Jayadvaita's Unauthorized Bootleg gita

[Guest guest]

On 27 Mar 1999, Jayadvaita Swami wrote:

 

> 2ND EDITION: Discharging one's specific duty in any field of action in

> accordance with THE ORDERS OF HIGHER AUTHORITIES serves to elevate one

> to a higher status of life.

 

> MANUSCRIPT: To discharge one's specific duty in any field of action

> and AS ORDERED BY HIGHER AUTHORITY is the opportunity for being

> elevated in higher status of life.

 

> COMMENT: This revision seems to have become a topic in the "Varnasrama

> Development" conference on COM, under the subject heading "Editing

> varnasrama-dharma out of the books?"

 

 

> As you can see, the answer is

> "No. Restoring what Srila Prabhupada said."

 

 

Aside from a distinct feeling of implied condescension, there is also an

underlying arrogance which is supposed to be accepted without question it

seems.

 

It is NOT what Srila Prabhupada said. If it was, the revision would be exactly

what was stated in the manuscript. Therefore Jayadwaita Prabhu has clearly

interpreted what he thinks Srila Prabhupada "should" have said instead of what

he actually said. (Personally, I think "serves to elevate one" in his 2nd

edition can be interpreted quite differently from the manuscript's "is the

opportunity for".) That is besides the point.

 

The main point is SOMEONE changed the manuscript's words to read

VARNASRAMA-DHARMA and Srila Prabhupada NEVER said to change it. For years and

years the words had been read by Srila Prabhupada without question. The

editors of the time substituted the words VARNASRAMA-DHARMA and presumably

Srila Prabhupada approved those edits. Do we have evidence to the contrary?

Solid evidence? Or are we just supposed to accept without question the "higher

authorities" interpretation? Sorry, I did that with Bali Mardan and had to

suffer the shame of Srila Prabhupada calling me a fool for doing so. Never

again (I hope!).

 

You would think after all the "pure devotees" like Ramesvara, Kirtanananda,

Bhagavan, Harikesha, etc., etc. ad nauseum, have come and gone, they would

realize that things need to be dealt with on a more democratic platform

amongst Godbrothers. We are all in this together. Don't we all have a say in

such grave matters before some few individuals just go ahead and change

things? Who gave them the authority? Is it in writing that Jayadvaita could

make edits to the books AFTER Srila Prabhupada left the planet?

 

The HUGE thing that the editors back then had, which Jayadwaita Prabhu will

NEVER have, was Srila Prabhupada's personal presence to approve of changes to

HIS own books. The "gurus" are always stressing "personal bodily presence of

the guru" for their own guru worship support but I guess it does not apply

here when it comes to changing the words of the Guru Maharaja?

 

Jayadvaita Prabhu himself stated, after the Bhagavad-gita As It Is was

published, that Srila Prabhupada never said that the book should be re-edited.

Certainly no "unnecessary changes" should be made. Jayadvaita Prabhu has made

more than 4000 changes since his statement. Are none of these "unnecessary"?

 

I heard Srila Prabhupada recite/read, directly, many of the exact same verses

and purports from his Bhagavad-gita As It Is which have now been changed by

Jayadvaita. Why didn't Srila Prabhupada make a note and tell the editors to

change them after he read them and gave a lengthy perfect lecture about them?

 

It is another good example of bad leadership. Changes to the MOST important

asset of this movement, the Books, without the benefit of Srila Prabhupada's

approval of the same, should have FIRST been presented to the general

population of devotee citizens for their consensus approval. If I was a leader

of ISKCON, I would want to be completely in tune with "my" citizens. What are

they thinking? What would they do? How do they feel about this or that? Our

two (2) greatest examples of leaders, King Prithu and King Rama, always

consulted with their public citizens about their legislative and governing

issues. If the public was at odds the Kings would alter their decisions, even

if they themselves disagreed with the public. Lord Rama KNEW that Sita devi

was chaste and pure but because the general public was doubtful and critical

of the relationship, He made other arrangements for Her in order to appease

the citizens.

He set aside His unquestionable authority for the greater good of the

citizens. That is leadership and courage and intelligence.

 

Thousands of Srila Prabhupada's disciples are at odds over this Book edit

issue and yet no concerted effort has ever been made to ask FIRST before

making the changes.

 

They should at least call their book by its rightful name ( which even common

publishing pirates use): Jayadvaita's Bhagavad-gita As It Isn't - The

Unauthorized Bootleg. Get it now while its HOT!

 

 

P.S. The questions that they (the editors) have not answered yet still remain:

If Srila Prabhupada were here (bodily), would they make edits/changes and

publish them WITHOUT his approval? (The answer BETTER be NO. Otherwise we've

got bigger problems.)

 

And if not, why wouldn't they publish them without his approval? (I know it's

obvious to some of us but I'm still curious to hear the answer).