Please check out www.BookChanges.com
We are so fortunate to have the actual books that Srila Prabhuapda personally read daily and gave all of his classes from. These original books of Srila Prabhuapda are a great treasurehouse and will be treasured by generations to come for at least the next 10,000 years.
Personally I came to Krishna consciousness by reading Srila Prabhuapda’s books and they had an amazing effect on my life. I feel a great debt to Srila Prabhuapda and want others to have the same chance I did to come into contact with Srila Prabhupada, a pure devotee of Krishna,via his transcendental books.
Right now there is a great threat to Srila Prabhuapda’s books. Since Srila Prabhuapda disappeared from our material vision in 1977 there is a very small group of people within ISKCON who for various reasons are not satisfied with Prabhuapda’s books.
They want to change them. Unfortunatly this small group has gained control of the BBT and since 1983 have been releasing “Revised Editions” of Srila Prabhuapda’s books.
The result is that books like Bhagavad Gita As It Is and Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead now distributed by ISKCON are very different in many significiant ways to the books Srila Prabhuapda himself personally read daily and gave his classes from.
This is a great disaster.
I have started a new website:
Here you can find further information about the unauthorized changes ISKCON and BBT are making to Srila Prabhuapda’s books. Please go to this website and read the articles and try to understand the significance of what is happening with Prabhuapda’s books.
If you have comments or questions about the book changes please go to www.BookChanges.com and post your question on a relevant article there and I will attempt to answer it.
The pre-1978 editions of Srila Prabhuapda’s books are available at www.KrishnaStore.com
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
About the Author
Madhudvisa dasa My first contact with a Hare Krishna was a most merciful Mataji in Oxford Street, London who sold me a "Higher Taste" cook book in 1984 while I was on holidays there. I started seriously reading Srila Prabhupada's books in Australia 1985 and by 1986 Srila Prabhupada had convinced me "Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead" and "we should surrender to Krishna." I joined the Hare Krishnas in Perth, Western Australia in 1986. Since then I have been chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, reading and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books and preaching as much as I can. That's my life and full-time occupation now really. I like it more than anything I've ever experienced before. Srila Prabhupada's books are so amazing... Even after reading them all many times they're still fresh and new. They are truly transcendental! That's it really. Now I'm just hankering to once again see the world chant Hare Krishna, dance and feast and float away in the ecstasy of Lord Caitanya's Sankirtana movement as it did in Srila Prabhupada's physical presence. Let the whole world drown in the ecstatic flood of love of Krishna!
Related Posts
Letter to Hayagriva dasa on Meeting Srila Prabhupada →
Rascals are concerned with grammar. Actual workers are concerned with thoughts. →
BBT Reprint Caitanya-caritamrta — Without knowing what was changed! →
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
Finally I found a solution for hindi translation of Bhagwad Gita As it is original I am giving the link down below even though it may not be as powerful as English version but people who are uncomfortable in English can at least read it I guess the link is as follows :
http://bhagavad-gita.in/downloads/Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_by_A._C._Bhaktivedanta_Swami_Prabhupada_in_Hindi_Bhagavad-gita_Yatharupa_Yatharup_Yatharoop_1980_ORIGINAL_UNEDITED_COLOR.pdf
Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna Prabhuji
The pdf download pages are not working.I wanted to download Nectar of devotion.Please send me that link.
The link is working, you have to click on the book picture to download the PDF:
http://prabhupadabooks.com/pdf/The_Nectar_of_Devotion-1970_ISKCON_Press_edition-Hardcover-SCAN.pdf
It is a large file because it is a scan of the original book. But the link is working properly.
Thank you for the link.
I was actually opening the page https://krishna.org/series/pdf-download/
It is not working.
sorry try this link instead:
https://krishna.org/category/free-pdf-downloads/
Hare Krashna !
Dandwat Pranama !
Prabhu’Ji’s & Mata Ji’s,
Do you have Hindi Srimad Bhagwatam & Srimad Bhagwat Gita As it is PDF Virson,
If yes,Please can you send me.I need these PDF copy for Preching.
Yours Dasunudas,
Peramanad das
Dubai
No. PDF is only English.
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa Prabhu!
I was always wondering which book is authentic since the first time i learned about how Prabhupada’s Bhagvad Geeta As It Is being changed. I don’t like this at all so i used to ask the devotees i came across in Ft. Lauderdale and was not fully convinced. Now after reading your article i feel satisfied to know there is a website i can go to to order the original one. Thank you Prabhu for this information.
