Who said? (An answer from a recently noticed quotation)

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Some devotees ask why Bhagavad Gita was edited to change from "Blessed Lord"

to the "Supreme Personality of Godhead says". Jayadvaita Maharaj sent me

"who said" text given below for your information.

 

I hope that this finds you in good health.

 

Your ever well wisher,

 

Jayapataka Swami

 

---------- Forwarded Message ----------

 

Text COM:1996547 (72 lines) [W1]

Jayadvaita Swami

08-Jan-99 04:28

Who said? (An answer from a recently noticed quotation)

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

Bombay

2 January 99

 

 

 

Who Said?

(In a recently noticed quotation, Srila Prabhupada answers.)

 

 

>From the Second Chapter onward in Bhagavad-gita, whenever Lord Krsna

speaks we first read in the Sanskrit "sri bhagavan uvaca." Throughout

"Bhagavad-gita As It Is," Srila Prabhupada rendered these words into

English as "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said."

 

More than twenty-five Gita verses begin with "sri bhagavan uvaca." For

the first of these--Chapter Two, verse two--Srila Prabhupada's purport

explains at length what the term "the Supreme Personality of Godhead"

means and why Lord Krsna deserves to be known in this way.

 

Nonetheless, in the First Edition of Srila Prabhupada's Gita, "the

Supreme Personality of Godhead said" is not what appears. Instead, by

the work of an early editor, throughout the book the person who speaks

is "the Blessed Lord." In the Second Edition, "the Supreme Personality

of Godhead" reappears.

 

While working on the Second Edition, more than fifteen years ago, I

was unaware of the following passage from a lecture Srila Prabhupada

gave at an initiation ceremony in Los Angeles on July 3, 1970. I came

across the passage only recently, in the Folio VedaBase. I am sending

it along here for other readers who might find it of interest.

 

Hare Krsna.

 

Yours in Srila Prabhupada's service,

Jayadvaita Swami

 

 

-------------------Passage begins---------------

 

Devotee: Minimizing the authority of the scripture or...

 

Prabhupada: Yes. Scriptural injunction we should not minimize. We

should not think contradictory. We should accept as it is. Then it

will be good for us. Or interpretation. Scriptural interpretation is

not required.

 

Therefore, we are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is, without any false

interpretation. As it is. Krsna--Krsna. Kuruksetra--Kuruksetra.

Pandava--Pandava. Dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre samaveta. Krsna uvaca.

Krsna, Bhagavan uvaca: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said." And

we should not add here that... What is called? Paramatma uvaca. No.

Krsna uvaca. Paramatma is feature. In the Gita Press edition you will

see "Paramatma." They never say Krsna. They’re so much afraid that "If

I say ‘Krsna,’ He will at once capture me." You see? [chuckles] So in

a different way. "Param Brahman,Caitanya," like this, so many

impersonal ways they will say. But that is not required. Bhagavan

uvaca means Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna.

 

Sometimes they say, "Blessed Lord said." No. Why you say? The Supreme

Personality of Godhead Krsna said.

 

Then, what is that next? No interpretation of the scripture. Next?

 

-------------------Passage ends-----------------

 

 

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