Tag Archives: planet

02.28.21
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Spaced Out Edit

Changes to Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.12 purport.

As we know by now BBT International try to convince devotees about their changes by employing the “closer to Srila Prabhupada” manoeuvre.

This manoeuvre has a twofold approach:

It argues that 1) the BBT International have exchanged the editor’s words with those of Srila Prabhupada by going back to earlier drafts to see what Srila Prabhupada actually said, while it at the same time 2) deliberately fails to mention the many, many cases where BBT International have added, changed or removed Srila Prabhupada’s words in a way that takes the books further away from what Srila Prabhupada actually said.

Here is one such example that was brought to my attention by Caitanya Priya Dasa who also provided evidence in the form of pictures from the different editions of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

The Delhi edition

Bharatvarsa : This part of the world is also one of the nine Varsas of the Jambudwipa earthly planet. Each planet is also some times called as Dwipa on account of its being an island in the fathomless outer space. Each planet is factually an island in the airy ocean of outer space. Jambudwipa is one of such countless islands in the airy ocean of the outer space. Description of Bharatvarsa is given in the Mahabharata (Bhisma Parva chapters 9 to 10)

The 1972 edition

Bhāratavarşa: This part of the world is also one of the nine varsas of the Jāmbūdvīpa or earthly planet. Each planet is also sometimes called a dvipa because of its being an island in the fathomless outer space. Each planet is factually an island in the airy ocean of outer space. Jāmbūdvipa is only one of such countless islands in this airy ocean of space. A description of Bhāratavarşa is given in the Mahābhārata (Bhişma Parva, Chapters 9 to 10).

The 1976 edition

Bhārata-varṣa: This part of the world is also one of the nine varṣas of the Jambūdvīpa, or earthly planet. Each planet is also sometimes called a dvīpa because of its being an island in the fathomless outer space. Each planet is factually an island in the airy ocean of outer space. Jambūdvīpa is only one of such countless islands in this airy ocean of space. A description of Bhārata-varṣa is given in the Mahābhārata (Bhīṣma Parva, Chapters 9-10).

The 1978 edition

Bhārata-varṣa: This part of the world is also one of the nine varṣas of the Jambūdvīpa. A description of Bhārata-varṣa is given in the Mahābhārata (Bhīṣma-parva, Chapters 9 and 10).

Present BBT International edition (vedabase.io)

Bhārata-varṣa: This part of the world is also one of the nine varṣas of the Jambūdvīpa. A description of Bhārata-varṣa is given in the Mahābhārata (Bhīṣma-parva, Chapters 9 and 10).

Of course, the BBT International did not exist when this change was made. The BBT did. But I guess the editor in chief was the same. And since the change has not been reversed the BBT International is today responsible for it.

The BBT International claim that we can visit their website and inform ourselves of all their changes. They claim to have complete lists of all changes, explaining why they were made. The fact is that only a tiny fraction of the changes are mentioned. The above is not found on their website, so we have to clue why they made it.