| Home | “Therefore, for the sake of the neophytes, such as myself, and for the sake of the innocent, whom we are supposed to be preaching to, let’s leave Srila Prabhupada’s books the way they were when Srila Prabhupada was personally present, for consistency’s sake, if for no other reason.” |
Dear Prabhus, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Lately, there have been a number of very good articles published on VNN and other websites concerning the ill advisability of changing Srila Prabhupada’s books. For example:
1. July 2, 1999: “Make It Perfect - That Is Our Philosophy” (http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET9907/ET02-4207.html)
2. July 3, 1999: “No Manuscript - No Problems!” (http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET9907/ET03-4219.html)
3. July 5, 1999: “Footnoting Srila Prabhupada’s ’Personal Ecstasies’” (http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET9907/ET05-4231.html)
One point that they all seem to be missing is that changing Srila Prabhupada’s books at this late date will create inconsistencies which may cause neophyte devotees and innocent people, to whom we are trying to preach, to lose faith.
Here are three examples of what I’m getting at:
1. Suppose someone listens to a tape of Srila Prabhupada giving the Bhagavad-gita class. Many of these tapes include the reading of the translations and purports from Srila Prabhupada’s original “Bhagavad-gita As It Is.” It’s perfectly obvious that Srila Prabhupada approved of every word of the original versions of his books, since there are many tapes wherein the books are read aloud in his presence. Suppose this same someone then proceeds to follow along in one of the new “revised and expanded” versions of that book. Couldn’t it cause him to lose faith when he discovers that the original versions, which were obviously approved by Srila Prabhupada, have been changed?
2. Suppose someone listens to an older tape of one of ISKCON’s new “gurus” giving Bhagavad-gita class. These tapes are readily available in temple gift shops and by mail via dozens of “tape ministries.” Suppose he then proceeds to read along, while the translation and purport are being read, from one of the new “revised and expanded” versions of that book. Couldn’t it cause him to lose faith when he discovers that it’s been changed?
3. Suppose someone gets his hands on a “cracked” version of the “Vedabase.” Since a blank CD-ROM costs as little as one US dollar, and a CD-ROM writer can be purchased for as little as US$200, many people may be tempted to copy the “bootleg” version, rather than dish out US$500 for the heavily “copy protected” version from the Bhaktivedanta Archives. The bootleg version could actually end up being a lot more popular than the “legal” version! It just so happens that every cracked version of the Vedabase that I’ve seen contains the original versions of all of Srila Prabhupada’s books, not the revised editions. In any case, the transcriptions of Srila Prabhupada’s recorded classes are also on the Vedabase. If someone wants to quote something from Srila Prabhupada’s books or lectures, it’s obviously a lot easier to do a “copy/paste” from the Vedabase rather than to manually type it in, so obviously these differences are going to be noticed for a long time to come.
Therefore, for the sake of the neophytes, such as myself, and for the sake of the innocent, whom we are supposed to be preaching to, let’s leave Srila Prabhupada’s books the way they were when Srila Prabhupada was personally present, for consistency’s sake, if for no other reason.
Your servant,
Pratyatosa Dasa
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