Category Archives: Direct quotes

09.09.18
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ISKCON Censorship in Action

At ISKCON Mayapur a devotee, Jitavrata Dasa, was publicly humiliated for speaking the truth about the book changes. He was asked to stop his vyasa puja offering.

Read the complete vyasa-puja offering below (the part that Jitavrata Prabhu was not able to speak has been marked with bold).

Nama Om Vishnu padaya Krishna prestaya bhutale
Srimate Bhaktivedanta swamin iti namine
namas te Sarasvate deve Gauravani pracarine
nirvisesa sunyavadi pascatya desa tarine

Dear Srila Prabhupada ,

please accept my humble obeisances unto your worshipable Lotus Feet.

You brilliantly shine as the most glorious servant of your Lordship Sri Sri Radha Madhava.

As time goes by, and as ignorance is dispelled, you are appreciated as the most important personality in our movement ,most definitely because you are the founder acharya under whose guidance everyone must abide in order to understand the instructions of the disciplic succession that are within your books.

You are without a doubt the most merciful guru to empower even today whoever takes shelter of your instructions. We all feel very fortunate to be under the shelter at your Lotus feet. They are guiding us back to Godhead beyond the shadow of a doubt.
It is only because of you that we can find the potency to continue your great mission of bringing immortal happiness to the entire world. Your greatest joy is to see your books distributed far and wide, because your books unlock the doors to the treasure house of pure Love of Krishna.

As time goes by, your Divine presence is becoming more intensely felt because we realize that it is only by your mercy that this movement is carrying on. You are everyone’s well wisher and your spiritual attributes are unfathomable.

As ISKCON is your body, you want to see it flourish and grow beyond material limits, in great spiritual happiness and health for all the generations to come. So many nice devotees have joined your movement and are very much eager to serve at your Lotus Feet with great joy.

Please give us the intelligence to not change the bonafide process that you are giving us, as to avoid causing you so many troubles. It was first given by Krishna and has worked wonders millions of years ago, it is still now working so many wonders and will continue to work wonders in the milleniums to come.

As you are the spirit maintaining ISKCON thru sickness and health, please give us the intelligence to understand the supreme importance of protecting all the original English versions of your books that you have personally approved and rendered thereby eternal.
You have compiled these books with great endeavor, choosing each word and sentence very carefully under the full guidance of Lord Krishna sitting next to you. Your very specific combination of words acts like a powerful mantra to cut thru the illusory energy of Maya and revive our remembrance of Krishna

By changing these word arrangements thinking to know English better than you is the greatest offense as it removes the bonafide value of your writings. You taught us that 5 things permits Kali’s influence to infiltrate our consciousness. Meat eating, intoxication, gambling, illicit sex and if all four are absent then Kali is allowed to reside where there is hording of gold. Our biggest protection is the chanting of a minimum of 16 rounds every day, and keeping the association of the devotees. These simple instructions if carefully practiced will protect us from down falls.

You told Rameswara your BBT Trustee that your greatest fear was that after your departure, bonafide instructions will be taken out of your books and non bonafide things will be introduced, that is why you strictly forbade any book changes and you really made this instruction very clear to him. Unfortunately Rameswara left after a series of unfortunate events and even though these instructions were left in writing when Rameswara was interviewed for the production of your Lilamrta, that interview was never utilized and simply sat in the archives forgotten for over 30 years. As the enemy is invisible but its influence can be seen. Kali has infiltrated somehow or other,maybe someone is hording some gold or breaking the principles who really knows, but somehow Kali has found a way to modify your books, making it look seemingly harmless, claiming the changes will be closer to what you really meant , but Kali has in fact opened wide the doors for future changes. Next Kali will make us believe that watering down the philosophy will greatly increase our membership among those who are especially angry that you are just too strict and conservative with your principles, so better make a few compromises, where is the harm? And then Kali will tell us next that there is no need to chant Jaya Prabhupada , it is not necessary . Kali’s goal is to really minimize your importance and gradually take you out of the picture .Kali says” no no a little book change that is alright,where is the harm we are making the books better, Prabhupada didn’t know how to speak english we are just helping him out especially since now we even know sanskrit better than him”. Is this why you emphatically stressed no book changes,as you could foresee these attacks from the fox like Kali?

