Photo: Srila Prabhupada reads from the 1972 printed edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is
[Follow-ups to Reply To Purujit And Bliss Society, Spain]
[*UPDATE JUNE 25, 2018 at bottom*]
JUNE 23, 2018
BY: VIDURA MAHATMA DAS
The first paragraph of Srila Prabhupada’s preface to Bhagavad-gita As It Is (1972 edition) reads:
“Originally I wrote Bhagavad-gītā As It Is in the form in which it is presented now. When this book was first published, the original manuscript was, unfortunately, cut short to less than 400 pages, without illustrations and without explanations for most of the original verses of the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā. In all of my other books—Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Śrī Īśopaniṣad, etc.—the system is that I give the original verse, its English transliteration, word-for-word Sanskrit-English equivalents, translations and purports. This makes the book very authentic and scholarly and makes the meaning self-evident. I was not very happy, therefore, when I had to minimize my original manuscript. But later on, when the demand for Bhagavad-gītā As It Is considerably increased, I was requested by many scholars and devotees to present the book in its original form, and Messrs. Macmillan and Co. agreed to publish the complete edition. Thus the present attempt is to offer the original manuscript of this great book of knowledge with full paramparā explanation in order to establish the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement more soundly and progressively.”
To re-cap, what Srila Prabhuapda tells us about the 1972 printing of the Gita is:
- He wasn’t very happy with the 1968 printing; (He is happy with this [1972] printing)
- It is very authentic and scholarly
- It is the complete edition
- It is the original form of the book
- It was printed from the original manuscript
- It contains full paramparā explanation
Wow, quite an endorsement from the pure devotee!
It is astonishing, therefore, when we hear claims about the 1972 Gita to the effect of:
- It wasn’t printed from the original manuscript
- Therefore, it’s not the original form of the book
- It’s not as authentic because it’s not the original form of the book
- Srila Prabhupada wasn’t happy with the 1972 printing and wanted it revised or reprinted based on an older manuscript
- It’s not as complete as it could be (it could be “improved”; “I could improve it!”)
- It doesn’t contain full parampara explanation; (“Hayagriva inserted his own ideas in the purports”).
If you hear contradictory claims like these, you can be sure the tiny person making them is an envious rascal.
Just remember Srila Prabhupada’s preface endorsement and thank Krishna for the intelligence.
UPDATE – Reply to Makanchora and Purujit (BLISS)
BY: VIDURA MAHATMA DAS
25 JUNE, 2018
I’m going to spare readers the headache of having to go through a trivial chain of replies-to-replies and try to briefly present the core arguments presented by BLISS, which they have basically reiterated in various ways throughout their reply.
Srila Prabhupada’s Gita 1972 is not authorized?
“So, Prabhupada authorizes Hayagriva to put his own thoughts into his books? Or to omit Srila Prabhupada objections to the so-called moon-landing? These are just a few examples of very obvious differences from the original manuscripts or in this case dictation tapes in Hayagriva’s edition. How are these particular changes authorized by Srila Prabhupada?”
BLISS has the authorized Gita?
“The editorial change by Purujit Prabhu is therefore authorized on the basis of manuscript, word for word translation and many other quotes as mentioned above.”
Contradiction to save face
“…the B.L.I.S.S. devotees DO NOT say that MacMillan edition is bogus or unauthorized…”
Straw-man argument
“Srila Prabhupada does not draft or brainstorm. Is he a conditioned soul that he has to speculate to write his books? So many times Srila Prabhupada mentioned that his books are dictated by Krsna. Do you think Krsna drafts something and only after consulting with Hayagriva it can be published?”
A multitude of Gitas?
“There can be multitude of Gitas all bona fide if the meaning is preserved. We accept all of Srila Prabhupada’s instructions as pertinent to us as he would be physcially present.
More straw-man arguments
“Why are we denying a spiritual guidance of Srila Prabhupada through vani in the matter of editing his books? Why this partiality?”
Missing the point
“In the Rascal editors conversation Srila Prabhupada says, “The next printing should be again to the original way.” Then he asks: “What to do?” and Tamal suggests, that they “have to go over all of the books and make sure that they’re perfect before they’re printed again.” I want to emphasize the word ALL. All the books, no exclusion. Srila Prabhupada doesn’t exclude for example the Bhagavad-gita from the list. All the books means all the books and there is a reason for this.”
My simple reply to BLISS
BLISS has no right to pick and choose which of Hayagriva’s editorial work Srila Prabhupada wanted or did not want in his books. We give preference to the 1972 Gita that Srila Prabhupada approved of, mass distributed, read from and lectured from for FIVE YEARS up to his disappearance. Whatever is there in the 1972 Gita, Srila Prabhupada approved of. Claiming otherwise is speculation and an insult to Srila Prabhupada.
As for the Rascal Editors conversation, the issue being discussed is changes made from earlier printings of the books – not from manuscripts. It’s logically impossible to conclude from the Rascal Editors conversation that Srila Prabhupada is asking for all of his books to be reedited according to manuscripts, transcriptions, lectures, “other quotes”, etc. Rather, Srila Prabhupada is simply requesting their original printed forms to be printed again. Despite a lengthy reply, BLISS has fallen short of proving otherwise.
Challenge to BLISS
- Show where Srila Prabhupada requests that his 1972 edition Gita be reedited from manuscripts, lectures, etc.
- Show how the Rascal Editors conversation pertains to reverting changes made from a manuscript (your premise) as opposed to reverting changes made from already-printed editions of books (my premise).
COMMENT:
Unfortunately, saying that Srila Prabhupada is printing, promoting, blessing, and giving classes from a rascal edited book is not acceptable to anyone, whatever else anyone has to say on the topic. To say Srila Prabhupada is quoting rascal’s books is not going to be accepted by any sincere follower of his, ever.
As for your using the word “initiate” the way you want to use it, this is speculation, another thing that will not be accepted. Srila Prabhupada discussed the final sanskrit versions with Pradyumna and others, we do not know what was discussed, we simply only know what was finally used and accepted and printed.
” If you hear contradictory claims like these, you can be sure the tiny person making them is an ENVIOUS RASCAL .”
Yes, indeed. Very well said, Prabhu with my emphasis added in a Cap. letter above in the writing.
Hare Krishna. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Brilliant, thank you. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.