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BY MADHUDVISA DASA (ORIGINALLY POSTED ON BOOKCHANGES.COM)

ISKCON published a new version of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s book, Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers in 1993. It is a transcript of a conversation which took place in Mayapur, West Bengal, in 1972 with a Peace-Corps worker, Bob Cohen.

Please read these changes completely as they give a very good insight into the types of things ISKCON and the BBT are deleting from Srila Prabhupada’s books. They have their own agenda and they want to change the philosophy that is presented in Srila Prabhupada’s books and by carefully studying the changes they are making you can gradually understand their demoniac agenda….

The original edition was more or less a transcript of the original conversation. It was edited, of course, to make the English clear and correct and to make it readable. But basically it remained a transcript of the original conversation.

The 1993 version changes all of this. The book is slashed from 99 pages to 77 pages! And the type is not even smaller! So much has been cut out. In one place four complete pages have been deleted!

All the text has been heavily edited and the whole mood of the book has been completely changed. We have not done anything below about the editing, we have just pointed out a few pieces of text (shown in bold) that have been completely deleted from the new edition.

Plain Text – Text from original book (may be edited in new edition)
Bold – Original text completely deleted from new edition

“Miracles are For the Ignorant”? Chapter 1, Page 5:
Bob: Let me repeat what you said this morning–that was interesting. I asked about miracles, and you said that only a fool would believe in miracles because–let us say you are a child and an adult lifts this table. That’s a miracle. Or you’re a chemist and you combine acid and base and you make smoke, an explosion or whatever. To somebody ignorant, that’s a miracle. But for everything there is a process, and so when you see a miracle, it’s just ignorance of the process. So that only a fool would believe in miracles, and–you correct me if I say wrong…
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, yes.
Bob: You said when Jesus came the people then were somewhat more ignorant and needed miracles as aid. I wasn’t sure if that’s quite what you said.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, yes. Miracles are for the ignorant.
Bob: I had asked this in relation to all the miracle men you hear about in India.
Srila Prabhupada: Krsna is the highest miracle man.
Bob: Yes.
Srila Prabhupada: That is stated by Kunti…

“Our Knowledge Is Perfect”? Chapter 1, Page 10:
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Our knowledge is perfect. If I say that heat is the energy of Krsna, you cannot deny it, because it is not your energy.

Deleting Verse Translations Chapter 3, Page 21:
[“After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.”]Chapter 3, Page 26:
“By the mercy of the spiritual master one is benedicted by the mercy of Krsna.”Chapter 3, Page 26:
“Without the grace of the spiritual master one cannot make any advancement.”Chapter 3, Page 27:
If you displease him, then you are nowhere. Therefore we worship the guru.saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair
uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

[“The spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme Lord because of his being the most confidential servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged by all revealed scriptures and is 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 Lord Krsna.”] 
The guru should be accepted as God. That is the injunction of all sastra.

“Chanting Hare Krishna is a Yogic Process”? Chapter 3, Page 25:
Bob: Is chanting Hare Krsna such a yogic process?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, it is also a yogic process.

What Is the Difficulty? Chapter 3, Page 28:
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, He is the original spiritual master because He was accepted as spiritual master by Arjuna. So what is the difficulty? Sisyas te ‘ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam. Arjuna told the Lord, “I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.” So unless He is a spiritual master how does Arjuna become His disciple? He is the original guru. Tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye: “It is He only who first imparted Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahma, the first created being.” Therefore He is the original guru.

“My Krishna”? Chapter 5, Page 39:
Bob: Mine?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Mine. My Krsna.
Bob: Ah.
Srila Prabhupada: Krsna is mine. Krsna is mine.
Bob: Yes.

“That is not Service–That is Business” Chapter 5, Page 39:
An Indian gentleman: Srila Prabhupada, I have one question. What is the status of service minus devotion? Srila Prabhupada: Hm-m? That is not service, that is business. [Everyone laughs.] For example, here in Mayapur we have employed a contractor. That is not service–that is business. Is it not? Sometimes they will advertise, “Our customers are our masters.” Is it not? But in spite of the flowery language–”Our customers are our masters”–this is business, because nobody is a qualified customer unless he pays. But service is not like that. Service–Caitanya Mahaprabhu prays to Krsna: yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah “You do whatever You like, but still You are my worshipable Lord.” That is service. “I don’t ask any return from You.” That is service. When you expect some return, that is business.

“So Better Not to Teach…”? Chapter 5, Page 41:
Bob: So, what are the things that I may do? When I go back, I must–
Srila Prabhupada: When do you go back?
Bob: I’ll be going back to Chaibasa to do my work there, and…
Srila Prabhupada: What is there in Chaibasa?
Bob: That is where I do my teaching. I live there.
Srila Prabhupada: So better not to teach–because you do not know what to teach.
Bob: [Laughs] I’ll be going–I don’t like this teaching so much, and I’ll be returning to America in May, but while I’m here, this is my agreement for staying in India.