Your humble servant,
Bhaktin Nila
Yes Prabhu, it is best just to read Srila Prabhupada’s original books, not with this mood of fault-finding, trying to spot ‘errors’, but rather to just submissively hear the transcendental message as it is purely passed from Krishna through the disciplic succession to Srila Prabhupada and then from Srila Prabhupada to us. This process works perfectly with Srila Prabhupada’s original books. There may be a few apparent discrepancies but these in no way whatsoever impede the flow of the transcendental knowledge.
Prabhupada ordered so strongly that his books not be changed. Even if they changes appeared to be improvements he would not allow them as attested by Ramesvara Prabhu.
Yes. The work being done by Ajit Krishna Prabhu at http://arsaprayoga.wordpress.com/ is very, very good.
Jayadviata refuses to respond to any of his letters because he can not answer any of the points that Ajit Krishna is asking him.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Your servant
Madhudvisa dasa
Dear Madhudvisa dasa,
I am posting this here because I don’t know any other way to contact you. I have a question regarding the 1972 edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. There are several reports that there were a few–a hundred or so–actual typographical or editorial errors in that edition. While the discussion is generally about how Jayadvaita went far beyond simply correcting editorial errors, and there are lists of comparisons of verses in the 1972 edition and his edition, I have not seen a list of the hundred or so actual errors. Please let me know if you know of such a list. If not, could you please suggest how I might know what actual editorial errors there are?
Thank you.
Gordon Wieland
Hare Krishna Prabhu
I do not think there are 100 actual typographical errors in Srila Prabhupada’s original Bhagavad-gita As It Is. The are a few only. I think not more than a dozen at the most. If you just read the book you can see for yourself of course.
There is no list as far as I know. Perhaps in the future the actual typographical errors should be identified. But for the time being we do not have anyone that the devotees would trust to fix them…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Well, historically every religion has undergone evolution, various groups with different set of ideas were formed and eventually split into sects. You can’t claim you are not a religion – as soon as you start telling people how to live, what to chant and what to eat, you become a religion.
So what you are experiencing is beginning of change. ISKCON is very young, not even 5 decades old I believe. So many more years to go and many changes to see.
Les
Hare Krishna Les
Yes, you are correct of course. Time destroys everything in this world and every spiritual organization is destroyed by time and in time it turns into a mundane organization of cheaters taking advantage of the general public’s attraction to spiritual things to exploit them and take their money. It is quite amazing that ISKCON has become so completely destroyed so quickly. But this is of course expected. It happened with the Gaudiya Matha, Srila Prabhupada’s spiritual master’s preaching organization in India, it happened with Christinaty, and every other spiritual organization that starts with some purity looses this purity and becomes a mundane organization full of politics and diplomocy and they loose the original spiritual essence of what was taught by their founder… That is the way of the material world unfortunately… It is not at all surprising.
In the material world to come in contact with a real spiritual personality and a real spiritual organization is unfortunately a very, very rare opportunity. But Srila Prabhupada is still living and preaching in his books so we still have this chance even now… We should take full advantage of that…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Dear Madhudvisa das,
Hare Krsna! I have been going through your website bookchanges.com.
Thank you very much for all your efforts to protect Srila Prabhupadas books.
I too feel indebted to Srila Prabhupada as without him I would not
not be in Iskcon and never have been Krsna conscious.
Please email me if there is anyway I can do to help in the Mission to distribute Srila Prabhupadas
Original books. I live in Kenya and I would be willing to distribute the original
Books here. I can help both financially and otherwise.
Thanking you.
Bijal
Always in the service of Srila Prabhupada.
Bijal
Hello Madhudvisa Dasa,
I would like to give you all my deepest and most heartfelt thanks for your work in creating and maintaining this wonderful website.
What ISKCON is doing is rather fishy. When Unnecessary changes are made, even if it is ‘similar’, they still change the meaning.
First, ITS SRILA PRABHUPADA’s (!) hand that moved, and LORD SRI KRISHNA that moved the hand. Who are they to even change it, unless the grammar was actually misleading of the meaning, you know, understandable changes. But of course, they are /not/ of such.
Second (Forgive me for my lack of skill at coming up with analogies ), but it reminds me of a compass. 0-degrees being north, for example. If one starts at the south pole, with a compass pointing true north, they will find it. However, if their compass maker is a mudha, It could be off by even a few degrees, and miss their destination by miles.
It is sad that they find themselves worthy of changing gods word.
I swear, if I find myself without a material body, just a subtle one (a Ghost, if you will) I am sneaking into the their quarters and hiding their pens.
My Thanks and best wishes,
Patrick Alan Tuttle
Please dont compare ISKCON to other bogus organizations like osho and many!!
when we compare it with them it seems, Iskcon is also similar organization on greater than that.
it is above all it is Transcendental…
Book Changes is only Grammatical and it is good to do it.
