SP says it's OK to read other Vedic literature

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> >Most all of the devotees (with some exceptions) in our society will still

> >bematerially conditioned, to a greater or lesser extent. (Manushyanam

> sasreshu. . .). It is for this reason initiation is offered, devotees

must

> engage in Deity worship, etc.[1] There are various rules and regulations

in

> Deity worship to follow, but those don't deal with social interaction.

> Social principles and rules are to be especially found in dharma-shastras

> like Manu-samhita and Yajna-valkya Smriti.<<

>

> Srila Prabhupada said, just the four books Bg, SB, CC, BRS are sufficient

> for the members of our movement. Even Social interactions and principles

> are found in these books.

 

We take help from wherever we can get it. We take help from lawyers,

doctors, computer professionals, psychologists, etc., as well as various

books on these and other subjects. Why should we take help from everyone

else except Manu? Is it reasonable that in the course of spreading our

movement we take advice from the karmis but not from other Vedic scriptures?

Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah, "by all the Vedas I am to be known."

 

We read Srila Prabhupada's books first and become firmly grounded in those.

Then we will be able to read other books.

 

Srila Prabhupada himself does not agree that we should not read other Vedic

literature. Here is a relevant discussion with Srila Prabhuapda that

confirms this:

 

----

 

Paramahamsa: Srila Prabhupada, I remember once I heard a tape where you told

us that we should not try to read the books of previous acaryas.

 

Prabhupada: Hmm?

 

Amogha: That we should not try to read Bhaktivinoda's books or earlier books

of other, all acaryas. So I was just wondering...

 

Prabhupada: I never said that.

 

Amogha: You didn't say that? Oh.

 

Prabhupada: How is that?

Amogha: I thought you said that we should not read the previous acaryas'

books.

 

Prabhupada: No, you should read.

 

Amogha: We should.

 

Prabhupada: It is misunderstanding.

 

Paramahamsa: I think maybe he was thinking that there was some things about

some of the Gaudiya Matha books.

 

Prabhupada: Maybe.

 

Paramahamsa: And sometimes you said that better not to..., better to read

your books.

 

Amogha: When the devotees went to India this year, they said that

Acyutananda Swami very..., chastised them that "You should never... If I

catch any of you buying Bhaktisiddhanta's books from Gaudiya Matha then I

will take it away," something like this.

 

Paramahamsa: Yeah, that was, the reason was because of, he didn't want the

devotees going to Gaudiya Matha. But there's nothing wrong with the idea of

studying the previous acaryas' books.

 

Prabhupada: No. Who said? That is wrong. We are following previous acaryas.

I never said that.

 

Paramahamsa: All of your commentaries are coming from the previous acaryas.

 

Prabhupada: Yes.

 

Jayadharma: But that wouldn't mean that we should keep all the previous

acaryas' books and only read them.

 

Prabhupada: That is already there. You first of all assimilate what you have

got. You simply pile up books and do not read-what is the use?

 

Jayadharma: First of all we must read all your books.

 

Prabhupada: Yes.

 

(Morning Walk, May 13, 1975, Perth)

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Your servant, Krishna-kirti das (HDG)