# Brilliant as the Sun **Duration:** 23:00 <div class="video-container" style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%;"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RaCATR-xqPo" style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; pointer-events: auto; z-index: 10;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaCATR-xqPo) --- ## Transcript **[00:31]** Five thousand years ago in India many saints and sages gathered **[00:36]** on the banks of the sacred river Ganges. **[00:38]** They came from throughout the world to witness the last seven days **[00:43]** in the life of the great devotee, King Pariksit. **[00:46]** The King had renounced his fabulous wealth **[00:49]** to dedicate his few remaining days to spiritual enlightenment. **[00:52]** At that meeting Sukadeva Goswami, the most exalted sage in the assembly **[00:58]** narrated the pastimes and teachings of Lord Sri Krishna, **[01:02]** the Supreme Personality of Godhead. **[01:05]** He discussed all aspects of knowledge from the creation of the material universe **[01:10]** to the culture of spiritual life and held the King and sages in rapt attention. **[01:24]** His teachings, known as the Bhagavata Purana or Srimad-Bhagavatam **[01:30]** were transcribed in the ancient Sanskrit language **[01:33]** and their glories are thus explained in the Bhagavata itself. **[01:37]** This Bhagavata Purana is as brilliant as the sun and has arisen just after the departure of **[01:43]** Lord Krishna to His own abode accompanied by religion and knowledge, etc. **[01:50]** Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of this age of Kali **[01:54]** shall get light from this Purana. **[01:57]** Through the ages these teachings about Lord Sri Krishna were transmitted intact **[02:04]** from spiritual master to disciple. **[02:06]** Sripada Madhvacharya **[02:09]** Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu **[02:12]** The Goswamis of Vrindavana **[02:15]** Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura **[02:20]** Sri Gaurakisora dasa Babaji **[02:24]** And, in the early 20th century, Srila Bhaktsiddhanta Saraswaiti Thakura **[02:29]** who ordered his disciples to preach Krishna consciousness around the world. **[02:34]** He especially desired to distribute Krishna conscious literature in the Western countries. **[02:39]** His disciple, His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada **[02:45]** took this order as his very life. **[02:49]** In 1966 he founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness **[02:54]** for worldwide preaching. **[02:56]** Then for worldwide publishing he established the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. **[03:01]** Srila Prabhupada himself is the author of all of the books. **[03:06]** He has been acclaimed as the world's most distinguished scholar and teacher **[03:09]** of Vedic philosophy and culture. **[03:12]** While translating each Sanskrit verse he refers to books of commentary **[03:16]** by previous spiritual masters and then gives a thorough explanation of the text. **[03:29]** Srila Visvananta Chakravati Thakura gives in this connection a description **[03:36]** of the difference of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and ordinary living being. **[03:45]** So this is... **[03:59]** This has been described in the previous verse. **[04:11]** The purport is that Supreme Lord, He is omnipotent, omniscient. He knows everything. **[04:24]** But the living being does not know actually what is the position **[04:33]** of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. **[04:36]** That is the difference between the Supreme Personality of Godhead **[04:42]** and ordinary living being. **[04:47]** Now we will follow one verse as it journeys from translation by Srila Prabhupada **[04:52]** through the process of book publication to its distribution around the world. **[05:00]** This Bhagavata Purana is as brilliant as the Sun. And it has arisen **[05:08]** just after the departure of Lord Krishna to His own abode, accompanied by religion, **[05:17]** knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance **[05:26]** in this age of Kali shall get light from this Purana. **[06:35]** Navadvipa dasa please report to graphic design. Navadvipa dasa. **[06:47]** Damodar Prabhu please pick up on line 40. **[06:57]** Srimad-Bhagavatam, we require one hundred thousand copies. **[07:00]** But on this reprint we'd like two hundred and fifty thousand. **[07:06]** Prabhu this package just arrived by air freight from India. **[07:09]** Jaya. This is the latest translation of Srimad-Bhagavatam by our spiritual master. **[07:14]** Prabhu take this manuscript to the Sanskrit department **[07:18]** and tell them it's first priority. And put a mark against Srila Prabhupada's name. **[07:29]** From the production manager the manuscript goes to the Sanskrit department. **[08:00]** Here we see that the ancient script has been rendered into Roman letters. **[08:05]** The editor is adding diacritical marks as a guide to pronunciation. **[08:15]** This Bhagavata Purana is as brilliant as the Sun comma **[08:19]** and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Krishna to cap-H His own abode comma **[08:25]** accompanied by religion comma knowledge comma etc.period... **[08:30]** The English editor now checks the manuscript for proper punctuation , grammar **[08:34]** and spelling. He dictates the corrected text onto a tape. **[08:50]** This recording is then transcribed. **[08:59]** In the composing room devotees retype the text on computerized machines **[09:05]** that transfer each typed letter into an electronic code. **[09:08]** The codes are recorded on magnetic tape. Any language can be composed in this way. **[09:38]** The tape, with its coded information, is now fed into an electronic computer. **[09:55]** The coded impulses from the tape are stored in the computers memory bank.. **[10:00]** Then the computer activates a phototypesetter. The typesetter converts the stored codes **[10:06]** into light sensitive impressions on photographic paper. **[10:13]** When the paper is developed in a processor the resulting image looks **[10:17]** exactly as it will appear in the finished book. **[10:20]** The typesetting machine can run off more than two thousand characters per minute. **[10:25]** At this rate the entire Srimad-Bhagavatam as Sukadeva Goswami first spoke it **[10:31]** could be reproduced in twenty-four hours. **[10:46]** The layout man cuts the photographic paper to page size and mounts it on art-board. **[11:05]** Next the page is photographed on a reproduction camera. **[11:30]** The retoucher removes any blemishes from the negative. **[11:44]** Before