Rameswara Prabhu , has witnessed first hand your reactions over some changes the press was planning for your books. He was coming of course to get your approval as you always personally directed every details of your books publications. He saw how very angry you were when presented with so called book changes for the seemingly better, and that was the most frightening experience Rameswara ever had to see you this angry ,he felt very similar to what Hiranyakasipu felt when he saw Lord Nrisimhadeva. Hiranyakasipu was actually so scared that he fought the Lord with his eyes closed. You repeatedly told Rameswara that you do not want your books changed. You also told Hayagriva your editor in 1972 that you had approved all the verses in the Bhagavad Gita and that there was no need to change any of them, that once approved they are eternal. Rameswara carefully noted down all the details of these super heavy lessons and in 1979 he gave a long interview for the Lilamrta describing everything that happened . He had never seen anyone so angry, There were also many others who were involved with the press like Radhaballava das , Bali Mardana, your BBT artists and various editors who received your clear instructions about not changing your books except for the few absolutely needed corrections. When we finished the Chaitanya Caritamrta marathon in 75, Rameswara told you afterwards that in the subsequent printing the finished paintings would replace the unfinished ones. You said no, no book changes, but Prabhupada he said we are just putting the finished paintings in , they are the same paintings .but three times you forbade him to do so, because you wanted to stress and emphasize that no matter how good the reasons seems to be, you did not want your books changed, once approved they are eternal.

But now we see that so many changes have been made, your very clear instructions on this matter have been forgotten in the archives for more than 30 years and as they are now seeing the light of the day we are faced with the difficult task of undoing this blunder, difficult because Kali has brainwashed us and anyone who criticizes these changes is shown the door . Kali ‘s might is right and devotees are scared to talk about this ,because they don’t want to be kicked out of ISKCON. So what to do?
We want to correct these transgressions from your orders so that we may qualify to be the recipients of your full mercy .

This is why we pray at your lotus feet to please give us the intelligence to understand how you are too monumentally big for anyone to correct your books . What you wrote was already approved by you, and you did not want it changed in any ways. Please give ISKCON at large the spiritual intelligence to understand this principle of arsa- prayoga. I do not see how we can get your mercy while keeping you in an angry mood over the changing of your books, this is the most serious offense to think that we can touch your writings. Please consider our ignorance and we beg you to please enlighten those who do not see the evil in these activities. Your books are worshipable deities being non different than Bhagavan Sri Krishna and we know them to contain all of your devotional ecstasies. In the first Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam , Chapter five, the verse of text eleven says: On the other hand, that literature which is full of descriptions of the transcendental glories of the name, fame, forms, pastimes , etc. , of the unlimited Supreme Lord is a different creation, full of transcendental words directed toward bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of this world’s misdirected civilization. Such transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest. The original English version of your books are the seed mantra to all worldwide translations of your books, the ultimate reference in authenticity, that anyone could refer to. What will scholars think when they find out your books were tampered with, they will refuse to study the bogus ones.

No outside influence can stop your ISKCON, but to allow from within that your books may be modified is non different than killing you. You said that you live eternally in your books, but if they are modified then they are no longer your books, Kali has found a way of silencing you by playing the changing game to suit its evil purposes while still presently hiding behind your good name.Do we need to form a Ksatriya force to keep this Kali at bay? Please Srila Prabhupada give us the intelligence to see clearly, guide us on the right path, and inspire your BBT to print all your original versions once again. But I see hope in the horizon , happy days are returning because of your Jayapataka Swami who is getting his visa extended for his visit on this earth, all by the mercy of Lord Nrisimhadeva and by the mercy of his disciples, so that he may finish your big plans for Mayapur. Rameswara your great book distribution general is coming back to hopefully retire in Mayapur. Please illuminate their hearts with your full splendor and please kick Kali far away. Allow us to remain very close to you Srila Prabhupada , let your instruction of no book changes be known in ISKCON at large. Let the truth of your instructions shine. Let us all work united under you, under your unchangeable immortal instructions.

Jaya Sri Sri Radha Madhava,
Jaya Supremely powerful Lord Nrisimhadeva,
Jaya O most merciful Sri Sri Panca tattva,
Jaya o most magnanimous Srila Prabhupada!

