02/28/98 - 1653

Srila Prabhupada's Perfect Answers

USA (VNN) - by Madhudvisa dasa

Dear Prabhus

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Dravida Prabhu has written us so many letters now quoting the letter where Srila Prabhupada says whatever Jayadvaita Swami does is all right and he has said we should accept that. So it may come as quite a shock to hear the BBT have even changed a book Jayadavita originally edited with Srila Prabhupada's sanction and approval!

One of my friends wrote to Jayadvaita Swami asking if any of the small books had been revised and Jayadvaita replied that, to his knowledge, only "Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers" had been reedited, that he had done the original editing, and the new revision ("the 1993 edition") was done by his godsister Sita devi dasi...

On comparing the original "Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers" with the "1993 edition" we find the whole "feel" and style of the book is different. However I do not have the space to deal with that here.

In the original version Jayadvaita Swami included a number of small explanatory notes to let us know what was going on [in square brackets], which are quite nice--even if we don't like them, Jayadvaita's editing was then certainly approved by Srila Prabhupada. Most of these notes have been removed from the new edition. They are things like "[There is a long pause]", "[all laugh]", "[an American devotee, Srila Prabhupada's secretary]", etc.. Of course this may not be so important... but keep reading!

Jayadvaita Swami included a number of English translations of verses, often they are in square brackets to clearly show they have been added by the editor. Some examples:


Chapter 3, Page 21:
["After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in
devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of
miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection."]

Chapter 3, Page 26:
"By the mercy of the spiritual master one is benedicted by the
mercy of Krsna."

Chapter 3, Page 26:
"Without the grace of the spiritual master one cannot make any
advancement."

Chapter 3, Page 27:
["The spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme
Lord because of his being the most confidential servitor of the
Lord. This is acknowledged by all revealed scriptures and is
followed by all authorities. Therefore I offer my respectful
obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who
is a bona fide representative of Lord Krsna."].

These translations have been removed from the new version...

Many things have been "moved around" including:
Chapter 1, Page 1:
Bob: What is a scientist?
Srila Prabhupada: One who knows things as they are.
Bob: He thinks he knows things as they are.
Srila Prabhupada: What?
Bob: He hopes he knows things as they are.
Srila Prabhupada: No, he is supposed to know. We approach the
scientist because he is supposed to know things correctly. A
scientist means one who knows things as they are. Krsna means
"all-attractive." Bob: All-attractive. Srila Prabhupada: Yes.

This has moved from the beginning of the book to page 4 in the "new
version".

The most disturbing thing to me is the text from the original book the
new editor has chosen to COMPLETELY REMOVE from the "new version".

If you can find any of the following text in the new PQPA please let
me know, perhaps I missed it?

A whole section of the conversation about miracles has vanished:

Chapter 1, Page 5:
Bob: Let me repeat what you said this morning--that was
interesting. I asked about miracles, and you said that only a
fool would believe in miracles because--let us say you are a
child and an adult lifts this table. That's a miracle. Or you're
a chemist and you combine acid and base and you make smoke, an
explosion or whatever. To somebody ignorant, that's a miracle.
But for everything there is a process, and so when you see a
miracle, it's just ignorance of the process. So that only a fool
would believe in miracles, and--you correct me if I say wrong...
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, yes. Bob: You said when Jesus came the
people then were somewhat more ignorant and needed miracles as
aid. I wasn't sure if that's quite what you said. Srila
Prabhupada: Yes, yes. Miracles are for the ignorant. Bob: I had
asked this in relation to all the miracle men you hear about in
India. Srila Prabhupada: Krsna is the highest miracle man.
Bob:Yes. Srila Prabhupada: That is stated by Kunti...

So why such a nice section has been removed??

And the following snippet has disappeared from the "new version":

Chapter 3, Page 25:
Bob: Is chanting Hare Krsna such a yogic process?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, it is also a yogic process.

Is chanting Hare Krishna no longer a yogic process??

