Srila Prabhupada did not like changes to his Sri Isopanisad

[Paramananda das]

Srila Prabhupada did not like changes to his Sri Isopanisad
It is one of the first books I read in 1977 and 78 and it for sure helped me become a devotee or aspiring devotee, in 1977 there was a conversation Rascals editors (most of you are familiar with)
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.
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.
Sri Isopanisad sloka has been changed 2 times and the last version done by the BBT is no longer Srila Prabhupadas words :
By adding systematically :
(1969)A person who sees everything in relation to the Supreme Lord, and sees all entities as His parts and parcels, and who sees the Supreme Lord within everything, never hates anything, nor any being.
Changed edition:(1974)
He who sees everything in relation to the Supreme Lord, who sees all living entities as His parts and parcels, and who sees the Supreme Lord within everything never hates anything or any being.
Changed edition:(2001)
He who sees systematically everything in relation to the Supreme Lord, who sees all living entities as His parts and parcels, and who sees the Supreme Lord within everything never hates anything or any being.
Srila Prabhupada also did not approve of the change to the cover of his books as has been done by the BBT in many cases
Instruction from Srila Prabhupada regarding cover change:
“No, the printing of the Gitar-gan cover this fashion is not at all approved by me. You have done most nonsensically. Why change the cover? When people look to see the Bhagavad-gita they expect to see Krishna and Arjuna, not the picture of Krishna with cow. You have done a great mistake by changing the front picture and it will hamper the sale. In future you don’t do any changes without asking me first.
Simply because there is no stock of books, we can do anything whimsically??? Is this logic? Gita is not spoken in Vrindaban, it is spoken on the battlefield of Kuruksetra, but this is Vrindaban picture. That chariot driven by 4 horses, that is the real Kuruksetra picture. It is not that because there is no stock we can do whimsically as we like and lose the idea, that is rasa-bhasa. Because there is no bread, you take stone to eat? There is no stock of bread so you will take stone??? The front picture is most important thing and you have changed it. It must remain standard, and not change. Also, the lettering is not nice on the cover. You could have taken a color picture of Krishna and Arjuna and used it black and white (one color) on the front cover. Just as you did with the inside back cover of the Bhagavat darsana, the original picture of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was in color but you have printed it in black and white. You could have done this on the front cover with Krishna and Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, but the cover must not be changed.
[Letter: Bhargava, May 29, 1976]
See how ugly one cover of the changes to Srila Prabhupadas Isopanisad is ? Compare it to the cover Srila Prabhupada authorized,,,To me that cover of Lord Visnu made such a huge impression ,as this painting is non different from Lord Visnu