Introduction
THE BHAKTIVEDANTA LIBRARY PROGRAM is a practical way to ensure that the teachings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada become a focus in temples and in the homes and hearts of devotees and followers.
The Bhaktivedanta Library is a wonderful facility for the preachers of the Krishna consciousness movement. It ensures that the general populace has the opportunity to make a tangible connection with our philosophy. We encourage all devotees to help establish Bhaktivedanta Libraries throughout the world.
Time passes quickly, and it is the goal of the Bhaktivedanta Library Services to establish thousands of Bhaktivedanta Libraries in this new millennium. This goal will be reached by the enthusiasm and cooperation of individual devotees, temple authorities, life members and congregational members. We need time, energy, and contributions to ensure that this project is given facility.
Already there are more than 500 complete Bhaktivedanta Libraries established, and there are many thousands of partial libraries. This is a very good start. To establish a Bhaktivedanta Library is not as difficult as one might think, as most temples and devotees already have some of the basic parts of the library. We have included an inventory list to enable you to find out exactly how complete your library is and what is missing.
This prospectus is a tool to inform you of what you need to build your library according to your requirements, and to enthuse you about the exciting range of devotional literatures, music, and even computer software available.
The devotees at the Bhaktivedanta Library Services are here to help you in any way we can, so please don’t hesitate to contact us by phone, fax, e-mail, post, or in person so that we may answer any questions you have and offer whatever facility we can to help you establish your own library.
Introducing the Bhaktivedanta Library Prospectus
HARE KRISHNA. Welcome to the Bhaktivedanta Library Prospectus on-line. This prospectus is a complete listing of all the books, tapes, CDs, and computer software that constitute the library. It also serves as a catalogue for individual items.
For ease of understanding we have divided the library into six logical phases, each of which are the parts of the library.
As a non-profit organisation it is our declared aim to see these libraries placed in homes and institutions worldwide. Any profits we make from the sale of these libraries goes toward supporting ISKCON projects, thus further developing a society conducive to the knowledge contained in these libraries.
What is the Bhaktivedanta Library Program?
The Bhaktivedanta Library Program is our humble attempt to facilitate the acquisition of Bhaktivedanta Libraries by private householders and public institutions. Please let us serve you in this attempt and do not hesitate to suggest ways in which we can improve this service.
Our purpose at the Bhaktivedanta Library Services is to carry Srila Prabhupada’s teachings into the twenty first century. To this end we are aiming to have thousands of official Bhaktivedanta Libraries established in the new millennium. This will ensure the safe-keeping of this transcendental knowledge, no matter what upheavals the next millennium may throw at us.
What is a Bhaktivedanta Library?
Exactly what you want it to be. This prospectus contains every item from the complete Bhaktivedanta Library.
The minimum requirement of an official Bhaktivedanta Library is Phase A (see below) — the complete works of Srila Prabhupada. This library can be extended by the addition of the complete written archives of his letters, lectures, and conversations, both in book and digital form. There is also a complete collection of all available sound and video recordings of His Divine Grace’s lectures and bhajanas, as well as video and written recollections by his disciples of his wonderful pastimes.
This comprehensive collection gives one complete shelter of the siksa (instruction) of Srila Prabhupada. It is a safeguard against ignorance, a beacon of knowledge bringing spiritual science into a world beset by nescience.
Where Can I Find a Bhaktivedanta Library?
It is our dream to see Bhaktivedanta Libraries established on every corner of the earth. Along with the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, these libraries should be found in every town and village.
A Bhaktivedanta Library is a tirtha, a holy place that purifies its surroundings.
This sanctuary can be found in private homes, public libraries, and temples worldwide. The more widespread they become, the more likely it is that people in general will find shelter in the divine instructions of Srila Prabhupada.
This is your chance to participate by purchasing a library for your home, or sponsoring a library for your temple or other institution. It’s much easier than you might think.
Srila Prabhupada’s Personal Legacy
For the first time in history, a pure devotee has established a treasure house of philosophical and personal instruction on modern media for future generations.
Srila Prabhupada writes in his concluding remarks to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta: ‘I still consider [my Guru Maharaja] to be always present with me by his vani, his words. . . . Physical presence is sometimes appreciable and sometimes not, but vani continues to exist eternally. Therefore we must take advantage of the vani.’
The preservation of Srila Prabhupada’s legacy depends on the widespread distribution of his teachings, in as many places as possible. By establishing Bhaktivedanta Libraries worldwide we are helping to ensure that these teachings survive into the future, despite inevitable upheavals.