And what about business? The following has COMPLETELY VANISHED from
the "new version":

Chapter 5, Page 39:
An Indian gentleman: Srila Prabhupada, I have one question. What
is the status of service minus devotion? Srila Prabhupada: Hm-m?
That is not service, that is business. [Everyone laughs.] For
example, here in Mayapur we have employed a contractor. That is
not service--that is business. Is it not? Sometimes they will
advertise, "Our customers are our masters." Is it not? But in
spite of the flowery language--"Our customers are our
masters"--this is business, because nobody is a qualified
customer unless he pays. But service is not like that.
Service--Caitanya Mahaprabhu prays to Krsna: yatha tatha va
vidadhatu lampato mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah

"You do whatever You like, but still You are my worshipable
Lord." That is service. "I don't ask any return from You." That
is service. When you expect some return, that is business.

I am sure this was not invented by the original editor!! (Jayadvaita
Swami) It is part of the conversation. Where has it gone??

We cannot find Srila Prabhupada's clear instruction that unqualified
teachers should not teach in the "new version" at all...

Chapter 5, Page 41:
Bob: So, what are the things that I may do? When I go back, I
must-- Srila Prabhupada: When do you go back? Bob: I'll be going
back to Chaibasa to do my work there, and... Srila Prabhupada:
What is there in Chaibasa? Bob: That is where I do my teaching.
I live there. Srila Prabhupada: So better not to teach--because
you do not know what to teach. Bob: [Laughs] I'll be going--I
don't like this teaching so much, and I'll be returning to
America in May, but while I'm here, this is my agreement for
staying in India.

What happened to this? Where has it gone??

What about this little snipped the editor has removed for us?

Chapter 5, Page 42:
Bob: You mean by following these principles?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes.

Why? Why? Why has it been removed???

Of course, if the previous changes seem OK to you, you may well
consider why the new editor choose to remove the following section (4
COMPLETE PAGES!!)

Chapter 9, Page 89:
Barbara: And chanting--what does chanting do?
Srila Prabhupada: That you can ask these boys [the devotees].
They will explain. Bob: If Krsna controls everything, how does
Krsna control a nondevotee? Srila Prabhupada: By maya. Just as
the government controls everything. A kingdom is controlled by
the king's departments. Bob: And how does Krsna control a
devotee? Srila Prabhupada: Just as you control your beloved. For
example, if you have a beloved child, you control him for his
benefit. If he is going to touch fire, you will immediately tell
him, "No, no, my dear child. Don't touch it." So a Krsna
conscious person, a devotee, is never misled, because Krsna is
always guiding him, whereas those who are not Krsna conscious
are in the charge of maya, and maya will do the needful, as you
have seen. Bob: Is it preset, when we're born, the time that
we'll die? Srila Prabhupada: What? Bob: Is the time that I'm
going to die, and others are going to die, preset before we are
born? When I'm born, do I have a certain given life span? Srila
Prabhupada: Yes. A devotee: And he cannot change that? Srila
Prabhupada: No, he cannot change it, but Krsna can change it.
Devotee: If he commits suicide, is that also preset? Srila
Prabhupada: Not preset. That you can do because you have a
little independence. It is not natural to commit suicide; it is
unnatural. So because we have independence, we can go from
nature to "un-nature." A prisoner cannot go out of the prison
house naturally, but somehow or other he arranges to jump over
the wall and goes away. Then he becomes a criminal for further
imprisonment. Naturally, the prisoner cannot go out of the
prison house, but if somehow or other he manages to escape, that
means he becomes again a criminal. He will be arrested again,
and his term of imprisonment will be increased, or he will be
punished more. So, naturally we cannot violate destiny. But if
we do it, then we will suffer. But our destiny can be changed by
Krsna when we are Krsna conscious. We do not do it, but Krsna
will do it. Krsna says: aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami:
"I shall give you protection." That change takes place for my
protection.

