I think that the person who wrote that article is/was a ritvik.

Please read http://jswami.info/writings/about_editing and attachment. I vouch for the 'changed' books as they are a return to SP's manuscripts which I personally worked with.

Original...The body itself is unimportant. Arjuna was advised to fight and to sacrifice the material body for the cause of religion.
Revised...The body itself is unimportant. Arjuna was advised to fight and not sacrifice the cause of religion for material, bodily considerations.
****************
It is said that the soul is invisible, inconceivable, immutable and unchangeable. Knowing this, you should not grieve for the body.
It is said that the soul is invisible, inconceivable and immutable. Knowing this, you should not grieve for the body.
***************
O descendant of Bharata, he who dwells in the body is eternal and can never be slain. Therefore you need not grieve for any creature.
O descendant of Bharata, he who dwells in the body can never be slain. Therefore you need not grieve for any living being.
***************
If someone gives up self-gratificatory pursuits and works in Krsna consciousness and then falls down on account of not completing his work, what loss is there on his part?
If someone gives up his occupational duties and works in Krsna consciousness and then falls down on account of not completing his work, what loss is there on his part?
*****************
...Discharging one's specific duty in any field of action in accordance with varnasrama-dharma serves to elevate one to a higher status of life.
...Discharging one's specific duty in any field of action in accordance with the orders of higher authorities serves to elevate one to a higher status of life.

on and on.

I am not on any faction, just that the changes really startle me. I use the original edition just to be in the safe side.

how do you know how to "bring the meaning closer to Srila Prabhupada's intention" besides obvious sintax flaws?

I think this is what happened on some occasions:

Devotees didnt understand prabhupada's accent when they heard the tapes and just wrote what they understood. Then it got published and we treat it now as as the absolute truth coming from Krsna himself.

Some years later JAS comes to fix the obvious error after going through the originals and we want to burn him because of changing "prabhupada's sacred words".

How about an example of an error in Prabhupada's books that Prabhupada pointed out and wanted fixed, but is now stubbornly reprinted by demand of some "reformers." The following is a conversation with Srila Prabhupada on July 4th, 1975, in Chicago:

Tamal Krsna:
"krsi-gorakshya-vanijyam
vaishya-karma svabhava-jam
paricaryatmakam karma
shudrasyapi svabhava jam
[Bg 18.44]
"Farming, cattle raising and business are the qualities..."
Prabhupada: They are not cattle raising, that was...
Tamal Krsna: Cow protection.
Prabhupada: Cow protection. It has to be corrected. It is go-rakshya, go. They take it cattle-raising. I think Hayagriva has translated like this.


These so-called "Back to Prabhupada" people, they don't listen to Prabhupada even when he says to correct something, They know Prabhupada's intentions better than Prabhupada. That is the problem.

By the way, the revised edition is corrected, and reads like this:

"Farming, cow protection and business are the natural work for the vaishyas, and for the shudras there is labor and service to others."

Srila Prabhupada expressed full confidence in his editor Jayadvaita Swami. As before mentioned, you can scrutinize the revisions elsewhere on the Web. Due to mistakes in early editions, revisions were necessary. The question is, do we want to cling to the earliest edition, full of mistakes, or do we want to read the edition that most closely presents the author's intentions?

~ Pancha Tattva dasa
ISKCON Saint Louis

so the changes are good then.

I guess the only way to really know is to study Srila Prabhupada's books both versions side by side. And still who really knows what Hayagriva did change on his own?

My point here is that its a misconception to think that the version of Bhagavad-gita that was printed by the BBT in the 70's was 'Srila Prabhupada's unadulterated words'. That version was also edited by a fallible entity who had some experience with the English language so Srila Prabhupada gave him that responsibility.

The revised edition was also edited by a fallible person so take your pick. Personally I read the revised edition because it seems to me that the changes seem to bring the meaning closer to the original manuscripts.

Read this if you are interested in the history:

http://www.jswami.info/editing/hayagriva

some comments that were heading to a personal confrontation were deleted. Please put generic questions to help better understand issues. Allusions to spiritual masters either over glorifying or denigrating are to be deleted.

Kes, did you read any of the above sources? If yes, why you cannot understand the explanation of Hayagriva's unauthorized changes of what Prabhupada said and JAS's restoration of the same?

I see your prejudice but it's just that - against facts. Prabhupada pointed out many problems in the books. Attached is his famous 'rascal editors' speech, blasting unauthorized changes, and my compilation of what he said about editing. This answers your theoretical and undeserved(!) comparison of our Admin to Hayagriva. Hope this sets things straight.

However the point is: it was broken so it's been fixed. This I call a common sense.

VEDA:

However the point is: it was broken so it's been fixed. This I call a common sense.

Please explain what "it" is.

I read JAS explanations. In a nutshell, he says Hayagriva and others did a terrible job from the original transcriptions, and he fixed it.
Now, were are the original transcriptions for everybody to peruse. Are they available to the public?
Not that I doubt in principle, but you know, better to go to the end of the issue, not simply "believe".

