Rama Dasa, Timbuktu: Arguing for or against book changes, editing, re-wording of Srila Prabhupada’s sacred books, accepted by Srila Prabhupada, and read from for years on end in class, is still going on and we are adding the following. Reading Sri Sri Siksastaka this morning we come to verse seven, translation:
“Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in your absence.”
The Lord Himself, Sri Krsna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wrote in the Bengali; the above is the English translation we have used since day one during Srila Prabhupada’s manifested time with us. Now who in America ever heard of “feeling all vacant in the world”? Couldn’t that be worded as “feeling empty”, or do you prefer “feeling all empty”? Now, who ever heard of feeling “all empty”? Empty is empty, or could we also say 100% empty? Or cent percent empty? How about “lost in the world”, no that is not the same.
This changing of words process for the better understanding is endless, without end. The BBT editors say they made it more perfect, easier to comprehend? But it could be changed further so that it would be still more easy to understand. Like a child’s simple grammar book, e.g., Dick and Jane.
For 12 years, we his disciples all understood what was being said, people we spoke to understood. Devotees with Srila Prabhupada since 1966 say that the book changes are a bogus concept. One recently said, 90% BS, referring to the new BBT explanatory “excuses for editing” web site. Fact is, they did highly upset a large percentage of their own godbrother and sisters. And that came just after or along with the original bogus guru regime network, 1980. It was a humongous double wammy. Others, who are present gurus say, ” What can you do?”, as if you’re not going to change anything anyway, so why bother… waste of time and energy.
Most of the strong yea sayers, BBT editors, all ISKCON paid employees, presidents, etc., are paid, so whether they internally agree or disagree, externally they avoid or agree. A huge brahminical precept is that of non-fruitive work. No material motivation to alter one’s views. This in itself is a major factor. All BBT editors are paid employees. The BBT pro-editing web site is made up of all paid employees, paid yes men and women. Anyone knows that to be impartial, to be in a neutral position, one must be detached and not salaried by either or any side.
Salary contaminates the employee due to attachment to paying rent, mortgage, and eating. Plus there are many persons with few morals who will say and do anything for money. As conditioned souls, the whole process of arguing in favour of editing Srila Prabhupada’s books is most definitely contaminated by all material considerations. Even if they appear to really believe in what they are saying, still they are contaminated by salary and position. It was understood that Srila Prabhupada did not want paid employees of his BBT. He did not want paid disciples.
But if devotees are not paid, they will have to go elsewhere. The structure of ISKCON is still not set up to take care of its devotee’s in a long term way, so that the majority must go elsewhere for gainful employment. Varnasrama also means to have a system wherein all devotees who want to, may jointly stay involved in spreading Lord Chaitanya’s movement, without financial fears for their futures, without feelings of material insecurity.
I am saying that arguing for changing Srila Prabhupada’s grammar, which is, in fact, preferred by most unpaid devotees, is a very nebulous affair. By continuing to do so they simply make up things to do in order to stay employed by ISKCON. Whatever their excuse. And of course, they are all directed by the original paid book changer, Jayadvaita Swami.
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