Not for Business

Now you publish in German language all our books and distribute. Krsna will help you in every respect. The BBT collection should be spent 50% for publishing and 50% for construction of temples. At the present moment the Mayapur-Vrindaban projects are going on, so as soon as there is an excess of money it should be utilized here. Not a single farthing should be invested in any business enterprise. Formally it was so done without any sanction. So be careful.

— Letter to Hamsaduta, Vrindaban, 7 September 1974

Spending

The idea is that by the profit out of BTG and Book Sales if you can maintain the establishment and meet the expenses, then I have no objection. From Book sales at least 50% of the face value of the book has to go to the book fund. And from the sales of the BTG at least one rupee per magazine should be paid to the book fund. So whatever remains after this can be utilized by you to do the publishing.

— Letter to Ksirodakasayi, Bombay, 3 January 1972

Regarding the collections, the books are increasing, so 50% should go to BBT and 50% to construction, but if needed, then that money can be spent in other ways.

— Letter to Tejiyas, Bombay, 15 November 1974

No, maintenance expenditures cannot come from the book fund. I do not understand why the press has moved and a new location fixed up, all for the cost of $10,000. What is the benefit of it? The Bhagavad-gita As It Is, is being attempted to be printed in ISKCON Press, but it is taking time, years. Does it mean in this way that the book fund will have to pay $1,500 per month and await printing? ISKCON Press is simply meant for printing our books and there must be sufficient work for printing; otherwise what is the use for maintenance? First of all it was suggested that the printing place would be situated in our N.Y. building. Now it has gone to another building. So I shall require the GBC members to inform me what is the actual benefit by such removal and keeping the press in a different building. The policy of maintaining a white elephant is not good.

— Letter to Karandhara, Calcutta, 17 May 1971

Not one penny wasted

Yes, try to reduce the expenditures more and more. It is only with great difficulty upon all our book distributers that BBT gets its funds. So those who are responsible should be very frugal to see that not one penny is unnecessarily spent.

— Letter to Radhavallabha, Bombay, 6 April 1977

BBT Loans

No, we cannot loan BBT money for any other purpose than what is mentioned in the BBT Agreement. These other loans for cows, equipment, and restaurants must all be re-paid, and no other loans other than for publishing and temple construction can be granted.

— Letter to Ramesvara, Bombay, 25 November 1974

BBT Temple Debt

But Gargamuni informs me that the payments for BTGs and book sales are not being sent. So the best thing will be to keep daily count of your stock and how many magazines and books sold. Then, regularly, on Sunday of each week the sales proceeds may be totalled for issuing a check to the amount owed to my book fund and to the BTG accounts. Then on each Monday the check may be sent to Los Angeles. So you do this regularly and it will be very nice.

— Letter to Hamsaduta, Los Angeles, 29 June 1970

Karandhara has informed me that you are apparently an offender in the connection of being tardy in payments to my BTG and Book Fund. This is not good. We are trying to push on this movement on many fronts, one of the most important being the production and distribution of our Krsna Conscious literature for the upliftment of mankind. My Guru Maharaja particularly gave me this assignment, so please assist me to your best capacity in this regards.

Karandhara Prabhu is the Treasurer of the BTG and BKF so you may immediately clear your accounts with him and this will be a serious responsibility upon you.

— Letter to Amogha, London, 15 July 1972

Royalties

I do not take any royalty or any profit out of it. Similarly if you agree not to take any profit or royalty then our Bhaktivedanta Book Trust will publish your book on Lord Ramacandra.

— Letter to Dinanatha N. Mishra, Laguna Beach, 26 July 1975

I have no objection to your printing it with the name “Revatinandana Swami’s Cookbook”, but the royalty should go to the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Just as I am publishing Bhagavad-gita As It Is with Macmillan Co. but the royalty is going to the BBT. I think this method is appropriate. If you yourself take the royalty it will be personal interest in money and trade, and this will deviate your principle of sannyasa. Sannyasi means he is in renounced order and lives by begging alms for the bare necessities of life. It is not good to make trade to get money for personal expenditure. If the royalty is given to the BBT, we will keep a separate account from this royalty and necessary expenditures for your preaching may be supplied from the BBT.

— Letter to Revatinandana, Los Angeles, 9 January 1974