ISKCON original manuscript scam

Re: ISKCON original manuscript scam
From Gauridas

Dear Yasodanandan Prabhu and all,
Dandavats AGTHDG Srila Prabhupada!

Thanks for Madhudvisa Prabhu’s nice writing on the original books. It’s more ammunition to use in the war were in with the BBT & BBTI. 

Srila Prabhupada Memories 
“Do Not Change My Words”

Srila Prabhupada used to like to sit in his garden in Vrindavan especially in the mornings. He liked to hear his books read to him daily. One time Yasodanandan Prabhu was reading Sri Isopanisad when Srila Prabhupada stopped him and asked him to reread the last paragraph. After hearing it again Srila Prabhupada said, “Those are not my words! They are changing my words! Is my English not good enough?” Srila Prabhupada became very angry and continued, “This is the worst thing a disciple can do! Do not become like a leap frog and try to jump over the spiritual master thinking you know better than him. Tell them immediately [the editors] do not change my words!”

Srila Prabhupada was very upset about the changes in his books. I never saw him get so angry any other time.

Srila Prabhupada: “The nonsense, they are correcting my translations. Rascal. The rascal editors, they are doing havoc. So you bring this to Satsvarupa. They cannot change anything … So on the whole, these dangerous things are going on. How to check it? It is very serious situation. You write one letter that “Why you have made so many changes?” And whom to write? Who will care? All rascals are there. Write to Satsvarupa that “This is the position. They are doing anything and everything at their whim.” The next printing should be again to the original way.” (Conversation, “Rascal Editors” – June 22, 1977, Vrndavana)

Years before Srila Prabhupada said the same thing. “Don’t make addition, alteration. Then you become rascal. Immediately you become rascal. And many times they give me very great credit that I have done wonderful. Yes, I have done wonderful. But what is the reason? Because I am not a rascal. I speak what Krsna has spoken. That’s all. Very easy. Everyone can do that. Not only I. Any of you, you can do this. Simply speak what is…, what Krsna has said. That’s all. Don’t make addition, alteration. Then you become rascal. Immediately you become rascal.(Srimad-Bhagavatam Lecture 1.5.29 Vrindavan, August 10, 1974)

Srila Prabhupada said if someone sees a mistake he is a mistake.

Radha Vallabha; Now Jagannātha had some questions on corrections in the book. In verse twenty-eight it says, “Then he worshiped Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the essence of all Vedas, with this hymn.It’s verse twenty-eight, “Then he worshiped Śrī Kṛṣṇa.” So Jagannātha said it should be, “Then he worshiped…”
Prabhupāda: No, no. Jagannātha cannot correct. That bad habit he must give up.
Rādhā-vallabha: So we should just leave it exactly.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. You should not be more educated.
Rādhā-vallabha: He wasn’t changing any of the words. He was just…
Prabhupāda: Nothing of the… This of should be strictly forbidden.
Rādhā-vallabha: So no corrections. That makes it simple.
Prabhupāda: They can divide the synonyms. That’s all.
Rādhā-vallabha: Synonyms. So even…
Prabhupāda: That is his tendency, to correct. That’s very bad. He should not do that.
Rādhā-vallabha: So I’ll just forget this, then.
Prabhupāda: The system is: whatever authority has done, even there is mistake, it should be accepted.
Rādhā-vallabha: Oh.
Prabhupāda: Asa-prāya(?) That is ha… He should not become more learned than the authority. That is very bad habit.
Rādhā-vallabha: 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.
Prabhupāda: He cannot see mistake. He is mistake. (laughter) He should… That is being done by this rascal.

Srila Prabhupada’s  Room Conversation — March 1, 1977, Mayapura
When Srila Prabhupada was asked by Revatinandan Prabhu if we could read Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati’s books; Srila Prabhupada said not the ones that were edited by his disciples. Srila Prabhupada also told him that we really couldn’t understand Bhaktisidhanta’s books. He said not even his Godbrothers could understand them. Then Srila Prabhupada said, ” actually, he wrote those books for me.” (Memories of Srila Prabhupada)

Srila Prabhupada translated the spiritual law books for the next 10,000 years, day and night, until his dying day. He translated constantly despite his busy preaching schedule. He did this to live on in the books. He said before he left the planet that he had given us everything in his books. He said the books were the manifestations of his ecstasy. He said if we read his books and cooperated together, every thing would go on nicely. To edit his books without his sanction is risky business. We should try to be absorbed in the ecstasy of the spiritual master and not try to alter it, thinking we can ‘improve upon’ his ecstasy.

