Gita Cover-Up Alert or Buyer Beware!
Changes — By Rupanuga dasa on December 1, 2010 9:46 amInterested parties should be made aware that the BBT editors of Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-Gita As It Is have continued editing their own new (2010) paperback edition of their 1983 “revised and enlarged” version. They have removed the notice “Revised and Enlarged” from the face page and left only “Second Edition.” The phrase “with the original Sanskrit text, Roman transliteration, English equivalents, translation and elaborate purports” has been omitted. So now, after all the omissions, the face page reads simply “Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, Second Edition, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.”
Consequently, there is no indication for the prospective buyer that the book is actually a revised version of the original; rather it is made to appear to be simply a re-printing of the original—by the same author! The BBT editors, remaining incognito, continue to plagiarize Srila Prabhupada’s name and fame to lend credibility to their in fact re-written version of the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, originally designated as the “Complete Edition” by Srila Prabhupada himself.
On the back cover, once again the editors omit an important phrase in the description of Srila Prabhupada as “the leading exponent of the science of Krsna consciousness in the West and the world’s most distinguished teacher of Vedic religion and thought…” And they add a curious sentence in conclusion, which really reflects their own clandestine position: “Thus, unlike other editions of the Gita, his conveys Lord Krsna’s profound message as it is—without the slightest taint of adulteration or personally motivated change.” This is so reminiscent of that well-known story of the man on the second floor of his house hearing a noise downstairs and calling out, “Who’s there?” revealing the actual position, a voice from below answers emphatically, “Oh, I’m not stealing! I’m not stealing!”
Or the time when devotees told Srila Prabhupada about a newspaper article claiming that a space probe to Mars had sent back photographic images that so closely resembled the terrain in Arizona. Srila Prabhupada said the scientists involved were themselves in Arizona, simply revealing their own minds, reflecting their surroundings.
Similarly, these editors, perhaps smarting from unending legitimate criticism, have inadvertently revealed their own position: “Oh no, we have edited responsibly, without the slightest taint of adulteration or personally motivated change!” But they continue to commit what Srila Prabhupada described in the purport Srimad Bhagavatam 3.4.26:
- “Although one may be well versed in transcendental science, one should be careful about the offense of
maryada-vyatikrama
- , impertinently surpassing a greater personality.”
The impertinence knows no bounds, because BBT editing has become a co-authoring of Srila Prabhupada’s books. Buyer beware! Milk still looks like milk even when containing poison.
 2009 Hardback
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 2010 Paperback
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6 Comments
Hare Krsna.
All Glories To Srila Prabhupada
What Ever happened to the BBT printing of Srila Prabhupadas books?
I couldn’t belive this second edition was printed in China!!!!!
Now we know that this wrong has been done, what is the next step?
I would suggest that BBT should immediately stop printing and distributing this revised and enlarged edition. Secondly, all the GBC members and Sanyasis must demand and put pressure on BBT that it be done. These protectors of Iskcon must come out publicly and express their opinions on the matter. That way every one will know where they stand. Thirdly, all the book distributors and temples should stop buying and distibuting/selling this revised edition. I invite your active involement in the matter. Elsewhere on this site you can read my analysis of two verses which are incorrectly translated in this so called corrected revised Gita. I fell ashamed and will do every thing possible to reverse this wrong. I call upon every one to ponder over the points outled here and do something concrete. Mere criticism will not bring any change.
Hari Bol!!!
It is extremely clear that Srila Prabhupada did not wish for any modifications of his books, as is thoroughly confirmed from his words. These changes are being made by members of the BBT, GBC, etc. I think we’d be hard-pressed to convince them to go back to the original printings considering they’ve been distributing the revised editions since 1983. The original versions of the books will just have to be found and spread by real devotes who are sincere.
The fact that they removed the “revised” title after RE-revising the already revised book is beyond misleading. Now it appears that this is Prabhupada’s Second Edition. This is very tricky. It was misleading enough with the “Revised and Enlarged” title. At least let it be advised that these are NOT the original texts written by Prabhupada.
It seems to me that they are the false spiritual masters Krishna says in the Gita will banish to the darkest reaches of the universe. These men are supposed to be followers of Guru’s teachings, yet they change them and are misleading the readers by suggesting they are the original texts from Prabhupada!
Welcome to Kali-yuga.
This reminds me of something Prabhupada said in an ITV video:
[03:37]Is that escaping? Or it is intelligence?
[04:41]That you work hard and give it to me, we enjoy.
[04:46]This is intelligence, it is not escaping.
[04:52]That is going on. The capatilist, they are engaging these rascals, asses in the factory.
[05:01]And he is enjoying life. So that is intelligence.
[05:03]That let this rascal work hard and make a nice park for us and we shall take advantage of it.
[05:10]This is intelligence.
[05:12]And it is called “ajara vritti.”
[05:23]Ajara vritti.
[05:24]Ajara means the big snake, is called ajara.
[05:29]So this mouse, they make hole and want to live there.
[05:34]And they are comfortably living and in the meantime the ajara comes.
[05:38]He eats that mouse and lives comfortably.
[05:40]So ours is ‘ajara vritti.”
[05:45]You work for the hole to live comfortably,
[05:49]but we take possession of the house and live comfortably.
The ajara of false spiritual masters seem be living off the work by actual devotes to take their house and live comfortably. “This is intelligence, it is not escaping.”
Reply
Dann
September 19, 2011 at 10:00 am
Please accept my humble obeisances and all glory to srila Prabhupada,
I went on Jayadvaita´s swami personal site and noticed the next things.
First of all i don´t want to blaspheme any person on this site, but as swami i wonder why advaita doesn´t put srila prabhupada´s book on top of his site ?
When i search for The Mahamantra on the site i can´t find it , but read on the top “satyam param dhimahi” This is a mantra against corruption.(but isn´t the Mahamantra the primary Mantra to remove all the dirt from the heart)And under it, posted at 9-11-2011 a story about the (movie crash) wich took place on 9-11-2001.
The only solution is to personally acquire Srila Prabhupada’s original Bhagavad gita from KBI and distribute them. Gradually we will excede Upa-Iskcon’s distribution.
ISKCON and the BBT took the path that Arjuna argued with Krsna that he wanted to take. They left the field of service and now are rewarded with defamation only. That is a reward that they revel in, which indicates the seriousness of their own mental and material condition. They are not leaders of men they are leaders of sheep. The bona fide Prabhupadanugas are leaders of men and the world is theirs to lead for Srila Prabhupada.
Bhagavad Gita is perpetually navayovanam.
Pardon for joke.