Hasti Gopala Dasa: More On Book Changes
“Everyday when I sit down here to
write these books Krsna personally comes and dictates every word.”
The fact that now ISKCON is
attempting to ban Srila Prabhupada’s original books is indicative of the toxic
affects of the changed books. ISKCON and the BBT themselves are suffering from
the toxic affects of their own unauthorized book changes. Srila Prabhupada
being non different from his original books is banging on their temple doors
demanding entry with the whole world at his side.
How much potency do these constantly
changing books have? Srila Prabhupada in The Yoga System tapes talks about the
fact that in the world there are so many religions. The world has created so
many religions but what is the best religion. The best religion is that
religion in which one develops his dormant love of God. So how do we know which
Gita for example is the Gita with the most spiritual potency that will help the
prospective devotee develop their love of God, Krsna?
The original 1972 Gita is the answer, if it wasn’t then why all the fuss to
change it and ban it from Srila Prabhupada’s temples and the hands of the
world?
When one leaves the changed Gita and
takes to the original Gita then for all intense and purposes the changed Gita
has lost it’s potency in respect to the original.
It does not matter how many changes
to Srila Prabhupada books that ISKCON and the BBT engage it. It does not matter
that they may print millions of changed books. It takes very little however by
clever deviates to contaminate the whole message of Srila Prabhupadas books
there by diverting the whole world from a multitude of spiritual realities.
The intention of changing the books
is and has been done in order to stifle the spread of Krsna Consciousness not
to facilitate it. The only potency left in the illegally edited books is that
their internationally revealed contrast in relation to the originals is causing
more and more interest in the originals. That in itself indicates that the
illegally edited books lack the inherent capacity for the spiritual growth of
the prospective devotee. The BBT and ISKCON will continue as a spoiled child
continues in spite of being chastised by Srila Prabhupada.
ISKCON’s book changes continue to be
ignored. They are being ignored by
scholars world wide and will continue to be ignored. ISKCON is hard
pressed these days to get out these changed books. In fact there are a
many devotees of ISKCON Toronto who will only read and
distribute the original Srila Prabhupada books.
The fact that recently ISKCON is
reacting more vigorously against Srila
Prabhupadas books is simply because they are loosing the battle for hearts
and minds of the peoples of the world. The spiritual potency of those
representing the changed books matches the spiritual potency of the books
they’ve changed.
Wanting to prevent a choice of what
version of Srila Prabhupadas books the world wants to read is feeding the
worlds curiosity. ISKCON’s high handed militaristic tactics of book banning was
similarly started in Berlin Germany May of 1933.
Srila Prabhupada does not have any
changed books. There are original books only and those are the books that the
scholars and new disciples of Srila Prabhupada are studying and copying from.
The original books of Srila Prabhupada are going on line as fast as possible…for
free.
The BBT and ISKCON Changed Book
manufacturers are simply
that….manufacturers! I once asked the BBT on line “Is the changed Gita from the
1972 edition as spiritually potent as the 1982 changed Gita?” His answer was
“YES” So I responded….”Then why change it”?
There has always been and will
continue to be people interested in anything
“original” in the world at large. Original artifacts, original cars,
original records, photos, machines, art works of various kinds, pottery,
furniture etc. People world wide in regards to books are especially very
wary of the words “Abridged or Revised”. Abridged or revised indicate that
something is now missing from the original, then why is there something
missing? the question is asked. And where did the reviser and abridger get the
right legally to do that continuously for 33 years?
ISKCON will continue on it’s path of
“revising and abridging” as long as
they have the money to do so…but the money is running out folks. So pay
them no mind…they love the attention. Take that energy and purchase from KBI
the originals anyway you can and preach from them. The BBT credibility profile
is shrinking, their former supporters and even disciples are going to the
original teachings and books. “ISKCON will continue to revise itself out of
existence. The future will never notice their former presence”
Someone must clearly state for the
record: Where is it written in Srila Prabupadas will or testament that he
authorized his books to be changed at the free will of the BBT for as long as
the BBT and their descendents decide? WHERE? If anyone regularly connected with
ISKCON does not consider these facts then they are buying into literary
products that have not been tested. Where are the bona fide reviews from new
scholars? The world ought to understand how their intelligence is being
insulted by so called scholars who’s only intention has been for a steady
income at the buyers expense. Like any corporation with a product to sell it is
important to keep the coins rolling in. Every so often reshaping of the
original product selling it again as “New and Improved” is what they think is
essential. It is not.