Some of the reasons given to justify the modern day editing are that the new edition is closer to what Srila Prabhupada said on the original tapes. Srila Prabhupada lectured on many verses many times and never said to change them. He authorized about three changes, not the 800+- we have in the new Bhagavad Gita. We need Bhagavad Gita As It Was! There is a nicer vibration to the original Srila Prabhupada approved version. I’m sure more devotees would be inspired to distribute the original.

When a new book came out Srila Prabhupada would be in total bliss. I remember when he was so sick he could hardly sit up. When he heard that the new Srimad Bhagavatam had arrived and he asked to be propped up on his bed. He asked for his glasses and more light. As he marveled over the quality of the book and the excellent artwork tears came to his eyes. This gave him life.

Another time when Srila Prabhupada asked a devotee to read in the garden the devotee asked him why he liked to hear his own books so much. Srila Prabhupada said, “I did not write these books. Krishna wrote these books!”

When Srila Prabhupada came into the room and caught me reading the Srimad Bhagavatam, he smiled nicer than ever and told his secretary, “He’s reading in his spare time; this is very good!” I was surprised to see how happy Srila Prabhupada was because I was reading. Srila Prabhupada put everything into his books and we would be better off to accept them as is/was. They made so many devotees in the past and will in the future. They are tried and true!
Another important publication is the ‘Back To Godhead’ magazine. Srila Prabhupada said the BTG and Hari Nama Sankirtan are ‘the backbone of our movement.’ We need a mass distribution BTG. So many of us became devotees by getting a BTG one way or another. It should be cost effective say 25 to 50 cents so we can distribute it for a dollar or so. The old BTG’s are great. We could update the calendar and presto, the all-attractive ‘Back To Godhead!’

Srila Prabhupada said the disease of the Americans is that we want to change everything. Let’s get rid of this disease and maintain what Srila Prabhupada has worked so hard to give us; without adulteration or change.

Hoping this meets you well,
Your servant,
Gauridasa Pandita Dasa

====================

ISKCON “Original Manuscript” Scam
by Madhudvisa dasa

I am not sure if you are aware of this but ISKCON has a policy of “revising” Srila Prabhupada’s books. They are making unauthorized changes to Srila Prabhupada’s books. 

For example now the Bhagavad-gita ISKCON distributes has thousands of unauthorized changes that in many cases significantly change the meaning of what Srila Prabhupada said in his original Bhagavad-gita As It Is.

ISKCON tries to justify some of the changes by going back to a transcript of Srila Prabhupada’s dictation of the book which they call the “original manuscript.”

This “original manuscript” is a great deception. This is not the “original manuscript” at all . That is only the first draft of the book. Srila Prabhupada worked extensively on this “first draft” with his editor Hayagriva Prabhu and the result is Srila Prabhupada’s “Complete Edition” of his Bhagavad-gita As It Is published by Macmillan in 1972.

Govinda dasi, in her very important letter, gives personal eyewitness proof that Srila Prabhuapda spent a lot of time working with Hayagriva Prabhu, the principle editor of Srila Prabhupada’s books, to take his Bhagavad-gita As It Is from the first draft to the manuscript that was presented to Macmillan to print the book.

What was approved by Srila Prabhupada for printing was the blueprint of the book provided to him by Macmillan, not his first draft.

Srila Prabhupada was personally involved in all stages of writing, editing and printing his original Bhagavad-gita As It Is, he lectured from this book constantly from 1972 to 1977 and personally read the book in his leisure time. With the exception of a few obvious typographical errors he never authorized any changes to this book. He certainly never autorized anyone to “Revise and Enlarge” it.

If you look at your ISKCON Bhagavad-gita you will see it is now “The Revised and Enlarged” edition. This is not authorized by Srila Prabhupada.

This is the most important issue facing ISKCON. ISKCON is changing Srila Prabhupada’s books. No matter what happens we have to preserve and distribute the original teachings of Srila Prabhupada and the main source of these teachings is Srila Prabhupada’s books.

Please read the very important letter from Govinda Dasi who was personally serving Srila Prabhupada while he was working with Hayagriva Prabhu on editing his Bhagavad-gita As It Is and go to: www.BookChanges.com  To research this matter further.

Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Your servant, Madhudvisa dasa

———————————-

Srila Prabhupada included the heading “Complete Edition” on the face page of his Gita . The so-called 2nd edition replaces that statement with the words, “2nd Edition, Revised and Enlarged.” “Complete Edition” certainly means definitive. Let the so-called second edition, which bears scant resemblance to the first, keep the self-incriminating phrase “revised and enlarged.” Very good! It helps to distinguish between the real thing and the other thing. more here <

Srila Prabhupada on ‘changing’:
“If you want really thing, then you have to take the old, the oldest. You cannot change anything. …”  So similarly, as Kṛṣṇa says, this is called disciplic succession. Lord Caitanya, although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, but He has accepted the disciplic succession from Kṛṣṇa… I have given you the process of disciplic succession: from Kṛṣṇa, Brahmā; from Brahmā, Nārada; from Nārada, Vyāsa; from Vyāsa, Madhva; from Madhva, Mādhavendra Purī; from Mādhavendra Purī, Īśvara Purī; from Īśvara Purī, Lord Caitanya. So evaṁ paramparā. So in the paramparā system in that disciplic succession, you will find no change. The original word is there. That is the thing. They are not foolish to manufacture something new. What new? People are after something new manufactured by this tiny brain. What new you can manufacture? That is all nonsense. If you want really thing, then you have to take the old, the oldest. You cannot change anything. Can you change any law of the sun rising or sun setting? The old laws, they are going on, and you have to follow. So you cannot manufacture anything. [….]
Link URL: http://prabhupadabooks.com/?g=159880

Srila Prabhupada: ” 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, then 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. ‘ Arsa prayoga‘ 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 autority. I have explained all these things in my preface to First Canto.” (Letter to Mandali Bhadra dated 1-20-72)
Concerning the book changes there is a nice segment in the Caitanya Bhagavat by Sri Vrndavana dasa Thakura Adi Lila Chapter 11. Here, the Supreme Lord Himself states His position on changing the literatures of His pure devotee. Please consider the conversation between Lord Caitanya and Isvar Puri below… the Lord’s order is crystal clear.

Caitanya Bhagavat Adi Lila Chapter 11
by Sri Vrndavana dasa Thakura
“Lord Caitanya visited Isvara Puri every evening after teaching his students. Isvara Puri was always glad to see him. Although he did not know that Nimai was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his love and affection for him flowed unrestrained. He spoke affectionately to the Lord, “I know you are a great scholar. I have written a book about Lord Krsna. I want you to go through it and find the mistakes. This will please me very much.”
“These are descriptions of Lord Krsna by a pure devotee,” replied Nimai. “If anyone finds any mistake, then he is a sinful offender. The pure devotee never writes anything from his imagination, devoid of a scriptural basis. These writings are bonafide and always pleasing to Lord Krsna. When offering obeisances in the temple an ignorant person might make a grammatical mistake in addressing Lord Krsna while a learned scholar would address him using proper grammar. But the Supreme Lord Krsna accepts both their obeisances. The Supreme Lord is not impressed with mere learning, but He is supplicated by the inner mood of surrender of the living entities. Whoever looks for faults in your writings is actually at fault himself because Krsna is fully satisfied by the writing of this pure devotee. Whatever you have written is an expression of your love for Krsna. Who has the audacity to find some discrepancy in it?”
—
From the “The Hare Krishna Explosion” by HG Hayagriva dasa
Every morning, a different devotee comes up to Paradisio to visit Swamiji for a day. Although there is no formal initiation ritual or fire sacrifice, Swamiji chants on the initiates’ beads and bestows spiritual names: Aniruddha, Uddhava, Murari, Devananda.
One day, when Janaki visits, she takes exception to the painting of Lord Nrishingadev tearing out the entrails of the demon Hiranyakashipu. “It’s really ghastly, Swamiji, she says, making a face.
“For the devotees, it is beautiful,” he says. “The devotee praises Lord Nrishingadev: dalita hiranyakashipu tanu bhringam. ‘With the nails of Your beautiful hands, you have torn apart this wasp-like demon.’ Hiranyakashipu was such a great demon that he even tried to kill his small son, Prahlad Maharaj, just because he was a devotee. So the Lord killed Hiranyakashipu to protect His devotee and liberate the demon.”
“But there are no such demons now, Swamiji,” Janaki says.
“Oh yes,” Swamiji says. “Demon means nondevotee.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t call them demons,” Kirtanananda suggests. “People will never come if we call them demons.”
“But they are demons,” Swamiji says. “If you are not a devotee, you’re a demon.”
“Aren’t most people somewhere in between?” Kirtanananda persists.
“‘In between’ means demon,” Swamiji says.
“But most people never heard of Krishna,” Kirtanananda says. “How can they be called demons?”
“Everyone has heard of God,” Swamiji says. “Krishna is God. Anyway, they may be innocent; therefore we are informing them. But actually, because they’re here in this material world, they are not really innocent. Somehow, they’ve chosen to forget Krishna, and are therefore demons.”
“I thought that in Krishna consciousness, you see Krishna in everyone,” Kirtanananda says.
“Yes,” Swamiji says, “Krishna is also in the demon. But does this mean that we aspire to be demons? Unless you distinguish between demons and devotees, you cannot progress in Krishna consciousness.”
Please also see: Quoting Srila Prabhupadas Approved Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972)

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