cheap pictures not wanted

[Guest guest]

> Below is a quote suggesting that devotees should publish and distribute

> pictures of scenes from His innumerable variegated pastimes--not only

> focusing on Krsna's affairs with the gopis. Are there any more such

> quotes?

>

> "They simply picture Krsna as if embracing Radharani. That's all. That is

> also in a very obnoxious way. These rascals take the dealings of Radha and

> Krsna as the dealings of ordinary boys and girls. They don't understand.

> Such pictures should be avoided. Krsna is the controller. Let there be one

> picture of how Krsna is controlling the whole universe. That picture is

> wanted, not these cheap pictures, imitating our rubbish behavior with boys

> and girls. These pictures we do not want. We want a picture of how Krsna

> is controlling the universal affairs."

>

> (Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 3 May 1973)

 

TD6 (not yet published)

 

On January 23 1977 Srila Prabhupada was in Bhubaneswar and he

received some guests from Bombay:

 

"This afternoon some men came from a Bombay film company.

They wanted darshan and then began telling Prabhupad how they are

making a film of Krsna's lila with the Gopis, and asked if he could kindly

give his blessings for making the film. They also added, "Oh and could we

also give some message of special thanks to Prabhupada at the beginning

of the film."

Although they were trying to say that they just

wanted to give public recognition to Prabhupada for his work in

popularising Krsna and that, as pious men, before starting out on their

endeavour they were feeling it required his blessings to be

successful, it was apparent that what they were really after was the chance

to use his name to advertise that "this film is authorised by Bhaktivedanta

Swami of the Hare Krsna Hare Rama movement, so it is authentic"

and in this way increase the commercial value of it.

Perhaps anyone else, who is interested in name and fame, would have

been flattered at the thought of having a film with his name on it, and

no doubt these men thought that Prabhupada was just such an

ordinary person, but they were to be disappointed. Rather than be

flattered, Prabhupada immediately began to condemn the idea of

showing the Gopi's lilas with Krsna, telling them they are very

confidential subject matters which cannot be understood by the

common man. It is only for the bhaktas, the devotees.

Being very eager and having come from Bombay for their

purpose they tried reasonable argument. "But everyone is is a

bhakta here (meaning in India)" they said smilingly.

"Well you say everyone is a Krsna bhakta but this man he was asking

'Who is Krsna?' so they are not Krsna bhaktas." [Prabhupada was referring to

man who had attended his pandal program the night before and had asked 'Who

is Krsna?' He had chastised the man for not knowing although he was born in

India.]

Srila Prabhupada told the movie men not to

jump over immediately to these subjects. He told them "Why not do

the first canto of SB and in this fashion gradually up through

the whole Bhagavatam before coming to the tenth cantos?"

So the conversation went back and forth, the men determined to some

how or other get some kind of agreeance for their project and Prabhupada

more determined to hold his line. Eventually they left without

their endorsement."

 

Your humble servant,

Hari-sauri dasa

Your humble servant,

Hari-sauri dasa