5,000 Changes in the Name of Editing Srila Prabhupada's Books
by Govinda dasi (one of Srila Prabhupada’s very first disciples)
There is an urgent urgent necessity of re-establishing Srila Prabhupada’s original books. We are conditioned souls, we make mistakes. Since we are not perfect liberated beings, we are subject to illusion and error. Therefore, we are better off not correcting that which our Acharya has done. Devotees have raised their voices over these book changes to the tune of a million dollar lawsuit. Prior to that suit, Srila Prabhupada’s original books were extinct, existing only on the personal bookshelves of his devoted followers. For over 20 years, his books were nowhere to be found, except perhaps in libraries and garage sales. Now, those original books are being printed and distributed in increasing numbers. More and more people have become aware of this massive editing and begun to question it. That means devotees DO have a voice. However, the issue at hand is not whether we have a voice. The issue here is that we must use that voice for the sake of those devotees who come in the future–-if they are to know how to find Srila Prabhupada’s original books. Please understand that these changes will not stop here. This is not about what Jayadvaita or Dravida or whoever has done. That is not the point. The point is that the changes will continue, and are continuing as we speak. And in a hundred years or so, the historians will look at the 35 or 40 Bhagavad Gitas with Prabhupada’s 1971 signature and will not know which one of them is actually the real original!! THAT is our concern. Not this guy or that guy, or who did this, or that. Our concern here is for the future of humanity, for the preservation of these books that Prabhupada said would be the lawbooks for the next 10,000 years. And that is why this is so important. Gurus and leaders, good or bad, will come and go, and according to their actions, like all of us, will suffer or enjoy. That’s a given. We don’t really have to concern ourselves with that. Badmouthing those who have stumbled isn’t what we are setting out to do. Our concern is only to preserve what Prabhupada gave us, end of story. He said, “No changes.” So we want no changes. He never gave authority to anyone to change his books after his demise, that is for certain. Even Jayadvaita admits he has never been asked to do this. In a meeting at Honolulu temple some years back, Jayadvaita M. actually stated, “Oh, those (original) books were horrible!” Those “horrible” original books, filled with Srila Prabhupada’s divine mercy, made thousands of devotees in the ’70s. More books were distributed then than now. It seems you believe the propaganda that Hayagriva was never around Prabhupada much, and there were many editors etc. What can I say? This is simply not true. I knew Hayagriva from the time I joined Prabhupada in San Francisco, January of 1967. Hayagriva was there, and was already editing the Gita, and spending hours every day with Srila Prabhupada going over every verse! And later, just before the first Gita was printed, in late 1968, Hayagriva LIVED with us in Los Angeles. (I was Prabhupada’s secretary for the whole year of 1968 and part of 1969) Daily they would spend hours in Prabhupada’s room, going over every inch of the final edits. I am an eye witness to this. At this time, I even did the cover drawing for the first MacMillan Gita (the purple one) with Prabhupada guiding me, literally over my shoulder, watching the drawing develop. The purple Gita cut out a lot of that meticulous work done by Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva; Macmillan wanted to save money, to make it smaller. So they greatly edited Prabhupada’s manuscript, and he was unhappy with it, but accepted it as “a blind uncle.” But at his first opportunity, he printed his manuscript in total, the Original Gita, the one with Jadurany’s reddish battlefield painting on the cover. Srila Prabhupada was extremely happy with that Gita– he finally got his carefully nurtured manuscript into print! He was overjoyed! The “Edited Edition”, with the blue battlefield cover, done by Parikshit das, with Krishna carrying a whip rather than his Panchajanya (conch) as directed by Srila Prabhupada, was done AFTER Srila Prabhupada’s departure from this world. Both the editing and the cover were done after his departure, yet they inserted his preface and signature of 1971–as if, with 5000 changes, it was the same book! How unethical! Most of Prabhupada’s disciples did not even know this editing mischief was going on; they were grieving the loss of Srila Prabhupada from this world. Only later, when the dust had settled, did many of us learn of this travesty. So I really do know what happened in those days. I even met with MacMillan in New York prior to the printing. Jayadvaita M. had not even become a devotee in early 1967, so how would he know?? He says many things that are not in keeping with what really happened, since he was not there; perhaps he is relying on hearsay, I don’t know. Neither was Jayadvaita M. in Los Angeles in late 1968 when Hayagriva lived with us for weeks on end, completing the editing work. Most of what the bbt says in this regard is based on fairy tales, hearsay, and perhaps some personal ambition as well. I do not know how they can skew things in this way and still sleep at night. But what I do know is that Srila Prabhupada wanted NO FURTHER CHANGES TO HIS BOOKS. HE EXPRESSED THIS ON MANY OCCASIONS. A little research can easily prove this point. Now, you may enjoy reading many various literatures that are perhaps well written, even better written, and that is fine. But if you want to read Srila Prabhupada’s original words, gone over with a fine tooth comb by Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva, then I suggest you read his original books. If you want to compare them, that’s fine too. But his original books must be available to the people who will come in the future of this Kali Yuga. And the changes must stop lest the original teachings be obliterated in the course of time. Generally I avoid these political issues, as I feel most are fairly unimportant and always changing. However, this book issue is very very important. So important that Srila Prabhupada himself came to me in a darshan a few years back and told me to defend his original books. Frankly, I did not want to take this task, as it means stepping on people’s toes, but he insisted. He ordered me to speak out, so I must, in spite of being labeled and criticized. Srila Prabhupada wants it known all over the world, and especially for future generations, that his original books are just as he intended them to be. They have his full shakti, full mercy, and are for all of mankind. If the changes continue, there will always be another editor who thinks he can improve this or that, and eventually the original meanings will be lost. You may appreciate the editing work, but Srila Prabhupada doesn’t. He didn’t appreciate the changes then, and he doesn’t appreciate it now. Our job is to please our Guru, not our own sense of what sounds good or doesn’t sound good. He made this clear so many times, yet they have chosen to ignore everything he said. Please understand, I don’t blame any one person, not even Jayadvaita M. It is the nature of the Kali Yuga to try to destroy that which is sacred and meant for the upliftment of mankind. That is how Maya works. Srila Prabhupada often said “Krishna has written these books.” So tell me, how can a conditioned soul improve on what Krishna has said or written?? Your servant, Govinda dasi Original source: http://www.thewatchdog.info/Ed_GovindaDasi.html http://www.thewatchdog.info/Ed_GovindaDasi_2.html |
Articles and Links to More Information Regarding Changes to Srila Prabhupada's transcendental books:
Creeping Changes A Scientific Method for Evaluating Editorial Changes to Srila Prabhupada's Books http://www.bookchanges.com/ http://www.krishna.org/category/prabhupada/books/book-changes-books-prabhupada/ Prabhupada's Original Books Online |
