source: Arsa-Prayoga
Picture art by Bhakta Max Ystrøm Køngerskov
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Some statements by Prabhupada on his Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 1972 edition:
“In all countries all over the world the Bhagavad-gita is read by philosophers, psychologists, and religionists. We are also finding very good sales with our Bhagavad-gita As It Is. This is because the commodity is pure gold. There are many editions of the Bhagavad-gita, but they are not pure. Ours is selling more because we are presenting the Bhagavad-gita as it is.” (SSR 1c: A Definition of God)
“In either case, you should please try to introduce into every college and university our Bhagavad-gita As It Is. That will surely be a great service. The Bhagavad-gita is well read everywhere, and you need only to convince them that this is the best edition.” (Letter to Jayapataka, Los Angeles 30 January, 1969)
“Our Bhagavad-gita As It Is is so much important to the world for uplifting it from darkest condition of ignorance,…” (Letter to Jayadvaita, Calcutta 5 March, 1972)
Contrasted to this we find these shocking words from one of the Danish BBT(I) editors who is behind the new release of the Danish translation of the posthumously edited and therefore unauthorized 1983 edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is (sent to me personally by e-mail):
“Even though I might be able to tolerate reading it (for everything from Prabhupada is of course ecstatic) it still contains too many mistakes for me to read it without curling my toes and become irritated” (Lalitanath Dasa, editor for BBT International, 08.23.2012)
We might note the self-contradictory nature of Lalitanath Dasa’s statement. He thinks it’s ecstatic, but he is curling his toes and becoming irritated. These are not signs of ecstasy. These are negative material emotions.
What did Prabhupada think of editors who saw mistakes in his books:
SP: That is his tendency, to correct. That’s very bad. He should not do that.
RVD: So I’ll just forget this, then.
SP: The system is: whatever authority has done, even there is mistake, it should be accepted.
RVD: Oh.
SP: Arsa prayoga. That is ha… He should not become more learned than the authority. That is very bad habit.
RVD: He was always wondering how he should think. So I’ll tell him that. He thinks, “If I think I see a mistake, what should I think?” I’ll tell him what you just said.
SP: He cannot see mistake. He is mistake (laughter). That is being done by this rascal. I don’t want.
Letter to: Rupanuga,
17 February, 1970
My dear Rupanuga,
Our editing is to correct grammatical and spelling errors only, without interpolation of style or philosophy.
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What they have done is to CUNNINGLY DEVICE A WAY HOW TO GET RID OF SRILA PRABHUPADA AS CURRENT DIKSA GURU. If you study they WAY of INTERPOLATION done by Jayadvaita and company they wanted to make it sound as if there were MANY DIKSA gurus so they DEVIOUSLY inserted “they”
And another TRICK was to put in an ADDED sentence:
” Nor by independent study of books of knowledge can one progress in spiritual life.”
BG 4.34
TRANSLATION
Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soulS can impart knowledge unto you because THEY have seen the truth.
PURPORT
The path of spiritual realization is undoubtedly difficult. The Lord therefore advises us to approach a bona fide spiritual master in the line of disciplic succession from the Lord Himself. No one can be a bona fide spiritual master without following this principle of disciplic succession. The Lord is the original spiritual master, and a person in the disciplic succession can convey the message of the Lord as it is to his disciple. No one can be spiritually realized by manufacturing his own process, as is the fashion of the foolish pretenders. The Bhägavatam (6.3.19) says, dharmaà tu säkñäd bhagavat-praëétam: the path of religion is directly enunciated by the Lord. Therefore, mental speculation or dry arguments cannot help lead one to the right path. Nor by independent study of books of knowledge can one progress in spiritual life. One has to approach a bona fide spiritual master to receive the knowledge. Such a spiritual master should be accepted in full surrender, and one should serve the spiritual master like a menial servant, without false prestige. Satisfaction of the self-realized spiritual master is the secret of advancement in spiritual life. Inquiries and submission constitute the proper combination for spiritual understanding. Unless there is submission and service, inquiries from the learned spiritual master will not be effective. One must be able to pass the test of the spiritual master, and when he sees the genuine desire of the disciple, he automatically blesses the disciple with genuine spiritual understanding. In this verse, both blind following and absurd inquiries are condemned. Not only should one hear submissively from the spiritual master, but one must also get a clear understanding from him, in submission and service and inquiries. A bona fide spiritual master is by nature very kind toward the disciple. Therefore when the student is submissive and is always ready to render service, the reciprocation of knowledge and inquiries becomes perfect.
