Do NOT change what I have given you

Srila Prabhupada: “Do NOT change what I have given you”

Hare Krsna-Below we have a short conversation where Srila Prabhupada tells us the dangers of changing scripture-even by his own followers! So great is this offense, to change the words of Krsna’s direct authorized representative, that by doing so, it will affect the lives of countless millions of people. It is a great responsibility. And later he mentions about changing the program he gave for the rehabilitation of humanity. Again the process should remain as it was, not what we see today. Damaghosa das

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Prabhupada warns us not to change his books 
 May 9 1975 Perth

Paramahaṁsa: Yes. The Christians always say that Christ was eating fish and drinking wine, so what problem have we got? Drinking a little alcohol, eating a little meat?
Prabhupāda: Then how did he say that “Thou shall not kill”?
Śrutakīrti: That was actually the Ten Commandments. That was given by God.
Gaṇeśa: Given to Moses.
Śrutakīrti: That was given to Moses by God. The Ten Commandments.
Prabhupāda: That is not Christ has said?
Śrutakīrti: Well, Christ enforced it.
Paramahaṁsa: It was accepted by him as one of the rules.
Śrutakīrti: Christ’s greatest commandment was to love God above all things. So if one is to love God, one must follow His instructions.
Prabhupāda: Who is following the instructions?
Śrutakīrti: We are.
Prabhupāda: But supposing Christ distributed fish, but did he say that we shall maintain regular slaughterhouse for killing animals?
Śrutakīrti: He was against that. He threw the men out of the temple, because they were selling lambs in the temple to be offered at the altar. So he kicked them out, saying this temple is not a place for selling animals for slaughter.
Paramahaṁsa: But in one place they say Christ encouraged fishermen. Because he came and the fishermen were fishing on one side of the boat, and Christ came along and said, “You are fishing on the wrong side of the boat.” He said, “Put your nets on the other side, and you will get more fish.” An they did that and they got huge amounts of fish. And so they were encouraged in their fish-eating in this way.
Gaṇeśa: Jesus also said to the fisherman, “Give up you fishing and I will make you fishers of men.” He said this to his disciples.
Prabhupāda: Then on the whole it comes that his instructions are sometimes contradictory.
Paramahaṁsa: Not only that but they say that… Usually when it comes right down to it, the Bible has gone through so many interpretations and so many changes in the last two thousand years that…
Prabhupāda: Yes. It is very difficult.
Paramahaṁsa: People…, I’ve talked to professors who know the original Hebrew and the original tongues that the Bible was written in. They say that is has changed so much that you can hardly…
Prabhupāda: Yes, they are changing. Just like he said, “Thou shall not kill.” They are now changing, “Thow shall not commit murder.” They are doing that.
Paramahaṁsa: Yes. They have a modern Bible, using all modern terminology.
Prabhupāda: So, when you change, then the authority is lost. Just like in our society, sometimes they do something nonsense and they say, “Prabhupāda said.” (laughter) They are doing that. We know that. It is deteriorated like that. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ kaunteya: “And in due course of time, this yoga was lost. Therefore I am repeating the same thing, old philosophy to you.” So it requires like that.
Paramahaṁsa: One thing about the Christian religion is that through the last two thousand years, Christ’s original teachings may have been good teachings, may have been potent preaching, but because there were no potent preachers to carry on the preaching, therefore the whole thing has been lost. But if there are potent preachers to continue reestablishing and establishing the principles,…
Prabhupāda: So how you’ll find, if everything is now changed? Where you will get the right information?
Paramahaṁsa: That’s the problem. That’s why there are so many hundreds of branches of Christianity, literally hundreds. So many divisions of Christianity. Some people accept this, some people accept this.
Prabhupāda: Therefore we should advocate that Bhagavad-gītā is not like that. It is coming in the same form as it was taught to Arjuna. If you challenge that “How you know that it has not been changed?” the ācāryas are there. The ācāryas are there, and they are accepting. Therefore it is correct. We have to follow the ācāryas. So when we see the ācāryas have accepted, then we accept. All the ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, before that other ācāryas also, they accept. They never say that “This was not in the original scripture. It has been changed.” You don’t find any such statement of the ācāryas. The best thing, therefore, if you want a religious system, Bhagavad-gītā is coming without any contradiction, change, for the last five thousand years. You accept it. Other scriptures are (unclear), and there are so many doubts, so many interpretations. So, if you want real religious system, this is the scripture spoken directly by God, and accepted by all the ācāryas, so take it. If you are really after God, so you take enlightenment from this perfect scripture. If you want truth, it doesn’t matter wherefrom it is coming. I must accept the truth.
Paramahaṁsa: The Christians openly admit that the Bible has been changed, but they also have a lot of doubt about our scripture.
Prabhupāda: No, even they doubt, the Christian religion is now dead. That we see practically. So many churches are not working. Nobody comes there. Nobody comes.
Paramahaṁsa: As they have seen that their scripture has been changed, they also have a very strong doubt about our scripture. They say “Well, yours in even older than ours,” so somewhere along the line they say it must have been changed.
Prabhupāda: You say, but those who are the followers of the authorities, they do not say. You are outsider. You say it may be. It may not be, but you have no authority. You are simply taking a hypothesis, “it may be.” But those who actually are following, they do not say. What about this? Whose version is more important? Your or theirs? You are outsider. You are simply suggesting because you had a bad experience. But one who has no such experience, why should he follow your advice?
Paramahaṁsa: Actually if anyone looks at Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, presented by yourself, then they can logically see that it is perfect.
Prabhupāda: Yes, we have got our argument, logic, everything. Why should we blindly follow?
Gaṇeśa: The results can be seen practically that those who are following the Bhagavad-gītā written by you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, are giving up these nonsense activities.
Prabhupāda: Letters are posted?
Paramahaṁsa: No, not yet.
Prabhupāda: How they can deliver if you don’t post?
Paramahaṁsa: Well the next time someone goes in. This evening someone can post.
Prabhupāda: There is no letter box?
Gaṇeśa: There’s not one close. I can post them tonight.
Prabhupāda: No, night is useless. Nobody is coming to clear.
Gaṇeśa: Yes, there’s one collection at eight o’clock in the night time.
Prabhupāda: Oh, then why not post there? It is six.
Gaṇeśa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, if the knowledge was handed down by the saintly kings, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam [Bg. 4.2], how is it that the knowledge was lost?
Prabhupāda: When it was not handed down. Simply understood by speculation. Or if it is not handed down as it is. They might have made some changes. Or they did not hand it down. Suppose I handed it down to you, but if you do not do that, then it is lost. Now the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is going on in my presence. Now after my deparature, if you do not do this, then it is lost. If you go on as you are doing now, then it will go on. But if you stop… (end)

