“Everyday when I sit down here to write these books Krsna personally comes and dictates every word.”
The fact that now ISKCON is attempting to ban Srila Prabhupada’s original books is indicative of the toxic affects of the changed books. ISKCON and the BBT themselves are suffering from the toxic affects of their own unauthorized book changes. Srila Prabhupada being non different from his original books is banging on their temple doors demanding entry with the whole world at his side.
How much potency do these constantly changing books have? Srila Prabhupada in The Yoga System tapes talks about the fact that in the world there are so many religions. The world has created so many religions but what is the best religion. The best religion is that religion in which one develops his dormant love of God. So how do we know which Gita for example is the Gita with the most spiritual potency that will help the prospective devotee develop their love of God, Krsna?
The original 1972 Gita is the answer, if it wasn’t then why all the fuss to change it and ban it from Srila Prabhupada’s temples and the hands of the world?
When one leaves the changed Gita and takes to the original Gita then for all intense and purposes the changed Gita has lost it’s potency in respect to the original.
It does not matter how many changes to Srila Prabhupada books that ISKCON and the BBT engage it. It does not matter that they may print millions of changed books. It takes very little however by clever deviates to contaminate the whole message of Srila Prabhupadas books there by diverting the whole world from a multitude of spiritual realities.
The intention of changing the books is and has been done in order to stifle the spread of Krsna Consciousness not to facilitate it. The only potency left in the illegally edited books is that their internationally revealed contrast in relation to the originals is causing more and more interest in the originals. That in itself indicates that the illegally edited books lack the inherent capacity for the spiritual growth of the prospective devotee. The BBT and ISKCON will continue as a spoiled child continues in spite of being chastised by Srila Prabhupada.
ISKCON’s book changes continue to be ignored. They are being ignored by
scholars world wide and will continue to be ignored. ISKCON is hard
pressed these days to get out these changed books. In fact there are a
many devotees of ISKCON Toronto who will only read and
distribute the original Srila Prabhupada books.
The fact that recently ISKCON is reacting more vigorously against Srila
Prabhupadas books is simply because they are loosing the battle for hearts
and minds of the peoples of the world. The spiritual potency of those representing the changed books matches the spiritual potency of the books they’ve changed.
Wanting to prevent a choice of what version of Srila Prabhupadas books the world wants to read is feeding the worlds curiosity. ISKCON’s high handed militaristic tactics of book banning was similarly started in Berlin Germany May of 1933.
Srila Prabhupada does not have any changed books. There are original books only and those are the books that the scholars and new disciples of Srila Prabhupada are studying and copying from. The original books of Srila Prabhupada are going on line as fast as possible…for free.
The BBT and ISKCON Changed Book manufacturers are simply
that….manufacturers! I once asked the BBT on line “Is the changed Gita from the 1972 edition as spiritually potent as the 1982 changed Gita?” His answer was “YES” So I responded….”Then why change it”?
There has always been and will continue to be people interested in anything
“original” in the world at large. Original artifacts, original cars,
original records, photos, machines, art works of various kinds, pottery,
furniture etc. People world wide in regards to books are especially very
wary of the words “Abridged or Revised”. Abridged or revised indicate that
something is now missing from the original, then why is there something missing? the question is asked. And where did the reviser and abridger get the right legally to do that continuously for 33 years?
ISKCON will continue on it’s path of “revising and abridging” as long as
they have the money to do so…but the money is running out folks. So pay
them no mind…they love the attention. Take that energy and purchase from KBI the originals anyway you can and preach from them. The BBT credibility profile is shrinking, their former supporters and even disciples are going to the original teachings and books. “ISKCON will continue to revise itself out of existence. The future will never notice their former presence”
Someone must clearly state for the record: Where is it written in Srila Prabupadas will or testament that he authorized his books to be changed at the free will of the BBT for as long as the BBT and their descendents decide? WHERE? If anyone regularly connected with ISKCON does not consider these facts then they are buying into literary products that have not been tested. Where are the bona fide reviews from new scholars? The world ought to understand how their intelligence is being insulted by so called scholars who’s only intention has been for a steady income at the buyers expense. Like any corporation with a product to sell it is important to keep the coins rolling in. Every so often reshaping of the original product selling it again as “New and Improved” is what they think is essential. It is not.
