By Milan Doshi
Madhusudanan, a budding Krishna devotee and a tech savvy engineer from CISCO has made an application wherein all iPhone users can now download and read or hear ‘The Bhagavad Gita’!
Radha Venkat prabhu has introduced him to us . Madhusudanan Prabhu is very enthusiastic to serve the ‘Sankirtana Movement’ in terms of spreading the word of Krishna. He has got the required permission from BBT and is now all set to spread ‘The Devine Song’ hiteherto unexplored avenue. He has enthusiastically proposed to help out Motel Sankirtana as well. In his application there will be a Motel Sankirtana related page which will do it’s bit to spread the word around. Some proceeds from the ‘Audio’ downlod will go to the ‘Motel Sankirtana’ cause.
Already he has around 100 downloads a day for the Text version!
Please see the attached document for more details. Please help spread the word around. Shri Bhagavad Gita ki Jay!
Param Vijayate Shree Krishna Sankirtanam!
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Hare Krishna Dear Devotees,
Please accept my humble obeisance, All glories to Shrila Prabhupada!
Under the guidance of H G Vaisesika Prabhu, ISKCON of Silicon Valley (”ISV”) has recently started a program of placing soft bound English language editions of Bhagavad-Gita in hotel/motel rooms, similar to the placing of Holy Bibles by the Gideons. We started this “Pancajanya Project” in April 2008, primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area, but we have already received a great deal of positive feedback from owners and guests alike. We have therefore decided to expand the program throughout the United States.
We have already placed many thousands of Bhagavad-Gitas, and are now poised to expand the program geometrically. Prominent motel owners, especially the Patels, have whole-heartedly welcomed and supported this program. We have already placed Bhagavad-Gitas in the following chains, among others:
Ø Howard Johnson
Ø Holiday Inn
Ø Quality Inn
Ø Best Western
Ø Days Inn
Ø Comfort Inn
Ø Super 8
Since beginning the project in April, 2008, we have distributed 5,600 Bhagavad-Gitas, which amounts to an average of 509 per month. We expect this number to increase dramatically as we reach out to hotel/motel owners nationwide.
We have recently contacted Asian American Hotel Owners’ Association (“AAHOA”). Representing more than 8,700 members, AAHOA is one of the leading forces in the hospitality industry and one of the most powerful Asian American advocacy groups. Together the members own more than 22,000 hotels, which have 1 million rooms representing over 50 percent of the economy lodging properties and nearly 37 percent of all hotel properties in the United States. They have agreed to give us a booth at their upcoming Annual Convention. This booth for 2 days will cost us approximately $3000. This is a reduced price for Non-profit organizations. We also need to print brochures, flyers, etc. and take care of other incidental costs, including the distribution of sample books to 3,000 convention attendees. Devotees will fly to Washington DC at their own expense, but still other expenses needs to be covered.
We expect many thousands of Bhagavad-Gitas to be distributed during this and future conventions. Each book we distribute contains a label for follow-up communication with readers. We have received glowing testimonials from guests who first contacted ISKCON and Srila Prabhupada by reading the ‘Bhagavad-Gita As It Is’ they found in their rooms.
While our goal is to eventually cover the cost of the books through donations from the motel owners themselves (the BBT price for softbound Bhagavad-Gitas is only $2.50 each), we find that for the time being we must offer the books for free to those owners who are not willing to pay for their books. First, we have to overcome some reluctance or fear that Christian guests or even franchise owners might react negatively to their providing Bhagavad-Gita alongside the Holy Bible in their U.S. motel rooms. Second, these small businessmen are accustomed to receiving Gideon Bibles for free, and many would be willing to take the chance of allowing us to place the books but are not ready to cover our costs in supplying them. (Other motel owners have been proud to pay for their own books and even to contribute something extra to help fund the project). For owners who are not willing to cover the BBT wholesale price of the books, we supply the books “as available” on a first to order basis.
We humbly request assistance in this great cultural and spiritual project. We need a lot of funds to actually implement this project and to eventually realize our goal of making it self-sustaining. By donating, you directly participate in helping make Srila Prabhupada’s books known all over the world. Such activity is not only extremely pleasing to Srila Prabhupada, but is the highest welfare work for humanity at large, and is at the cutting edge of the worldwide Sankirtan Movement of Lord Caitanya.
You can help us cover the costs of attending the upcoming convention in Washington, D.C., contribute the cost of a specific number of books, or even sponsor the placing of books in specific motels from which we have unfulfilled orders, as follows:
Sponsor Bhagavad Gita for Motels
Hotel/Motel
No. Of Books
Cost
Ramada Limited, Santa Rosa, CA
40
$100
Best Western, Willits, CA
56
$140
Super 8 Motel, Willits, CA
50
$125
America’s Best Value, Willits, CA
20
$50
Old West Inn, Willits, CA
20
$50
Pepperwood, Willits, CA
22
$55
Best Western, Cloverdale, CA
70
$175
Super 8 Motel, Cloverdale, CA
50
$125
Vagabond, Ukiah CA
50
$125
Economy Inn,Ukiah, CA
50
$125
General Sponsorhip
Sponsor 1 Case (56 books) Soft-bound Bhagavad-Gitas:
$140
Sponsor 5 Cases (280 books):
$700
Sponsor 10 cases (560 books):
$1,400
Membership at Vaikuntha level:
$5,001
Membership at Dwaraka level:
$11,111
Membership at Mathura level:
$25,001
Membership at Vrndavana level:
$51,001
Sponsor upcoming AAHOA’s motel convention at Washington DC
Cost of booth at upcoming AAHOA Convention:
$3,000
Cost of printing brochures, business return post cards and other convention-related advertising:
$2,000
Cost of 3,000 sample books to be distributed at convention:
$7,500
The Pancajanya Project is a branch of ISKCON of Silicon Valley, a non-profit religious corporation. All donations to this project are fully tax deductible. Tax receipts will be provided upon request.
In addition, if you know any others who might like to contribute to this noble effort, or if you know any hotel/motel owners who might be interested in placing books in their rooms, please ask them to contact us. If you would like to participate in some other way, or if you have any ideas or suggestions as to how ISKCON of Silicon Valley can expand or improve this project, we would greatly appreciate hearing from you. Kindly email me at milan.doshi@gmail.com. We look forward to receiving your help and suggestions.
Thanks and regards,
Your servant,
Milan Doshi
Some Testimonials:
Terrence, A guest who read Bhagavad Gita at a motel “I got my first Gita in a hotel room and ever since I read the first verse my life has been ever increasingly in Krsna Consciousness. Life is a journey back to Krsna. Peace .”
Jitubhai Patel, owner of Holiday Inn, Ukiah, CA : “We have replaced many Bhagavad Gitas in the room that the guests have taken along with them.”
Dilip Patel, Manager , See Breeze Motel, Pacifica, CA : “One of our guest, a middle age lady, approached me at the reception counter and asked me if she could take the Bhagavad Gita along with her. She said that she picked up this book (Bhagavad Gita) just out of curioussity as she was not able to sleep at night. After reading it she found it so profound that she could just not put it down. I gladly allowed her to take Bhagavad Gita along”.
Nilesh P, Manager, Super 8, Sacramento : “I often see guests coming in for breakfast with Bhagavad Gita in hand and reading it while they are in the lobby or in the reception room. It is satisfying to know that I have contributed in spreading this knowledge.”