09/13/97 - 1024

BBT Revised Bhagavad-gita surrounded by Controversy

USA (VNN) - It appears that the recently published, revised edition of the "Bhagavad-gita As It Is" by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupada (Bhaktivedanta Book Trust) is surrounded by much controversy. Sources tell VNN that even some members of ISKCON are currently refusing to sell the newly revised version of the Bhagavad-gita and don't want to use it in their personal studies.

Apparently the original version was revised to correct several translation and transcription errors. But what started out initially as a minor correction of some errors seems to have expanded into allegedly several hundred changes to the original text.

Some Vaishnavas have argued that Srila Prabhupada himself quoted from his books and approved the original edition for printing. The newly revised edition seems to have created doubts in the minds of some Vaishnavas as to authenticity of the original text being lost in the new version and whether this revision was necessary at all.

A partial list of the changes that have been made can be viewed here , although the VNN has not verified this list.

A statement by Jayadvaita Swami, who was heading the revision project, defending his changes to the text can be viewed here.

The revised versions are also included in the new version of the Vedabase CD, which include Srila Prabhupada's books on CD-ROM.