Hare Krishna Ravi
ISKCON is only transcendental to the extent that they follow the orders of Srila Prabhupada. Otherwise, if ISKCON do not follow the orders of Srila Prabhuapda, ISKCON becomes simply a mundane religious organization like so many other bogus mundane “religious” organizations.
While Srila Bhaktsiddhanta was physically present his preaching mission, the Gaudiya Math, was a very powerful transcendental force, spreading pure devotional service to Krishna all over India. But as soon as Srila Bhaktsiddhanta disappeared his disciples disobeyed his instructions and the Gaudiya Math became a mundane organization with the leaders fighting with each other over the control of the properties and assets. So the Gudiya Math is a perfect example of how something that was once spiritual can become completely mundane.
The same thing is happening to ISKCON. That you can claim to support ISKCON and at the same time say “Changing Srila Prabhupada’s books is good,” and today’s ISKCON will support you on this, proves that ISKCON has become a mundane organization completely disconnected from the desires and instructions of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhuapda, who is actually the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON. But Prabhupada is no longer taken seriously or listened to in ISKCON… Srila Prabhupada orders over and over again “No Change,” and you are telling us change is good? Why should anyone listen to you? We will prefer to listen to Srila Prabhuapda. “NO CHANGE…”
If, as you say, the changes to Srila Prabhuapda’s books were only grammatical no one would have complained about them. This is a complete lie.
Do not repeat the lies you hear in ISKCON without even checking to see if it is the truth or not. Please research this at http://www.BookChanges.com before you make such incorrect comments.
Yes. If there is a real error in the English or in the Sanskrit or in the grammar it is good to correct it. And Srila Prabhuapda instructed us that such spelling and grammatical errors should be corrected. There is no argument about this and no one is complaining about correcting grammatical errors.
I have recently published a computerized comparison of the changes ISKCON has made to Srila Prabhuapda’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is at:
http://bookchanges.com/iskcon-bhagavad-gita-changes-complete-list/
Please spend a little time studying the changes. And particularly look at what is written in the original book and see if there is any error in the original that needs correcting or not, see if there is any grammatical error. You will find that in at least 99% of the cases there is no error whatsoever in the original book, and therefore no reason whatsoever to change it. As Prabhupada repeatedly instructs us not to change. So if there is no error it can not be changed.
At least 99% of the book changes are NOT made for the purpose of correcting grammatical errors.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna!
It is quite unfortunate that this is happening and we seem to be sounding helpless. After all why should there is such division of thoughts? it tends to weaken the belief on the whole sect of ISKCON.
Can this not be stopped?
Thanks and Regards
Jitendra Patil
Dear Madhudvisa dasa,
Hare Krsna, thank you for the letter.
I have not looked into this subject deeply, but feel a need to know more. I know there are certainly idiots involved in all groups, including in ISKCON, remembering that the reality behind what Krsna consciousness really is, there are certainly no fools and rascals there. Only pure souls experiencing spiritual life.
There are also, of course, many advanced and amazing, real devotees in ISKCON.
I could already talk much on the subject of change in Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s books.
Put simply, I immediately recognise and am of the opinion that no changes should be made. Yes some small changes can be made here and there, if it improves the true meaning, feeling etc of written words. For example some basic improvements of English to keep up with the times. But from what little I know on this subject it certainly seems there are far too many changes, which is completely wrong. In fact it makes me angry, and gives me more inspiration to point out any wrong doings, expose any bad things and people. In fact I will certainly do this, if I know something factually. In my own ways I will be happy to help in revealing the truth.
It should be immediately recognised that as soon as you see this type of behaviour, that this is clearly wrong. Just the fact that one or more people have the nerve to change His writings without permission, even when Prabhupada was still on the planet, shows clearly that these are bad people, or at least innocent people influenced by demoniac tendencies!
We certainly don’t want to offend any advanced souls, Vaisnava’s, whom may appear to our imperfect perception as being involved in any wrong doings, when really they are purely motivated, and perhaps even working amongst demons.
Another basic point from me is, I remember mentioning this subject to one devotee whom I consider good. He immediately said something to the effect of, Oh no don’t worry about that, this is no real problem, kind of thing. So, It sounded convincing… Mind you I notice other subtle aspects that he is under illusion about too, due to working closely within ISKCON, and being unrealistic. Just as there is a possibility that I may be illusioned in other ways due to being somewhat removed from this organisation. But now after briefly looking at this letter and website, it seems to me, that the same polluting ways of bad people, who have obviously infected the organisation, just as I recognised years ago, in other areas, similarly, rudely and wrongly have had similar polluting effects through the changing of Prabhupada’s books. This very wrong and very serious. I mean it seems Prabhupada himself clearly said don’t change the books.
If someone wants to write their own books, they can change all they like, and they may or may not be aligned purely with their Guru’s teachings. There will be varying degrees of course.