Note: EVEN if they come out with an excuse that it was in the Manuscript. That is NOT a fact. Hiyagriva the first editor was working from FIRST DRAFT. And that was the only thing there. Not only that Srila Prabhuapada in a number of Bhagavad Gita classes OVER THE YEARS so IF Srila Prabhupada wanted anything changing he would have commented as he did about “Cattle raising”.
Lets look at Jayadvaita’s interpolation TRICKERY: ” Nor by independent study of books of knowledge can one progress in spiritual life.”
Srila Prabhupada’s books are NOT JUST ANY ORDINARY books of knowledge Srila Prabhupada’s books are NOT different from HIM:
Adi 1.35 The Spiritual Masters
There is NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SPIRITUAL MASTER’S INSTRUCTIONS AND THE SPIRITUAL MASTER HIMSELF. In his absence, therefore, his words of direction should be the pride of the disciple.
SB 2.9.8 P Answers by Citing the Lord’ s Version
The potency of transcendental sound is NEVER minimized because the vibrator is apparently absent.
690113LE.LA Lectures
Arcye sila-dhir gurusu nara-matir. Just like the statue of Krsna, to consider that “This is a stone…” Similarly, arcye sila-dhir gurusu na… Gurusu means those who are acaryas, to accept their body as ordinary man’s body, this is denied in the sastras. So although a physical body is not present, the vibration should be accepted as the presence of the spiritual master, vibration. What we have heard from the spiritual master, THAT IS LIVING.
74-11-22. Letter: Bahurupa
In my books the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness is explained fully so if there is anything which you do not understand, then you simply have to read again and again. By reading daily the knowledge will be revealed to you and by this process your spiritual life will develop.
Los Angeles, California 90034730513mw.la Conversations
Paramahamsa: Srila Prabhupada, when you are not present with us, how is it possible to receive instructions, for example, on questions that may arise?
Prabhupada: Well, the questions… Answers are there in my books.
Paramahamsa: Other than that, for example, that we would ask you in…
Prabhupada: Yes.
Paramahamsa: Do you direct us also through the heart? Besides the Paramatma?
Prabhupada: If your heart is pure. Everything depends on purity.
70-01-24. Letter: Ranadhira
Every one of you must regularly read our books at least twice–in the morning and evening, and automatically all questions will be answered.
70-02-14.Sac Letter: Sacisuta
If you simply chant your rounds daily as prescribed and stick strictly to the rules and regulations, all these questions will automatically be answered by Krsna as Supersoul. You may refer in this connection to Bhagavad gita, (10:10), “To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” and (10:11), “Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.” This process of understanding by devotional service is essential for developing Krsna Consciousness and you all must follow this program assiduously.
72-02-19. Letter: Upendra
(8) In other words, if you are sincere to serve continuously and always chanting, all such questions become answered automatically. I never asked my Spiritual Master one question except one: “How shall I serve you?” So in this way, kindly inform the others that I may be relieved to give you so many more nice books–that is my real desire.
72-03-07.Ani Letter: Aniruddha
Thank you very much for serving Krishna in this way, and if you go on sincerely serving like this, chanting, and following the regulative principles strictly, all your questions will be answered by Krishna automatically.
72-12-14. Letter: Tusta Krsna
Next you ask if I am present in my picture and form? Yes. In form as well as in teachings. To carry out the teachings of guru is more important than to worship the form, but none of them should be neglected. Form is called vapu and teachings is called vani. Both should be worshiped. Vani is MORE important than vapu.
73-12-25. Letter: Gurukrpa , Yasodanandana
Whatever is to be learned of the teachings of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura can be learned from our books. There is no need whatsoever for any outside instruction.
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Bhakti Viksa ALSO played the DEVIOUS TRICK in Caitanya Caritamrta – the man has lust for accepting disciples BUT Srila Prabhupada says in the ORIGINAL purport it is BEST NOT TO ACCEPT ANY DISCIPLES.