The way ISKCON manages Srila Prabhupadas books and image as an ISKCON product indicates to the intelligent class of people that the present and long time managers of ISKCON have never really felt secure in the original books, never really had faith in them and therefore never really took the time to understand them. Buying anything from a doubt filled salesman is a high risk venture for sure.
ISKCON is constantly trying to reshape the perfect square but no matter how much they try their reshaping indicates comprehension failure and complete lack of faith in the acharya they claim to represent. That lack of comprehension and lack of faith is more than evident now to the intelligent class of people than ever before because they have seen and are reading the original works. They now know how in spite of ISKCON and the BBT to perceive the perfect original form.
Srila Prabhupadas original books are absolutely essential for many reasons, two quickly come to mind. First they will confirm or deny the validity or potency of the changed books and secondly they will be allowed to speak for themselves allowing the hearts of the world to hear them. The original books are DIRECTLY FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD, KRSNA. Srila Prabhupada told us this. That means authorized. In the nice article titled Leave Srila Prabhupada Books Alone, Srila Prabhupada said:
“Everyday”, he said “when I sit down here to write these books” He was now looking into space waving His hands in the air His voice filled with Transcendental emotion, “Krsna personally comes and dictates every word.”
With the original books the reader goes DIRECTLY to the source Krsna, as opposed to indirectly due to redirection as a result of verse changes and word meaning changes by completely conditioned souls.
Those at present who are not able to perceive the differences BETWEEN THE ORIGINAL AND THE CHANGED BOOKS are suffering the toxic affects of being subjected to ISKCONs constant reshaping. There is the original potency in Srila Prabhupada’s books. POTENCY means “THE INHEIRENT CAPACITY FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT; Growth and development take place as one applies the teachings, the essential constituent is that the people make spiritual advancement. Constantly debasing the original Gita for example simply has those whom Srila Prabhupada told us to reach constantly trying to shift from one direction to another mirroring the mental inconsistencies of a BBT and ISKCON who live in doubt of the teachings themselves.
Srila Prabhupada explained that his books are transcendental and every time they are read more information is revealed. That is the difference between ordinary books and transcendental books. Some may argue that the changed books still have some potency. By altering the original books as the BBT are continuing to do has the same affect as altering an equation with even one number. That means you will reach a different conclusion than the original conclusion. Besides the world doesn’t need SOME of Srila Prabhupadas potency, it deserves and requires ALL of Srila Prabhupadas potency. All of Srila Prabhupadas potency is what he wanted and still wants distributed for the whole world to have. Not just SOME.
Where are the at length essays from anyone….anyone who is a student in ISKCON that can detail the spiritual advantages of the BBT book changes from the original Srila Prabhupada books? So that new devotees may understand their reasoning. Where again are those at length essays regarding the re editing of the first edited books by world scholars who were exposed originally to Srila Prabhupadas first editions? There aren’t any because real bona fide scholars have long left behind reading what ISKCON and the BBT have been selling since 1982.
By continuing to water down the Hare Krishna Movement ISKCON and the BBT force an unwilling world into a completely unnecessary forest of concocted ideals and misdirection’s. Cultivating love of God, Krsna, the original consciousness of the living entity is being seriously delayed by a controversy created intentionally.
This intention is spreading wide an unnecessary conflict that is very seriously delaying the most important spiritual progress of mankind in the last 5,000 years.
Take heart, purchase, distribute and teach from Srila Prabhupada’s pre 1978 books while ignoring any ISKCON corporate threat.
“I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.”
Hellen Keller, who’s books were burned by the facists in Berlin, Germany
in May of 1933.
YS Hasti Gopala Dasa
October 7, 2010 — TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA
Thank you sir, and I agree wholeheartedly. Grammatical errors do not necessarily obfuscate the intended meaning. For example in the 4th Paragraph you wrote “When one leaves the changed Gita and takes to the original Gita then for all INTENSE and purposes the changed Gita has lost IT’S potency in respect to the original.” (capitals mine)
It should read: INTENTS, ITS (his, hers, yours, ours, theirs, its). But did I misinterpret? No, the meaning was conveyed, despite the errors in grammar. However, if INTENSE is poorly “corrected”, one could end up with “..for all in tents..”, with dire consequences.