Do not change anything-including the books

Today some 37 years after Srila Prabhupadas physical departure from our vision, we have seen countless changes by the leaders of iskcon and others who say they are following Srila Prabhupada, their spiritual master.
Below we have one letter where Prabhupada explains there is nothing else we need to do-BUT we should just follow what he already has given to us and that alone is sufficient to change anybody’s character and change the face of the planet. Seems the “American disease”  he mentioned several times of always wanting to change something is not just located only in America.

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Bombay 11 April, 1971 71-04-11 Toronto

My Dear Jagadisa,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letters dated 12th February, 5th and 25th March, 1971, respectively and have noted the contents carefully. So far as the “rehabilitation center” is concerned, such work can be taken up, but to have any separate institution apart from the temple is not possible. I have written Rupanuga in this regard as follows:
“Youth work can be taken up, but our process must be followed strictly. Anyone may come but our process must remain the same. The men are expected to shave their heads and wear robes; they must attend classes, read our books, chant 16 rounds, attend arati, go for street Sankirtana, take prasadam only, etc. To have any institution apart from the temple, that we cannot do. Everything must be in the scope of our activities, then this ‘youth problem’ can be solved. Our process is proven as the only effective means. If the government or any other organization gives us a place, then we can train up such youth in our own way and surely they will come out sane. That place given will be a temple.
So the process remains the same, except on a larger scale. Not that there is a separate division of ISKCON to handle youth problem, but that we have a bigger temple to accommodate them, is all. And then the people will see practically how we are doing the highest welfare work.”

Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami