The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust India vs. Www. Friendwithbooks. Co

Abstract

The case of “The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust India vs. Www. Friendwithbooks. Co.” centers around a legal dispute involving the copyrights of works authored by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), who had taken the vow of sanyasa, traditionally involving the renunciation of all worldly possessions. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust India (BBT India), the plaintiff, claims ownership of these copyrights, arguing that despite Swami Prabhupada’s renunciation, he retained intellectual property rights which were legally assigned to BBT India, thus granting them the right to protect and enforce these copyrights. The defendant, Www. Friendwithbooks. Co., challenges this claim by questioning the validity of copyright ownership by a sanyasi, suggesting that his vow of renunciation precludes him from holding any material or intellectual property, and defending their distribution of his works under the principles of fair use or public domain. The court navigates the intersection of religious principles and legal doctrines, particularly examining whether spiritual vows affect the legal capacity to own and transfer intellectual property. The case’s outcome will significantly impact how copyrights are managed within religious contexts, potentially setting a precedent for future legal interpretations regarding the rights of religious figures who have taken vows of renunciation.