Author: Mahesh dasa

Source: http://adi-vani.org/articles.php?articleId=32

Hare Krishna!  All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Let’s look at the difference between the 1972 original edition and the 1983 revised edition on verse 4.34.

COMPARISON

Bg 4.34 ( Srila Prabhupada's original 1972 untampered edition)

Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.

Purport to 4.34

The Bhagavatam (6.3.19) says, dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam--the path of religion is directly enunciated by the Lord. Therefore, mental speculation or dry arguments cannot help one progress in spiritual life. One has to approach a bona fide spiritual master to receive the knowledge.

Now, let’s look at the 1983 revised edition. Here the editor has inserted souls and they.

Bg 4.34 (1983 version by Jayadwaita Swami)

Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.

PURPORT Bg 4.34 (1983 version by Jayadwaita Swami)

The Bhagavatam (6.3.19) says dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: the path of religion is directly enunciated by the Lord. Therefore, mental speculation or dry arguments cannot help lead one to the right path. Nor by independent study of books of knowledge can one progress in spiritual life. One has to approach a bona fide spiritual master to receive the knowledge.

Note: here he has ADDED an entire sentence (Nor by . . . spiritual life) which was NEVER there in the original 1972 edition.

DISCUSSION

The changes made are very significant because they change the entire meaning of the text. Diksa (transcendental Knowledge) is imparted by one self-realized person -- the acarya (Srila Prabhupada). It is one singular person uttama-adhikari (Srila Prabhupada) that transmits diksa (see antya 4.192-4.194) into the madhyama-adhikaris heart. Krishna's pastimes reflected in the heart of Prabhupada are transmitted (televised) in the Madhyama-adhikari's heart when he chants offenselessly -- this is transcendental knowledge (diksa). Therefore the plural rendition: "The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth" is totally incorrect.

The clever manipulation, or word jugglery, of changing the word he to the word they provides a new breed of so called initiating gurus in ISKCON — despite Srila Prabhupada’s clear instruction to the contrary in this verse. Also, in Adi 1.35 it is confirmed that a devotee must have only one initiating spiritual master because in the scriptures acceptance of more than one is always forbidden.

Next change, the ADDED text in the purport: "Nor by independent study of books of knowledge can one progress in spiritual life."

Srila Prabhupada's books are not ordinary books of knowledge. Therefore this change is totally meaningless and unjustified. These are not Srila Prabhupada's words in the Bhagavad-Gita.

Srila Prabhupada and his books are not different:

Adi-lila 1-35

There is no difference between the spiritual master's instructions and the spiritual master himself in his absence, therefore, his words of direction should be the pride of the disciple.

Note: Srila Prabhupada's words of direction -- Srimad-Bhagavatam -- there is no difference between Srila Prabhupada's Instruction and himself (the uttama-adhikari is powerful to give diksa from his books).

SB 1.7.22

The spiritual master, by his words, can penetrate into the heart of the suffering person and inject knowledge transcendental, which alone can extinguish the fire of material existence.

SB 2.9.8

The potency of transcendental sound is never minimized because the vibrator is apparently absent.