So by CUNNINGNESS AND TRICKERY they want it made ACCEPTABLE hence they are CHANGING THE VEDABASE ALSO TO THAT EFFECT. VERY VERY Cunning manipulation:
Madhya 7.130 The Lord’ s Tour of South India
The cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is explained here very nicely. One who surrenders to Him and is ready to follow Him with heart and soul does not need to change his location. Nor is it necessary for one to change status. One may remain a householder, a medical practitioner, an engineer or whatever. It doesn’t matter. One only has to follow the instruction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and instruct relatives and friends in the teachings of the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. One has to learn humility and meekness at home, following the instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and in that way one’s life will be spiritually successful. One should not try to be an artificially advanced devotee, thinking, “I am a first-class devotee.” Such thinking should be avoided. IT IS BEST NOT TO ACCEPT ANY DISCIPLES. One has to become purified at home by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and preaching the principles enunciated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus one can become a spiritual master and be freed from the contamination of material life.
Bhakti Vikasa Interpolation Vs the Truth
http://www.iskcontimes.com/bhakti%20vikasa-interpolation-vs-the-truth
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Bhakti Vikasa is a SAHAJIYA
http://www.iskcontimes.com/bhakti-vikasa-is-a-SAHAJIYA
Note: LOOKS AS IF THEY ARE going to resort CHANGING Srila Prabhupada’s words in the CURRENT VEDABASE. You can check this. IN THAT CASE, BEST STICK TO THE OLDER VERSION:
http://krishna.org/ms-dos-prabhupada-vedabase-folio-views/
1)This is EASY to use.
2) Easy to do compilations: for saving give FILE NAME > OPEN SP FOLDER (IN “C” DRIVE).
Maybe it’s better to spend time and energy working on the source of our intolerance rather than looking outward to HDG as the cause of one’s irritation. How come someone can tolerate wearing a shirt and tie but not tolerate reading Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is?
What future is there when the leadership preaches intolerance,… and intolerance for the words of the Founder Acarya no less? I suggest if they don’t like what Srila Prabhupada did or wrote then they should leave Iskcon and found their own movement based on their own ‘perfect books’. Prabhupada shouldn’t go, they should go!
Please pinch me and tell me this is some kind of joke.
Please!
No this is indeed not a joke, Ajit Krishna Dasa received this quote, from Lalithanatha Das himself in a email, they were corresponding to the book changes and this were revealed from him, a BBT editor.
Bhagavad Gita 12 12-16
Updated only for GBCs.-
“My dear GBC, O sinister thief of wealth, if you cannot avoid being a cheater, then at least don´t change the books, in this way you will develop points. If you cannot avoid changing the books, then just try to avoid the pedophile. If, you can not keep away from pedophile, and if you are unable to work in this consciousness, then just try to act giving up all kinds of rapes. If you cannot take up this practice, then don´t steal the money of the temples. Better than to steal the money of the temples, is to think, and better than meditation is renunciation of the fruits of action, for by such renunciation you can attain peace of mind.”
Srila Prabhupada was not only VERY METICULOUS about preserving his books BUT ALSO the Kirtana :
http://krishna1008.blogspot.co.uk/
A Few Words About Kirtana Styles (by Prananatha das)
Prananatha dasa: Srila Prabhupada is opposed to SPECULATIVE KIRTANA STYLES. Srila Prabhupada’s personal style of simple chanting in a pure and melodious fashion did not change when he was in India. Historically speaking, it can be traced that in the late 60’s and early 70’s however.
Western devotees coming to India had no place to stay but in some Gaudiya Math temples. In some of these temples all different kinds of mantras were chanted without restriction. Although these mantras did not seem improper, Srila Prabhupada did not want us to use them in our temple kirtanas.
“With regard to your question about Bengali style kirtana and mrdanga playing, one or two styles is best. To introduce more styles is not good. It will become an encumbrance. Who is that Krsna das Babaji who is teaching? If we introduce so much emphasis on style of kirtana, then simply imitation will go on. Devotional emotion is the main thing. If we give stress to instrument and style then attention will be diverted to the style. That will be spiritual loss.” (Letter to Satsvarupa Goswami, — New Vrndavana 30 June, 1976)
However this form of kirtan filtered into our movement very quickly since it was new and exciting and therefore rapidly accepted by the kirtan leaders. Variety is the spice of life. This variety however, did not actually please Srila Prabhupada. Now one may say: “Okay, I accept that Srila Prabhupada wrote about exclusive Hare Krsna kirtana which he desired his followers to sing. And I accept that Srila Prabhupada himself always lead kirtanas by chanting the maha mantra and never used the other types of chants often used by Bengali devotees.
