suchandra Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 Editorial: Changes to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Taped Lectures By Pratyatoṣa Dāsa - (pratyatosa.com, pratyatosa@gmail.com) Dear Prabhus, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! Here is something which I have discovered which may be a very significant deviation from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions: INTRODUCTION: In Los Angeles, in 1973, when I started the Bhaktivedanta Tape Ministry, I was working very closely with Krsna-Kanti Dāsa, who was, at that time, giving most of his attention to producing the radio show called “The Kṛṣṇa Show.” Śrīla Prabhupāda was there, and Krsna-Kanti was working directly under the GBC/BBT trustee, Karāndhara Dāsa, and I was working directly under Krsna-Kanti. I was talking to Krsna-Kanti daily, he was talking to Karāndhara almost daily. Karāndhara was talking to Śrīla Prabhupāda almost daily, also. Krsna-Kanti was, almost every morning, lugging a very large, professional 2-track stereo tape recorder with 10 ½" reels up to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s quarters to record him singing bhajans. These are among the very few professional quality stereo recordings made of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s chanting. These bhajans are the ones that are on the CDs that the BBT has published. One day, Krsna-Kanti told me, “Śrīla Prabhupāda says that we should not edit his lectures. Either we should publish the whole lecture, or none of it.” This didn’t really apply to me, because my goal was to get the lectures into the hands of our BTM rs ASAP, not to edit anything. It applied more to the temptation that Krsna-Kanti had: to include portions of lectures as part of his radio show. If you don’t believe me, then ask Krsna-Kanti directly. He is still in Los Angeles, and I can even give you his telephone number. I haven’t checked with him on this, but I’m sure that he remembers this very significant instruction from his spiritual master. In those days, editing words out of lectures was very difficult. It would have to be done by physically cutting and splicing tapes, or by painstakingly copying only the desired portions to a new tape. Now, however, once a lecture has been recorded on a computer’s hard drive, editing out words is extremely simple. All you have to do is highlight the portion of the waveform representation of the sound on the computer screen, click on the “play button” to make sure that it’s actually what you want to delete, and then press the “Delete” key on the keyboard! If it didn’t come out exactly the way you intended, you can even click the “Undo” option! This definitely makes it very tempting to edit Śrīla Prabhupāda’s lectures, in complete violation of his orders, and this is what has been going on! For the past few weeks, I have been creating video tapes containing audio recordings of lectures by Śrīla Prabhupāda taken from CDs published by the Bhaktivedanta Archives in Sandy Ridge, NC. I have also been adding the corresponding words taken from the Vedabase, so that they appear on the screen in synchronization with the lectures. The purpose of this endeavor is mostly to provide the Sunday Feast guests with a good way to understand and appreciate Śrīla Prabhupāda. We give them, and all of the devotees present, pencil and paper, and ask them to write down questions that we recite to them before the lecture video starts, and tell them that they will again be asked these same questions, after the lecture is over. This is a very effective way of teaching, and the devotees and guests really get into it. Sometimes someone even asks if there is a prize for the best performance! In the process of doing this blissful service, I have discovered that there are many things that have been edited out of the CD lectures! The lecture below is an example. After going through three other lectures without taking any notes, I decided that I would take notes on the next one. Because creating the video tapes is, until we get it more automated, a very labor intensive, difficult task, I purposely chose lectures which are short. The lecture below was chosen because it was the fourth shortest that I could find on the CDs that we have available, and for no other reason. I decided to take notes on the discrepancies before I listened to it, not after. CHANGES TO ONE CD LECTURE CHOSEN ONLY FOR IT’S SHORTNESS: CDM-9, Track 1, SB 1.2.22 (August 25, 1972 in Los Angeles): VB: ************** Begin copied text ************* Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) ato vai kavayo nityam bhaktim paramaya muda vasudeve bhagavati kurvanty atma-prasadamnim Prabhupāda: (interrupts devotees chanting verse) The word, not “vay,” it is vai. (chanting resumes) Pradyumna: Translation: “Certainly, therefore, since time immemorial, all transcendentalists have been rendering devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, with great delight, because such devotional service is enlivening to the self.” ************* End of copied text ************* CD: ************** Begin copied text ************* “Therefore, all transcendentalists have been rendering loving service, with great delight, to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, from time immemorial, because such devotional service is enlivening to the self.” ************* End of copied text ************* [Why is the translation different on the Vedabase?] VB: So, “therefore.” CD: “Therefore.” VB: When we talk, when we argue when we come to the conclusion… CD: When you talk, when you argue, when you come to the conclusion… [Why was this changed on the Vedabase?] VB: …everything is, are, relatively situated… CD: …everything are, relatively situated… VB: Just like some gentleman, he is son… CD: Just like some gentleman, that he is son… VB: So our… this world is relative… CD: So this world is relative… VB: So this… Now, I am seer. CD: So, now, I am seer. VB: So here it is said: chidyante sarva-samsayah. Chidyante sarva-samsayah. CD: So here it is said: chidyante sarva-samsayah. Chidyante… Chidyante sarva-samsayah. VN: Modern scientists, they are also entering… CD: Now modern scientists, they are also entering… VB: perfect knowledge. What is that knock, sound? So here… CD: perfect knowledge. So here… VB: Generally, “Oh, these are stories. CD: Generally, “These are stories. VB: He knows and He, He can know, He can do it. CD: He knows and He can know, He can do it. [Editing sound obvious.] VB: You cannot do that. CD: You cannot do. VB: So we are think…, we have got limited energy… CD: So we are got limited energy… [No pauses whatsoever makes it seem like simply bad English, rather than normal speaking.] VB: How the bhaktas--they are not scientists… CD: Now how the bhaktas--they are not scientists… VB: (aside:) You are sleeping, this boy…To Him, not those who are sleeping. Those who are actually hearing. CD: …To Him, not those who are sleeping. Those who are actually hearing. [With the first part deleted, the second part loses some of it’s meaning.] VB: Beyond all doubts. There is no doubt. Not that blindly… CD: Beyond all doubts. Not that blindly… VB: …devotee, he’s accepting, he’s accepting: “Here is God… CD: …devotee, he’s accepting: “Here is God… VB: That is first-class devotee. CD: And that is first-class devotee. VB: …science of God, they’re firmly fixed up in the devotional service… CD: …science of God, they firmly fixed up in the devotional service… VB: Thank you very much. Chant. CD: Thank you very much. OTHER EXAMPLES: The following example is from a lecture given in Los Angeles on August 15, 1972 (CDM-21, Track 3): ************** Begin copied text ************* tac chraddadhana munayo jnana-vairagya-yuktaya pasyanty atmani catmanam bhaktya sruta-grhitaya Prabhupāda: (interrupts and corrects one devotee’s chanting of the verse:) We are repeating so that by hearing the sound, you can practice. You should be attentive. By… (chanting resumes) Very good, thank you. Yes. She has done better than all of you. All right. (chanting resumes) (Prabhupāda interrupts again:) Yes. That’s all. ************* End of copied text ************* This entire very instructive exchange, where Śrīla Prabhupāda chastises all of his big, big Sannyāsī leaders, and tells them that one woman did a better job of chanting the sanskrit than any of them, was edited out! In a lecture given in Los Angeles on September 17th, 1972 (CDM-12, Track 3), Śrīla Prabhupāda covers two verses in the same lecture. All of the following except the “Thank you very much” was edited out. Why??? ************** Begin copied text ************* Prabhupāda: So next. Pradyumna: Next verse? Prabhupāda: Yes. Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) tatah saptama akutyam rucer yajno ’bhyajayata sa yamadyaih sura-ganair apat svayambhuvantaram Translation: “The seventh incarnation was advented as Yajña, the son of Prajāpati Ruci and his wife Ākūti. He controlled the period changed by the Svāyambhuva Manu, assisted by demigods, as His son Yama and others.” Prabhupāda: So you are marking that so many incarnation of God have been described. We are now in the seventh. So there is chronological number, which incarnation, what is His chronological number, what is His father’s name, what is His mother’s name, what are His activities, how the bodily feature, what is the mission. Everything is described in the śāstra. Nowadays any rascal comes, and he says, “I am incarnation.” What is your father’s name? Whatever it is described? Whether in the śāstra? Because incarnation, we cannot accept any rascal as incarnation without proper identification. But it has become a fashion now. Any rascal comes, says, “I am incarnation of God.” So where is the mention? Some rascal says, “I was formerly Rāma and Kṛṣṇa.” Another rascal accepts, “Oh, you were Rāma and Kṛṣṇa?” So this kind of rascalism is not very good. You must accept the incarnation of God according to the description in the śāstras. Not one rascal cheats you and you also become another rascal to accept it. Don’t do that. You must know what are the indication of incarnation. This question was raised by Sanātana Gosvāmī to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Because in this age of Kālī, Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s incarnation is stated in the śāstra, in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, in the Upaniṣad, in Mahābhārata. There are evidences. He appeared as the son of Jagannātha Misra, but His incarnation is stated in the śāstra. Therefore we accept Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu as incarnation. Caitanya Mahāprabhu never said that “I am incarnation.” Rather, to warn the ordinary people that they should not accept any so-called incarnation, when somebody stated Caitanya Mahāprabhu that “You are incarnation of Kṛṣṇa,” He immediately blocked His ears: “Don’t say like that. It is great offense, great offense.” Because He was playing the part of devotee. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was teaching us how to execute devotional service. And He deprecated Māyāvāda philosophy in so many ways. He was to establish the worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He was exemplifying Himself, how to become a devotee. So He never mentioned that He is incarnation. But we understand from the features of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu that He (is) incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. It is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam. Krsna-varnam. Kṛṣṇa varnayati, or in the category of Kṛṣṇa. Krsna-varnam. And tvisa akrsna, by His complexion He is not black. Akrsna. Akrsna means not black. So not black. It may be other color. Yes. That may be. But in the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said… When Gargamuni was preparing the horoscope of Kṛṣṇa, he said, suklo raktas tatha pita idanim krsnatam gatah. Incarnation of God, either white, suklo raktah, either red, yellow, or black. These colors accepted. So Gargamuni said, suklo raktas tatha pita idanim krsnatam gatah: “Your son, this son, formerly He appeared in white color, in red color, in yellow color. Now He has appeared in black color.” So Caitanya Mahāprabhu was yellow color. Therefore, when it is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, tvisa akrsnam, “He is not black,” that means “He is pita, He is yellow.” Krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam sangopangastra-parsadam. “He is always associated by His devotees.” Caitanya Mahāprabhu, so long He lived on this planet, He was always associated with the devotees. The most confidential devotees, Caitanya Mahāprabhu: sri-krsna-caitanya, the central point, prabhu nityānanda sri-advaita gadādhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. So sangopangastra-parsadam, krsna-varnam. He is always chanting Kṛṣṇa. He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, tvisa akrsnam, but His bodily complexion is not like that. And other feature: sangopangastra-parsadam, and He is always associated with His devotees. They are His soldiers. Sangopangastra-parsadam. In other incarnation, Kṛṣṇa comes with weapon. As Lord Rāmacandra He came with bows and arrows. As Kṛṣṇa He came with disc and club. Here Kṛṣṇa has come compassionately to distribute mercy to the fallen souls. So He has not taken any astra, any weapon. His weapon is His associate devotee. Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s associate, Nityānanda Prabhu, He is going to kill Jagāi and Mādhāi, not by weapon, but by His mercy. He went to preach Jagāi and Mādhāi, the drunkards, the woman-hunters, flesh-eaters, and they hurt Him. Still, He delivered them. So these astra…, this is the astra. By argument, by philosophy, by entreating, by flattering, they are giving Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Advaita Prabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu. Yes. Otherwise, they are already killed. Kṛṣṇa, if He kills them, then everything is finished. They are already killed by so many bad habits. They are going to hell. So those who are already killed, so what will be benefit by killing them? So deliver them. Sangopangastra-parsadam. This is the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. It is stated. And how He is worshiped? Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah. The worshiping method of Lord Caitanya incarnation of Kṛṣṇa is not very difficult. Simply yajnaih sankirtanaih. You perform this yajña ofsankirtana: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. So Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was a minister. So to confirm this, he asked Caitanya Mahāprabhu that “How I can accept somebody as incarnation?” So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that “That is not difficult. Everything is stated in the śāstras, and from the evidence of śāstra, you can accept who is incarnation.” So our point is that you do not become so foolish and rascal, that any rascal comes and poses himself as God, incarnation of God… You kick on their face. Please consult the śāstras whether his name, his father’s name, his mother’s name, his features of the body, his activities, are corroborating with the śāstra. Then accept. Otherwise don’t. Thank you very much. (end) ************* End of copied text ************* The worst thing about this practice is that sometimes the editing makes Śrīla Prabhupāda look foolish, such as the following lecture given in Los Angeles on September 25th, 1972 (CDM-2, Track 2): ************** Begin copied text ************* What is that verse? Can anyone cite? ksatriya-rudhira-maye jagad-apagata-papam… ************* End of copied text ************* Obviously, Śrīla Prabhupāda would have paused after saying “Can anyone cite?,” waiting to see if any of his disciples could remember the verse that he was referring to, but on the CD, the pause has been edited out! Śrīla Prabhupāda seems to ask the question and then, without a moments delay, recite the verse himself! Is this not doing Śrīla Prabhupāda a very great disservice by making him look foolish? Your servant, Pratyatoṣa Dāsa (pratyatosa.com) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarva gattah Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Wonderful work Pratyatoṣa Dāsa and another good post by suchandra 'Keep the b******* honest', as the Aussi democrats would say Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theist Posted March 8, 2008 Report Share Posted March 8, 2008 This is too much. I say shoot 'em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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