What Can BLS Offer You?
At Bhaktivedanta Library Services we are dedicated to forging meaningful relationships with the people we deal with. We will do all possible to ensure that you are fully satisfied in all your dealings with us. This can be verified by our many friends worldwide.
Bhaktivedanta Library Services is a fully devotee-run non-profit organisation. We are providing this service as our service to the Lord and His devotees. Any profits we make are used to fund ISKCON projects.
The Bhaktivedanta Library is a lifetime investment. It is an investment against ignorance and illusion. A library can be built book by book and tape by tape, but realistically this is a very costly way to do it, as you miss out on the savings available when purchasing in quantity. But then, the thought of purchasing a full library in one hit might be too daunting.
For these reasons, we have divided the library into phases to enable you to gradually build up and customise your own library.
Phase A is a library in itself and a prerequisite component of any official Bhaktivedanta Library. It consists of the life works of Srila Prabhupada, his superlative commentaries and translations of the Vedic texts.
The library can then be extended by the addition of Phase B, a full collection of carefully archived lectures, letters, conversations, and diaries. With Phase A and Phase B, practically every word that Srila Prabhupada ever wrote or spoke in public is at your fingertips in written form.
Phase C introduces the most important method of receiving Vedic knowledge — sabda (sound). This was in the form of 1,120 cassettes containing hundreds of lectures, conversations, and more. The best of these had been remixed and preserved on more than 80 compact discs. The whole tape ministry has then been converted to MP3 format.
These cassettes and CDs are now available as CDs in MP3 format. The whole series of lectures, conversations, etc. in MP3 is available on only 24 CDs including all the bhajanas on three CDs, plus 6 additional MP3 CDs contain the former audio CD lecture series plus more previously never on audio CD released lectures, all now on MP3 format.
Phase D expands your association with Srila Prabhupada into the realms of video. All the known usable footage ever recorded is available here in DVD format. This includes lectures and documentaries such as Your Ever Well-Wisher and The Acarya Series.
Phase E brings you into the 21st century. The Bhaktivedanta VedaBase, (Folio) version 4.11, contains all of Srila Prabhupada’s books, letters, conversations, and more, as well as many pictures, sounds, and plenty of books by previous acaryas and by Srila Prabhupada’s disciples. This is no ordinary upgrade!
Finally, Phase F brings Srila Prabhupada to you as he is seen and known by his disciples. Many wonderful books have been written in an attempt to capture a little of the endless glories of Srila Prabhupada’s manifest pastimes. As well, there are many video interviews available on two DVD sets containing the individual recollections of those who gained his association.
You now have the complete Bhaktivedanta Library. Every thing you need to know is at your fingertips. You can absorb all your senses in meditation upon Srila Prabhupada’s pure message .
REGISTERING YOUR LIBRARY
Why Register Your Library?
One of the main objectives of the Bhaktivedanta Library Program is to gather data on just how far Prabhupada’s books have filtered down into society. With this information we can learn where the successes of the sankirtana mission have occurred and why. We can also learn where there is a shortfall in the distribution of this nectar and assist in rectifying this.
Accurate figures will also allow us to compile a database of Public Bhaktivedanta Libraries enabling us to point those in search of Prabhupada’s instructions in the right direction.
Registration carries no obligation to purchase anything and is primarily meant to facilitate the distribution of this knowledge.
Public or Private Library: It’s Your Choice
A private library is private. Any information we receive on the status of your library is completely confidential and will only be used for statistical purposes.
A public library will be registered as such and the address will be published in our list of Public Bhaktivedanta Libraries. A public library can be in any institution such as a temple, or it can be part of a nama-hatta centre, or even in your own home.
As the librarian, you are, of course, free to choose the library rules; rules such as, who can visit your library, at what times, and whether they can borrow from your library.
By keeping your library public you are providing a spiritual haven for visiting devotees and simultaneously giving yourself the opportunity of increasing your association with other devotees.
How to Register
Registration is simple. Just fill out the accompanying inventory form and mail it in to us. Upon your registration we will be sure to keep you informed of any new releases, and particularly of any special offers that may come along.
Please keep us informed whenever you complete a particular phase of the Bhaktivedanta Library and of any changes of address. When you complete particular phases of the library, we will present you with a certificate stating your Library’s status as an official Bhaktivedanta Library.
For registration purposes, Phase A can be in any language or combination of languages.