Category:Our Artists - Their Paintings & Pictures (Disciples of SP)
Theme Analysis
The art of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not driven by mundane imagination, but by strict adherence to the descriptions found in the authorized Vedic literature. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that paintings of the Supreme Personality of Godhead must be formal, worshipful, and entirely based on the paramparā, presenting absolute facts rather than mythology. Because these transcendental illustrations are crucial for illuminating his books and decorating temples, he often relieved his artists from other managerial or preaching duties, ensuring they were fully supported to paint full-time. By utilizing their artistic talents under the direct guidance of the spiritual master, these disciples remain in perfect samādhi and achieve the ultimate spiritual perfection.
- Authorized and Worshipful Art: Paintings must never be sentimental, imaginative, or unauthorized. They must depict the exact bodily features of the Lord and His devotees as described by the previous ācāryas.
- The Power of Illustrated Preaching: The high quality of the movement's transcendental art makes its publications unrivaled, deeply impressing the public and attracting them to the spiritual process.
- Full-Time Dedication: Recognizing the supreme value of this service, Śrīla Prabhupāda instructed that expert artists be given full facility, maintenance, and peaceful environments to focus exclusively on their painting without the distraction of other duties.
- Specific Instructions and Details: The spiritual master personally guided the artists on crucial details—such as ensuring Lord Caitanya is depicted as stout and strong, Lord Viṣṇu with the Kaustubha jewel, and avoiding overly graphic or polluting images in Back to Godhead.
- Perfection Through Artistic Service: On the absolute platform, utilizing one's artistic talents to paint Kṛṣṇa with love and devotion is equal to chanting or any other spiritual practice, leading the artist directly to perfection.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: How Prabhupāda Instructs His Disciples to Paint Authorized Pictures of Kṛṣṇa.
Pages in category "Our Artists - Their Paintings & Pictures (Disciples of SP)"
The following 104 pages are in this category, out of 104 total.
A
- All of you are expert painters, so your mutual decision for painting a picture is more valuable than my suggestion
- Although none of you have yet been here in Vrndavana, still, Krsna has given you the spiritual vision and you are seeing Vrndavana actually, the paintings are so nice. Just see how the cows are looking at Krsna
- An artist can attain perfection simply by performing artistic work under the direction of the spiritual master
- Another point is I want to prepare a small pamphlet for Krsna book, giving the description in nutshell with some important pictures
- Any householder devotee who is working full-time (with his wife) as a sankirtana book distributer, of temple managerial duties, artist, cook, etc. shall be provided food, shelter, and other bare minimum necessities by the temple itself
- Anyway I couldn't see in them nothing but combination of logs and bamboos. There was nothing to impel my Krishna Consciousness. So, if you want to be a great artist in that way, I will pray that Krishna may save you
- As usual, I shall send "KRISHNA" tapes to your husband with hints for you about the pictures so you and your husband can send me the complete materials for the final printing. Please consider these suggestions and do the needful
- As you have suggested, you may make any suitable arrangement and that is approved by me however you make it fit. The only thing is the artists must be always engaged fulltime in their painting work
C
- Chariot driven by 4 horses, that is the real Kuruksetra picture
- Concerning the print of the painting "showing Bhagavad-gita being worshiped," I do not consider this suitable for using in our books
- Conjointly make the appearance of BTG very nicely. The front cover page should be a nicely painted picture
D
F
- Feel free to write me if there are further questions so that our paintings are completely bona fide by the parampara
- For the Krishna book we will require paintings, so we will not need any etching and woodcut. So you can send me some samples of your paintings and then I'll give you some suggestions
- For the present we should finish the pictures for KRSNA first. Then, if there is opportunity, they can print pictures for NOD. Both are required, but most important is KRSNA. It is better to have pictures in all our books, as many as possible
G
- Generally the Lord is standing. Anyway it can be done, paint it like that. Even when it appears that the Lord is alone, it does not mean He is alone