But did he ever get personally involved in correcting improper chanting?” CHANTING MELODIES Srila Prabhupada was very strict in the melody sung during the mangala-aratika. He wanted the morning melody and nothing else. Before the opening of the Vrndavana Krsna Balarama Temple in 1975, one morning Srila Prabhupada called his secretary into his room and complained about the singing.
The devotee who led mangala aratrika kirtana had chanted melodies other than the morning melody. Srila Prabhupada said that he did not like the singing in the morning. He stated that the morning melody must be sung throughout the mangala-aratika and no other melody should be sung. He then demonstrated how the singing should be done by singing the first verse of the Samsara Prayer.
Srila Prabhupada was very insistent that the singing should be done in that way only. He then told his secretary to lead the mangala aratrika kirtanas in the morning as a way to establish the standards within the temple. CHANTING “JAYA RADHE…?” The morning after receiving that instruction, Srila Prabhupada’s secretary led the mangala aratrika kirtana in Srila Prabhupada’s room duplicating the melodious style which he had been shown the day before.
Srila Prabhupada was pleased and seemed to enjoy the kirtana but unfortunately at the end of the kirtana, the secretary fell victim to speculation and sang a couple of “jaya radhe’s”. “Srila Prabhupada looked at me with eyes blazing like fire… Voice choked and gagging, I ended the kirtan immediately without further formalites, never again to make the same mistake.
Prabhupada never ended kirtans with various extra mantras, especially not “jaya radhe,” so why should I?” Srila Prabhupada didn’t want his followers to chant Jaya Radhe. He explained that Sukadeva Gosvami did not feel himself qualified to chant the name of Radha in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and therefore only indicated her name with the word “aradhana” while describing the topmost gopi friend of Krsna.
“CHANTING JAYA GURUDEVA…?” Srila Prabhupada objected to the chanting of “Jaya Gurudeva” since he considered it to be a direct insertion into our movement from the sahajiya sampradayas in Bengal who always say things like “Jaya Gurudeva,” without referring to any particular guru. Prabhupada criticized this as impersonal and did not want it chanted by his disciples.
“Who is the guru?” he would challenge. Srila Prabhupada also did not appreciate the extended chanting of Jaya Prabhupada at the expense of chanting the Hare Krsna maha mantra. CHANTING ‘JAPA, BOLO, BHAJA’ HARE KRSNA…? In July of 1976 Prabhupada was in New Mayapur in France. A raging kirtan was going on somewhere below his room. Srila Prabhupada was verbally dictating responses to letters he had received while his secretary sat before him writing the words down. Srila Prabhupada was very disturbed by something he heard. “Do you hear that?” he asked the secretary. “What is that, Srila Prabhupada?” replied the secretary. “Listen to what he is saying.” “I cannot hear anything special. What is wrong?” “He is chanting something before the Hare Krsna mantra. Go and stop this immediately.”
The secretary immediately ran downstairs, danda in hand, and started pushing aside the crowds of ecstatic chanters to get at the leader of the kirtana. He could still not hear exactly what was being chanted, and neither could he imagine how Srila Prabhupada could hear it, but with full faith he plunged through the crowd expecting to soon be close enough to know who was leading the kirtana and what it was that he was saying before the Hare Krsna mantra.
When he was about two meters away from the leader he saw that it was Prthu Putra Swami leading the kirtana and then he finally heard that Prthu Putra Swami was faintly saying “bhaja” before each Hare Krsna mantra. With this confirmation, the secretary demanded, in the name of Srila Prabhupada, that he not chant that before the mantra and that he never do it again.
This caused a bit of a pause in the kirtan while everyone tried to understand what was going on, but before too long the secretary was again going back upstairs and the kirtana was being chanted correctly. Srila Prabhupada asked for a report of what happened and was satisfied that the mistake had been corrected. One should never chant anything before the mahamantra including “japa”, “bolo”, or “bhaja”.
CHANTING “GAURA NITYANANDA BOL…?” One morning in the winter of 1975, after the temple was opened, Ananda prabhu was leading the kirtan. Ananda prabhu was a Godbrother of Srila Prabhupada who had been living in our temple for many years, humbly engaged in serving the devotees with great love and devotion. He was the personal cook of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati and was extremely expert in preparing emergency medicinal herbs when the need arose (as when Saurabh das was bitten by a scorpion but was saved by Ananda prabhu’s timely herb application).
