Back To Prabhupada, Issue 66, Vol 2, 2020
During Srila Prabhupada's physical presence there was no question of someone in ISKCON writing a book to compete with Srila Prabhupada's books. Such a thing did not happen. And thus the issue of such a competing book being promoted with the claim that it was superior to, or offered more spiritual "insight" than, Srila Prabhupada's books did not even arise. Yet, as we have featured in previous issues of BTP, it is now becoming a trend for ISKCON devotees to publish their own, competitive versions to Srila Prabhupada's translations and commentaries on the Vedic scriptures. Those who engage in such activity usually support the guru hoax in ISKCON, and thus falsely believe Srila Prabhupada is now a "previous" acarya, having been supplanted by the GBC gurus. However, even those who falsely believe this must still adhere to the following:
"If a previous acarya has already written about something, there is no need to repeat it for personal sense gratification or to out-do the previous acarya. Unless there is some definite improvement, one should not repeat."
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 12.150, purport)
Consequently, since it states there needs to be "some definite improvement", it is not surprising that these competitors to Srila Prabhupada's books are also claiming to "improve" Srila Prabhupada's books and thus surpass him. And attempting to surpass Srila Prabhupada is also forbidden, even if one falsely believes he is a previous acarya:
"A writer of transcendental literature never tries to surpass the previous acaryas."
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 8.33, purport)
Thus, for example, HH Kadamba Kanana Swami ("KKS"), a GBC-elected diksa guru, wrote a book which he has subtitled "A Companion to Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's The Nectar of Devotion" and wherein he states that "This book is a companion to Rupa Goswami's book and provides more insight to the unique devotional experience of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His followers" (emphasis added).
We do not need any so-called "companion" literature to Srila Prabhupada's The Nectar of Devotion since he has already given us the perfect commentary which contains everything we need to practise devotional service, and which does not require "more insight" from KKS:
"So we have published our Nectar of Devotion. So every one of you should read this Nectar of Devotion repeatedly. The whole substance of Vaisnava philosophy and activities, everything is there. So every one of you read this Nectar of Devotion once, twice, thrice."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 23/6/70, emphasis added)
"Just like we have got this Nectar of Devotion, how to cultivate devotional life. [...] So there is everything."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 25/11/74, emphasis added)
And if this deviant activity was not bad enough, KKS reveals in his book's Introduction whom he used to derive his "extra" insight from:
"I have referred to translations of the Bhaktirasamrta-sindhu, specifically to the English translations of Bhanu Maharaja and Bon Maharaja".
Srila Prabhupada said of the latter:
"I think that he has no actual spiritual asset [...] this Bon Maharaja may be considered as a black snake"
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, 31/1/69)
Thus, KKS has simply compounded his offense of claiming he "provides more insight" to the already pure, philosophical expositions given by Rupa Goswami and Srila Prabhupada by consulting an unauthorised source. There is no need whatsoever to add anything to Srila Prabhupada's translations and commentaries as they are already completely perfect and only require that one read them to become fully Krsna conscious:
"So utilize whatever time you find to make a thorough study of my books. Then all your questions will be answered."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, 7/1/76)
"In my books the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness is explained fully".
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, 22/11/74, emphasis added)
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