- Go on painting the pictures for II Canto as many as possible. Regarding other pictures, Tamala Krsna is arranging for them being painted in Germany and France
I
- I am always pleased and looking forward to seeing more beautiful pictures in our books. In India we make life members simply from the high quality and appearance of our books with illustrations. Our society is unrivalled in this respect
- I am always showing your paintings in Krsna Book to respectable Indian gentlemen and ladies and they are very much impressed that my American disciples have taken to this process with so much love and determination
- I am contemplating also to publish one book, Krishna in picture
- I am in receipt of the painting you have sent. This is not a good style of painting. It is an artistic style for sense gratification only. I cannot encourage this style - it should be stopped immediately
- I am pleased to learn that the devotees who will be going to India are taking twenty paintings with them to our Mayapur center. I want that all rooms and verandas and especially the Deity hall should have first class paintings
- I am pleased to note that the Boston temple is going on nicely and you are working very steadily at your painting work
- I am pleased to note that you & your nice sister, Indira Dasi, are making and tending to Lord Jagannatha deities. You should place these deities on sale in Gargamuni's store for selling. In this way, you will make some money for doing your painting work
- I am pleased to note that you are painting nicely, so go on improving your abilities because we will require so many paintings for our temples
- I am so glad to learn that you are also a good painter. Your first attempt has been almost successful, so I request you to continue to practice so that excellent paintings may be drawn by you
- I am so much obliged for your loving presentation of sweets, balusai, handkerchief, painting, flower, simply wonderful, sacred thread, dhupa, and gopicandana, and I have immediately tasted all the preparations
- I am very glad to learn that you have the Prahlada pictures in your safe custody because I want to print up many small books with text accompanied by illustrations, and the first one may be of Prahlada Maharaja
- I am very much satisfied with all of my disciples who have worked so hard on these paintings for Srimad-Bhagavatam. In fact, I think there is no other art existing which can in any way match them
- I beg to thank you very much for your note along with the paperback cover of the Bhagavad-gita as it is. And I have very much appreciated the whole thing. The design and the painting and everything
- I got your colored pictures, and each and every one of them is so nice and captivating that I have kept them for future paintings by our artists. I thank you very much for these pictures
- I have also seen the article in our new issue of Back to Godhead and I am very much encouraged to see how you are all working so carefully in the service of Krsna in the matter of painting transcendental pictures of the Lord
- I have no objection if KRSNA book is made to the 6.5 x 9.5 size, but a picture book as suggested by the Japanese people looks nice in a little larger size. So I have no objection to any size
- I have received your note along with the folio of drawings for the proposed “Bhagavad-gita Coloring Book”. I can see from this work that you are a talented artist. However, I do not think we can publish this book
- I have requested men to come there to Mayapur. They will bring paintings for decorating the building especially the temple hall. Please see also that they get trained up nicely in making the dolls and the mrdangas
- I have so many ideas for paintings, and we will be requiring so many expert paintings as you are able to do, so please be very serious to do this work nicely and quickly. It will be great service
- I have to thank Jadurani for nice pictures. She is giving us light about spiritual understanding. So Krsna will bless her with greater energy for Krsna consciousness. Thank you
- I know that you are very nice artist even without the guidance of Jadurani so for the time being you should remain in Seattle and paint independently
- I shall see later on whether or not that Krishna Balarama can be installed there. You cannot paint the Deity with paint to make bluish. Don't manufacture ideas. What is standard you must follow
- I thank you very much for sending me the latest copy of Back to Godhead, which is so nicely decorated and painted
- I think you should apply your talent for painting nice pictures of Krishna and the acaryas in our line, and also you may help Mohadananda in designing work for his press operation there in Sydney
- I very much approve of the $4.95 price, or if you think it is better, $3.95 may also be charged. How many pictures will you include in the paperback edition? Hardback?