“Following the Principles”? Chapter 5, Page 42:
Srila Prabhupada: If you are serious, you can keep yourself pure anywhere. It doesn’t matter whether you stay in America or India. But you must know how to keep yourself purified. That’s all.
Bob: You mean by following these principles?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. I went to America, for instance, but either in America or India, I am the same man.

Sicknesss… Chapter 5, Page 53:
Bob: But when someone is removed from karmic influence…
Srila Prabhupada: Yes?
Bob: … does he still get sick?
Srila Prabhupada: No. Even if he gets sick, that is very temporary. For instance, this fan is moving. If you disconnect the electric power, then the fan will move for a moment. That movement is not due to the electric current. That is force–what is it called, physically, this force?
Syamasundara: Momentum.

That is Perfection… Chapter 5, Page 53:
Srila Prabhupada: A perfected soul is one who engages twenty-four hours a day in Krsna consciousness. That is perfection. That is a transcendental position. Perfection means to engage in one’s original consciousness. That is perfection. That is stated in Bhagavad-gita:

That is in the Bible… Chapter 5, Page 58:
Srila Prabhupada: He said–that is in the Bible–that he took all the sinful reactions of the people and sacrificed his life. But these Christian people have made it a law for Christ to suffer while they do all nonsense.

Questions and Answers Chapter 5, Page 64:
Srila Prabhupada: And the time?
Syamasundara: Six o’clock.
Srila Prabhupada: Questions and answers are required. They are beneficial to all.
Bob: I still have a question on the prasada.
Srila Prabhupada: Suta Gosvami says: munayah sadhu prsto ‘ham
bhavadbhir loka-mangalam
yat krtah krsna-samprasno
yenatma suprasidati [“O sages, I have been justly questioned by you. Your questions are worthy because they relate to Lord Krsna and so are relevant to the world’s welfare. Only questions of this sort are capable of completely satisfying the self.”] Krsna-samprasnah, that is very good. When you discuss and hear, that is loka-mangalam, auspicious for everyone. Both the questions and the answers.
Bob: I still do not understand so much about prasada. But if you like I’ll think about it and ask you again tomorrow.
Srila Prabhupada: Prasada is always prasada. But because we are not elevated sufficiently, therefore we do not like some prasada.

