If you had unlimited money what one thing would you do to spread Krsna Consciousness?
I will collect names and addresses of people from the election commission, telephone directories or some other data provider and divide groups according to their faith. Then I will print large number of BTGs with articles relevant for that particular faith. And then distribute these magazines one per famil y free of cost. This I will do in all countries and in all languages. With the population of the world at 6.20 billion, considering 4 people per family there will be 1.55 billion copies.
Then each individual in the world will get access to Srila Prabhupada's literature. I will also put photos of Deities, that can be removed and laminated. One can begin offering food and chanting Hare Krishna after reading the BTG.
(Vraja Kumara Dasa, Chowpatty, Mumbai)
I would like to control these television programs. In a short span of thirty years te levision has uprooted the deep sociology of humanity. The propaganda principally spread is gratification of se n ses and attempts to make this world a comfortable place to live forever, which is not at all possible. People spend all their intelligence and strength trying to achieve these false targets and end their lives very miserably.
First of all I would produce immense numbers of Krsna conscious movies. They will show the unlimited pastimes of Lord and their relevance to human society, outpour the magnificent godly qualities of Vaisnava acaryas, and broadcast the techniques of how to transcend this world and go back home, back to Godhead after the death. I will produce songs glorifying the Lord and His devotees according to liking of receptive audiences, and print beautiful and alluring photos of Krsna replacing existing bill boards at public places.
(Kartik E. Patro, Berhampur, Orissa)
I will start a prasadam based program with free home delivery preferably by devotees of the same locality. At the time of prasadam distribution, people will be requested to attend a 'Lecture series on Spirituality', in the local temple. There will be Hare Krsna sankfrtan before and after the lectures which will definitely motivate mind of many persons.
If people show inability to attend lectures, they will be given books of Srila Prabhupada free of cost to clear common doubts and to ensure how this philosophy is the best and what is the evidence for its superiority.
Those who refuse prasadam will not be forced. A ll oth ers will be given chanting beads and attempts will be made to convince them to chant.
Also prasadam distribution will be done daily in schools and colleges. Small programs in assoc iation of administration regarding 'Indispensability of spiritual knowledge', in addition ro curr en t education will be arranged.
(Manoj Narkhade, JJ Hospital, Mumbai)
I will have a tie-up with Walt Disney or a similar studio and make animated movie sequels on Knna and His pastimes from KRSNA book. These movies would also generate other merchandise like toys, books, comics, and even games. Of course thi s should a ll be within the 'Laksmana Rekha' of ISKCON principles. This way we can 'catch them young', as kids would be our target audience, and of course the dads and moms have to accompany them to the movie. The n leave it to the kids to make their com pari – sons between Superman and the Supreme Person ality of Godhead. In this way we can spread to every town and village (with dubbed versions in local languages) as per the pr edictions of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
(Manish Vithalani, Pune)
I would like to launch a special television channel sh owing programs based on Krsna conscious philosophy 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Besides this, there would belive telecast of kirtanas from different ISKCON temples, skits enacted by the devotees, movies and serials o n Lord Krsna's and Lord Caitanya's pastimes, cartoon shows based on inspiring stories for children,lectures, talk shows, and interactive shows solving viewer's queries. People today are glued to the television in their free time and channel surfing is a very common habit. You never know when Knna's mercy will fall upon whom and people might just get addicted to the ISKCON channel. Hari Bol!
(Sheetal Arora, Indore, M.P)
I will buy Bhagavad-gita As It Is, beads and bead bags, biographies like those of Srila Prabhupada and Caitanya Mahaprabhu and others, and distribute them freely. I am a Brahmin initiated disciple of His Holiness Indradyumna Swami. I have few lakhs unwanted money as my children are settled and I am a widower in advanced age. I will also gather devotees and even nondevotees and take them on a free holy yatra to dhamas viz. Vrndavana, Mayapur, Puri, and Dvaraka. I will offer scholarships to the devotees' children for higher education in Engineering, Medicine etc. I will also build as many free huts (rooms) as possible in h oly places like Vrndava na, Mayapur, and Puri to encourage the devotees to stay for a long time to participate in the daily program of the temple. I h ope the above plan will n ot only inspire Krsna consciousness but also miraculously change Kali yuga back to Satya yuga.
(Syamasundar Dasa, Pondicherry)
I will immediately go on a purchasing spree to buy all the wastelands of planet earth-including land used for producing useless crops like tea, coffee, tobacco, and other intoxicants, and ensure that their distribution is stopped. I will also buy land used for mundane entertainment like frivolous sports, cinema theatres, gambling dens, pubs and discos, brothels and all places of illicit activities.
Having achieved this, I will convert each place into fully active devotional centres. If the purchased property is in a city, I will allot them to local ISKCON temples so that they can convert them into preaching centres. If the property is far from commercial places, I will in vest all the money into developing wonderful farm communit ies centred on agriculture and cow protection.
(Mukundmala Dasa, Mumbai)
Once, in Mayapur, a devotee asked, "Srila Prabhupada, were sitting in these rice fields, and you've asked us to build a city. Where is all the money going to come from?"
Srila Prabhupada laughed. "You are always worried about where the money will come from. Here we have Radha-Madhava. 'Madh ava' means the husband of the goddess of fortune. You just worship RadhaMadhava nicely, and everything will come by Their mercy. You don't have to worry about money." (told by Jananivasa Dasa in BTG, Nov/Dec 1999)
So money is not an issue in Lord Caitanya's mission. Srila Prabhupada came to America empty-handed and spread Krsna consciousness like a wild fire. It is one's determination and dedication to follow the instructions of the acaryas that is important.
(Jaimin Barot Tempe, Arizona, USA)