Your worthless dog
Jitavrata das

 

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03.24.16
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Regulated Principles Regulated (Bg. 12.12)

By Ajit Krishna Dasa

Srila Prabhupada frequently uses the terms “regulative principles” and “regulated principles” in his teachings.

But Jayadvaita Swami claims that “regulated principles” is a nonsense use of words. He calls it “obviously erroneous” and “a term that makes no sense” (Link).

He says it should always be “regulative principles”, and thus Jayadvaita Swami is in the process of changing all “regulated principles” into “regulative principles” in Srila Prabhupada’s books.

But there are two good reason to think Jayadvaita Swami is wrong:

First Reason

Srila Prabhupada explains just how spiritual principles are regulated, namely by the spiritual master:

“In the neophyte stage of devotion one must follow all the principles, regulated by the authority of the spiritual master.”

So “regulated principles” means principles regulated by a superior authority.

I do not know why this makes no sense to Jayadvaita Swami. It seems so obvious!

Let us take a simple example:

Chanting is a principle. Srila Prabhupada regulated that principle: Minimum 16 rounds per day.

Simple for the simple.

Second Reason

“Regulated principles” is a quite common term. Just take a look at google:

Screen Shot 2016-03-24 at 01.26.14

And a few more:

Screen Shot 2016-03-24 at 01.12.14Screen Shot 2016-03-24 at 01.12.53Screen Shot 2016-03-24 at 01.13.11Screen Shot 2016-03-24 at 01.13.33Screen Shot 2016-03-24 at 01.13.54

So!

Again!

Jayadvaita Swami’s “justifications” for changing “regulated principles” are just plain wrong.

Srila Prabhupada has regulated principles for the editing of his books. Jayadvaita Swami should learn them.

12.20.15
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Is Jayadvaita Swami Still Good? (The Logic of the Naked Mother)

logical-fallacy-1

In defence of Jayadvaita Swami’s editing of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is BBT International write on their website:

And in the conversation where Srila Prabhupada complained so strongly about “rascals editors,” Srila Prabhupada said about Jayadvaita, “He is good.”

And:

Of course, regarding Jayadvaita Swami, the BBT’s chief editor, Srila Prabhupada wrote, “Concerning the editing of Jayadvaita Prabhu, whatever he does is approved by me. I have confidence in him. (letter to Radhavallabha, 7 September 1976)

But it is a logical fallacy to claim that a thing must possess the same characteristics now as it did in the past.

In Nyaya this fallacy is called Nagna-Matrika-Nyaya / The Logic of the Naked Mother. Srila Prabhupada explains:

This is nagna-matrka-nyaya. We change according to the circumstances. You cannot say that this must remain like this. (Morning Walk, May 5, 1973, Los Angeles)

Srila Prabhupada knew things could change, and he would never commit such a logical fallacy. He explains:

Prabhupada: I have given you charge of this BBT, millions of dollars you are dealing, but it is not for your misuse. As soon as you misuse, that is your responsibility.
Ramesvara: Yes, but he says but still, you’ll know that I’m going to misuse it.
Prabhupada: No. That Krsna knows, when something charge is given. But because you are independent, I know that “Ramesvara is very good boy; let him be in charge.” But you can misuse at any moment, because you have got independence. You can misuse at any moment. At that time your position is different. (Morning Walk — June 3, 1976, Los Angeles)

And here he clearly says that we must evaluate a person based on the present situation:

Prabhupāda: So phalena paricīyate. You have to consider the case, suppose a man was very good now he has stolen something still he is a good man? Present consideration is the judgement… There is a Bengali proverb that seven generations before my forefathers used to eat ghee, ghee butter so still I got this smell.
Devotee (1): Hm.

Prabhupāda: Seven generations before my forefathers used to eat ghee so therefore that smell is still there in my house. Is that very good argument? (Morning Walk – October 8, 1972, Berkeley)

Previously we have dealt with BBT International’s argument here and here.

BBT International’s “Jayadvaita-Swami-is-good-argument” has thus been show to be logically invalid. In other words, it is not enough to say that at one point in time Srila Prabhupada liked Jayadvaita Swami’s editing. We need more. We need to know the present situation.

On top of that we have a few e-books out, documenting that Jayadvaita Swami has transgressed the instructions given by Srila Prabhupada. Please take a look at them:

No Reply from BBTI

Blazing Edits

Arsa-Prayoga – Preserving Srila Prabhupada’s Legacy

The BBT International and Jayadvaita Swami need to address the points presented in these books instead of relying on faulty logic.