“Independence & We are Always Controlled by Maya or Krishna”? (4 PAGES!!) Chapter 9, Page 89:
Barbara: And chanting–what does chanting do?
Srila Prabhupada: That you can ask these boys [the devotees]. They will explain.
Bob: If Krsna controls everything, how does Krsna control a nondevotee?
Srila Prabhupada: By maya. Just as the government controls everything. A kingdom is controlled by the king’s departments.
Bob: And how does Krsna control a devotee?
Srila Prabhupada: Just as you control your beloved. For example, if you have a beloved child, you control him for his benefit. If he is going to touch fire, you will immediately tell him, “No, no, my dear child. Don’t touch it.” So a Krsna conscious person, a devotee, is never misled, because Krsna is always guiding him, whereas those who are not Krsna conscious are in the charge of maya, and maya will do the needful, as you have seen.
Bob: Is it preset, when we’re born, the time that we’ll die?
Srila Prabhupada: What?
Bob: Is the time that I’m going to die, and others are going to die, preset before we are born? When I’m born, do I have a certain given life span?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes.
A devotee: And he cannot change that?
Srila Prabhupada: No, he cannot change it, but Krsna can change it.
Devotee: If he commits suicide, is that also preset?
Srila Prabhupada: Not preset. That you can do because you have a little independence. It is not natural to commit suicide; it is unnatural. So because we have independence, we can go from nature to “un-nature.” A prisoner cannot go out of the prison house naturally, but somehow or other he arranges to jump over the wall and goes away. Then he becomes a criminal for further imprisonment. Naturally, the prisoner cannot go out of the prison house, but if somehow or other he manages to escape, that means he becomes again a criminal. He will be arrested again, and his term of imprisonment will be increased, or he will be punished more. So, naturally we cannot violate destiny. But if we do it, then we will suffer. But our destiny can be changed by Krsna when we are Krsna conscious. We do not do it, but Krsna will do it. Krsna says: aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami: “I shall give you protection.” That change takes place for my protection. There are two stages–nondevotee and devotee. The nondevotee is under the control of material nature, and the devotee is under the direct control of Krsna. In the office of a big man, an executive of a big company, there are many employees, and they are controlled by different departmental superintendents. But although outside of home he controls indirectly, the same man at home is controlling his children directly. But he is always a controller. Similarly, God is the controller always. When one becomes a devotee, he is controlled by God; when he is a nondevotee, he is controlled by His agent, maya. But he has to be controlled. For example, every citizen of America is controlled by the government. When he is all right, the civil department controls him; when he is not all right, the criminal department controls him. But he cannot say, “I am not controlled.” That is not possible. Everyone is controlled. If somebody says, “I am not controlled,” he is not sane; he is crazy. Everyone is controlled. So either you are controlled directly by God, or you are controlled by His agency, maya. Being controlled by maya, you spoil your life; you remain in material existence one birth after another, changing your bodies. But if you choose to be controlled by God, then after this body, you go back home, back to Godhead. Then your life is successful. You cannot exist without being controlled; that is not possible. That is intelligence. And that is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate: “After many births of traveling or speculation, one surrenders unto Me.” Vasudevah sarvam iti: “Krsna, You are everything. So I have come. Accept me. I am now fully surrendered unto You, and You control me. I am controlled. For so long I have been controlled by these rascals. There is no benefit. I have been controlled by my senses. So under the control of the senses I have served so-called family, society, country, nation–up to serving the dogs. But nothing has given me satisfaction. Therefore now I have good sense; I put myself under Your control. Instead of being controlled by dog, let me be controlled by God.” This is Krsna consciousness. Have you not seen how a man is controlled by a dog? In the street the dog stops, passes stool, and his master will stand and wait. Is it not? He is passing stool and urine, and the master is thinking, “I am master.” But he is being controlled. That is maya. He has become servant of the dog, but he is thinking, “I am master.” So unless one is Krsna conscious, one cannot understand. We can understand that this rascal is being controlled by his dog, but he is thinking that he is the master. We can understand. What do you think? Has he not become controlled by the dog? Bob: That is so.
Srila Prabhupada: But he is thinking, “I am the master of the dog.” A family man is controlled by his wife, his children, by his servants, by everyone, but he is thinking, “I am master.” President Nixon is thinking that he is master of his country, but he is controlled. At once he can be dismissed by the public, his servants! And he will take a position, claiming, “I will give you very good service,” and “I shall be a first-class servant.” Therefore people vote, “All right, you become president.” And he is advertising: “Reelect me! Reelect me!” That means he is a servant. But he is thinking, “I am master.” That is the position. Maya. One who is controlled by maya is thinking himself master, but he is a servant. And a devotee never thinks to himself, “I am master,” only “I am servant.” That is the difference between maya and reality. He at least knows: “I am never master. I am always a servant.” When a servant is thinking, “I am master,” that is called illusion. But when a servant thinks, “I am a servant,” that is not illusion. That is mukti, liberation. Because he is not controlled by false thoughts. Try to think about this subject matter. A devotee is never controlled by false thoughts. He knows his position. Svarupena vyavasthitih. Mukti, liberation, means to be situated in one’s own constitutional position. I am a servant. So if I know that I am a servant, that is my liberation. And if I think that I am master, that is bondage. This is the difference between conditioned life and liberated life. So these Krsna conscious devotees are always thinking that they are servants of Krsna. Therefore they are all liberated. They do not endeavor for liberation. They are already liberated because they are situated in their constitutional position. They are not artificially thinking, “I am master.” Otherwise, everyone is thinking, “I am master.” That is illusion. You cannot be master in any state of your life; you must remain a servant. That is your position. When one thinks artificially that he is master, that is his conditioned life. And when one voluntarily surrenders to the supreme master, that is his liberation. A devotee does not try for liberation separately. As soon as he surrenders to Krsna or Krsna’s representative, he is liberated.
Bob: Prabhupada, people that engage in religions, like these “Jesus freaks” and other people, claim that Jesus is guiding them. Can this be so?

The Jesus Movement? Chapter 9, Page 94:
Bob: What about the “Jesus freaks,” the young people that have joined the Jesus movement? They read the Bible very often, and they try to–
Srila Prabhupada: But violence is against the Bible’s injunctions. How can they kill if they are following the Bible?

Imitating a Powerful Man Chapter 9, page 95:

Jesus Christ is powerful; he can do everything. But we cannot imitate; we have to simply abide by his order. That is real Christianity. We cannot imitate a powerful man. That is wrong.

You See How They [the Karmis] Think? Chapter 9, Page 96:
Srila Prabhupada: Because Krsna will be pleased. Suppose you have a dog and some friends come and pat your dog. [Srila Prabhupada makes big patting motions.] You become pleased. You become pleased: “Oh, he is my good friend.” You see how they think. We see this–some friend comes and says, “My, what a nice dog you have.”
[Laughter.] [Some Indian guests enter the room.]

—

From Arsa-Prayoga Staff:

BBTI writes that this editing was done by an inexperienced editor by the name Sita Devi Dasi, and that they will edit it again (maybe they have now). This is significant because it shows us that editing assignments are given to completely inexperienced editors that work with no supervision. Nobody really knows what the truth about this is – maybe BBTI actually approved her work, but later felt forced to redo it.

It becomes increasingly difficult to trust BBTI, since we know they are lying about many other things and will not respond to some essential questions about their editing. To restore peoples faith in BBTI they need only publish the original books as they are.