Pariprashnena — Q&A Archive

Why do you need it? What is for sincere devotee wrong about the current Bhagavad-gita As It Is? It is better to concentrate on essence than on non-essential details...

it is just a mere question of knowledge and change, i would like the version of the Bhagavad-Gita by which Srila Prabhupada based his lectures on Bhagavad-Gita, if you have ever tried learning Bhagavad Gita verses then Listening to his Lectures you would find much change that is now in the new "revised versions" i mean no offence, it is merely for preaching and personal purposes only... read: http://jaganat.wordpress.com/2006/10/28/bhagavad-gita-changes/

I dont understand what benefit it could have to study and know some few insignificant changes caused by edition of BG. Its just wasting time. Im quite sure HH Jayadvaita Maharaja didnt change the meaning of Srila Prabhupadas teachings. That is substantial. You can very well use the current edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is for your preaching and study without losing anything of its spiritual essence.

As i said in my previous response, i want the Bhagavad-Gita Srila Prabhupada used in the many lectures he gave, read the article post above, and if nothing significant was changed, why change???

do you think there is a problem anupatha, like it might not be authorized or one could get the wrong philosophical impression with the original BG?
Is the revised one the only one to read, otherwise we could get confused?
Why you insist brushing off the inquiry? Just curious.

Thank you for that mishra prabhu, i would also like to state that i have no problem with the "new" Bhagavad-Gita, BUT i want Srila Prabhupads Bhagavad-Gita AS IT IS! or shall i say, AS IT WAS...

i would also like to request that my inquery not be debated but if anyone has any suggestions please please please send me a link to it!

Hare Krishna

find attached:
Bhagavad gita as it is 1972 edition

Srimad Bhagavatam original 3 vol.

bonus :)

related (for latecomers): http://www.pariprashnena.com/discussion/201/

[quote][cite] mishra:[/cite]do you think there is a problem anupatha, like it might not be authorized or one could get the wrong philosophical impression with the original BG?
Is the revised one the only one to read, otherwise we could get confused?
Why you insist brushing off the inquiry? Just curious.[/quote]

Why? Because as you surely know some "devotees" use this "CHANGED and EDITED Bhagavad-gita" arguments as support for their nonsense ideas, e.g. regarding legitimity of todays ISKCON gurus and GBC, and so on... Im just saying the changes are insignificant and theres no need of excessive concentration on these superficialities.

Above referred article http://jaganat.wordpress.com/2006/10/28/bhagavad-gita-changes/ is disrespectful to HH Jayadvaita Swami and I really dont like its unhumble tone. The only viable path for us is finding things uniting devotees and supporting their faith. Articles like this do just the opposite.

[quote][cite] GopalaGuru:[/cite]As i said in my previous response, i want the Bhagavad-Gita Srila Prabhupada used in the many lectures he gave, read the article post above, and if nothing significant was changed, why change???[/quote]

Please, ask directly HH Jayadvaita Maharaja.

Imho, you are the one splitting parties with your comments here, Prabhu.
The main cause of damage to our movement are not the critics but the scandals in our own camp.
We do not need mindless followers, we need more whistle blowers, devotees with a conscience, to balance authority, otherwise we are doomed to become a religion.

[quote][cite] mishra:[/cite]Imho, you are the one splitting parties with your comments here, Prabhu.
[/quote]

It doesnt look like really humble opinion. But anyway, Im sorry, if it is possible to understand my comments as splitting parties, its really not my intention.

The scandals are one thing. Everyone can fall down. It happens. We are in Kali-yuga and unfortunately its understandable. Everything depends on personal responsibility of every individual. The other thing is how the scandals are pointed out and publicly squeezed out by some envious and disballanced persons. In many cases the original problem can be relatively small, but being publicly discussed and gossiped it grows large. This whistle blowing especially on internet is really misfortunate way of advertising.

Mishra Prabhu, arent you accidentally the blogger who published that article? By the photo it looks like that...
http://jaganat.wordpress.com/2006/10/28/bhagavad-gita-changes/

keep on your guardian work, Prabhu. Some sinful leaders will benefit from your cover up.
I prefer to be on the side of the powerless abused devotees, speaking openly and, yes, publish in my blog others articles I find useful.
In fact, the danger in our movement is not caused by the bad apples, but by the people who looks the other way.
Thank you again for your "help", I rest my case here.

