Book Review: Srila Prabhupada’s 1969 Sri Isopanisad

I have just had the great pleasure of reading Srila Prabhupada’s original 1969 Sri Isopanisad for the first time. Of course I have read Sri Isopanisad many times before, but this edition is very special. It is a photographically reproduced version of the original book. It’s printed on first-class paper, it has nine beautiful color prints and perfectly clean, clear and crisp text. The original books couldn’t have looked any more

When the BBT editors made extensive unauthorized changes to Srila Prabhupada’s Sri Isopanisad in 1977 Prabhupada, when he learnt of the changes, was very distressed and directly ordered the BBT to return the next printing of Sri Isopanisad to the original way it was published without any unauthorized changes.

Yasoda-nandana: In the Gurukula we were teaching Isopanisad class to the children. So we took… (break) …Prabhupada and the words which the recent edition of the press is wrong. Many changes were brought. They were trying to make better English, but sometimes, to make better English, I think they were making philosophical mistakes also. There is no so much need of making so much better English. Your English is sufficient. It is very clear, very simple. We have caught over 125 changes. They’re changing so many things. We are wondering if this is necessary. I will show you today. I have kept the book.

Prabhupada: I know that these rascals are doing. What can be done? How they can be relied on? It is starting. What can I do? These cannot… These rascals cannot be educated. Dangerous. Little learning, dangerous. So how to correct? The leader of these dangerous–Radha-vallabha… He’s a dangerous, who maintains these rascal with this work. He’ll always have questions and alteration. That is his business. That is American business. They take that always. What can I do? Ultimate, it goes for editorial. They make changes, such changes… But they are doing without any authority… It is very serious situation. Ramesvara is in direct…

Yasoda-nandana: What is it going to be in five years? It’s going to be a different book.

Prabhupada: 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 Satsvarupa that “This is the position. They are doing anything and everything at their whim.” The next printing should be again to the original way… So write them immediately that “The rascal editors, they are doing havoc, and they are being maintained by Ramesvara and party…” So they are doing very freely and dangerously. And this rascal is always after change, Radha-vallabha. He’s a great rascal.

Just a few months after this conversation Srila Prabhupada left his body in Vrndavana. Instead of following Srila Prabhupada’s clear order to return his books to the original way, the BBT immediately took advantage of Prabhupada’s departure and began “revising and enlarging” his Bhagavad-gita As It Is. They made more than 5,000 mostly completely needless changes and in many cases completely changed the meaning of the text in the book Srila Prabhupada himself read and gave class from almost daily for more than six years. During all these years, even though the book was reprinted many times, Srila Prabhupada neverrequested anyone to “revise and enlarge” it.

These matters have been thoroughly discussed by the followers of Srila Prabhupada and the almost unanimous opinion of all groups of Srila Prabhupada’s followers [even including the vast majority of devotees in ISKCON] is the BBT should not change Srila Prabhupada’s books at all. For more information one can refer to http://www.krishna.org/ISKCON/BookChanges

Srila Prabhupada’s Sri Isopanisad has been unavailable since the BBT published its first unauthorized edition in 1977. Since 1977 the BBT have continued to edit and change their version more and more with every printing even up to today. With every printing the BBT’s books become more and more unauthorized. Of course the BBT do still stock some of Srila Prabhupada’s authorized original books, particularly small books, but this is possibly only because the editors have not yet had the time to “revise and enlarge” them.

Yasoda-nandana: What is it going to be in five years? It’s going to be a different book.

Prabhupada: 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 Satsvarupa that “This is the position. They are doing anything and everything at their whim.” The next printing should be again to the original way… So write them immediately that “The rascal editors, they are doing havoc, and they are being maintained by Ramesvara and party…” So they are doing very freely and dangerously. And this rascal is always after change, Radha-vallabha. He’s a great rascal.

So today is a great festival as we see the first of Srila Prabhupada’s original books back in print. The BBT’s changes to Srila Prabhupada’s books have smothered the Hare Krishna movement. One simply does not get the same impression by reading the BBT’s version as one does by reading Srila Prabhupada’s original books. Since the BBT have published their “Revised and Enlarged” version of the Gita it is doubtful if anyone has understood the actual meaning of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is by reading their version. The result of reading the BBT’s version is very different from the result of reading Srila Prabhupada’s version and many devotees will testify to that. Today’s ISKCON is living proof that devotees reading the BBT’s version of the Gita are completely unable to understand the real meaning of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is..

It seems the end of the dark era of completely unauthorized BBT books being distributed as Srila Prabhupada’s books is coming to an end. This publication of Prabhupada’s original 1969Sri Isopanisad is a great and hopeful sign for the future.

This book is for everyone. It covers, in a nutshell, all aspects of spiritual life including the purpose of life, the attainment of peace, understanding of the soul and reincarnation, real education and the process of self realization. It’s a book one can read over and over again and always gain new inspiration and new insights.

I strongly recommend you to purchase and read this original Sri Isopanisad by Srila Prabhupada and as far as possible distribute it to your friends, neighbors, work mates, etc. The greatest charity, the greatest welfare work is to give people real spiritual knowledge and the best way to do that is to let them read Srila Prabhupada’s original books.

This book is a must for anyone interested in Vedic thought in any way whatsoever. It is one of the most important of the 108 Upanisads. The book contains eighteen Sanskrit mantras. Srila Prabhupada has given an excellent introduction called “Teachings of the Vedas.” His introduction gives even someone new to the Vedas a complete understanding of the history, the purpose and the scope of the Vedic literature.

Sri Isopanisad is a complete introduction to ancient Vedic spirituality but at the same time is very profound and a great source of knowledge and inspiration for advanced students. The original Devanagari script is given and for those of us who can not read Devanagari there is a roman transliteration also. Srila Prabhupada has provided English synonyms for all the Sanskrit words, beautiful clear English translations and elaborate purports explaining the verses with reference to other Vedic scriptures and the previous acaryas [great self-realized spiritual teachers.] In the appendix we find a short biography of Srila Prabhupada, a Sanskrit pronunciation guide with an introduction to Devanagari script, a comprehensive glossary and an index.

Although the book only runs to 124 pages it is quite a large format paperback and contains a great deal of spiritual knowledge indeed. I am sure you will enjoy it very much. Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!

Srila Prabhupada’s original 1969 Sri Isopanisad is available from:

Prabhupada Sankirtana Society
294 Lee Street
Oldham OL8 1BG
England

Telephone: +44 161-628-5213

The cost of the book is given below and they have very generous discounts for bulk orders:

You can also contact them by email on PSSHearing@prabhupada.freeserve.co.uk

• 1 to 5 copies £1.75 each ($2.80 approx.)
• 6 to 29 copies £1.15 each ($1.84 approx.)
• 30 copies and over £0.68 each ($1.08 approx.)

Madhudvisa dasa