- If there is actually any prospect for selling our pictures put up in this modern artistic way, then I have no objection for putting pictures in this way for selling them. But if that is not possible, then I think we should not waste time in this way
- If we display there a new picture or painting of our Hare Krishna Movement regularly, very nicely painted. Also, you can have a book display, with pictures and paintings also. That will be good advertisement
- If you go (to Mayapur), then I shall arrange to give you a very nice room completely for your use and you can peacefully engage in your painting work and read Srimad-Bhagavatam as well as join in with the devotees for regular kirtana, arati, and prasadam
- If you would like her to help you in the paintings for the new book, then it is all right, but you must deal with her very tactfully
- If your present paintings are not acceptable to the general public, I do not mind; they are fools
- In my opinion your guiding the girls working under you for painting is very important, and if this business doesn't suffer, you can think of going to S.F. for organizing the asrama
- In regards to the International Yoga and Meditation Conference in Chicago, there is no need for any of our men to participate. However, you can have a Bhakti-yoga bookstall, and paintings, a painting of Dhruva Maharaja as 5 years old alone in the forest
- In the meantime, you should practice your painting as you are able, because the picture which you sent me in Boston could still require some more improvement before it is perfect. So practice and this will enhance your talents
- In the transcendental loving service of the Lord, it doesn't matter whether we are working, cooking, painting, writing, chanting, or whatever, they are all the same. There are no such distinctions of higher and lower on the transcendental platform
- It is your good fortune that you can serve Krishna in so many ways - to work, to write, to speak, to paint, to build - all of these talents must be employed in Krishna's service. That will make you perfect
M
- Many of our Temples are now requiring pictures of Pancatattva and Acaryas, principally your Spiritual Master and my Spiritual Master, for their Guru Gauranga worship
- Maybe such Sankirtana solo singing; I can give so many. I can give so many verses, just like Cintamani Prakara Sadmasu, and explain them in English, so we can produce not only pictures, but also records
- My plan is that personally I shall try to retire from active participation, but I want a place where I can live with at least 15 devotees engaged in editorial work, recording work, photographic work, painting work, etc
- My students, they have painted so many pictures, so I have given simply the hints that "This picture should be like this." So they take note and make the picture, and people very much appreciate our picture
P
- Paintings should be like the Deities, formal and worshipful. This type of painting is sentimental and not authorized. Paintings should be as our artists in New York are doing. Do not introduce any new styles
- Please always talk about Krishna amongst you two sisters, and enjoy life. This is very good opportunity that you are talking and painting about Krishna, so that your mind, hand, and attention are all absorbed in Krishna samadhi
- Please do not neglect to engage yourself in the prescribed duties for maintaining your spiritual strength. Without keeping spiritual strength there is no question of any accomplishment like painting or anything else
- Please try to improve your artistic abilities as far as possible. I am sure that Jadurani will always be a help to you in this matter
R
- Read the Krishna tape transcriptions and draw pictures as many as possible. Each picture should be very much attractive, colorful and nice so that people will appreciate these paintings also
- Regarding Picture number 1, it was not enclosed, but yes Mother Yasoda feeding Krsna is parental love
- Regarding propaganda against animal slaughter in BTG. Please do not print any picture showing how a cow is being murdered in our BTG. This will pollute the whole atmosphere
- Regarding the cover for "The Lord in the Heart," yes, Lord Visnu should be distinguished by Srivatsa on His chest. The Kaustava jewel should be painted to look just like a very precious jewel. Lord Visnu should be surrounded by effulgence from His person
- Regarding the Lord Caitanya murti, it is not at all good and I do not approve. Lord Caitanya is stout and strong. There are so many pictures which you can follow. So have the artist start a new murti
- Regarding the picture of Lord Caitanya which is outside of your temple, this is not good. We should not place our worshipable Deities as statues in the open atmosphere
- Regarding the picture, Panca-tattva, I do not think there is necessity of putting them in perspective. Actually they are standing on the same line. Just like a group photo is taken and nobody looks smaller or greater. That is the system
- Regarding the Vedas personified, they should be drawn just like you have seen some pictures of great sages. They are young in appearance like perfect Vaisnavas, and they may be shown with tilak and Vaisnava markings in that way
- Regarding your question about placing an effulgence around Krishna's head in all of these pictures, yes this should be done
S
- So far as the new book, "Krishna'', I have already sent suggestions to Jadurani, and as soon as the pictures are drawn, I will send to you the tapes. In this way the Krishna book will be completed
- So far Lord Brahma paint him just like you have painted already in the poster where he is flying on the swan for stealing Krishna's cowherds friends and cows
