Lord Vishnu to be on the cover of the Sri Isopanisad!
Ramesvara: In 1974 the artists and I had thought for the reprinting of the Isopanisad that we would have a new picture on the cover.
Instead of Lord Vishnu we would have a picture of Krishna on the cover.
Again I had the good fortune to present that idea to Srila Prabhupada.
He rejected it. He was angry.
Prabhupada said, “I have specifically chosen Lord Vishnu to be on the cover of the Sri Isopanisad. I want this book to be attractive to people of all philosophical persuasions, even Mayavadis and Vedantists.
“All the different philosophical schools have to see Vishnu on the cover of Isopanisad. Krishna they won’t buy. What is wrong with you? Whose idea is this?”
Prabhupada was so involved in selecting the artwork, choosing the size, the number of pages per book, the design of the book.
Prabhupada’s genius was that he was taking books of the highest philosophy and making them popular.
Philosophy books aren’t popular.
Philosophy books don’t sell anywhere in the world.
But Prabhupada’s genius was to have these gorgeous art paintings, carefully chosen, to insert in philosophy books to sell them to average persons all over the world.
This was genius marketing on Srila Prabhupada’s part.
He was in charge. He planned this.
You could not make a change if he didn’t approve it.
—Ramesvara
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