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EDITORIAL September 12, 1999 VNN4707 Related VNN Stories Srila Prabhupada's Books BY MAHAVEGAVATI DASI EDITORIAL, Sep 12 (VNN) — Dear Srila Prabhupada and respected Vaisnavas, Hare Krsna. Please accept my fallen obeisances. All glories to His Divine Grace AC. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, to the predecessor Vaisnava acaryas, and to the respected Vaisnavas. Below is an excerpt from AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's translation of Caitanya Caritamrta: CC Adi lila 8.39 purport: "Transcendental literature that strictly follows the Vedic principles and the conclusion of the Puranas and Pancaratrika-vidhi can be written only by a pure devotee. It is not possible for a common man to write books on bhakti, for his writings will not be effective. He many be a very great scholar and expert in presenting literature in flowery language, but this is not at all helpful in understanding transcendental literature. Even if transcendental literature is written in faulty language, it is acceptable if it is written by a devotee, whereas so-called transcendental literature written by a mundane scholar, even if it is a very highly polished literary presentation, cannot be accepted. (Capitalized emphasis by me) THE SECRET IN A DEVOTEE'S WRITING IS THAT WHEN HE WRITES ABOUT THE PASTIMES OF THE LORD, THE LORD HELPS HIM; HE DOES NOT WRITE HIMSELF. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, dadami buddhi-yogam tam yen mam upayanti te (Bg. 10.10). SINCE A DEVOTEE WRITES IN SERVICE TO THE LORD, THE LORD FROM WITHIN GIVES HIM SO MUCH INTELLIGENCE THAT HE SITS DOWN NEAR THE LORD AND GOES ON WRITING BOOKS" CC Adi lila 8.72 purport: "To write about the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not an ordinary endeavor. Unless on is empowered by the hither authorities, or advanced devotees, one cannot write transcendental literature, for all such literature must be above suspicion, or, in other words, it must have none of the defects of conditioned souls, namely, mistakes, illusions, cheating and imperfect sense perceptions. the words of Krsna and the disciplic succession that carries the orders of Krsna are actually authoritative." These are Srila Prabhupada's words. In the SB 1.5.12 it is said "Those words which are a description of the transcendental glories of the holy name, fame, forms, and pastimes of the unlimited Supreme Lord are a different creation meant for bringing about a revolution in the impious lives of this worlds misdirected civilization. Such transcendental words EVEN THOUGH IMPERFECTLY COMPOSED, are heard, sung and accepted by purified men who are THOROUGHLY HONEST." >From the 1960s onward, Srila Prabhupada's books, (even when there were some little grammatical "error" here and there), brought SO MANY people to HIS lotus feet and to the Lotus Feet of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. For devotees to be desiring, speaking about, and changing Srila Prabhupada's books, I would suggest that you take note of the above words. If Srila Prabhupada did not footnote his own purports then who are we - conditioned souls as we are, with the four defects, seeing things from our PERVERTED perspective, (i.e.. the BODILY PLATFORM), to even dare to suggest the idea. Or worse, who are we, that we dare to consider to REMOVE certain things which Srila Prabhupada wrote in HIS purports, which HE HIMSELF said were "HIS ecstasies." Jiv Jago Jiv Jago. Wake up sleeping souls. Wake up. If we are still asleep, affected by our misidentification with this body, then HOW will we EVER be able to wake anyone else up to the spiritual platform? (And the sleeping "wakers" become angry when other concerned individuals are sounding the alarm.) I THINK WE SHOULD LET SRILA PRABHUPADA'S BOOKS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. THEY HAVE CERTAINLY MADE SO MANY MORE DEVOTEES THAN ANY OF US COULD EVER MAKE. Submitted with concern. I remain your servant, Mahavegavati Dasi Hare Krsna About the Author  Other Stories by this AuthorRelated VNN Stories Comment on this storyContact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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