The Sampradaya Sun: Srila Prabhupada’s original books being ritually burned and destroyed

" One can only wonder if the folks at Microsoft who are donating big money to ISKCON Seattle realize just how fanatical the leadership there has become"

“An Appeal to Jayadvaita Swami”

BY: ROCANA DASA

Sep 29, 2010 — CANADA (SUN) — I’d like to once again address the issue of the book changes – a topic we’ve regularly seen discussed in the Sampradaya Sun. Clearly, it’s one of the biggest hot-button issues for Srila Prabhupada’s disciples, particularly those who are not presently ISKCON leaders.

In the crosshairs of this circumstance are HH Jayadvaita Swami and his Tonto-like sidekick, Dravida dasa, who have gone to a great deal of effort and expense in trying to justify their editing of Srila Prabhupada’s books. The die is now cast — they have managed to get GBC support and authorization to not only edit, but to re-edit and print their changed versions of Srila Prabhupada’s books.

Any attempt to try to convince them to undo this damage is a lesson in futility. It’s not going to happen. As individuals, they’ve invested too much of their life energy, and the society has already printed thousands, if not millions of these books. What’s done is done.

Jayadvaita Swami himself, unlike many of the other sannyasis in ISKCON, sets what appears to be a fairly ideal standard for one in the Sannyasa asrama. He has always been one of the few vocal critics of ISKCON, from the inside. Even during the Zonal Acarya period, at the end he sided with the reformers.

He eventually went on a long parikrama in order to take himself out of the situation. He’s also written some decisive articles. So he has many good qualities, and I believe a fair degree of sincerity. Unfortunately, his entire devotional career, now and for the history books, is shadowed by his editing of the Sampradaya Acarya’s perfect books.

As I’ve said in previous articles, I believe that Jayadvaita Swami was contaminated and mislead by Ramesvara, back when he began this editing business. Many important events have occurred since then in regards to the book changes, such as the editors’ decision to move on from the Bhagavad-gita to the other books. Most recently, by Krsna’s causeless arrangement, even personalities such as Hansadutta have been engaged in the drama.

Gupta das, a very expert lawyer, and Vedaguya prabhu, an expert manager and businessman, are now set-up with Krishna Books, Inc. to print and distribute the original books. The unfolding of that complicated lawsuit wasn’t by accident – it was definitely Krsna’s arrangement. Now the devotees and public have access to both the original and revised editions of numerous books, and can make individual choices… at least, those not within ISKCON can choose.

Despite all that’s wrong about editing Srila Prabhupada’s books, one of the most Draconian and demoniac of all circumstances is that the leaders – particularly those involved with the BBT and printing, such as Gopal Krishna Swami — have let their disciples, followers and temple leaders know that the original books are now totally banned.

According to them, every attempt should be made to keep them away from everyone in ISKCON. There’s no facility, no authorization whatsoever to give people a choice within the society.

We have heard many stories that vary from place to place, guru to guru, and zone to zone, in regards to the leaders’ attitude towards the original books. We have heard about Srila Prabhupada’s original books being ritually burned and destroyed.

We have heard about devotees being interrupted while on the asana giving a lecture and quoting from the original books, being made to instead one of the edited books instead of their own original copy. We have heard stories about devotees being thrown out of the temples, permanently banned, for nothing more than reading, distributing or promoting the original books.

Most recently, we had a story from ISKCON Seattle, where a dedicated grihasta was summarily banned by Nanda Suta dasa, simply for handing out ‘Chant Hare Krishna’ pamphlets – outside the gate at a Ratha Festival. He was banned simply because the pamphlets contained a reference to Krishna Books, Inc. One can only wonder if the folks at Microsoft who are donating big money to ISKCON Seattle realize just how fanatical the leadership there has become.

I believe it’s very important to try to get such individuals to see the light – to understand that at the very least, devotees should have the right to choose between the original and the edited books, without recrimination.

Towards that end, I would like to extend a public appeal to Jayadvaita Swami and Dravida dasa. As a show of their concern and sincerity on this issue, I propose that they issue a public statement, letting it be known that they would welcome and approve of both editions being offered in ISKCON — in the temples, at festivals, etc.; that they believe individual devotees should be free to make up their own minds; and urging ISKCON leaders and temple managers to cease and desist forcing and punishing devotees who are more attracted to the original books than to the edited ones.

Given that it’s too late to undo what’s already been done – the market is now flooded with printed copies of the changed books – it’s only fair to let the marketplace speak. One could argue that it’s better to drink milk than buttermilk, but in the end, what counts is how many people drink one or the other.

In an environment of fair competition, neither of the competing parties gets to ban the other from the marketplace. The same basic freedom should be extended to the publishers of Srila Prabhupada’s books. At the present stage of the game, it’s the most we can hope for, until such time as the GBC/BBT become enlightened about the fact that Srila Prabhupada’s books simply must not be changed.

When it comes to Srila Prabhupada’s disciples, our shelves are already full of the original books. Most of us won’t even allow a copy of one of the edited books on our shelves. Srila Prabhupada’s disciples didn’t burn the original books, replacing them with Jayadvaita Swami’s new edited versions.

But there are countless new devotees yet to purchase their own books, what to speak of all the book distributors, and millions of non-devotee consumers who will buy Srila Prabhupada’s books. They deserve a choice.

Jayadvaita Swami should also make a public statement, giving his opinion on whether or not he feels his edited editions can stand up, side by side, to the original editions… whether or not people in general, and especially ISKCON devotees, will be likely to choose his edited editions, or Srila Prabhupada’s unchanged books.

Of course, even in a free market, if there is a guru behind the edited edition, there’s going to be unfair competition, as they’ll encourage their followers to buy the edited books. That has to be accepted. At the same time, the stigma of being a reader and a preacher from the original books must be eliminated.

Every ISKCON GBC, guru, sannyasi and leader should stand up and say yes, I think both editions should be made available. They should encourage freedom of choice. Then the pressure and onus will be on the KBI publishers to make available as many of the original books as needed, and the BBT will have to reciprocate and print more and more of Srila Prabhupada’s original books to compete with them. Such a competition could work in Srila Prabhupada’s favor, and in favor of humanity at large.

My suggestion to Jayadvaita Swami and Dravida prabhu is that rather than go on editing Srila Prabhupada’s already printed books, they considering putting some effort into editing and producing the wealth of material recorded on audio that has not yet come into print. I for one have gained immense benefit and realization by listening to Srila Prabhupada’s sound vibration, whether it be Srimad Bhagavatam classes, Bhagavad-gita, Nectar of Devotion, morning walks, etc.

There is so much content given by Srila Prabhupada that could be carefully edited (not arbitrarily changed) and compiled into new volumes – new books based on Srila Prabhupada’s lectures. Classes and conversations could be compiled into new collections, and the professional editing skills of Jayadvaita Swami and Dravida could be applied to making the best possible representations of exactly what Srila Prabhupada said.

Directing and executing such projects would be a fitting use of their editorial abilities. It might even motivate the Bhaktivedanta Archives to get the rest of Srila Prabhupada’s audio content out to the public, if the editors busied themselves with putting together books that come directly from Srila Prabhupada’s dictation. “Edit” does not have to be a four-letter word — it simply needs to be a verb, pointed in the right direction.

I also feel that Srila Prabhupada wanted his BBT to be used only for producing his books, and I disagree with any other disciple’s writings, or other sources of content being printed by the BBT. That said, there are two other places where good editing skills can be employed. One is in a review of the purports given by Hridayananda to the 11th and 12th Cantos of Srimad Bhagavatam.

Hridayananda has proven to be anything but an Acarya, and has essentially disqualified from giving commentary on the Bhagavatam.

If Jayadvaita Swami and Dravida are comfortable editing Srila Prabhupada’s transcendental purports, and even his translations, then why not take a pass at Hridayananda’s work? What to speak of Satsvarupa’s Lilamrta. He’s proved to be a complete crazy man, and Srila Prabhupada’s biography desperately needs to be re-written.

So there’s plenty of work to be done for devotees like Jayadvaita Swami, who see this sort of work as their lifelong service. I suggest Jayadvaita Swami take up these ideas and run with them. And from this point onward, he should stay away from Srila Prabhupada’s original books. Editing them further is not only a waste of time, but an undoing of the perfect.

While I agree with some of the minor corrections that Srila Prabhupada already mentioned were wrong, and agree that careful and minimal adjustments in that regard should be made, this wholesale editing and re-editing of the books has been an absolute disaster.

Jayadvaita Swami should also formally ask the GBC to comply with his wishes, and promise in writing that from here on, there will be an absolute unchangeable moratorium on any future editing of Srila Prabhupada’s books, until time immemorial.

Given the precedent they’ll allowed to become established, this must now become a GBC mandate. I suggest they take a re-vote on the issue at the next Mayapur meeting, and make it an open vote.

Let everyone see how their representatives voted — how the gurus, the members of the GBC they identify with, voted on this issue. No more of these secret ballots, where everybody writes something on a little piece of paper and hands it in, so nobody knows who votes. That is an unnecessary and dishonest system.

We want transparency. Obviously, I’m a firm believer in freedom of the press, which helps to protect the members of society. That’s why I dedicate my life to publishing the Sampradaya Sun, why I write the articles and say the things I’ve said. But it must start with the leaders: Jayadvaita Swami, in charge of the BBT, and the members of the GBC.

The GBC want to remain in their positions forever, with no votes and no dismissals, no matter what they do or what they’re done. There’s no honor there, no assurance that they’ll step down if they make humongous mistakes.

But the voting, at least, should be transparent. And it should be published, who voted on what issue. There should be a reporter present, and transcripts of every meeting should be made available to the public, like any parliament or legislature in the free world.

On the book changes issue, I think we should start right there.