Theres one saying known in our country: "It is better to wash your dirty clothes at home." When I say this, the one who made the clothes dirty really wont benefit from it in any way. Similarly sinful leaders cant benefit from the opinion that the problems should be solved within ISKCON rather then "solved" on internet. I really dont know what welfare it brings to ISKCON when some its excrements are brought out and smeared on many public forums and websites. Its rather damaging for ISKCON. Sinful persons should be punished by corresponding authorities. But why make the problem overflowing the place where it belongs? Nobody benefits from this. Neither ISKCON, nor powerless abused devotees, nor even spiritually seeking people from public who are discovering ISKCON and finding informations on web. Washing dirty clothes publicly really doesnt help anything. Its just a way of revenge, nothing more.

> "It is better to wash your dirty clothes at home."

This is only a common sense worldwide. I already mentioned that every sane organization/company tries to protect its reputation by fixing its problems internally (this is not equal to covering them up though) but some ISKCON members do exactly the opposite as if they enjoyed it (maybe they do, who knows). Nothing will be improved this way, only distrust and fear of accepting responsibilities will grow. This is already happening since in some places ISKCON is struggling to find enough local leaders. To kick those lying on the ground (i.e. to criticize, ridicule, etc.) is an avaisnava attitude to me. I havent seen this in mainstream Christianity or elsewhere. Imho, this is one of the significant reasons why devotees leave - they asked themselves a question: When Ill be in trouble, will I find help? We need more helping hands, imho.

This is a VERY big point i was trying to make, how devotees arent humble as we should be, some arent even trying, which we should atleast try to do, and the politics is so bad so so so bad, i simply requested a copy of the earlier unedited versions of the Bhagavad-Gita for personal purposes, and look what came of my humble request?

devotees chastising me for asking, for wanting, asking why i want it, telling me its a problem and we should just stick to the latest versions, prabhus nothing is a problem unless it is made a problem, one of the qualities of a devotee is that they are silent, which means we only speak if its for krishna and if our words are relevant appropriate and pleasant and helpful, some times or very often i do not see this....

Please accept my humble obeisances if i have offended anyone.

Hare Krishna

Dear Gopala Guru, you probably understand something wrong and supposedly it is caused by this inauspicious impersonal way of communication via internet. Nobody chastised you here. I just made a notice that it is not necessary to concentrate on superficialities like on some non-essential changes in BG. I didnt tell you that it is a problem you want to download it. Please, dont put in my mouth what I didnt tell. If nothing is a problem until it is made a problem, then why do you speak about problems? I dont see any problem here. When I saw your request about original and NOT EDITED Bhagavad-gita, I thought: Oh no, another rittvik is laying here common and well-known basics for his propaganda. We all know their agenda and it is really annoiyng to read things like that again and again. So I just asked why do you want to download it, to find out whether you are one of them or not. Thats all. I dont think you have to feel stricken by it in any way. If your intentions are pure, honest and clean, why is it for you so harming when somebody asks you about your intentions? Where is the problem you are talking about? It is forbidden for devotees to ask questions and discuss them? Why do you think that my question is not humble? I really dont understand the cause of your disturbance and Im sorry you feel like that because of my question.

You chastise, doubt of the intentions and when people complains about your behaviour you tell them back why you are arguing. Nice loop. I understand more fanatics now.

Im really sad from your comment Mishra Prabhu. I dont know what to say. Maybe just: When there is lack of persuasive arguments, then remains only injuring others.. OK, for me that was enough. Thank you for your association here on the forum. Hare Krishna.

Haribol,,, just a small question,,,, why are the later versions slightly different??

Antony, see the link posted by me above.

Thank you Veda, one of your links explains it very clearly, hare krishna.

I prefer Jayadvaita Swamis edition because it makes the ritviks angry too. hehe

Gopala Guru prabhu, in reference to your last comment on this thread, I find it very strange and quite disturbing myself how you were treated after making such a simple humble request. You may want to go to Krishna.org. Madhudvisa prabhu has nothing but Prabhupadas original works. No "new editions". abhiram; What makes your "guru" Jayadvaita qualified to make changes in Prabhupadas already approved editions anyway? Self glorification maybe? If one is not glorifying Prabhupada, than he is glorifying his own self. Jayadvaita was certainly not given the authority to do so by Srila Prabhupada. I personally witnessed heavy arguments between Hayagriva Prabhu, Jayadvaita, Kirtanananda, Satsvarupa and some of the rest of the old boys club regarding this issue. The conclusion was, and the bottom line is; we only have Jayadvaitas "word" that this instruction was given. Dont bother wasting your time attempting to argue this particular point, because I heard it all before. I saw and heard first hand what really went down. Any arguments from persons other than those mentioned above are completely futile. On the other hand, I welcome any comments from those who are mentioned.

but it makes the ritviks angry doesnt it?
:)

[quote][cite] abhiram:[/cite]but it makes the ritviks angry doesnt it?
:)[/quote]

Not everyone who disagrees with the book changes is ritvik. Nor is everyone who disagrees with other situations within iskcon always ritvik. Is that the only reason you like this version of the gita - because it makes someone angry? Then you are missing out and promoting it for the wrong reasons.

oh, dont take it so seriously.