I argue that it is by these very typographical errors or grammatical mistakes that one can identify the version of the Gita being read. If I’m reading about the Planet of Trees then I know I’ve got the right book in my hands. There is therefore no reason to change a single dot of ink of any work produced by Śrīla Prabhupāda.
ys, Cigarette Sam (not anymore!)
Hare Krsna Bhakta Sam,
Yes nicely pointed out “Grammatical errors do not necessarily obfuscate the intended meaning”
When Prabhupada authorized the publication of his Guru Maharaja’s Sri Brahma-Samhita, he stipulated that not one word of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s translation or purports be changed…
Quote from Subhananda dasa’s Introduction
“As per Srila Prabhupada’s instructions regarding the publication of this volume, Bhaktisiddanta Sarasvati’s somewhat technical and sometimes difficult prose has been left intact and virtually UNTOUCHED. Fearing that any editorial (grammatical and stylistic) tampering with Bhaktisiddhanta’s text might result in inadvertent changes in meaning, Prabhupada asked that it be left AS IS, and the editors of this volume have complied with his wishes. Only typographical errors have been corrected, capitalization standardized, Sanskrit terms in devanagari script appearing within the English text have been transliterated, and already transliterated terms have been adjusted to international standards.”
So Srila Prabhupada, the unalloyed pure maha-bhagavata devotee would not allow ANY changes to his Guru Maharaja’s writing, yet this upstart JAS has taken as his mission, to systematically deconstruct and rewrite Prabhupada’s Transcendental Literatures, dictated to Prabhupada by Krsna. Prabhupada himself lectured from these original books and the best excuse these ‘changlings’ can come up with is the old ‘planet of trees’ as you mention.
When I was TP of the Melbourne yatra in the 70s, Bhakta Sam even though living far from the temple, would always be there to do service on the weekends and as a life member had Srila Prabhupada’s full sets of books. Once again prabhu, thank you for your service to Guru & Gauranga and stay healthy in Krsna consciousness.
Yfs, Balaram das.
thanks Hasti Gopal prabhu for a well written article..The statement or question “where are the words of appreciation from the academic community
‘ means a lot..Soon my daughter in law PHD is starting a book on the interracial marriages of ISKCON devotees and will include a chapter on the bona fide method of preserving Prabhupada’s writing from the professional and academic viewpoint Hare Krsna.
Balaram das : So Srila Prabhupada, the unalloyed pure maha-bhagavata devotee would not allow ANY changes to his Guru Maharaja’s writing, yet this upstart JAS has taken as his mission, to systematically deconstruct and rewrite Prabhupada’s Transcendental Literatures, dictated to Prabhupada by Krsna.
Mahesh: it looks like the upstart Jayadwaita actually HATED Srila Prabhuapada. This change of Srila Prabhupada’s books by him can be REVENGE ATTACK.
760331SB.VRN Lectures
That sravana, hearing also, should be accepted from devotee, from real devotee. Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami recommended that a brahmana… He wrote something about Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and there were so many discrepancies. So Svarupa Damodara Gosvami was not at all satisfied with such writings. He chastised the brahmana that “You cannot write.” So unless one is self-realized, there is practically no use writing about Krsna. This transcendental writing does not depend on material education. It depends on the spiritual realization. YOU’LL FIND, THEREFORE, IN THE COMMENTS OF BHAGAVATAM BY DIFFERENT ACARYAS, EVEN THERE ARE SOME DISCREPANCIES, THEY ARE ACCEPTED AS ASAT-PATHA. IT SHOULD REMAIN AS IT IS.
So Sanatana Gosvami therefore said, avaisnava-mukhodgirnam putam hari-kathamrtam, sravanam naiva kartavyam: “One who is not Vaisnava, from him one should not hear hari-kathamrtam.” Hari-katha Srimad-Bhagavatam is hari-katha, and it is amrta, nectarine. But if it is recited or explained by some avaisnava, one should not hear. It is forbidden. The example is given, sarpocchistam payo yatha. So professional reciters or one who speaks and writes for living means it is strictly prohibited. Na vyakhyam upayunjitah. One should not make Bhagavata recitation as a means of livelihood. That is, the process is not accepted. So sravanam kirtanam visnoh. You should hear from Vaisnava, at least one who is trying to become Vaisnava, not professional man. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat.
