January 31 2018 10.15 PM Brisbane, North East Australia time. No day light saving.

 

It has come to our attention that Bhagavad-Gita As It Is (BGAII), version one, (V1) 17.28 is the verbatim rendition of the original transcript (OT).

The original manuscript is to be found here: http://bookchanges.com/bhagavad-gita-as-it-is-manuscript/

It is presented in perfectly well-composed English language. There is therefore no legitimate reason whatsoever to change a single word of it. It reads as follows.

” But sacrifices, austerities and charities performed without faith in the Supreme are nonpermanent, O son of Prtha, regardless of whatever rites are performed. They are called asat and are useless both in this life and the next.”

However, the so-called editors of Srila Prabhupada have given us the following version two (V2) of Bhagavad-Gita As It Cannot Be 17.28. My apologies to them, but in the light of this discovery “so-called”  editors will henceforward have to be their appropriate designation. This utterly disrespectful and careless gesture towards Guru and Guru-Vani or the transcendental message of Guru, renders the actor (s)/ disciple (s) instantly fallen. For example, I considered writing an article on SB 7.13.2. But can I afford the audacity and disrespect to jump over Guru’s head, to know better than Guru, Who has not commented on this verse? The obvious answer is an emphatic NO. I must follow in His footsteps and remain silent, because some fifty or so years ago, in His wisdom, he has decided that the best course of action is not to comment on this verse. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! :

“Anything done as sacrifice, charity or penance without faith in the Supreme, O son of Pritha, is impermanent. It is called asat and is useless both in this life and the next.”

This Bhagavad-Gita As It Is NOT 17.28 Version two (2) is to be rejected outright and the original transcript (OT), identical with Bhagavad-Gita As It Is 17.28 version one (V1) ought to be restored immediately for the next printing, without any further delay, along with the other two deficiencies pointed out in my previous post, as a matter of taking three decisive steps toward the desired goal.

This is the rule of parampara. The party that changes things so whimsically must be controlled and possibly rejected, along with its message. It is apa-sampradaya, or outside the chain of disciplic succession. CC Adi 7.48 Purport. It must reform itself or risk wither away. When the sweet taste of the flowery words and sophisticated English language of BGAII V2 has worn off, we note that the methodology to produce the final product is totally off course, amiss, non-bona fide and non-parampara. The required intellectual honesty is conspicuously lacking. We note that His Holiness has also broken a derivative law of the following law of disciple succession by allowing at least one of his disciples to initiate in his physical presence. We may additionally ask why the ISKCON Board of Management allows such deviation to occur:

“But as a matter of etiquette it is the custom that during the lifetime of your Spiritual Master you bring the prospective disciples to him, and in his absence or disappearance you can accept disciples without any limitation. This is the law of disciplic succession.” 751202Let.TustaKrishnaSwami

BHAGAVAD-GITA AS IT IS VERSION TWO (V2) CANNOT BE ACCEPTED AS FULLY GENUINE. IT CANNOT BE ACCEPTED AS REPRESENTATIVE OF AND REPRESENTING SRILA PRABHUPADA. IT CANNOT BE!

PLEASE BEWARE.

IT is NOTHING BUT a GRAND SCALE EGOTISTICAL HOAX and DEVIATION ONLY!

Along with child abuse, there will be no easier and greater dishonest  nonsense to bring the Krishna consciousness movement, Srila Prabhupada and the priestly class in general into disrepute (again!). What an irresponsible disservice rendered, thus nourishing the natural aversion for God, Krishna, of the conditioned soul !!! 

 

We are perfectly aware of  the Certificate of Endorsement issued by Srila Prabhupada to the main editor in 760907Let.Radhaballabha. But please consider how many candidates Srila Prabhupada has endorsed for a variety of services and how many are still holding their positions as we speak. Those who aren’t have thus failed Srila Prabhupada. That will represent an interesting statistical study.

In the light of these facts, there is now legitimate, necessary and sufficient reason to question and review the whole content of Bhagavad-Gita As It Is version two (V2), which is also the officially accepted version . Such reasoning on the part of the editors bringing about such unwarranted and whimsical changes is simply unacceptable! There are such similar crazy and bogus changes applied to the great Caitanya Caritamrta as well. Such unscrupulous editors cannot and should not be trusted.

According to Shastra, such a conceited attitude and blatant and shameless disrespect that “I know better than Guru” makes the disciple instantly fallen. When Vallabhacarya indicated his defiance of the great acarya and authority Shridara Swami, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, became offended and remarked:” ”One who does not accept the svämi [husband] as an authority, I consider a prostitute.” Caitanya Caritamrita, Antya lila, 7.115. In the word for word translation, the Bengali words “veshyära bhitare” are given as “among the prostitutes”. 

 

“Real success is how one is faithful to his guru. That is real success. …………

Things become revealed by devotion, not by so-called education. …………

Not that bhagavat-prasäda is achieved by education and grammar. No. Yasya prasädäd bhagavat-prasädo. By the mercy of guru one can achieve. ………. Krishna cannot be bluffed by so-called education and grammar. …….. real thing is bhakti.

