Changes to Prabhupada's Books

[krsna]

BY: KRSNANANDA DASA

 

 

Mar 17, USA (SUN) — Jayadwaita Swami has recently tried to justify his editorial changes of Srila Prabhupada’s books with a recent posting on the Chakra website called “Faithful To Srila Prabhupada’s Words.” Part of the posting is reproduced below. He hopes to convince us that his editing is bona fide. His (2) 1983 version is closer to the original, he declares. But, even the most cursory examination shows that in his 1983 version he has made a mess of Srila Prabhupada’s original words.

 

Where is the element of “opportunity”? The original meaning of Srila Prabhupada’s words explains that acting properly is the “opportunity” for elevation. This is different from the meaning conveyed in Jayadwaita Swami’s 1983 version, wherein “opportunity” (the conclusive element of the sentence) is replaced with “serves to elevate”, which conveys a different meaning.

 

Even if one argues stubbornly that there is no difference in meaning, then the response that arises is “Then why change the original at all?” “What is wrong with Srila Prabhupada’s usage of “opportunity”? “Is not ‘opportunity’ an inspiring and explanatory word, especially in the context of spiritual realization?” “Do you know better than Srila Prabhupada which words to use?”

 

In trying to defend his editing, Jayadwaita Swami only serves to expose to the Vaisnava community his lack of qualification for this service. He illustrates the very point that the community has been trying to convey to him for years, albeit unsuccessfully. Swami, so many of your changes are clearly unnecessary and plain wrong! You have gone too far! Many are changes of the original meanings and many times the changes are grammatically incorrect. Many times, there seems to be an attempt to take away the nectarine intimacy of hearing Srila Prabhupada’s original words and replace them with something plain and dry. Why?

 

Jayadwaita Swami has yet to realize that editing means to bring out the original tone and meanings of the writer, not to cover them with a layer of one’s egotistical whimsy and fancy. Condemning this behavior of unnecessary changes, Srila Prabhupada famously coined the term “rascal editors”.

 

However, the most telling feature of this long-running debacle is that Jayadwaita Swami is blithely unaware of his own shortcoming. In trying to defend his actions, he only illustrates his mistakes. Unfortunately, this blissful incompetence is shared by the editors of the Krsna Book and Caitanya-caritamrta, which have also suffered under the same incompetence. As a result, when one now reads Srila Prabhupada’s books one is nagged by the question, “Did Srila Prabhupada really say this?”

 

Jayadwaita Swami, why not change your service instead of Srila Prabhupada’s words?

 

Jayadwaita Maharaja’s posting:

 

Here are those examples again (this time followed by the original text from which they came):

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

(1) 1972 Edition:

Discharging one’s specific duty in any field of action in accordance with varnasrama-dharma serves to elevate one to a higher status of life.

(2) 1983 Edition:

Discharging one’s specific duty in any field of action in accordance with the orders of higher authorities serves to elevate one to a higher status of life. (3) Srila Prabhupada's original manuscript (Chapter Two was personally typed by His Divine Grace):

To discharge one’s specific duty in any field of action and as ordered by higher authority is the opportunity for being elevated in higher status of life.

 

[Guest guest]

Note that both Jayadvaita and Virabahu (GBC) say the books will be continuously changed. Their policy is change. Virabahu even wants sections of the Bhagavatam purports removed.

A few devotees have invested much time and hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep the original books in print. Just to do one print run of the Gita costs $50,000.00. To print the CC and SB will cost a lot, but if we keep buying and distrubiting the original books Krishna will help us. 6000 original Krsna books were sold and now its out of stock.

There is a growing demand for the unchanged editions. I've decided to make my home a transcendental warehouse for Srila Prabhupada's genuine books by always keeping a few cases of these "spiritual ecstacies" available and I advise others to do the same. Let me know what you need: dougyes@hotmail.com (Please put "Books" in the subject heading.)

[Bhakta Don Muntean]

 

For example - here in Saskatchewan we've had to file a complaint at the human rights commission - in 2002 - and what did they tell us [?] - "We don't cover Krishna here!"

That's true - they did say that when they denied my god-brother and myself our rights! [incidentally - a similar ill marginal treatment was imposed on my god-brother - in 1996 in Alberta - at the human rights commission as well - (another time).

So let's just see 'why' a human rights commission - in a western nation - could act like this!?

We're still at odds with them over this issue and - we shall continue seeing this through right too it's proper conclusion.

BDM

So I just wanted to mention that the human rights commissioner issued her 'final' letter - wherein she formally took away our rights - on an interesting day.

This letter was dated October 24, 2003 - it was Dipvali - the letter came in the mail on the following Tuesday - October 28, 2003 - the disappearance day of Srila Prabhupada!

Was that intended? With the WWW she [they] could have easily known that those dates were important to us. In any case - it was an interesting kali yuga slap.

"We don't cover Krishna here!" - yes - that is obvious!

However - they shall - 'cover Krishna here'!

We happened to be blessed that day too - we bought a silver [our first] Rhada-Krishna [13 centimeters in size] on Dipvali October 24, 2003 and we brought them home - on October 24, 2003!

Yup we welcomed their Lordships into our home - the same day the commissioner wrote her irregular letter - to deny us our religious rights - "We don't cover Krishna here!" - we heard that from intake - in July 2002 and - it took till October 2003 for them to 'finish us off'...

BDM