Posthumous Editing of a Great Master's Work: Special Focus on the Writings of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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