Prabhupada on Editing Bhaktsiddhanta — Don’t

Kīrtanānanda: Why don’t you write some purports to that? (Srila Bhaktsiddhanta´s Sri Brahma Samhita)

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Kīrtanānanda: To Bhaktisiddhānta’s Brahma-samhitā. It would be nice if you would write some purports to it.

Prabhupāda: Purports?

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. Some of us have difficulty understanding Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So if I get time… My time is very limited. So even there is difficulty, let them read over and over and again. Then they will understand. Why should we change it? Let it be presented as Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī has given.

3 thoughts on “Prabhupada on Editing Bhaktsiddhanta — Don’t

  1. We are adamantly opposed to editing Prabhupada’s books. How can you improve on perfection? All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

  2. Ravindra Svarup told me in 1997 that he was put in charge of making the changes in Srila Prabhupada’s Books by the GBC. He said because Jayadvaita Swami was the closest thing to a Fundementalist he let him do it and he himself just checked for spelling.

  3. When Srila Prabhupada authorised the publishing of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s translation and purports to Sri Brahma-Samhita, he stipulated that absolutely NO CHANGES were to be made, except for any spelling or punctuation corrections needed. The following quote is from Subhananda das’s Introduction on page xvi:

    “…As per Srila Prabhupada’s instructions regarding the publication of this volume, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati’s somewhat technical and sometimes difficult prose has been left intact and virtually untouched. Fearing that any editorial (grammatical and stylistic) tampering with Bhaktisiddhanta’s text might result in inadvertent changes in meaning, Prabhupada asked that it be left as is, and the editors of this volume have complied with his wishes…”.

    So Srila Prabhupada, the pure unalloyed Maha Bhagavat devotee of Krsna would not allow any changes to the work of his guru-maharaja, yet these upstart editors, approved by the GBC, now effectively have carte-blanche to change as they think necessary to appeal to the world’s misguided population. As stated in Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1.5.11:

    “Such transcendental literatures, even though imperfectly composed (abaddhavaty api), are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are thoroughly honest.”

Leave a Reply to Citi-Sakti Devi Dasi Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *