Inside Nam Hatta has the scoop on goings-on, developments and issues important to the disciples and followers of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.World Sankirtan Party and Inside Nam Hatta are hosted by Hansadutta das, a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada and trustee of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Participate or learn more about World Sankirtan Party . © 2004 - Hansadutta das |
[Posted March 11, 2006]
Prabhupada
Did Not Make Mistakes
The Bhaktivedantas |
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Some time after
Hansadutta das was appointed a BBT Trustee by Srila Prabhupada, he went
to Srila Prabhupada and suggested, "Prabhupada, the devotees really
like your original Bhagavatam from India with the quaint
and quirky language..." and before he could even finish, Srila
Prabhupada said, "No. I have full faith in Hayagriva. Whatever he has
done is perfect. Don't touch it."
The bottom line is: Srila Prabhupada is the ultimate authority. If
Srila Prabhupada has designated someone to edit and has indicated he
has faith in him, in other words, entrusted something to him, then we,
as his disciples, must accept that. Otherwise, if we try to circumvent
his directions by arguing that Hayagriva might have done this mistake
or that, then we show we do not have faith in Srila Prabhupada. "Love
me, love my dog." Hayagriva was the chief editor. If you listen to the
tapes, Srila Prabhupada always refers to "Professor Howard Wheeler."
You never hear Prabhupada refer to Jayadvaita. Hansadutta recalls: "I
clearly remember when Jayadvaita Joined at 26 2nd Avenue temple. He had
a head of hair like Curly of the three stooges. I personally shaved his
head with my own straight razor, I trained him up to distribute BTG's.
He never even finished high school." It was Hayagriva who was the
editor-in-chief. Prabhupada was proud to have him as a disciple, and he
had credentials. Prabhupada said at one time when Hayagriva had
understood the spirit of his books: "Now I can die in peace."
Real editing means entering into the spirit and current of the author.
It's not merely a matter of grammar and standardized dictionary
spellings. Jayadvaita was only just a clerk. He was never chief editor.
But what Jayadvaita has done by changing Prabhupada's books indicates
that he thinks Srila Prabhupada didn't know what he was doing. Only the
author can authorize who can and who cannot make this fine-tuning.
Prabhupada was not a buffoon, a fool incapable of understanding who and
what was necessary for final publication of his books. Basically,
Jayadvaita is saying that Srila Prabhupada didn't know, and he has
thrown everything that Srila Prabhupada said, wrote and did into doubt.
That's why it is so dangerous. The book changes have opened the door
for perpetual tampering with Srila Prabhupada's books. They're all up
for grabs.
Either we trust Srila Prabhupada and have faith in him, or we don't.
Meaning Srila Prabhupada decided that Hayagriva was competent to edit
his books, and he approved them for publication, distributed those
books, used them and lectured from them. Did he know what he was doing
or not? Was he just a feeble old man who didn't know what needed to be
done with his books? Jayadvaita's insistence on correcting Srila
Prabhupada's books reflects his and ISKCON's understanding of Srila
Prabhupada, implying that he didn't have the intelligence to select a
competent editor, that he didn't know who was qualified and who was
not, that he somehow or other failed to recognize that Jayadvaita was
more qualified. This suggests that Srila Prabhupada himself was not
qualified.
To Jayadvaita: In answer to the argument that the
publication of Chaitanya-charitamrita was so rushed that
there were many mistakes, making it necessary to go back and fix them
now, we ask, So where is the order to go back and correct those
mistakes? You cite this and that authority—karmi scholars, karmi
publications—to justify downsizing, downgrading Krishna from He
to he [see
footnote], but can you produce the letter from Srila
Prabhupada authorizing you to change anything after his departure? Is
there a letter telling "My dear Jayadvaita, please ignore everything I
have said to the contrary and go back and correct all my books, not
just fix typos and grammar, but add and subtract text from translations
and purports, and change their meanings"? We challenge you to show us
the blank cheque from Prabhupada. Never mind all your reasons and
explanations. It doesn't matter why you are changing the books: you
have given so many justifications, including even "restoring" the books
to the original words dictated by Srila Prabhupada, but it's not about
WHY. What we need to see is Srila Prabhupada's authorization, plain and
simple. Srila Prabhupada's instruction to you can be the only
legitimate, satisfactory justification.
Do we suppose Srila Prabhupada did not know what lay ahead in the
future for each of his disciples, for the movement, for his books? Do
we suppose he left it up to his disciples to fix mistakes that he
somehow failed to notice?
In London, 1973, in conversation with Fr. Tanner and other guests,
Srila Prabhupada said in regard to what might happen to his disciples
in the future:
Prabhupada: No, this argument is not very strong. Just like one foodstuff, freshly made, it is fresh. But if somebody argues that if it remains four days more, it will become bad, that is surmisation. Now it is fresh. We take it fresh. What will happen in future, that is no consideration. In future, everyone may fall and everyone may become elevated. But we have to take his present situation, what he is at present.
Father Tanner: But couldn't it be the difference between appearance and reality?
Prabhupada: This is reality. If at the present moment he is free from all sinful activities, that is reality. In future, everyone is susceptible to fall down. If he does not carry the principles strictly that proneness is there. But that is not consideration. What he is at present, that is consideration.
Whatever
Hayagriva did with Srila Prabhupada's books was fine by him right then
and there. Srila Prabhupada accepted it as final. In the presence of
Srila Prabhupada, the books were edited, printed and distributed. He
accepted them as perfect. "Right now the food is tasty, fresh, so let's
have it. Of course by tomorrow they may all go off, the food will
spoil, so let's eat it now." In this spirit all these books were
edited, published and distributed as they were, accepted and authorized
by Srila Prabhupada. He read from them, he referred to them, he gave
lectures from them. If he had wanted to make any changes, he could have
said so at any time. But he didn't.
Everything Jayadvaita has done in changing Srila Prabhupada's books
since his departure contradicts and undoes what Srila Prabhupada is
known to have authorize. His impudence undermines Srila Prabhupada's
authority and credibility of his books. And ISKCON hierarchy is
standing aside and letting him do it. Why? Because he has assumed the
role of the pseudo sadhu. What can be the depth of his
realization, when he finds fault with Hayagriva in whom Srila
Prabhupada found some little perfection and magnified it, and when he
finds fault with Srila Prabhupada's approved final publications? He has
never opened a center, never made devotees. Yet somehow ISKCON is
intimidated by the image he projects: stereotyped sadhu. He's
got his head shaved, got his dhoti on, danda in his
hand, stupid grin on his face. No gravity, no authority—not from Srila
Prabhupada. The only reason Jayadvaita is able to take this position is
because the leaders are so weak and adulterated.
In Satsvarupa's book
Appreciating Srila Prabhupada, Jayadvaita is said to have asked
Srila Prabhupada, "What if the spiritual master makes mistakes?"
Satsvarupa explains: "Prabhupada pointed out that to see such
discrepancies is a material viewpoint." So what can we understand about
Jayadvaita's view of Srila Prabhupada and his stated mission in life to
change all Srila Prabhupada's books in light of this statement?