Jahnava Nitai Das Posted July 3, 2001 Report Share Posted July 3, 2001 > Is it recommended to write,mark, underline and/or highlight bhagavad Gita > text in verse or purport? Why? Please answer. Hare Krishna. I have no scriptural evidence against underlining in sacred books, but it is my opinion that these books should be treated as a deity of the Lord - as Krishna Himself. If we treat the books with such respect, the knowledge within them will manifest to us very quickly. I would suggest keeping a separate notebook that is used only for your reading of Bhagavad Gita. As you read, note down important points you come across. This is much better than underlining, for by actually writing out the sentence it is being imprinted in your mind. It may take longer then drawing a line, but I would suggest reading the Gita in a slow and meditative method, rather than a rush to finish. There is a story in the Puranas of a brahmana scratching out parts of the Gita he felt were less important. Of course this is far different from underlining, so it is not completely relevant. When this brahmana received darshana of the Lord, the Lord's body was covered in scratches and bleeding. It does establish that the Bhagavad Gita is non-different form the body of the Lord. I would go as far as suggesting that one should perform puja to the scriptures he is trying to study. First offer worship to the Lord in the form of Bhagavad Gita, and then "bring your seat close to the Lord" (upasana) for study. Yours in service, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janus Posted July 6, 2001 Report Share Posted July 6, 2001 Thomas Jefferson used to carry around with him a pen knife, which he would use to cut out whatever passages in the Bible that offended his sensibilities. As Srila Prabhupada, along with many notable scholars agree that the Bible isn't transcendental literature I doubt that any objections can be raised to such practice, by those who accept Srila Prabhupadas and the notable scholars considerations that is. On the other hand what empirical tests are available at our disposal that allow us to ascertain which, if any of the many proposed holy scriptures are indeed of Holy writ? In several other traditions that I know of that claim of their scriptures that they are arsa, or the words of the devas, it is forbidden to correct even a punctuation, to make any alteration. Additional comments and commentaries may be added but the originals are not at all allowed to be tampered with, these include the various Wiccan Books of Shadows as well as the Thelemic Class A documents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leyh Posted July 7, 2001 Report Share Posted July 7, 2001 Originally posted by Janus: Thomas Jefferson used to carry around with him a pen knife, which he would use to cut out whatever passages in the Bible that offended his sensibilities. As Srila Prabhupada, along with many notable scholars agree that the Bible isn't transcendental literature I doubt that any objections can be raised to such practice, by those who accept Srila Prabhupadas and the notable scholars considerations that is. On the other hand what empirical tests are available at our disposal that allow us to ascertain which, if any of the many proposed holy scriptures are indeed of Holy writ? In several other traditions that I know of that claim of their scriptures that they are arsa, or the words of the devas, it is forbidden to correct even a punctuation, to make any alteration. Additional comments and commentaries may be added but the originals are not at all allowed to be tampered with, these include the various Wiccan Books of Shadows as well as the Thelemic Class A documents. Dear Janus: When/Where did Srila Prabhupada say/write that the Bible is not transcendental literature? I would like to draw your attention to the following exchange between Srila Prabhupada and two of his disciples. Madhudvisa: Is there any way for a Christian to, without the help of a Spiritual Master, to reach the spiritual sky through believing in the words of Jesus Christ and trying to follow his teachings? Srila Prabhupada: I don't follow. Tamala Krishna Goswami: Can a Christian in this age, without a Spiritual Master, but by reading the Bible, and following Jesus's words, reach the ... Srila Prabhupada: When you read the Bible, you follow the Spiritual Master. How can you say without. As soon as you read the Bible, that means you are following the instruction of Lord Jesus Christ. That means that you are following the Spiritual Master. So where is the opportunity of being without Spiritual Master. Madhudvisa: I was referring to a living Spiritual Master. Srila Prabhupada: Spiritual Master is not question of ... Spiritual Master is eternal...so your question is 'without Spiritual Master'. Without Spiritual Master you cannot be at any stage of your life. You may accept this Spiritual master or that Spiritual master. That is a different thing. But you have to accept. As you say that "by reading Bible", when you read Bible that means you are following the Spiritual Master represented by some priest or some clergyman in the line of Lord Jesus Christ. (Morning Walk, Seattle, 2/10/68) Any comments and information will be greatly appreciated. Yours Very Sincerely leyh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janus Posted July 8, 2001 Report Share Posted July 8, 2001 ... the Bible isn't transcendental literature... On the other hand what empirical tests are available at our disposal that allow us to ascertain which, if any of the many proposed holy scriptures are indeed of Holy writ?" Dear Janus: When/Where did Srila Prabhupada say/write that the Bible is not transcendental literature? I would like to draw your attention to the following exchange between Srila Prabhupada and two of his disciples. Madhudvisa: Is there any way for a Christian to, without the help of a Spiritual Master, to reach the spiritual sky through believing in the words of Jesus Christ and trying to follow his teachings? Srila Prabhupada: I don't follow. Tamala Krishna Goswami: Can a Christian in this age, without a Spiritual Master, but by reading the Bible, and following Jesus's words, reach the ... Srila Prabhupada: When you read the Bible, you follow the Spiritual Master. How can you say without. As soon as you read the Bible, that means you are following the instruction of Lord Jesus Christ. That means that you are following the Spiritual Master. So where is the opportunity of being without Spiritual Master. Madhudvisa: I was referring to a living Spiritual Master. Srila Prabhupada: Spiritual Master is not question of ... Spiritual Master is eternal...so your question is 'without Spiritual Master'. Without Spiritual Master