap labor and
the place you have already in your possession. Guidance, I am present.
So do it immediately and there will be no scarcity of money. I hope
you understand me right."

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Krsna Devi  --  San Francisco 16 December, 1967

2I have already given you a business suggestion namely manufacturing
incense locally. Once you are successful in this attempt you will get
money more than your expectation and spend it for Krishna's service. I
hope you will understand me right and do the needful."

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Subala  --  San Francisco 16 December, 1967

"In addition if you can begin production of of spiritual sky incense
there, that will be helpful."

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Sudama  --  Surat 30 December, 1970


New Dvaraka's 1996 Vyasa Puja offering states:

To help support the grhasthas and fund temples, you gave the idea for
an incense business. Inspired by your vision, the Spiritual Sky
incense company soon monopolized the incense market and grew into a
multi-million dollar business. Thus you relieved the financial
anxieties of the temple and the grhasthas.

[july9th]

Seems like it was Gargamoney, according to this letter.
If you write to him he may give you the details.


My Dear Gargamuni,
Please accept my blessings. After a long time, I beg to thank you for
your letter dated 31, January, 1969 from the Spiritual Sky store. You
have given a very nice name. At least you are giving ideas to the
people in general that there is a Spiritual Sky, and they will get
information sufficiently about Spiritual Sky, the planets thereof, the
inhabitants of these planets, etc., through the medium of your store,
the Spiritual Sky.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Gargamuni -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1969

On Jul 4, 1:32 pm, Pratyatosa <pratyat...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Dear Prabhus, PAMHO AGTSP!
>
> Well there you have it. Thanks for the informative quotes, July 9th Prabhu.
> (See below) This proves that it's definitely not a very good example of
> devotees using their own intelligence without a direct order from Srila
> Prabhupada. Spiritual Sky was definitely Srila Prabhupada's own idea for a
> grhastha business venture. There was even a very positive article in the
> Wall Street Journal about Spiritual Sky.
>
> I heard that Spiritual Sky gambled and lost. They got a huge incense order
> from K-Mart is what I heard. They went deep into debt in order to fill that
> order. K-Mart declared bankruptcy, so Spiritual Sky never got paid.
> Therefore Spiritual Sky had to declare bankruptcy also. K-Mart recovered
> from bankruptcy, but Spiritual Sky didn't. Was this an example of losing
> one's intelligence due to being blinded by greed?
>
> Does anyone know who thought up the name, Spiritual Sky?
>
> Your servant, Pratyatosa Dasa
>