Posthumous Editing of a Great Master's Work: Special Focus on the Writings of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (Explorations in Indic Traditions: Theological, Ethical, and Philosophical)

In this volume, twelve scholars focus on the challenges of preserving and editing the writings of a leading but deceased religious figure. The authors examine editorial authority and overreach, noncompliance with scholarly standards, and untransparent editorial changes that have arisen in the books of the Indian master, Swami Prabhupāda. Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication A NOTE ON THE COVER IMAGE Acknowledgments Introduction The Nature and Focus of This Work Summary of the Problem Some Important Questions Asked Notes Chapter 1: On Revealing the Face of Truth Notes References Chapter 2: The Posthumous Editing of the Books of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Instructions of the Author Option 1: Evidence for Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Desire: No Change of Any Kind Option 2: Evidence for Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Desire: Proofreading but Not Editing Option 3: Evidence for Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Desire: Proofreading, Not Editing, and Corrections Prabhupāda Specifically Indicated Option 4: Evidence for Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Desire: Proofreading, Explicitly Requested Corrections, and Attempt to Undo Earlier Edits That Appear to Deviate from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Intended Meaning Option 5: Evidence for Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Desire: Proofreading, Explicitly Requested Corrections, Attempted Undoing of Earlier Editing Errors, and Full Content Editing in a Wide Range of Areas Note about Defining Proofreading in Regard to Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation, and Usage Nature of the Posthumous Editing BBT Posthumous Edits: Categories Mottos and Misunderstanding Some Posthumous Editing Examples Examples Where Posthumous Editing Was Not Done Artwork Costs of the Posthumous Editing Verse Translations Doubts about the Authenticity of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Books Trust of ISKCON Members Moving from the Founder to ISKCON Leaders Questioning Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Competency BBT Editing after the Current Editors’ Deaths or Retirement Suggested Solutions Notes References Chapter 3: Posthumous Editing and the Privilege of the Sages The Authority of the Author The Arsa Proyoga Principle Years of Utilization without Request for Revision Examples of Changes Made to Prabhupāda’s Original Work Content Editing: Erasing the Guru’s Voice Attempt to Complete Author’s Verse Translation Translating Sanskrit Verse the Author Elected Not To Radical Re-Wording of Divine Epithet Engaging Phrases from Old Drafts Improving Author’s Key Translated Word Arbitrary Replacements of Words Altering Meaning Elimination of the Author’s Words Muting the Author’s Voice with Reconstructing Phrases Stylistic Corruption by Replacing Phrases Removing Author’s Didactic Use of Words Word Replacements Altering Meaning Awkward Use of Brackets Without Explanation Resurfacing of Phrases from Old Drafts Conclusion Notes References Chapter 4: On Restoring the 1972 Edition of the Bhagavad Gītā As It Is Note References Chapter 5: Issues Pertaining to the Editing of Prabhupāda’s Books Notes References Chapter 6: Los Angeles Devotees’ Responses to ISKCON’s Post-Charismatic Editing Crisis The Los Angeles Community Prabhupāda’s Heroic Pilgrimage to the West: Chaitanya’s Senapati-Bhakta ISKCON: A Society of the Book Prabhupāda’s Language and “Mood”: His Non-Difference from His Books “No Errors, No Changes”: The Critique of Post-Charismatic Editing A Radical Approach to Post-Charismatic Editing The Post-Charismatic Controversy: “A Misdirection of Prabhupāda’s Mission?” “Closer to Prabhupāda”: The Defense of Post-Charismatic Editing The Way Forward? The BBT Textual Revision Review Panel (RRP) Summary of Findings: Recommendations and Solutions Recommendations Reframing the Crisis Acknowledgments Notes Chapter 7: Challenges in Constituting the Written Works of a Post-Mortem Author Two Problems Facing an Editor of a Guru’s Writings Problem One: Making a Root Text Problem Two: Interpreting the Root Text Commentary in the Indian Tradition Typographical Style and Commentary Text and Tradition: When Theology Meets Anthropology Conclusion Notes References Chapter 8: Guru, Śāstra, Anubhava: The Triumvirate of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Authority Pramāṇa: Sources of the Guru’s Authority Sources of Prabhupāda’s Authority: Śāstra, Paramparā, and Anubhava Posthumous Editing of Prabhupāda’s Work Notes References Chapter 9: Let the Master Speak!: Issues of Textual Translation, Organization, and Interpretation in the Tradition of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda Sri Ramakrishna: Issues of Translation and Interpretation “Circling the Wagons”: Sensitivity around the Complete Works Conclusion: The Case for Transparency Notes References Chapter 10: Establishing Unitary Canons Establishment of the Muslim Unitary Canon Establishment of the Sikh Unitary Canon Some Comments on Establishing an ISKCON Unitary Canon Notes References Chapter 11: The Acharya’s Copyrights: Legal Implications of Irresponsible Publishing Introduction Corrupted Literature East-West Publishing Protocol The Acharya’s Matchless Voice A Puzzling Dilemma One Holy Mess Phantom Claimants From Dilemma to Pretense The ISKCON Publisher Goes Corporate Acharya for Hire The Movement’s Publishing Operations Concluding Observations Note Chapter 12: Framing the Master’s Work: On the Theo-Literary Method for Preserving the Completed Writings of the Departed Spiritual Preceptor Bhagavad Gītā: The Master’s Flagship Work Prabhupāda’s Instructions on Editing in a Nutshell Comprehensive Review of BBT Editor’s Revisions Quantitative Analyses of Changes in the Second Edition Types of Unnecessary BBT Editing Eight Sources Justifying Editorial Changes Eight Ways of Seeing and Treating the Original Text Vaishnava Epistemology Violated by BBT Editing Authoritative Modes of Cognition The BBTedit​.c​om Website The Newly Formed BBT Revisions Review Panel Eight Undisputed Facts Theological Implications of BBT Editing A Theo-Literary Solution Eight Editorial Principles for Posthumous Editing Concluding Thoughts Notes References Index About the Contributors Posthumous Editing of a Great Master's Work: Special Focus on the Writings of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda examines how a leading figure's hallowed written and published works, which remain so important to the religious community, should be editorially treated following the leader's departure from this world. The volume addresses the theological, ethical, social, and legal implications of posthumous editing—and even improving—a great master's works. This book focuses on the extensive posthumous editing of the works of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, the original world-teacher of Krishna bhakti of the twentieth century. After Swami Prabhupāda departed from this world, some of his disciples, without the expressed approval of the author, attempted to improve on his authorized published work, which resulted in the publication of a continuing series of inauthentic altered editions. This extreme editing of Swami Prabhupāda's works precipitated the scholarly research and inquiry into the posthumous editing of a great master's work that forms the basis of this book.