A look at the worldwide activities of the
International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
Health Minister Inaugurates ISKCON Free Clinic
Bombay, India—Not long ago Dr. Premila Tople, Minister for Health and Family Welfare in Maharashtra state, presided at the inaugural ceremonies for ISKCON’s new free clinic and dispensary, the Bhaktivedanta Institute.
Primarily, the facility will serve the health needs of the area’s low-income people. It’s staff includes two eminent Bombay physicians, Dr. Kumari R. Manusukhani and Dr. Sureshchandra Chaturvedi.
New Demand for Srila Prabhupada’s Books
Thousands of Americans are purchasing complete sets of Srila Prabhupada’s books, reports the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust’s home sales office in Dallas.
For many years the academic world had supplied most of the customers for Srimad-Bhagavatam (a five-thousand year-old Sanskrit classic about the pastimes of Lord Krsna) and Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (a five-hundred-year-old biography of Lord Caitanya, the greatest teacher of Krsna consciousness). More than twenty-five hundred college professors and university and public libraries have ordered full sets thus far.
But now, with the new interest in reincarnation, karma, and self-realization, the books are appealing to an everwidening audience. Here’s a sampling of the response from people who have ordered recently:
“I enjoy the books very much. I am pleased, honored, and blessed that I have the opportunity to share the sacred teachings of a great spiritual master. Again, thank you.”
—Helene Svoboda
Chicago, Illinois
“I am enjoying the books very much. I just wish I had more time to read them. I’ll just have to make more time, because these books are very informative and very enlightening. I thank you for leading me to such wonderful reading.”
—J. Bromberg
St. Louis, Missouri
In 1977 Srila Prabhupada said, “I want that every respectable person have a full set of Srimad-Bhagavatam and Sri Caitanya-caritamrta in his home.”
For full details readers may write the Bhaktivedanta Book Distribution office at 5430 Gurley Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75223.
Sanskrit Scholar Reviews Bhagavatam
Dr. D. Arkasomayaji, one of India’s leading Sanskrit scholars, said this about His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s English translation of Srimad-Bhagavatam (the narrative of Lord Krsna’s pastimes):
“What is most thrilling about this particular edition is that His Divine Grace (whom I look upon as an avatara of Godhead born into this world to cleanse it of its profane subhuman outlook) wields a pen which seems as though monitored by Bhagavan Vyasa, the Bhagavatam’s ancient author. This monumental work will surely survive millenniums, just as the very Sanskrit Bhagavatam has survived to this day, overcoming all ravages of time. What thrills me further is that His Divine Grace puts fire into his pen and writes as if to pour molten lead over the heads of the nations of the world, which are doomed to disaster if they do not heed the message contained in these volumes. Schools, colleges, and universities of the world should not fail to acquire these volumes, since they are capable of floodlighting the dark caves of the hearts of present-day students. Students are coming for bread and are being treated with stones in the ecuational institutes nowadays. Be they of science or humanities, there are no books comparable with this edition of Srimad-Bhagavatam.”
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