BBTedit.com | Closer to Srila Prabhupada

History

Myths


	The myth that Śrīla Prabhupāda ordered, “Not a word of my books should be changed”
	The myth of the “unedited books”
	The myth that after an acarya departs his works are never to be edited
	The myth that Hayagriva and Śrīla Prabhupāda worked extensively, side by side, on Bhagavad-gita As It Is
	The myth about “softening” Śrīla Prabhupāda’s message
	The myth that posthumous editing is something scholars deplore
	The myth that you need to have footnotes
	The myth of “no consultation”
	The myth of the ultra-close vote
	The myth that Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva together carefully reviewed the completed text of Bhagavad-gita As It Is
	The myth that Srila Prabhupada's disciple Madhudvisa Dasa strongly opposes the changes
	The myth that Jayadvaita Swami physically attacked Madhudvisa Dasa (junior)

The myth that Śrīla Prabhupāda ordered, “Not a word of my books should be changed”

The myth of the “unedited books”

The myth that after an acarya departs his works are never to be edited

The myth that Hayagriva and Śrīla Prabhupāda worked extensively, side by side, on Bhagavad-gita As It Is

The myth about “softening” Śrīla Prabhupāda’s message

The myth that posthumous editing is something scholars deplore

The myth that you need to have footnotes

The myth of “no consultation”

The myth of the ultra-close vote

The myth that Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva together carefully reviewed the completed text of Bhagavad-gita As It Is

The myth that Srila Prabhupada's disciple Madhudvisa Dasa strongly opposes the changes

The myth that Jayadvaita Swami physically attacked Madhudvisa Dasa (junior)

Controversies


	Editing without direct approval violates the principle of “arsa prayoga,” or honoring the guru
	Many of the editorial revisions significantly change the meaning of the text.
	Many changes were unnecessary
	Śrīla Prabhupāda heard and lectured from a verse and said nothing about a need for further editing
	How can the editors be so arrogant as to presume to “correct” Śrīla Prabhupāda?
	Did Śrīla Prabhupāda ever order you to revise his books?
	Revised editions don’t have the spiritual potency of the originals.
	The original books are fully authorized and approved by Śrīla Prabhupāda. Anything later is less authoritative, less authentic.
	Śrīla Prabhupāda’s voice and style
	The Mona Lisa argument
	Where does it end?
	Why aren't scholars praising the second edition of the Gītā, the way they praised the first?
	Shouldn’t the BBT make both editions of the Gītā available—the old one and the new?

Editing without direct approval violates the principle of “arsa prayoga,” or honoring the guru

Many of the editorial revisions significantly change the meaning of the text.

Many changes were unnecessary

Śrīla Prabhupāda heard and lectured from a verse and said nothing about a need for further editing

How can the editors be so arrogant as to presume to “correct” Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Did Śrīla Prabhupāda ever order you to revise his books?

Revised editions don’t have the spiritual potency of the originals.

The original books are fully authorized and approved by Śrīla Prabhupāda. Anything later is less authoritative, less authentic.

Śrīla Prabhupāda’s voice and style

The Mona Lisa argument

Where does it end?

Why aren't scholars praising the second edition of the Gītā, the way they praised the first?

Shouldn’t the BBT make both editions of the Gītā available—the old one and the new?

What's New

First Installment - Annotated scan of original revised edition editor's copy

From our Video FAQ

Gopiparanadhana das answers "Why edit a book that has already been edited and approved?"

Jayadvaita Swami answers "What is the principle of arsa-prayoga?"

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What did Srila Prabhupada want for his books?

Because Srila Prabhupada’s books are sacred works, his followers may sometimes wonder: “Is it right to edit them? Is it proper to revise them?” On this site we examine what he told the BBT to do, and we look at history, myths, and controversies.