There are two stages--nondevotee and devotee. The nondevotee is
under the control of material nature, and the devotee is under
the direct control of Krsna. In the office of a big man, an
executive of a big company, there are many employees, and they
are controlled by different departmental superintendents. But
although outside of home he controls indirectly, the same man at
home is controlling his children directly. But he is always a
controller. Similarly, God is the controller always. When one
becomes a devotee, he is controlled by God; when he is a
nondevotee, he is controlled by His agent, maya. But he has to
be controlled. For example, every citizen of America is
controlled by the government. When he is all right, the civil
department controls him; when he is not all right, the criminal
department controls him. But he cannot say, "I am not
controlled." That is not possible. Everyone is controlled. If
somebody says, "I am not controlled," he is not sane; he is
crazy. Everyone is controlled. So either you are controlled
directly by God, or you are controlled by His agency, maya.
Being controlled by maya, you spoil your life; you remain in
material existence one birth after another, changing your
bodies. But if you choose to be controlled by God, then after
this body, you go back home, back to Godhead. Then your life is
successful. You cannot exist without being controlled; that is
not possible. That is intelligence. And that is stated in the
Bhagavad-gita. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate:
"After many births of traveling or speculation, one surrenders
unto Me." Vasudevah sarvam iti: "Krsna, You are everything. So I
have come. Accept me. I am now fully surrendered unto You, and
You control me. I am controlled. For so long I have been
controlled by these rascals. There is no benefit. I have been
controlled by my senses. So under the control of the senses I
have served so-called family, society, country, nation--up to
serving the dogs. But nothing has given me satisfaction.
Therefore now I have good sense; I put myself under Your
control. Instead of being controlled by dog, let me be
controlled by God." This is Krsna consciousness. Have you not
seen how a man is controlled by a dog? In the street the dog
stops, passes stool, and his master will stand and wait. Is it
not? He is passing stool and urine, and the master is thinking,
"I am master." But he is being controlled. That is maya. He has
become servant of the dog, but he is thinking, "I am master." So
unless one is Krsna conscious, one cannot understand. We can
understand that this rascal is being controlled by his dog, but
he is thinking that he is the master. We can understand. What do
you think? Has he not become controlled by the dog? Bob: That is
so. Srila Prabhupada: But he is thinking, "I am the master of
the dog." A family man is controlled by his wife, his children,
by his servants, by everyone, but he is thinking, "I am master."
President Nixon is thinking that he is master of his country,
but he is controlled. At once he can be dismissed by the public,
his servants! And he will take a position, claiming, "I will
give you very good service," and "I shall be a first-class
servant." Therefore people vote, "All right, you become
president." And he is advertising: "Reelect me! Reelect me!"
That means he is a servant. But he is thinking, "I am master."
That is the position. Maya. One who is controlled by maya is
thinking himself master, but he is a servant. And a devotee
never thinks to himself, "I am master," only "I am servant."
That is the difference between maya and reality. He at least
knows: "I am never master. I am always a servant." When a
servant is thinking, "I am master," that is called illusion. But
when a servant thinks, "I am a servant," that is not illusion.
That is mukti, liberation. Because he is not controlled by false
thoughts. Try to think about this subject matter. A devotee is
never controlled by false thoughts. He knows his position.
Svarupena vyavasthitih. Mukti, liberation, means to be situated
in one's own constitutional position. I am a servant. So if I
know that I am a servant, that is my liberation. And if I think
that I am master, that is bondage. This is the difference
between conditioned life and liberated life.

So these Krsna conscious devotees are always thinking that they
are servants of Krsna. Therefore they are all liberated. They do
not endeavor for liberation. They are already liberated because
they are situated in their constitutional position. They are not
artificially thinking, "I am master." Otherwise, everyone is
thinking, "I am master." That is illusion. You cannot be master
in any state of your life; you must remain a servant. That is
your position. When one thinks artificially that he is master,
that is his conditioned life. And when one voluntarily
surrenders to the supreme master, that is his liberation. A
devotee does not try for liberation separately. As soon as he
surrenders to Krsna or Krsna's representative, he is liberated.
Bob: Prabhupada, people that engage in religions, like these
"Jesus freaks" and other people

So, my dear Prabhus, what is wrong with Srila Prabhupada's preaching here? Why has it been deleted?

Of course we have to remember we are talking about a VERY SMALL book here... How on earth can the BBT justify deleting so much text [and there is more than this!] from such a small book???

"Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers" is the first Srila Prabhupada book I ever read. It completely convinced me Krishna consciousness was the right way to go. I also know so many other devotees who have had a similar experience with the original PQPA. So you can understand my agony at discovering it has been so dramatically changed by the BBT...

Please visit the Book Changes page at:

http://www.sudarsana.com/ISKCON/BookChanges

Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!!

Your servant

Madhudvisa dasa