08.23.15
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E-BOOK: Arsa-Prayoga: Preserving Srila Prabhupada’s Legacy

Almost 400 pages about the changes made to Srila Prabhupada’s books.

Arsa-Prayoga Book

Click picture to visit website

From the back cover:

“Arsa prayoga, lit. “rishi’s license,” means to honour the acarya by preserving his teachings in the originally published form, not changing what he has written to make it appear more effective or politically correct. There should be no confusion between the work written by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada and edited by Howard Wheeler and the posthumous cent per cent revised copy proposed by Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. By changing Prabhupada’s books without explicitly saying so, they do a discredit to Srila Prabhupada, devotees and scholars. At present it appears that the revisions were made by the original author. This book is meant to be the truth about the editing of Prabhupada’s books carefully chronicled for future generations.”

Get the book on Amazon.

08.10.15
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E-Book: ISKCON’s Changes to Srila Prabhupada’s Bg. and PQPA

Click to download the book

Click to download the book

ISKCON’s Changes to Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is and Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers (by Madhudvisa Dasa).

Perhaps the first book on the book changes. So old it was made with a typewriter. Definitely of both present day and historical value. It contains a lot of good evidence against the changes, good arguments and historical documentation (like mails).

Download the book here: ISKCON’s Changes to Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is and Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers (by Madhudvisa Dasa).

08.10.15
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Imperishable Add-on Edit (Bg. 15.1)

Plate 35 of the 1972 Edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. This painting is not to be found in the 1983 Edition of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is.

Plate 35 of the 1972 Edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is.
Not to be found in the 1983 Edition.

By Ajit Krishna Dasa

Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 15.1

Original and authorised 1972 edition:

“The Blessed Lord said: There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.”

The draft a.k.a. “the original manuscript”:

“The Supreme Lord said: It is said that there is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down; and the Vedic hymns are its leaves. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.”

Uauthorized 1983 edition:

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is said that there is an imperishable banyan tree that has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.”

From lectures:

Pradyumna: (Translation:) “The Blessed Lord said: There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.”

Prabhupada: So this is the description of Vedic literature. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. That will be described. (Srila Prabhupada, Lecture, See Spiritual Identity Everywhere,
73/10/28 Bombay, Bhagavad-gita 15.1)

Nitai dasa: Translation: The Blessed Lord said: There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.

Purport: After the discussion of the importance of bhakti-yoga, one may question, “What about the Vedas?” (Srila Prabhupada, Lecture, The Purpose of Vedic Study 74/02/26 Calcutta, Bhagavad-gita 15.1)

No objections from Srila Prabhupada.

Comment

1) We here observe that Jayadvaita Swami, after scanning the authorized verse, takes the usual route to an old draft (the so-called original manuscript). An idea for which he has no proper justification.

2) He decides to change “The Blessed Lord”. Here he could have chosen to use Srila Prabhupada’s words from the draft’ translation of Bg. 15.1 which reads “The Supreme Lord said”, but he chose instead to go to the English synonyms and use “The Supreme Personality of Godhead”.

3) Next he decides to add “It is said”. This he took from the drafts’ translation of Bg. 15.1.

4) Then he decides to add an adjective to “banyan tree”. He could have gone back to the English synonyms and used the word “eternal”. But instead he took a trip to the drafts’ purport where he for some reason chose the word “imperishable” over the word “indestructible” which is also in the purport. NOTE: The word “imperishable” is omitted from the purport of both the original 1972 edition and the 1983 edition which makes his choice even more strange.

5) He then changes “which” to “that” even though “which” was both found in the draft and was grammatically perfectly fine. In other words, he found the word “that” not in the English synonyms, not in the translation and not in the purport. But in his own mind.

Hundreds of changes to Srila Prabhupada’s Gita have been documented online. And we see Jayadvaita Swami again and again randomly chose words sometimes from the manuscripts’ translations, sometimes from the English synonyms, sometimes from the purport and sometimes from his own mind.

For the most part it is very hard to find any objective and identifiable criteria for his changes. Especially for changes such as those above. And there are hundreds, if not thousands, of such changes in the Gita alone.