He was also an enthusiastic kirtana leader. Srila Prabhupada was in his room as usual during the mangala aratika kirtan and his secretary was in the room next to him waiting for some order or command. The kirtan was loud and the speakers, combined with the reverberation of the hall, projected the sound into Prabhupada’s room with great ease. Prabhupada called his secretary into his room. The secretary already knew what was going to happen since he was trained by him the previous year about standards for kirtana. Ananda Prabhu was chanting “gaur nityananda bol” & etc.
Srila Prabhupada told the secretary to go to the temple room and stop Ananda from singing the kirtana. The secretary was shocked. This was the first time that he ever had to stop one of Srila Prabhupada’s own God brothers from singing a kirtana. But he dutifully marched off to the temple room to fulfill the order. Afraid of making an offense or being crude the secretary did not feel good about the matter yet he managed to mutter out some words to the effect that Prabhupada didn’t want this mantra in the temple and that would he please chant Hare Krsna instead.
Srila Prabhupada was extremely determined that the kirtan standard be maintained and not changed by the introduction of “other” mantras which were commonly heard in temples and maths. ISKCON’s most famous kirtana leader also liked to chant “gaura nityananda bol.” Although very few devotees know this, Srila Prabhupada said that he did not like those kirtanas and that that devotee ruined kirtana.
CHANTING “GAURA GAURA GAURA…?” As far as standards go, Srila Prabhupada’s instructions could not have been more specific. During one of Srila Prabhupada’s stays in Vrndavana he was attending the evening kirtanas and classes led by his disciples due to his being sickly and unable to speak. One night Srila Prabhupada’s disciple, Bharadvaja dasa, chose to sing a song which he said he got from a book by Gopal Bhatta Goswami.
The song was a variation on the mantra “krsna krsna, krsna krsna, krsna krsna, krsna he,” but instead of the name “Krsna”, the name “Gaura” was chanted. The mantra went, “gaura gaura, gaura gaura, gaura gaura, gaura he” & etc. Srila Prabhupada disliked this extremely, so much so that the next morning he called the president of the temple into his room and wanted an explanation of why Bharadvaja was chanting like that.
The devotee could not give a proper explanation at that moment. Srila Prabhupada said that he never wanted to hear that again in the temple and that the temple president should never allow such kinds of “speculation” in kirtana. He then went on to specifically describe how kirtana should be done.
A. For mangala aratika: the samsara-dava prayer, then Sri Krsna Caitanya (panca tattva maha mantra), then Hare Krsna mahamantra, nothing else.
B. For the guru-puja: the “guru-prayer” (that’s what he called it) Sri Krsna Caitanya (panca tattva maha mantra), then Hare Krsna mahamantra, nothing else.
C. For evening aratika: the gaura aratika song, Sri Krsna Caitanya (panca tattva maha mantra), and Hare Krsna mahamantra, nothing else.
D: For all aratikas this basic pattern should be followed. The chanting of Sri Krsna Caitanya (panca tattva maha mantra) should only be for three times, not more.
E. No one should sing a bhajana unless all the devotees know what the song means.
F. No one should sing songs in Vrindavan temple that are in languages which the people do not understand. Yasomati-nandana may be sung since the people understand that. In regards to “D” above, Srila Prabhupada specifically placed this restriction on the chanting after one incident with Isana prabhu in Vrindavan. In July of 1974, when Srila Prabhupada first moved into his new quarters, kirtanas were being conducted in his room in the afternoon and then he would give class.
On one of the first days, Srila Prabhupada’s disciple Isana Prabhu, who at that time was doing what was to be later known as FATE doll exhibition, led a kirtan. He was simply repeating the Sri Krsna Caitanya mantra over and over again, perhaps for 15 times, when Srila Prabhupada demanded that he stop and chant Hare Krsna.
It was after this that Srila Prabhupada became quite strict on the number of times the mantra was sung. “BHAJA” OR “JAYA” SRI KRSNA CAITANYA? In the middle of 1977, ISKCON devotees noticed a sudden change in the way the panca tattva maha mantra was to be chanted. Up to that point, all of the kirtanas Srila Prabhupada had led, both in person and on recordings displayed the song as: bhaja sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda.
Every devotee sang this song in this way in every kirtana. However, in May of 1977 Srila Prabhupada became very displeased with the kirtans of the group in the asrama next to Krsna Balarama Mandira in Vrndavana. There kirtans were taking place with the following speculated mantra, “(bhaja) nitai gaura radhe syama (japa) Hare Krsna Hare Ram.” Srila Prabhupada then requested the devotees to stop chanting the word “bhaja” before our Panca-tattva maha mantra since the word actually is not part of the mantra.
