Changes to B.Gita as it is

[Guest guest]

Recently there have been a few articles of H.H. Jayadvaita Swami on the changes to B.Gita as it is.

I am curious to know are these changes made under the direction of GBC? Do we really need to change what Srila Prabhupada gave us?

 

[sudhaya]

 

Hare Krsna,

 

I find curious is, that 1972 Edition of the Gita, there are articles where it says that it is accepted in schools/colleges/Uni/ all around the world, so who are these changes actually aimed at?

 

Is it an ego trip?

 

I mean no offence, but I am getting sick of ppls questioning, can't we just have 1 Gita,????

 

Next the Christians/Muslims will be mocking our 'diff' Editions of the Gita, AND in one society? What is the need of 2 or 3 Editions of the PRABHUPADA GITA?

 

I remember asking this on the phone to a devotee, I never got a call back, I was somewhat confuced as to why, I ask a lot of questions, when I should just be listening. No thats not a line from the Godfather, thats me.

[Kulapavana]

I have spent several years translating SP books and can tell you that these changes are actually very minor and have practically no impact on the message. many use the mere existence of such changes for purely political reasons and blow things way out of proportions.

[Dervish]

Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 1972 authorized Macmillan version

 

Chapter 8, Text 28 purport, final paragraph, first sentence:

 

"One should try to understand the Seventh and Eighth Chapters of the Gita not by scholarship or mental speculation, but by hearing them in association with pure devotees."

 

to

 

Bhagavad-gita As It Is 1983 "Revised and Enlarged" version

 

Chapter 8, Text 28 purport, final paragraph, first sentence:

 

"One who has a little faith in Bhagavad-gita should learn Bhagavad-gita from a devotee, because in the beginning of the Fourth Chapter it is clearly stated that Bhagavad-gita can be understood only by devotees; no one else can perfectly understand the purpose of Bhagavad-gita."

[sudhaya]

 

From my point of view, after carefull consideration, it looks like 'fear' to leave the Original line in.

 

'Pure devotee' is a Devotee

'Devotee' is more Safe.

 

Confuced? /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

That's Kali-yuga.

[Guest guest]

I personally feel that there is no need to change Srila Prabhupada's B.Gita as it is. If more clarification is needed for his translations than a devotee can explain that in his/her class.

Why isn't anyone (leaders) stoping this from happening?

[Kulapavana]

my point exactly....

 

and the general message is changed how?

 

SP makes hundreds of similar statements throughout his books, phrasing this issue in many similar ways. and ultimately the frame of reference for understanding SP books is provided by our Sampradaya. the biggest deviants are the people who try to separate what SP wrote or said from our tradition.

[sudhaya]

 

'A' Leader we need one, too may cooks spoil the broth.

 

If only one person can become a Pure devotee he can change, the entire world, IF the Pure devotee desires to preach, sometimes time and circumstance, even KRSNA came after certain time period as Caitanya Mahaprabhu, so we should all work hard day and night to become PURE.

 

The little changes don't really matter that much, as long as its not changed to suit different purposes, I feel this is again my view that the Line Devrish posted, is a step on to dilute the philosophy of the PURE GITA AS IT IS.

 

Lord NITYANANDA grace we can get over it, how else did Prabhupada do so well? I have never read/heard/. or anything His Divine Grace say its all his own endevour.

 

Rely on mercy, become Dog of Lord Nitai, heh its actaully not that bad, you feel like it!

[mahak]

Haribol. I have gone over this for years, to and fro. My final opinion comes from the book of revelations by St John the Divine. At the end, John curses all those who attempt to change the meaning of the book. Those who created the bible changed the book, even by putting revelations at the end, because it was not the final book of the bible chronologically. There is a key word in all of this that many cannot determine, thinking that everything not from Srila Prabhupada's pen is bogus.

 

IF THE MEANING IS NOT CHANGED BY THE CHANGE OF WORDS, THERE IS NO HARM, THERE IS NO OFFENSE TO SRILA PRABHUPADA.

 

For those who still object, maybe they are english-centrists. Srila Prabhupada employed many editors in his writing efforts. I know a senior devotee who was still employed in the translating work of Sri Chaitanya Charitamrta after the last edition was already published. There is also the question of Srila Prabhupada's desire to publish in many languages. Did this desire go into samadhi on November 14,1977? No, Srila Prabhupada desired that His books be translated into every language and published.

 

I have an original Gita. I do not care for the abridged edition. However, I refuse to call Jayadwaita Swami a demon because he is working on this book like many do. I have little respect for those who deny that Jayadwaita Swami has an intimate and personal relationship with Srila Prabhupada. Jayadwaita Swami is an intimate and trusted disciple of Srila Prabhupada and has donated his entire life into pleasing His Spiritual Master. I have my old gita, and I hear the unabridged version is still available, and I see that the original is available on the internet. There is no need for such controversy.

 

That said, those engaged in such work should be held accountable if the "MEANING" is changed. Personally, I have not seen a change in the meaning. I have, conversely, seen meanings changed quite readily by those who insist on heaping criticism against the BBT employee of Srila Prabhupada.