72-01-20. Letter: Mandali Bhadra
SO FAR YOUR TELLING ME THAT SOME DEVOTEES CONSIDER THAT BECAUSE THERE MAY BE SOME GRAMMATICAL DISCREPANCIES IN MY SRIMAD-BHAGAVATAM, FIRST CANTO, THEN THEY MAY ALSO BE ALLOWED TO TRANSLATE WITH ERRORS ACCEPTED, THAT IS JUST LIKE IMITATING RASLILA. WHEN YOU DO ALL OTHER THINGS LIKE KRISHNA, THEY YOU CAN DO RASLILA. SO IF THESE OTHER WRITERS CAN DO LIKE ME AND SPREAD KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS ALL OVER THE WORLD BY BECOMING BIG VEDIC SCHOLARS, THEN THEY CAN DO. IF ONE IS TOO BIG, THERE IS NO MISTAKE. ARSAPREYAYA MEANS THERE MAY BE DISCREPANCIES BUT IT IS ALL RIGHT. JUST LIKE SHAKESPEARE, SOMETIMES THERE ARE ODD USAGES OF LANGUAGE, BUT HE IS ACCEPTED AS AUTHORITY. I have explained all these things in my Preface to First Canto.
770227rc.may Conversations
Prabhupada: The system is: whatever authority has done, even there is mistake, it should be accepted.
Radha-vallabha: Oh.
Prabhupada: Asa-praya(?) That is ha… He should not become more learned than the authority. That is very bad habit.
72-01-20. Letter: Mandali Bhadra
So far your telling me that some devotees consider that because there may be some grammatical discrepancies in my Srimad-Bhagavatam, first canto, then they may also be allowed to translate with errors accepted, that is just like imitating Raslila. WHEN YOU DO ALL OTHER THINGS LIKE KRISHNA, THEY YOU CAN DO RASLILA. SO IF THESE OTHER WRITERS CAN DO LIKE ME AND SPREAD KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS ALL OVER THE WORLD BY BECOMING BIG VEDIC SCHOLARS, THEN THEY CAN DO. IF ONE IS TOO BIG, THERE IS NO MISTAKE. ARSAPREYAYA MEANS THERE MAY BE DISCREPANCIES BUT IT IS ALL RIGHT. JUST LIKE SHAKESPEARE, SOMETIMES THERE ARE ODD USAGES OF LANGUAGE, BUT HE IS ACCEPTED AS AUTHORITY. I HAVE EXPLAINED ALL THESE THINGS IN MY PREFACE TO FIRST CANTO.
760331SB.VRN Lectures
That sravana, hearing also, should be accepted from devotee, from real devotee. Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami recommended that a brahmana… He wrote something about Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and there were so many discrepancies. So Svarupa Damodara Gosvami was not at all satisfied with such writings. He chastised the brahmana that “You cannot write.” So unless one is self-realized, there is practically no use writing about Krsna. This transcendental writing does not depend on material education. It depends on the spiritual realization. YOU’LL FIND, THEREFORE, IN THE COMMENTS OF BHAGAVATAM BY DIFFERENT ACARYAS, EVEN THERE ARE SOME DISCREPANCIES, THEY ARE ACCEPTED AS ASAT-PATHA. IT SHOULD REMAIN AS IT IS.
So Sanatana Gosvami therefore said, avaisnava-mukhodgirnam putam hari-kathamrtam, sravanam naiva kartavyam: “One who is not Vaisnava, from him one should not hear hari-kathamrtam.” Hari-katha Srimad-Bhagavatam is hari-katha, and it is amrta, nectarine. But if it is recited or explained by some avaisnava, one should not hear. It is forbidden. The example is given, sarpocchistam payo yatha. So professional reciters or one who speaks and writes for living means it is strictly prohibited. Na vyakhyam upayunjitah. One should not make Bhagavata recitation as a means of livelihood. That is, the process is not accepted. So sravanam kirtanam visnoh. You should hear from Vaisnava, at least one who is trying to become Vaisnava, not professional man. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat.
Letter to Rupanuga, 2/17/70
Our editing is to correct grammatical and spelling errors only, WITHOUT INTERPOLATION OF STYLE OR PHILOSOPHY.”
This is very interesting to see on this great site.
The original working title was “Moron Book Changes” I decided to change it to the present title to avoid any conflict with certain devotee sensors. That was a project I thoroughly enjoyed writing.
Thank you
Ys Hasti Gopala dasa.