There is no word which prefaces the mantra which specifically reads “sri krsna caitanya prabhu nityananda sri advaita gadadhara srivasadi gaura bhakta vrinda.” This mantra can be read in either Bengali or Sanskrit letters on the walls of every temple in Vrindavan or Bengal as it is one of the two essential mantras for Gaudiya Vaisnavas. Then Prabhupada thought about using some mantra from the Caitanya-caritamrta which he considered might go, “jaya sri krsna caitanya prabhu nityananda, jayadvaita gadadhara srivasadi gaura bhakta vrinda.”
His Divine Grace had his servants and sanskritists look it up to see if they could find it. After a thorough search they realized that there was no mantra like that and that the closest mantra was “jaya jaya sri-caitanya jaya nityananda jayadvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda” which was not what Prabhupada wanted. Nevertheless, in order to definitively distinguish ISKCON from the other chanters across the road, Srila Prabhupada insisted on the change from the using the word “bhaja” to “jaya” preceding the mantra.
Tamal Krsna Goswami also noted the change in his diary. At 3:00 p.m. Srila Prabhupada signed his will and had Upendra, Gopinatha, and myself witness it. During the kirtana, Prabhupada twice instructed Yasodanandana Maharaja not to sing “bhaja” before “Sri Krsna Caitanya.” Was it because of the bogus groups who chant this word first? Prabhupada said to chant “Jaya Sri Krsna Caitanya.” (TKG Diary: May 23, 1977 Vrndavana) “You can say ‘Sri Krsna Caitanya’ or ‘Jaya Sri Krsna Caitanya,’ but never ‘bhaja.’ You just glorify these five personalities and They will take care of everything.” (Srila Prabhupada speaking: TKG Diary: May 29,1977.
CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU ON EDITING THE WORK OF A VAISNAVA
One day, Ishvara Puripada asked Nimai to correct any mistakes that were in his book. Nimai answered:
Anyone who finds any fault with a devotee’s description of Krishna is a sinner. If a devotee writes a poem, no matter how poorly he does it, it will certainly contain his love for Krishna. A fool says ‘visnaya’ while a scholar knows the correct form is ‘visnave’, but Krishna accepts the sentiment in either case. If anyone sees a fault in this, the fault is his, for Krishna is pleased with anything the pure devotee says. You too describe the Lord with words of love, so what arrogant person would dare criticize anything that you have written? (Chaitanya Bhagavata 1.11.105-110)
Srila Prabhupada himself read and lectured from the Bhagavad-gita As It Is for years. We never heard him say that doing so made him curl his toes and become irritated, as Lalitanatha dasa has stated. With such an attutude, one wonders what is the qualification to be a modern day editor for BBT International. Perhaps this quote shoul be shown to his superiors/employers.
BBT Editor or not, at the end of the day it’s just one man’s opinion.
Lalitanath Das, You can speak very nicely, and you can have lots of knowledge, but this can not give you bhakti as result.
Srila Prabhupada: “So anyway, this guru-māra-vidyā should be avoided. That is the instruction in this verse we can get, and that is the Vedic way. It is not that Draupadī is speaking, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu is also speaking… Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very strict on this point. As soon Vallabhācārya spoke that “I have written a better comment than Śrīdhara Svāmī,” immediately Caitanya Mahāprabhu become offended. He said, “Oh, you have become more than Śrīdhara Svāmī? You don’t care for Svāmī?” So he remarked immediately, svāmī yei jana na māne veśyara bhitare. That is the system. You cannot overrule ācārya. Ācārya… Ācāryopāsanam. Ācārya should be always worshiped. Even if you, by ABCD, you have become more learned than the ācārya… That is not possible, but if you foolishly think like that, still, you should not exhibit your foolishness, that you know more than the ācārya. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s… By His life example, He has taught us that the more we remain ignorant, foolish before the ācārya, or before the guru, that is more we advance. Real success is how one is faithful to his guru. That is real success. Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau. It is not by education or grammatical knowledge you can learn anything. No. It is by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And that grace comes down through the grace of guru. That grace also does not come directly. We should not be neglecting this point.” Things become revealed by devotion, not by so-called education. Srila Prabhupada’s Lecture Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.44 — Vrndavana, October 4, 1976 :