………..Milk is very good food, everyone knows. But as soon as it is touched by the lips of a serpent, it is poison immediately. Therefore it is forbidden. And one who has no knowledge how to respect guru, how he can become Vaishnava? Chädiyä vaishnava-sevä nistära päyeche kebä, Narottama däsa Thäkura says. If you don’t become a faithful servant of Vaishnava, there is no possibility of your liberation. “ 761004SB.Vrn

The solution of the problem however, will NOT be to revert to BGAII V1, as some may think . No, is is not. For the simple reason that BGAII V1 displays some atrocious philosophical and language discrepancies as well, some of which have been nicely corrected in BGAII V2.

The solution to the problem lies in bringing forth BGAII V3. Third time right! That will be fair enough. That will be fair enough even in the eyes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Who is none other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna Himself, the speaker of the Bhagavad-Gita, as well as in the eyes of Srila Prabhupada, His bona fide representative.

BGAII V3 will display the perfect combination of bhakti and ABC education and be devoid of philosophical fallacies. We truly can afford it now. BGAII V3 will be a grand success for the pleasure of Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and speaker of Bhagavad-Gita and His authorised representative Srila Prabhupada. BGAII V3 will be a grand success for the benefit of the assembled Vaishnavas and other schools of thought and religions and finally for the benefit of the combined force of all living entities parts and parcels of Sri Krishna.

Another current deficiency in Srila Prabhupada’s books is under-usage of capital letters.

Grammatically speaking, articles like possessives relating to the Supreme Personality of Godhead are currently capital letters. That seems to be evident to the editors and everyone else. That is very good practice indeed. But is that enough? No, it is not! Pronouns relating to the Supreme Personality of Godhead ought also to be spelled with capital letters. For too many years the editor (s) has / have, with great stubbornness and callousness, resisted such a move, quoting some misinterpreted and / or misunderstood Srila Prabhupada passage. That is simply a symptom of envy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the most common disease in the material world. However some of the more sensible Srila Prabhupada’s secretaries have practiced correctly this capital letters policy in Srila Prabhupada’s Letters. All glories to them!

Now is that enough? Is this enough? Who can say? Is it really enough?

Please allow me to say the following!

Let me quote stanza 7 of Shri Shri Gurvastaka.

säkshäd-dharitvena samasta-shästrair

uktas tathä bhävyata eva sadbhih

kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya

vande guroh shri-caranäravindam

SYNONYMS

säkñät—directly; hari-tvena—with the quality of Hari; samasta—all; çästraiù—by scriptures; uktaù—acknowledged; tathä—thus; bhävyate—is considered; eva—also; sadbhiù—by great saintly persons; kintu—however; prabhoù—of the Lord; yaù—who; priyaù—dear; eva—certainly; tasya—of him (the guru); vande—I offer obeisances; guroù—of my spiritual master; çré—auspicious; caraëa-aravindam—unto the lotus feet.

TRANSLATION

The spiritual master is to be honoured as much as the Supreme Lord because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and followed by all authorities. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is a bona fide representative of Shri Hari [Krishna].

Srila Prabhupada teaches us in 761005SB.Vrn and elsewhere:

“We have got in practical experience. Formerly, in British government, there was viceroy. Vice means in place of and roy means royal king. Viceroy. So this viceroy was respected as the king, as the emperor. That is the process. When he’s no longer a viceroy, then he’s not respected. But so long he is acting as viceroy… And the rule was that whatever presentation was given to the viceroy, he did not accept it personally. It was kept in the state.”

Similarly Srila Prabhupada, the authorized representative for the Supreme Personality of Godhead for the next ten thousand years, should also be given the same honour as the Supreme Personality Himself, as far as capital letters goes. The articles and pronouns relating to Him, Srila Prabhupada, ought also to be spelled with a capital letter. At least in my eyes, that would have to be proper transcendental etiquette!

OM TAT SAT.

Please find below some observations by Srila Prabhupada Himself about some of His disciples eagerness for change at all costs:

“Your appreciation of my Spiritual Master is very commendable. One who understands and appreciates the disciplic succession is certainly advanced, and we should always be very careful to give full respect to those who have so carefully handled this Divine Fruit of transcendental knowledge before us. Even a slight change will spoil it. That is why I have always been so careful to give you only those things which I have heard from my Guru Maharaja” 670800Let.Satsvarupa/Hansadutta

“Gradually the Krishna Consciousness idea will evaporate: another change, another change, every day another change. Stop all this. Simply have kirtana, nothing else. Don’t manufacture ideas.” 7211005Let.Sudama

The process is that you should memorize the purports of my books and then speak them in your own words. Do not adulterate or change anything. Then you will be the perfect preacher. You should also distribute our books as far as possible. If you do this sincerely, then you will be successful. 751115Let.Janajanmadhi

I have just been informed by my servant, Srutakirti, that the young children, under twelve, are not allowed to use their japa beads while chanting. This policy is not good. Why this change has been made? I never said they should not use their beads. That is our business. They must be taught how to respect their beads. How they can learn unless they use them? That is the trouble with you westerners, always changing. No changes should be made without first consulting with my GBC representative. So, the children should immediately be allowed to chant on their japa beads.750514Let.Yadunandana