It is common, and natural, for a disciple who is representing a Guru to change methods according to time, place and circumstance. Yet the teachings will all be 100% correct, true..However different a form it may appear.
But to display obvious acts of duplicity, and wrong doings, going against the order of the Master, Krsna etc, then, of course they are wrong, and appropriate action should be taken accordingly.
The most important thing is that we understand Prabhupada’s being, teachings, inner moods, meaning etc. And put them into practice in our own lives.
So that no matter what external opposition we may face, we are still, personally, eternally connected to the true meaning of what krsna consciousness is!
So, thank you for your seva Prabhu, and for reading this, little musing of mine. I would be interested to hear back from you, although, don’t go out of your way, as you must be busy.
I will try to learn more about this and other relevant subjects, for my own benefit and for the good of all.
All the best!
Jay Guru Gaurunga RadheShyam..
Jay Srila Prabhupada
Sincerely
Gadadhara dasa
Hare Krishna,
I strongly condemn changing of Prabhupada books.
Satabdisaran
Jay Prabhu
pamho agtsp
I’m very sad regarding this bad news Lord Caitanya will stop them printing aparampara books. They will fail because the will lose all the power by changing Srila Prabhupada words.
This is what makes me feel better about this bad news. Anyway I keep chanting and reading books just from Srila Prabhupada as you say is full of nectar and enlightnement.
What can we do to stop these rascals? I don’t know?
Jay Prabhu
dandavats daso smi
bhakta sebastiano
Madhuvisa dasa, thank you for this wonderful information, you are wonderful, these are rascals, this is exactly what happened to the protestant bible, they have made changes over the years and so many now that it is unrecognizable, people are not getting the true word they are getting false words that look like the real thing, if it is a threat these people will try to change it as much as possible, to discredit it as much as possible.
anyways love u , hari bol!! 🙂
Beloved Madhudvisa Dasa Ji,
I have gone through your e.mail. It is very shocking to note that a group of few people of your cult is trying to make changes in His Holiness Srila Prabhupada’s books.
I would like to share my feelings that whenever a saint is not in the body few of his disciples try to make their own identify and for that they do some mischief. It has happened with almost all the great saints like Buddha, Christ, Mahavira and recently Osho.
This is nothing to worry. Everything happens on the wishes of Lord Krishna. HE knows everything. The truth is only one which can not be changed or altered.
With Best Wishes and Regards
Ramashish Thakur
Hare Krsna Madhudvisa dasa,
Please accept my humble obseinces.
All Glories To Srila Prabhupada!!
Once again, I thank you for you enlightening email.
I have read some articles on this subject before, where Jayadvaita was changing parts of the Gita. Infact it said on the website, that no less than 108 changes had been made to the Original Gita which Srila Prabhupada had translated. This to me was a clear indication to some of rumours, which I had heard about ISKCON, to be true.
There is another article in which Jayadvaita is speaking to a devotee in a rude and harsh manner which truely does not show traits of a true ‘sanyasi’ so to speak.
The words which Jayadvaita has used and also the manner in which he has spoken had apalled me. A sayansi must be tolerant, the whole world may point a finger to him, bit he should not be concerned about their words as the sanyasi has given up this material world.
So why is this sanyasi concerned about their views and opinions?! I’m sure that is a mode of attachment! The anger Jayadvaita has shown, clearly indicates he is not a sanyasi. Look at Maha Muni Durvasa, he lost all fruits of his penance through anger, so what to speak of a chump like Jayadvaita?
Many have dubbed him ‘Dryadvaita’, after read this article and the other articles, I agree with that name!
The website which I was reffering to is http://www.HareKrsna.org, you will find a whole load of articles about many of the famous faces in ISKCON today. I must admit I was shocked to read about some of the so-called ‘gurus’ on there, and it did waiver my faith in these so called ‘gurus’. Simply because I don’t know which way to turn: Are these Gurus geniune, just accused of wrong doing by jealous people, or are their manipulating millions of followers by taking advantage of their beliefs? Which is the correct point of view?
Personally I do not think there is a chance of finding a ‘bona-fide’ spiritual master in ISKCON at the present moment, as I do not know who to trust. So therefore I am following Srila Prabhupada’s words and chanting 16 rounds a day and reading, with no desire to become initiated at the moment, but to serve and please The Lord in my own way.
Madhudvisa Prabhu, I have learnt a lot from you, and I appreciate it all. Please forgive me if I have wrongly accused anyone or offended you in this email. I was just expressing my opinion. I am sure you may understand this, as it is very hard to trust anyone in this age of Kali.
Again I apologise for offending anyone. Please forgive me.
Always in your service.
Hare Krsna
Ys
hitesh