 

Hare Krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

[sudhaya]

 

IF THE MEANING IS NOT CHANGED BY THE CHANGE OF WORDS, THERE IS NO HARM, THERE IS NO OFFENSE TO SRILA PRABHUPADA.

--

 

So why change in the first place? Won't you just be confusing people?

 

You said yourself for years you have been wondering about this, the method presented by Srila Prabhupada is so simple and sublime, for us to understand, anyway, I guess we have a choice, Jayadwaita Swami has done a great job, nobody here said he hasn't, but putting your FULL trust in one person, in Kali-yuga are you kidding me?

 

Srila Prabhupada cent percent yes, that's without question, peoples are going to ask questions, why so many changes, the Original Gita made devotees, how many has the new version of Gita made? I do not know, but peoples are getting to know the situation and purchasing the 1972 Version.

 

Personally I read the New version of the Gita First, but the 1972 version, is great as well, BUT PEOPLE ASK QUESTIONS WHY SO MANY VERSIONS! How can ISKCON progress with so many doubts? May sound like a little niggle, but I wonder how many threads are started on this subject everyday, and how many peoples talk about this everyday, and how many peoples leave ISKCON everyday due to complete delusion as to what the hecks going on, anyway Haribol! Huh I am tired now.

 

Ps. Before His Divine Grace left, did he not give everybody things to do? He said not to change his books. I have seen peoples make excuses quoting reffs from years ago, to make it ok?..I don't buy it at all. Leave them how they are, we are not after Grammer we are after Prabhupada heart felt devotion, thankyou.

[mahak]

Haribol. I hear what you are saying, and the tone of your letter is very nice, but others are not so kind. Others will tell you flat out that someone is a great demon for doing work that was and is approved by Srila Prabhupada.

 

As as trust goes, one first of all has to trust their own devotion to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga. Is it the lack of trust in a particular devotee the issue, or is it the lack of trust in Srila Prabhupada himself that arrangements have been made to continue his preaching apparatus, which includes the publishing of his books. So many say they only trust Srila Prabhupada, yet they spend years criticizing those whom he had entrusted his movement to. They use His will, letters to his leaders, etc not to show their trust in his designated TRUSTEES, but rather to criticize their every move.

 

I am not saying these folks are uttama adhikaris, and some fools will say they will only trust uttamas about anything. But uttamas by definition are not even visible to those who are not at least madhyama adhikaris. Neophyte devotees cannot tell an uttama adhikari from a Kali chela, so the arguement is moot. What I am clearly saying is that the reader use his intelligence here to see if the MEANING is actually changed by the complained about endeavor.

 

I havent, and if anyone would like to point something out where the meaning is changed, then I will listen. The verses cited above is not a change of meaning in the slightest degree.

 

What about preaching? Does Srila Prabhupada want quote machines. When we meet folks on the street, do we say, "Excuse me, sir, let me turn on my tape recorder and let you hear from the Uttama Adhikari". No, this is lidicrous. We preach according to how we HEARD, and we also DEPEND on Srila Prabhupada to speak thru us.

 

The devotee has his reasons, and you ask, "Why change anything?" I ask the same question, but I dont say "you have paved your way to hell because you have changed a comma here, a paragraph here", or boldly assumed that the word devotee is different than the phrase pure devotee. Srila Prabhupada has said that all his disciples are pure devotees at times, so it is a non-issue here. Much ado about nothin.

 

Now we await all those armed with all the letters and folios about changes and made assumptions that these are laws for 10,000 years. No, these comments were at editorial meetings between Srila Prabhupada and his TRUSTED editors. Criticisms are made, but this may not be for anyone else but the editorial staff. NUFF, hare krsna, mahaksadasa

[sudhaya]

 

I tried to tone my letter to minimum:)

 

Srila Prabhupada, books are his life-force, and everybody elses, lets keep them Original. As It Is.

 

Before I critisise I look at what they have done in their Krsna Consious life, and picture them bowing down before SRI SRI RADHA-KRSNA, then everything in me just stops dead, I cannot find fault, so easy to fault,

 

Lets form a society called the International Society for Fault Finding ISFFF, we shall have many members, we shall proclaim it the 15th Sahajiya Sampradaya.

 

Anyway I was not really trying to find fault, I just want to know that what I'm reading is PRABHUPADA'S words, look whatever way you see it, Prabhupada was Impowered by KRSNA, beyond any comparrison, by anybody, lets leave his books alone so we can enjoy them while we have life.

 

Bass from me, I am tired now. Hare Krsna.

[Guest guest]

Haribol, Sudhaya. Thank you very much for your intelligent comments. This is the proper way that devotees disagree on various issues. We CAN have open and frank discussions on controversial matters, and leave the discussion with nothing but love and respect for each other even though each of us may stick to a particular point of view. I offer you my humble obiesancies, and wish you well, hare krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

[theist]

http://vnn.org/publication/PB0404/PB29-8600.html