the book is printed blueprints are made of all the negatives **[11:49]** and the blueprints are carefully proof-read. **[11:56]** Meanwhile, during this entire operation, the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust artists **[12:02]** illustrate verses and purports from pages of the Bhagavatam. **[12:21]** They begin with pencil sketches portraying the scenes exactly as they are written. **[12:27]** These sketches are sent to Srila Prabhupada for approval and then traced on canvas. **[12:33]** With great care and devotion oils are applied. **[12:37]** The artists have to work quickly to keep pace with modern book production techniques. **[12:42]** This painting, for instance, took only two weeks to complete. **[12:52]** For reproduction the finished painting is photographed with a special studio camera. **[13:01]** A reading on a color analyzer assures that the colors are correctly balanced on the final print. **[13:13]** The devotee technician programs a computer processor which automatically develops the print. **[13:44]** Next the picture goes to the layout department where it is scaled to the proper size. **[14:01]** The book is now ready to print. **[14:27]** At this point page proofs are checked for accurate color reproduction. **[14:38]** After being printed the books are stored at the BBT warehouse in Los Angeles. **[14:44]** From there they are shipped throughout the world. **[15:02]** Devotees load thousands of books into special air containers to jet-freight **[15:07]** rush orders within twenty-four hours. **[15:53]** The narrations concerning the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Sri Krishna, **[15:59]** are the oldest writings known to man. Over generations they have influenced civilizations **[16:05]** in both the East and the West. Now, under Srila Prabhupada's guidance, **[16:11]** the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust has become the world's largest publisher and distributor **[16:16]** of these spiritual classics. **[16:18]** In English language editions alone the book trust has sold thirty million magazines **[16:23]** and ten million books. **[16:27]** It's greatest undertaking is the continuing publication of the sixty-volume **[16:31]** Srimad-Bhagavatam, the essence of all spiritual and material knowledge. **[16:38]** The ultimate source of everything that be is explained rationally and authoratively **[16:44]** in the beautiful Bhagavatam therefore it is the transcendental science meant for the **[16:50]** re-spiritualization of the entire human society. **[16:55]** Another publication of major importance is the seventeen volume **[16:59]** Sri Caitanya-caritamrta. The original Bengali verses translated and explained by **[17:07]** Srila Prabhupada describe the life and teachings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. **[17:12]** The Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna Himself appeared **[17:17]** as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to deliver the easiest and most sublime process **[17:22]** for self-realization in this age. **[17:28]** These books offer original Sanskrit and Bengali texts, Roman transliterations, **[17:34]** word-for-word English synonyms, concise translations and readable purports **[17:39]** by Srila Prabhupada. **[17:42]** They also feature detailed glossaries, general indexes and verse indexes, **[17:48]** pronunciation guides and original full-color paintings and photographs. **[17:54]** Also published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust are a number of shorter works **[18:03]** in cloth and paper editions. **[18:11]** In 1944 Srila Prabhupada started publishing "Back to Godhead" magazine in India. **[18:17]** Now his disciples are continuing this work in many other countries. **[18:21]** The English language edition has a monthly circulation of one million copies **[18:25]** making it the West's most popular periodical on Vedic philosophy and culture. **[18:31]** His Divine Grace is the spiritual master of a world-wide movement **[18:37]** and his books have thus been translated into fifteen major languages **[18:42]** including Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Swedish, Dutch, **[18:50]** Portuguese, Polish, Swahili, Gujarati, Hindi and Bengali. **[18:59]** Bhagavad-gita As It Is is the Western world's best selling and most widely used **[19:03]** edition of India's greatest religious classic. **[19:06]** Nearly one million copies of the English edition have been sold. **[19:12]** Srila Prabhupada's books are studied in universities and colleges throughout the world. **[19:17]** In America alone ninety percent of the colleges have already ordered these books **[19:22]** for their students, professors and libraries. **[19:25]** Harvard, Yale and Oxford lead the list of prestigious schools **[19:29]** that have placed standing orders for all seventeen volumes of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta **[19:35]** and the entire sixty volume set of Srimad-Bhagavatam. **[19:40]** Throughout the world scholars glorify Srila Prabhupada's writings. **[19:47]** Dr. J. Bruce Long of Cornell University praised Srila Prabhupada's works as, **[19:53]** "A cause for celebration." **[19:55]** And Dr. Daniel H. H. Ingles of Harvard said, **[19:59]** "I am most happy to have these handsomely printed volumes." **[20:03]** Dr. Garry Gelade of Oxford University wrote, **[20:07]** "This is a work to be treasured. The spirit of its message shines brightly from the pages." **[20:22]** Devotees at the temples of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness **[20:27]** study their spiritual masters books daily. **[20:30]** They have dedicated their lives to presenting the teachings of Krishna consciousness **[20:35]** to the entire human society. **[21:00]** Hare Krishna Sir. May I have a moment of your time? --Yea. Sure. **[21:04]** I'm from the Krishna temple and on the request of my spiritual master, **[21:08]** His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, **[21:12]** we're making these ancient books on transcendental knowledge **[21:15]** available to the people here in the West. **[21:17]** This is the history of the life and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, **[21:23]** Lord Sri Krishna. **[21:24]** I'll show you one verse which is very good, it gives a basic idea of the book. **[21:29]** It says, "This Bhagavata Purana is as brilliant as the Sun and it has arisen **[21:36]** just after the departure of Lord Krishna to His own abode accompanied by religion, **[21:41]** knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness in this age **[21:48]** of Kali shall get light from this Purana.