Untitled Document

Original Message-----
From: Urdhvaga@aol.com <Urdhvaga@aol.com>
To: PSSHearing@prabhupada.freeserve.co.uk <PSSHearing@prabhupada.freeserve.co.uk>
Date: 09 January 2000 21:05
Subject: pirating & copyright breaking

If we try to re-print Srila Prabhupada's books, we will be prosecuted by the
BBT/BBTI (court case) for pirating and copyright breaking.

Dear Urdhvarga prabhu, please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

I hope you are well.

Srila Prabhupada says inteligence means one should first consider the darker side.

So you have raised a good point.

A prajna, an intelligent man, not only think of the bright side on this business, or this fight, or this any..., so many things we have to deal with. Simply we should not calculate the brighter side. There is darker side also. We should always think, "If there is some thief, if there is some rogue, they cheat us, then what precaution I am going to take?" This is intelligence. If I simply calculate that "In this business I will make so much profit." In the meantime, somebody comes and cheats me and go away, then... Therefore upayan cintayet prajna apayan ca cintayet. Darker side also should be thought of. That is intelligence. Just like they are doing. After calculating the darker side--enemy means darker side--they can defeat me at any moment. That is darker side. So after calculating their strength, then Duryodhana is speaking about his own strength, asmakam tu visista ye.

(Bhagavad-gita 1.6-7 London, July 11, 1973)

My thought is that, even if we are captured for printing the books (which is very unlikely as it will be very difficult for them to prove) lets say I'm unemployed with very little income what can they really do to me ? Fine me or give me a short prison sentence. But the benifit is that before they can get to that stage we can have 1,000's of the books printed and distributed on the streets and to other devotees who wish to establish Prabhupada centers.

Another point in regards to the copyright, is that from what I heard they dissolved the original BBT just afer Srila Prabhupada's passing away and formed a new company so it looks like they have no copyright on the original books anyway. It appears Srila Prabhupada's original books could be public domain and nobody has any copyright.

Also if BBT is for publishing Srila Prabhupada's books, can they print books as BBT and violate the instructions of the author and founder of BBT.

So unless one is self-realized, there is practically no use writing about Krsna. This transcendental writing does not depend on material education. It depends on the spiritual realization. You'll find, therefore, in the comments of Bhagavatam by different acaryas, even there are some discrepancies, they are accepted as asat-patha. It should remain as it is.

(Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.23-24 Vrndavana, March 31, 1976)

Prabhupada: So you... What you are going... It is very serious situation. You write one letter that "Why you have made so many changes?" And whom to write? Who will care? All rascals are there. Write to Satsvarupa that "This is the position. They are doing anything and everything at their whim." The next printing should be again to the original way.

(S.P.Conversation, "Rascal Editors,"June 22, 1977, Vrndavana)

Perhaps in a court of law the above points may be valid ?

Yasodanandana prabhu could give us some light on these points I'm sure.

Another point is that if many devotees start printing small books, locally in their own city then how many devotees can they afford to take to court, if they can prove they were printing the books anyway ?

These are just a few points that i have considered and would be interested to hear your or the other devotees views.

Ultimately as i said before in the e-mail. We are completely authorised and protected by the Lord in this most essential service of keeping Srila Prabhupada's merciful shelter available to all the fallen souls of this dark age of Kali. Anything that will happen to us in this endevour will be the Lords arragement for our purification and the propagation of His mission. This is my understanding. WE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR OR WORRY ABOUT WE JUST HAVE TO TRY TO EXECUTE THE INSTRUCTION OF SRILA PRABHUPADA AND ACCEPT ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS TO US AS HIS MERCY !

To spread the Krsna consciousness movement, devotees have to face many dangers and impediments all over the world, but a faithful servant who preaches with great devotion to the Lord must know that Lord Nrsimhadeva is always his protector.

(S.B. 7.8.51)

Your servant Mukunda dasa.