07.28.15
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The Holy Bible on Book Changes

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Thanks to Juan Manuel Ferrera we now know that:

Even in relatively “young” religions like Christianity, tampering with sacred words of prophets carry severe reactions.

Revelation 22.18

18. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

19. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

These are the very last words of the Bible.

06.25.15
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One Example Out of Many Disproves Editor’s  Own Words (Bg. 13.25)

Bg. 13-25

BY: BHAKTA TORBEN

Jun 21, 2015 — DENMARK (SUN) — 

Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 13.25:

Original, authorized 1972 edition: 

“That Supersoul is perceived by some through meditation, by some through the cultivation of knowledge, and by others through working without fruitive desire.”

Manuscript: 

“That Supersoul is perceived by some through meditation, and by some through the cultivation of knowledge, and by others through working without fruitive desire.”

JAS It Is: 

“Some perceive the Supersoul within themselves through meditation, others through the cultivation of knowledge, and still others through working without fruitive desires.”

The original 1972 standard and the so-called manuscript are completely identical. And well articulated. Still the ‘JAS It Is’ model chooses a different phrasing.

As seen many times before.

Here are some important words from the principal editor to Srila Prabhupada’ s books after His Divine Grace’ s departure. On the policy of editing:

“‘Arsa-Prayoga’ is a very important principle. The editor should never have the mentality that he is better than the author, that he has something more to contribute than the author does, that the author really doesn’t know what he is doing, but he knows what he is doing. That’ s offensive and that ruins everything. It is an offense to the acarya. The idea however that this sort of sanctity that the authors’ s has, or that the words of the author has, have, somehow extends to the mistakes of the editors is weird. It is an offense to correct the mistakes of previous editors! Are they acaryas? Are they paramahamsas? Are they infallible? They are wonderful devotees, they did wonderful service, but they made mistakes. Understandable.”

We advise the reader to ponder the gap between theoretical intent and actual action. This example is by far not an isolated case.

06.24.15
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Uneven Edit (Bg. 2.48)

bg-2-48

BY: BHAKTA TORBEN

Jun 17, 2015 — DENMARK (SUN) —  Bhagavad-gita As It Is, 2.48:

Original, authorized 1972 edition: 

“Be steadfast in yoga, O Arjuna. Perform your duty and abandon all attachment to success or failure. Such evenness of mind is called yoga.”

Manuscript: 

“Do your prescribed duty in an equipoised condition. To do such duty without being attached to success or failure, and to remain in an equiposed condition is called Yoga.”

Read Aloud to Srila Prabhupada by Tamala Krishna in London, 1968: 

“Be steadfast in your duty, O Arjuna, and abandon all attachment to success or failure. Such evenness of mind is called yoga [Bg. 2.48].”

And immediately after Tamal Krishna’s reading of the verse Srila Prabhupada says:

“This is the explanation of yoga, evenness of mind. Yoga-samatvam ucyate. If you work for Krsna, then there is no cause of lamentation or jubilation. Jubilation is there because you are working for Krsna, but there is no cause of lamentation. Yoga-sthah kuru karmani, yogah karmasu kausalam. That is the secret of activities, how you can very diligently work at the same time you are not entangled with the actions. That is the secret. Go on.”

The word-for-word reads ‘samatvam – evenness of mind‘ (Original), but the heavily edited ‘JAS It Is’ version says in the word-for-word ‘samatvam – equanimity’.

‘JAS It Is’:

“Perform your duty equipoised, O Arjuna, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. Such equanimity is called yoga.”

Once again we observe an absolutely unnecessary change. This verse in the original 1972 edition is perfect.

There are more irregularities. Check it out.

05.01.15
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Example of a Bona Fide Change to Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is

krishna-cows

This is how evidence for bona fide changes looks like:

Room Conversation with the Mayor of Evanston — July 4, 1975, Chicago:

Tamala Krsna: “Farming, cattle raising and business are the qualities…”
Prabhupada: They are not cattle raising, that was…
Tamala Krsna: Cow protection.
Prabhupada: Cow protection. It has to be corrected. It is go-raksya, go. They take it cattle-raising. I think Hayagriva has translated like this.

This change is – contrary to all the post-1977 changes – Prabhupada-approved. It first appeared in a 1976 reprint of the 1968 abridged edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is.