The way ISKCON manages Srila
Prabhupadas books and image as an ISKCON product indicates to the intelligent
class of people that the present and long time managers of ISKCON have never
really felt secure in the original books, never really had faith in them and
therefore never really took the time to understand them. Buying anything from a
doubt filled salesman is a high risk venture for sure.
ISKCON is constantly trying to
reshape the perfect square but no matter how much they try their reshaping
indicates comprehension failure and complete lack of faith in the acharya they
claim to represent. That lack of comprehension and lack of faith is more than
evident now to the intelligent class of people than ever before because they
have seen and are reading the original works. They now know how in spite of
ISKCON and the BBT to perceive the perfect original form.
Srila Prabhupadas original books are
absolutely essential for many reasons, two quickly come to mind. First they
will confirm or deny the validity or potency of the changed books and secondly
they will be allowed to speak for themselves allowing the hearts of the world
to hear them. The original books are DIRECTLY FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD, KRSNA.
Srila Prabhupada told us this. That means authorized. In the nice article
titled Leave Srila Prabhupada Books Alone, Srila Prabhupada said:
“Everyday”, he said “when I sit down
here to write these books” He was now looking into space waving His hands in
the air His voice filled with Transcendental emotion, “Krsna personally comes
and dictates every word.”
With the original books the reader
goes DIRECTLY to the source Krsna, as opposed to indirectly due to redirection
as a result of verse changes and word meaning changes by completely conditioned
souls.
Those at present who are not able to
perceive the differences BETWEEN THE ORIGINAL AND THE CHANGED BOOKS are suffering
the toxic affects of being subjected to ISKCONs constant reshaping. There is
the original potency in Srila Prabhupada’s books. POTENCY means “THE INHEIRENT
CAPACITY FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT; Growth and development take place as one
applies the teachings, the essential constituent is that the people make
spiritual advancement. Constantly debasing the original Gita for example simply
has those whom Srila Prabhupada told us to reach constantly trying to shift
from one direction to another mirroring the mental inconsistencies of a BBT and
ISKCON who live in doubt of the teachings themselves.
Srila Prabhupada explained that his
books are transcendental and every time they are read more information is
revealed. That is the difference between ordinary books and transcendental
books. Some may argue that the changed books still have some potency. By
altering the original books as the BBT are continuing to do has the same affect
as altering an equation with even one number. That means you will reach a different
conclusion than the original conclusion. Besides the world doesn’t need SOME of
Srila Prabhupadas potency, it deserves and requires ALL of Srila Prabhupadas
potency. All of Srila Prabhupadas potency is what he wanted and still wants
distributed for the whole world to have. Not just SOME.
Where are the at length essays from
anyone….anyone who is a student in ISKCON that can detail the spiritual
advantages of the BBT book changes from the original Srila Prabhupada books? So
that new devotees may understand their reasoning. Where again are those at
length essays regarding the re editing of the first edited books by world
scholars who were exposed originally to Srila Prabhupadas first editions? There
aren’t any because real bona fide scholars have long left behind reading what
ISKCON and the BBT have been selling since 1982.
By continuing to water down the Hare
Krishna Movement ISKCON and the BBT force an unwilling world into a completely
unnecessary forest of concocted ideals and misdirection’s. Cultivating love of
God, Krsna, the original consciousness of the living entity is being seriously
delayed by a controversy created intentionally.
This intention is spreading wide an
unnecessary conflict that is very seriously delaying the most important
spiritual progress of mankind in the last 5,000 years.
Take heart, purchase, distribute and
teach from Srila Prabhupada’s pre 1978 books while ignoring any ISKCON
corporate threat.
“I long to accomplish great and
noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they
were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves
of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest
worker.”
Hellen Keller, who’s books were
burned by the facists in Berlin, Germany
in May of 1933.
YS Hasti Gopala Dasa
October 7, 2010 — TORONTO, ONTARIO,
CANADA