Scope of Preservation

From the time Srila Prabhupada disappeared from our vision in 1977 there has been large-scale ongoing changes to the books he published. These include changes to the wording, poetic style and Sanskrit translation found in the original editions, editions which Srila Prabhupada personally approved of. In 1977, just a few months before his disappearance, Srila Prabhupada raised deep concern about unauthorized changes being made to his books for what had been years already. The problem had gotten so out-of-hand that during a discussion with his disciples Srila Prabhupada gave the order for the next printing of the books in question to be printed again in the original way. This was no light statement, and this along with many other statements from him serves as a testimony to Srila Prabhupada’s commitment to ensuring his books remain unchanged. Surely there must have been legitimate editing improvements to the printings of certain books at that time. But there was also illegitimate and unauthorized editing which Srila Prabhupada felt altered or removed intended meaning and important wording. By ordering for a book to be printed again in the way it was originally printed – effectively discarding the newer printings with all the time that had already been invested in them – Srila Prabhupada sent a clear and strong message: it’s better to preserve the original writings of the acharya even with literary discrepancies than to go on making unauthorized changes or so-called improvements at the risk of taking away from the pure, unobscured message being delivered through the chain of transcendental disciplic succession.

The teachings of great saints have been changed throughout the course of time to suit the material motives of men of a particular era. Nobody can trace the precise point in time that the changes or deviations began and what the original pure message was. The teachings of the great modern saint of our time, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, are no exception to the historic trend. It would seem to be a quality of the material world, and more so one of this fallen age of kali. There is one ray of light yet still: When it comes to Srila Prabhupada’s teachings, we know precisely when the deviations began, where they were made and even the persons behind them. Thanks to modern technological advancements such as the internet, hiding these deviations and suppressing the truth has proven to be much more difficult for those of unscrupulous nature. Even a single dissenting voice of truth can easily reverberate across the internet and have a profound effect. We find ourselves at a significant and sensitive point in time where we are witnessing before our eyes the root of deviation to the teachings of the great modern saint that God has sent us, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. His books are to be the lawbooks of society for the next ten thousand years. It is any sincere truth-seekers duty to do what he or she can to avert catastrophe and help preserve the original teachings of the great saint of our time Srila Prabhupada for the benefit of generations to come.