- So far painting of the deity, it will not be necessary to bring Muralidhara from New York just for that purpose. We should not be so hasty to make such drastic programs
- So far the picture of three-headed Brahma in the assembly of other Brahmas, I have not seen, so what can I say? Whatever is palatable to everyone, you can do it that way
- So far whether to print posters, of course paintings are always nicer, but if posters can be printed I have no objection
- So there is a good need for pictures in our preaching work, especially in illustrating our books, and if you are seriously painting I have no objection to your proposal
- Sometime ago you wrote me that you wanted some new topics for writing subjects, so I think you can begin by compiling information from my past lectures on Prahlada Maharaja, then add the pictures and print it
- Sometimes we give instructions to our students about the bodily features of the Lord, and they paint Him. Their paintings are not imaginary. The description is given through disciplic succession, just like that given by Narada Muni
T
- The arrangement should be made in such a way that after some time the process will produce at least fifteen tapes completely in one month or 30 days. The process should be in the same way as I have suggested for painting of the pictures
- The process for composing the books should be in the same way as I have suggested for painting of the pictures
- There are many unauthorized pictures painted by so-called imaginative artists, but we don’t want such pictures in our temples
- There is necessity of seeing beautiful pictures of Krsna & His devotees & His Pastimes, in order to attract them (people) to the spiritual process. So this is a great service, & there is urgent need for paintings
- They can paint as many as possible pictures of Panca Tattva and Acharyas and distribute them to all the new temples - this will be a great service to our society
- This painting you are doing is very important, so it will count as your temple work. There is no necessity either for you to go out on Sankirtana if this will take away your time from your real work
W
- We are planning to begin an illustrated book of all of Krishna's pastimes and stories, so a very good, hard working artist will be required. So if you can practice to do this, it will be great service
- We are presenting facts, not mythology. That should be the spirit of all our artists and philosophy, writing
- We require so many paintings now as we are planning to print so many illustrated books and there are so many new temples that are opening of our Krishna Consciousness Movement. So as many nice paintings as you are able to do can be well-utilized
- We require so many pictures for our temples which are already present and which will be opened in the future. Immediately upon receipt of your picture, I had it hung right above my Deity room. Wherever I go I convert one closet into my Deity room
- We should be satisfied with our pictures hanging in our different temples. But we may not sacrifice our valuable time for becoming famous artists so that pictures may be sold like hotcakes
- With such an artist I can dictate stories for books; if you can assist me in such a project when we are ready to begin it, then I think that you can come here to take direct instructions
Y
- Yasodanandana Swami wants to print the Brahma-Samhita with color paintings. The BBT Trustees can discuss amongst themselves and if they agree then I have no objection
- Yes there is no objection to your casting clay forms of Deities into plaster. I understand you are a nice artist in this medium, so make Deities of Gaura-Nitai and send me photographs of the forms
- Yes, it is all right that you devote your time to painting instead of street sankirtana. The main thing is that you be engaged in some worthwhile work for Krsna without wasting even a moment
- You are a very expert book distributer, so I do not want you to give it up altogether. If you like, you can also do some painting
- You are not only advanced student in painting, but also in Krsna consciousness, so always pray to Krsna how you shall draw the painting and I think it will come out nice
- You can save this money by minimizing the expenditures in the luxury departments of Sanskrit and artists. We do not want these departments for the time being. One or two men must suffice for Sanskrit work
- You can show in sequence in a painting how Narada Muni is leaving the material body and accepting a spiritual body and entering into Lord Visnu and again coming out through Brahma's heart
- You can therefore begin painting nicely Krishna picture from Tape No. 13. Read the subject matter when it is typed & draw pictures accordingly as many as possible
- You go with increasing the Bhagavat pictures according to the descriptions, and you need not divert your attention for the pictures demanded by our different centers. You can redirect such inquiries here, and as there are three artists now living with us
- You have made it very nicely. I can see that it required skill to make it so artistically. You have made Radha and Krishna and Caitanya Mahaprabhu very attractively
- You have tried to explain the reasons for your recent traveling excursions, but there is no need to explain; the reason is that you are restless. I wanted you to concentrate your mind on painting and utilizing your talents for Krishna's service
- You should practice developing your good painting skills very thoroughly, and if you are ready, I can send to you many Bhagavatam pictures to do
- Your example is very nice, using your artistic abilities to serve Krishna, and they may all follow in your footsteps