Footnoting the Gita

[Guest guest]

Robert Cope wrote:

 

> [Text 2346273 from COM]

>

> >At 8:18 -0800 5/25/99, Robert Cope wrote:

> >

> My intention is to attempt to protect Srila Prabhupada's

> books and mission from blatantly misguided devotees such as yourself and

> Hare Krishna dasi. How can you have the audacity to even suggest that you

> could, or anyone could, footnote Srila Prabhupada's books. Who is qualified

> to do so? I'll answer that one: nobody!

 

I cannot agree with your idea. While I realize that this may raise some

protest, I would say that Jayadvaita Maharaja, for example, is qualified to

footnote Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita. In fact, what he is doing on

Gita.Revisions.Explained (AT) bbt (DOT) se constitutes just that. I have found that his

notes on different verses are very straightforward and help clear up a lot of

misunderstanding. The difference between his notes and footnotes his notes and

footnotes are that -- up to now at least -- his notes have not been compiled in

a whole book together with Srila Prabhupada's complete text. [Anyone can join

this read-only conference -- just contact the COM operator.]

 

Adding an explanation in the form of a note is not at all the same thing as

changing someone else's text. When it is done by a qualified person it

enhances

everyone's understanding of the text. This is actually a very important part

of

our Vaisnava tradition. When Srila Prabhupada comments on the Bhagavad-gita,

he

had not changed one word of what Krsna has said. Rather, in his notes on each

verse he makes Krsna's original meaning easier for us to understand. It is

interesting to note, also, that in creating his commentary, Srila Prabhupada

has

carefully drawn on the explanations of his spiritual predecessors, sometimes

specifically refering to their comments on particular verses.

 

Making separate notes on text is a bona fide practice when done by a qualified

individual. It is part of our Vaisnava tradition. And, it does not mean that

the commentator is in any way altering the words or altering the meaning of the

original speaker.

 

your servant,

 

Hare Krsna dasi