BOOKS ARE THE BASIS

“The next printing should be again to the original way.”

By Bhakta Michael Garner

Beg the question, bend the truth,
Bail out the basement while there are holes in the roof.

Steve Ignorant

Former Sannyäsé: Sometimes, they appeal that, “We can make better English.” So, they change like that–just like in the case of Isopanisad. There are over a hundred changes. So where is the need? Your words are sufficient. The potency is there. When they change, it is something else.
Deceased Sannyäsé: That’s actually a very dangerous mentality.
Former Sannyäsé: What is it going to be in five years? It’s going to be a different book!
Prabhupäda: It is very serious situation. You write one letter that “Why you have made so many changes?” And whom to write? Who will care? All rascals are there. Write to Satsvarüpa that this is the position. They are doing anything and everything at their whim. The next printing should be again to the original way.
– Room Conversation, June 22, 1977, in Våëdävan

“What right you have got to change? If Bhagavad-gétä is a book of authority, and if I make my own interpretation, then where is the authority? Can you change the law book according to your interpretation? Then what is the meaning of that law book? That is not law book. You cannot change. Similarly, if you accept Bhagavad-gétä as the book of authority, you cannot change the meaning. That is not allowed. . . Why you are, I mean to say, killing others and yourself by interpreting Bhagavad-gétä?”
– Lecture on Bhagavad-gétä, 7.1, April 27, 1974 in Hyderabad

One of Çréla Prabhupäda’s final requests was, at the last stage, not to be tortured and put to death. He also said that he would live forever in his books, which continue to be changed in hundreds if not thousands of places. Do these not constitute an attempt to kill the influence and authority of Çréla Prabhupäda?

The changing of Çréla Prabhupäda’s original transcendental writing is completely unauthorized, a most grievous offence at the lotus feet of the spiritual master. His books are the basis of the movement and, without them, our preaching will have no effect. Therefore, these unauthorized and offensive changes will result in ineffective preaching, while his real movement is completely dismantled.

Such transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.”
Çrémad Bhägavatam, 1.5.11

Does the last line of this famous verse not conclusively suggest that those who do not accept Çréla Prabhupäda’s books–as they were presented by him to all of us, previous to unauthorized changes, are neither purified nor honest? How can be that a person not yet free from the four defects of conditional life even thinks that he has what it takes to make changes to them? How arrogant, puffed-up, and delusional does such a person have to be?

We should all be sceptical of this claim that these recent changes are simply returning to the original purports. What this would mean is that the books that were distributed for many years in huge quantities to the public were actually themselves changes. We do not believe this, and who is ever going to check this? It is a most dubious proposition. Even if it were true—which we do not believe it to be—then Çréla Prabhupäda approved those “changed” literatures for distribution during his lifetime. He approved only those versions, and those books were distributed in the millions.

As such, if some so-called originals of those works have now been ever so conveniently re-discovered (in order to facilitate the wild-card editors who have made all the changes a recourse to cover their tracks?), then let such “original” works be printed as commentaries. The books approved for mass distribution must continue to be the standard writings of His Divine Grace, and commentaries can be consulted by those who are interested to do so.

The BBT(i) is a broken arrow, and its ploy—in the form of (indirectly) claiming that the books distributed en masse for so many years, while Prabhupäda was still externally manifest, were themselves changed versions of originals—can be dealt with and countered in this way. Nevertheless, we suggest that all of you see that BBT(i) rationalization for just what it is: Nothing more than a ploy to bail out the basement and buy some more time.

OM TAT SAT

1 thought on “BOOKS ARE THE BASIS”

  1. Why are the “gurus” of “ISKCON” nor crying out in protest?! This speaks a lot of their guriosity.

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