Mishra: Tapes and OT's (original transcripts) are kept by the BBT. They are not available to public but if they were they could prevent all this debate about books, imho. I've been working with BG OT's. But as I said in the spbooks.htm link above most of them didn't survive.

Hari Bhakta: He pointed out the mistakes during his lectures and his personal reading, to his secretaries and other leading devotees. See examples in above attached files.

My view is that he was concerned about translating and publishing as many books as possible during his prakata lila and thus fixing already printed books was of secondary importance, given the lack of qualified BBT devotees (BBT is still looking for qualified devotees, btw) busy with producing new books in a fast pace.

Most of these fixes were made after 1977 but some before and Prabhupada knew what this fixing means and had a full confidence in JAS (see letter to Radhavallabha, Sept 7, 1976). 'Responsible Publishing' has more info.

sveILnista: If you are satisfied with whatever is available or is given to you, it is your choice, but there are many devotees that want to know the truth and facts about Srila Prabhupada's books versions and that is perfectly legitimate.

So, seems that the debate is created (and not resolved) by the same thing: Non disclosure policy of the BBT.

We wonder why BBT does not find qualified editors.
Maybe intelligent men are not attracted to certain policies like the one herein.

Macmillan edition was the full Gita at that time. Today everyone can choose between Hayagriva's and JAS's edited versions.
'No changes' are answered above.

This question is wrongly formulated.The question should be:Would Srila Prabhupada want his books changed?

The answer is: Of course NO!!!

And there is ample evidence that he would be furious about it too.

http://bookchanges.com/iskcons-original-manuscript-scam/

it is question of etiquette Veda.Prabhupad didn't want them changed.Period.Who cares what you or Jay Israel think,they are not your books!

Another gullible sucker buys the whole editing rationale and just doesn't seem to understand that Prabhupada said NO MORE CHANGES and did so because he knew that even if there were some misspelled words or whatever -- unless he made it clear (AND HE DID) that he wanted absolutely NO MORE CHANGES (he made it clear while he was present so what to speak of after he left) -- because he knows our disease of wanting to change everything and sure enough -- armed with their justification that there were a few mistakes found -- Jayadvaita was off to the races and went crazy with his red pen. Shame on him. Shame on Dravida and this Veda person --- what is it about NO MORE CHANGES that you are having a hard time understanding? I can explain the words to you one at a time. No means No. More means More and Changes means Changes. Does that help? You've denigrated Govinda Dasi, Hayagriva, Rupanuga, and so many hundreds, if not thousands, of ISKCON pioneers and great souls. I hope you're satisfied with yourself now. You're on thin ice my friend. Be careful. Maybe you should stay away from topics that you don't understand.

Spend some time at this website: http://bookchanges.com/

Read through it thoroughly. Oh yeah -- and do yourself a favor and don't swallow that line about Srila Prabhupada writing in a letter that he trusts Jayadvaita. He trusted all of us -- right up until the minute we strayed from his instructions, behaved in a disobedient way, and proved ourselves untrustworthy. He trusted Radhaballabha and Rameswara one day and the next day they were "those rascal editors." In the material world we conditioned souls have four defects. The material energy is endlessly mutable. That's why an intelligent disciple will perceive the relative in the absolute and the absolute in the relative and realize that never was Srila Prabhupada contradicting himself in spite of the fact that it seemed sometimes that it were so. The point is that Prabhupada's endorsement of Jayadvaita in that letter did not give him an eternal carte blanche to go crazy editing Srilal Prabhupada's books decades after Prabhupada's departure. Of all the different controversies and hot-button issues that seem to be endlessly debated on the Internet (Guru tattva, Jivas feel from where, when, how and why, does ritvik then mean ritvik now and ritvik forever) --- this situation with the changing of Srila Prabhupada's writings is by far the most serious issue facing any siksa or diksa, direct or grand disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. It behooves every single one of us to take a stand after educating ourselves on the subject with an open heart and mind. After all is said and done .... believe me brothers and sisters -- I would not want to be the person bringing Srila Prabhupada the news of what has happened to his books. Have you ever been in the room when Srila Prabhupada was displeased? It's not something one forgets easily ... and I can think of nothing more displeasing to His Divine Grace than the desecration of his books.

Last but not least --- in his unnecessary changing of the wording in so many Bhgavad-gita verses, Jayadvaita has taken out the magical mystical poetry -- that was originally there by the arrangement of the Supreme Lord. Verses that once flowed poetically and were like celestial music have been rendered prosaic, one-dimensional and flat. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry and scream at the same time. .....

Portnoy and mung, I've already repeatedly stated my position on this issue but I have to react.

Bookchanges.com is site by a person who doesn't stop from misinterpreting to support his agenda. On this video he's shown to misinterpret the statement of an U.S. leading book distributor: http://bbtedit.com/node/276

> to go crazy editing Srilal Prabhupada's books decades after Prabhupada's departure.

