Revised BBT style sheet

[Guest guest]

>A humble suggestion: Why not consider celebrating the fact that

>Krishna's name is an English word in the dictionary and drop the

>diacritics.

 

That would have been my inclination as well.

 

But Srila Prabhupada explicitly instructed us otherwise, at least

those of us at the BBT.

 

In the Style Sheet, under the heading "Diacritical spellings," we have

this from Srila Prabhupada:

 

-----------------

 

In reply to Jayadvaita's questions, henceforward the policy for using

diacritic markings is that I want them used everywhere, on large

books, small books and also BTG. If there is any difficulty with the

pronunciation, then after the correct diacritic spelling, in brackets

the words "pronounced as _", may be written. So even on covers the

diacritic markings should be used. We should not have to reduce our

standard on account of the ignorant masses. Diacritic spelling is

accepted internationally, and no learned person will even care to read

our books unless this system is maintained.

[Letter to Jadurani, 31 December 1971]

 

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The background of this instruction is as follows:

 

At the time I asked the question (through Jadurani) I was the

production manager at ISKCON Press in Brooklyn. And we were finishing

production on the Krsna Book. (Or perhaps it was the paperback version

of the Krsna Book.)

 

Srila Prabhupada, of course, had told us to use diacritic marks, and

we'd used them on books like Isopanisad and so on. But as the Krsna

Book reached completion Karandhara Prabhu, who was then managing BBT

affairs, sent us an instruction that on the cover we should use the

spelling "Krsna."

 

Given the contradictory instructions, I asked Srila Prabhupada what to

do, and received the above reply.

 

In other words, the reply specifically concerns the use of the word

"Krishna" (Krsna).

 

What are we to make of this?

 

Back in the 1970s, the word "Krishna" was already long

established in English dictionaries.

 

Scholars back then, as now, often used English spellings for

well-known Sanskrit words.

 

Ordinary readers then, as now, would have found diacritic

spellings troublesome.

 

And yet Srila Prabhupada emphatically told us: "Krsna."

 

So I see no way out.

 

Of course, perhaps if we'd argued we might have persuaded Srila

Prabhupada to go with "Krishna." Perhaps if he were still here we

might so persuade him today.

 

But that's wishful thinking, really. We asked him "Krishna?" and he

said no.

 

Outside the BBT, of course, authors and publishers are free to follow

a different standard.

 

Hare Krsna.