Hare Krishna, and thank you Prabhu Priyavrata, thats exactly what i was looking for and trying to say, thank you so much, and also i am not ritvik, though i would like to get to know more about their views, it helps with preaching...

Youre very welcome GopalaGuru prabhu. Im glad I could be of some service to you. I too am not ritvik. Although I understand their views. If you are interested for preaching purposes, you can go to The Bhaktivedantas web-site, or Krishna.org. Their position is made quite clear and straight to the point. Im sure this information will prove to be beneficial for you in your endeavors. Your servant, Priyavrata

To anupatha: How dare you say, "its disrespectful to Jayadvaita", and you dont like the unhumble tone. First of all, who really cares about disrespecting the envious personality Jayadvaita after all the damage hes done. Prabhupada used to say that snakes should be killed. Theyre so envious. Secondly, it is yourself and Jayadvaita who are being disrespectful. You are disrespectful to Srila Prabhupada due to the influence of Jayadvaitas false ego. Jayadvaita has infected you, "his" disciples and many others with his envious mentality and bogus books. Your offensive attitude and nonsense statements epitimize an "unhumble tone". Heres a news flash for you Bubaji...Jayadvaita was always envious of all the "Big, Big devotees" of the day involved in writing, editing and publishing Prabhupadas books. Prabhupada would always encourage us to write books on Krsna Consciousness. He also said, "Dont put my name on them". No-one was trying to hault the attempts of Jayadvaita in his desire to write. The problem was that he wanted to put Prabhupadas name on them. Why didnt he translate his own BG and put his name on it? Because he knew that he would become laughing stock. No-one would accept it as bona-fide. He needed Prabhupadas name for so-called authenticity. There were many intense arguments for many years. Several law suits ensued, campaigns were set into motion, all these things and more were done in an attempt to prove Jayadvaitas so-called Sanskrit superiority over Srila Prabhupada. This started to create splits within ISKCON. He actually spent millions of ISKCON dollars in attorneys fees on an international level to make these changes take place. He was successful in that attempt. However, once his editions were printed and distributed the numbers regarding book distribution began to plummet. Jayadvaita is still that envious personality whos only interest is self glorification. I find your comments envious and offensive to Srila Prabhupada. I also feel very sorry for you. You have been bitten by the serpent and infected with his poison. Its most unfortunate. I will pray for your recovery.

Priyavrata Prabhu,
Ive been working with transcripts of SPs dictation tapes and saw that JAS BG returns to them, after Hayagrivas documented speculations. Can you prove that they were tampered with and that SPs statement about his trust in JASs editing is a fake? Imho, this is the only way to prove JAS conspiracy.

Its unfortunate that this site is degrading into another ISKCON politics forum. Wasnt the original idea to avoid it?

ys Jan

This site is for questions and answers, governed by the terms of service.

We can create a category named "ISKCON social" or something like that.

If someone doesnt like the ISKCON politics they can turn off the category "ISKCON social" without having to part the site altogether.

Questions out of the right category context will be deleted to provide clarity and reliability, so please choose from the drop-down menu rightly.

What do you think?

The original intent of the question is already resolved, so we are about to close it.

Seems ok to me. How to turn off a category?

Just go to Categories tab and block "Social" category.
You will not see any of the posts there. Of course, you can block/unblock categories anytime you wish.
If necessary we can create a special category for iSKCON social.

Firstly, I didnt begin this thread. I simply commented on anupathas attitude and offensive disposition towards the humble, simple question originally asked by GopalGuru prabhu. He came off as if GopalGuru had done something wrong and disrespectful. Is it not? Let us try to keep Prabhupada in the center. I do not wish to get into the politics of this matter, as I am not a politician. When a pot of milk is touched by the lips of a serpent, it has poisonous effects. No matter how much fresh milk one pours into the poisonous pot, it will never revert back to its pure status. However, I will give Veda the courtesy of an answer with this question; When the conspirators hold the keys to the archives, what is the question of trying to attain to the truth of the matter through their documentations or audios. In any event, as I said, I have no desire to go into this any further. I know what I know. I personally seen and heard these matters being discussed and argued over first hand at many GBC meetings as well as outside the GBC meetings. The GBC were so paranoid about the changing of the books topic that they used to scan the meeting locations for bugs prior to them taking place. Furthermore, what you do with this thread is of no consequence to me.