I don't know how much experience you have with serving in the BBT. I'm an editor since 1994 and in 1997 I worked with BG manuscripts scan copies in NE-BBT. These scans are being posted at bbtedit.com, now first 7 chapters. (I was always in favor of publishing them.)
I didn't detect any 'crazy editing' by JAS, only a return to manuscripts from which Hayagriva's version departed.
Thus no one can tell me that white is black and think I'll blindly believe.

Using 'rascal editors' conversation http://bbtedit.com/node/25
against JAS is 108% counteproductive since it actually supports him and blasts Hayagriva and others:

Prabhupäda: To find out some job to fill up the belly. Otherwise he'll starve if he doesn't get any job. And he's finding out guru. Job-guru. Now do the needful. Otherwise everything will be spoiled. These rascal editorial... That Easy Journey, original, this (indistinct) Hayagréva has changed so many things.
Tamäla Kåñëa: He actually took out the whole part about their going to the moon being childish. He deleted the whole section.

(The same he did in BG 15.12p. as I showed above. Reason? He never fully accepted the Vedic paradigm.)

Seems some of you only read out of context quotes from this conversation provided by Madhudvisa. There's a rule saying 'if a heretic quotes scripture the truth is usually found nearby'. This is the case here.

Prabhupäda: So you... What you are going... It is very serious situation. You write one letter that "Why you have made so many changes?" And whom to write? Who will care? All rascals are there. Write to Satsvarüpa that "This is the position. They are doing anything and everything at their whim." The next printing should be again to the original way.
Tamäla Kåñëa: They should have a board of Satsvarüpa and Jayädvaita.
Prabhupäda: Hm.

What is 'original way' which SP wanted if the 1st printing is criticized by him...?
Answer: A return to SP's dictations/manuscripts whenever available. That's what BBT did in 80's and what some criticize out of ignorance and/or prejudice (after learning the truth).

> Last but not least --- in his unnecessary changing of the wording in so many Bhgavad-gita verses, Jayadvaita has taken out the magical mystical poetry -- that was originally there by the arrangement of the Supreme Lord. Verses that once flowed poetically and were like celestial music have been rendered prosaic, one-dimensional and flat. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry and scream at the same time. .....

Can you provide some sample verses? SP and Hayagriva were originally using the English edition of BG by advaitist dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan in which verses (not commentaries) were basically ok as per SP. If you consider him magical mystical poet guided by Supreme Lord, it's your choice. But definitely not mine.

This inspired Prabhupäda and obliged him to produce more. He worked quickly, sometimes day and night, on his Bhagavad-gétä As It Is. He had founded ISKCON five months ago, yet in his classes he was still reading the Bhagavad-gétä translation of Dr. Radhakrishnan. But when Bhagavad-gétä As It Is would at last be published, he told his disciples, it would be of major importance for the Kåñëa consciousness movement. At last there would be a bona fide edition of the Gétä. (SPL 2.21)

Veda -- I just don't have the energy to sit here and go verse by verse to show you how Jayadvaita turned the light out on what were once beautifully flowing (Hayagriva was a poet, a genius, a professor of English) .... but that's not really the main point -- is it? Let me just reiterate what my dear godsister Govinda Dasi has already said about this issue. Either you get it or you don't. Apparently you just DON'T GET IT. I can understand how it is that people who weren't around in the early days and understood Srila Prabhupada's mood about his books -- or sat inches from his Vyas Asana while he lectured from and read from and heard from his own books day after day after day after morning after evening after class after class after class after class ..... and went into ecstasy hearing the words of the published books and how angry he became and blew up in fury when changes were made from the already published books without his direct order or request --- why you wouldn't get it. You think you have experience. Look -- I hide behind the name Portnoy for personal reasons -- but I typeset almost the entire KRSNA, The SP of G, Nectar of Devotion, Unabridged Gita, much of the Bhagavatam, Sri Isopanisad ....... from '69 to '71 -- sometimes working fifteen or sixteen hours a day in Boston as the tapes were coming. These were days before computers and we used a stand-alone IBM typesetting machine with different fonts for italics, bold, diacritic marks and had to type a rough draft and final draft using settings to flush (justify) the right margins. It was a tedious process but I'd sit there in the middle of the night in a freezing little cubby hole closet of a room in the back of the Boston temple defrosting my fingers with a space heater and among other manuscripts arriving typing out the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead --- stories none of us ever heard or for that matter realizing that I was among the very first western humans to ever have the opportunity to get to know such details about the Supreme Personality of Godhead -- Lord Sri Krishna. Every word in those books are sacred and were brought before Srila Prabhupada before going to press. I knew Jayadvaita. We worked closely together back then. We were brahmacarys together. He's a good man. He did wrong. That's it and that's all. Thank goodness the lawsuit was won by those who were dedicated to seeing the original publications remain available and in publication. Otherwise it would all be lost at this point in time. The ISKCON GBC has gone so far off the track that I don't think it can ever find its way back. This is a sorry affair. Everything happens for a reason though and I am hopeful because I know that Lord Caitanya's movement is unstoppable and Srila Prabhupada launched it worldwide in eleven years of nonstop preaching and publishing starting at the age of 69. Incredible. Unbelievable. Transcendental. Beyond belief. All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.