you cannot be at any stage of your life. You may accept this Spiritual master or that Spiritual master. That is a different thing. But you have to accept. As you say that "by reading Bible", when you read Bible that means you are following the Spiritual Master represented by some priest or some clergyman in the line of Lord Jesus Christ. (Morning Walk, Seattle, 2/10/68) Any comments and information will be greatly appreciated. Yours Very Sincerely leyh Dear leyh “There are many mistakes and illusion in your scriptures. Their compilers, not knowing the essence of knowledge, gave orders that were against reason and argument.” Sri Caitanya Mahaparbhu to the Yavanana (Kazi) Adi Lila Ch 17 vs 167 Part of Srila Prabhupadas purport from verse 169: “The sastras of the yavanas, or meat eat-eaters, are not eternal scriptures. They have been fashioned recently, and sometimes they contradict one another. The scriptures of the yavanas are three: the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Koran. Their compilation has a history; they are not eternal like Vedic knowledge. Therefore although they have their arguments and reasonings, they are not very sound and transcendental. As such, modern people advanced in science and philosophy deem these scriptures unacceptable.” Tamala Krishna Goswami: Can a Christian in this age, without a Spiritual Master, but by reading the Bible, and following Jesus's words, reach the ... Srila Prabhupada: When you read the Bible, you follow the Spiritual Master. How can you say without. As soon as you read the Bible, that means you are following the instruction of Lord Jesus Christ. That means that you are following the Spiritual Master. So where is the opportunity of being without Spiritual Master. Madhudvisa: I was referring to a living Spiritual Master. Srila Prabhupada: Spiritual Master is not question of ... Spiritual Master is eternal...so your question is 'without Spiritual Master'. Without Spiritual Master you cannot be at any stage of your life. You may accept this Spiritual master or that Spiritual master. That is a different thing. But you have to accept. As you say that "by reading Bible", when you read Bible that means you are following the Spiritual Master represented by some priest or some clergyman in the line of Lord Jesus Christ. (Morning Walk, Seattle, 2/10/68) Dear Leyh The example that you cited is not any authorization to consider the text of the Old and New Testaments to be transcendental, in whole; “They are not VERY TRANSCENDENTAL”. In his comment from his purport in Caitanya Caratamrta Srila Prabhupada mentions that these scriptures are historic documents, having a beginning in time. He here though mentions that Spiritual Master (referring to Lord Jesus Christ) is eternal. He is hereby establishing with this comment that you quoted the authorization of the Rtvik method of Krsna consciousness, even when the only copies of the books by Srila Prabhupada that you can get are the ones that have suffered “correction”, or editing. The scriptures of the Yavanas are not "very transcendental" but they are somewhat transcendental in that through them the eternal guru has an awareness of you. I still have the big hardback Bhagavad Gita that one of the devotees gave me almost 30 years ago, one of the ones that Srila Prabhupada touched and which was used in one of his classes. Still when I open it today it smells of paradise, of Vaikuntha. But beyond that I know that Srila Prabhupada is alive eternally within its pages, because the magick that was occurring then is still happening today. Back then I had a question that was troubling me as my faith was peculiar. I had, on the one hand, some doubt as to whether the study of Bhagavad Gita As It Is alone would be sufficient to enlighten me, while on the other hand I had great faith that if I put my question to Krsna and Srila Prabhupada that my question would be answered. Even though I didn’t physically ask Srila Prabhupada, just in my heart, not imagining myself to be anyone of any importance to interrupt him in his translating work, not even if I was being torn apart by lions and tigers, let alone by some small doubts. So I asked me question which was whether I needed to review any other of the books on spirituality in the world, the Bible, the Koran, etc., I asked it in my heart of Srila Prabhupada, of Srila Prabhupada in his literary manifestation. I addressed my question to Bhagavad Gita As It is. I asked “Do I need to read any other of the scriptures of the world Srila Prabhupada?” and then closing my eyes opened this big over a thousand page edition to a random page, set my finger down on a random place and then opened my eyes and read by Srila Prabhupada “You need only read this book.” Guru is eternal. Guru answers me on what is objectionable about the scriptures of the Yanvanas, for instance, the commandment against making images is a ban against right brain pattern recognition. Yesterday morning when you asked your question of me I though “Oh drat!” for I had forgotten where I had read that Srila Prabhupada had said that the Bible wasn’t transcendental, or rather from what, for where was somewhere here on the web I recall, but from what specific book I could not recall. So then as I was sitting there I just asked "where", relaxed my mind and “Sri Caitanya Caritamrta” formed in words in my brain. I despaired mightily then Leyh prabhu, for the only copy of Caitanya Caratamrta that I have on hand is the single volume version of 2204 pages which does not list anywhere in it where you can locate a reference to topics such as the Bible, etc.,. So I sat down Leyh, bound and determined to find and answer to your question rather than let you down, but before I started at page one I asked once again. “I am nothing, and no one, just a big nonsense Srila Prabhupada, but will you still help me so that this devotee will not be let down?” And then I opened Caitanya Caratamrta to a random page and read: “There are many mistakes and illusion in your scriptures. Their compilers, not knowing the essence of knowledge, gave orders that were against reason and argument.” Sri Caitanya Mahaparbhu to the Yavanana (Kazi) Adi Lila Ch 17 vs 167 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leyh Posted July 8, 2001 Report Share Posted July 8, 2001 Dear Janus: Thank you very much for your informative post.Personally,I don't think that the Bible is the absolute inerrant and infallible word of God as it seems to contain many contradictions and errors.I was just wondering when and where Srila Prabhupada said that the Bible wasn't transcendental literature. Yours Very Sincerely leyh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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