Srila Prabhupada Speaks Out – “You cannot take protection of another rascal
who interprets Bhagavad-gītā in a different way. You have to take shelter directly. “
The authorized edition of Bhagavad-gita will help to stop the terrible cheating of ‘gurus’ and ‘yogis’ who are false and unauthorized
“The reviews have very much encouraged me. Especially those of Prof. Bhatt and Prof. Vajpeye. I have personally written a letter of thanks to Dr. Bhatt, that he has so much encouraged me. Dr. Vajpeye’s review we are going to print and widely distribute, especially in Bombay and Madras, where there is so much propaganda from these bogus gurus and yogis. He has got practical experience of how they are cheating the innocent people in foreign countries and he has written; “The authorized edition of Bhagavad-gita will help to stop the terrible cheating of ‘gurus’ and ‘yogis’ who are false and unauthorized. [Letter to: Svarupa, Ranadhira, Mayapur-3 February, 1976 Los Angeles]”
Srila Prabhupada: “…You cannot take protection of another rascal who interprets Bhagavad-gītā in a different way. You have to take shelter directly. Of course, Bhagavad-gītā instruction is there. Everyone can take shelter of Kṛṣṇa directly. Where is the difficulty? Just like here is is said, mayy āsakta. You have to develop your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. You can do that. How these Americans and European boys, they have developed their attraction for Kṛṣṇa? There is a process. If you adopt…” (Lecture BG 7.1, Hyderabad, April 27,1974)
So therefore, Bhagavān uvāca. We have to hear from Bhagavān, not from rascals. Then your knowledge is perfect. If you hear from rascals, then you become rascal. Don’t hear from any rascal. Hear from Bhagavān and take it and accept it. Then, gradually, your existence will be purified. Just like if somebody comes… Recently it so happened. There is a big Māyāvādī sannyāsī in India. His name is Akshananda Swami. Perhaps you know. Did you know? No. Anyone? Anyway, he is a Māyāvādī sannyāsī. So Acyutānanda Swami went to sell some books in their camp. So, his disciple requested him, “Why don’t you ask some question from Swamiji?” So, he said, “What I have to ask from him?” He was so convinced that “What this rascal can say to me? I know. I have heard from Kṛṣṇa.” This is knowledge. So, if you stick to Kṛṣṇa and hear from Him, you haven’t got to hear from any rascal, any rascal. Then you will waste time. Don’t hear from any rascal.
Therefore, we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, as it is, without any change. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: [Bg. 18.65] “Just become My devotee. Always think of Me.” We are teaching the same thing. We have no difficulty. What we are requesting you? “You think of Kṛṣṇa. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.” That’s all. Where is the difficulty? We don’t say, “You think of that, this of that, to this demigod, that demigod.” No. We don’t say. What is the use of other demigod? We show all respect to everyone, even to the ant, but that does mean that any demigod, any damn, any rascal, should be worshiped as God? No. That is not possible. We can show respect even to the insignificant ant. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. That may be another thing. But we cannot accept anyone as God. That is not possible. That is knowledge. That is knowledge. Be convinced firmly, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam: [SB 1.3.28] “Bhagavān means Kṛṣṇa, nobody else.” Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ [Bg. 7.20]. Anya-devatāḥ, accept as God, they are accepted by the rascals, hṛta-jñānāḥ, those who have lost their knowledge. They have lost their… Hṛta-jñānāḥ and naṣṭa-buddhayaḥ, those who have lost their knowledge. So, don’t be lost of your knowledge. Stick to Kṛṣṇa and accept His words as it is. Then you will be one day fearless, abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ. Your existence will be purified, spiritual existence. Purified existence means spiritual existence. We are spiritual; we are not this material just like I am not this shirt, you are not this shirt. You are within the shirt. Similarly, asmin dehe. Dehino ‘smin yathā dehe. Dehino ‘smin yathā dehe [Bg. 2.13]. We are within the shirt. This is the first knowledge, that “I am not this body.” Why I shall be puffed up with this body? This is superfluous. I am spirit soul. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa; therefore, my only business is with Kṛṣṇa. (Lecture BG 16.1-3, Hawaii, January 27,1975)
Srila Prabhupāda: And that will give you guidance. Read Bhagavad-gītā as it is, word for word. But don’t misinterpret and spoil. The rascals misinterpret and spoil the whole Bhagavad-gītā. That is the difficulty(?). You cannot misinterpret Bhagavad-gītā. Then it will be spoiled. If you get Bhagavad-gītā as it is, you are benefited. And if you misinterpret, then you spoil. So generally, they misinterpret. Everyone speaks on Bhagavad-gītā, but he misinterprets.
Guest (1): You’ve made it very clear,
Srila Prabhupāda. I want to thank you for that. I like your purports as much as Kṛṣṇa’s actual words, because now I can understand it.
Srila Prabhupāda: Therefore, we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Otherwise, for the last so many years—I am speaking in Western countries—so many swamis, so many yogis come, they speak on Bhagavad-gītā but misinterpret. So not a single devotee was there. And now Bhagavad-gītā is presented as it is, and so many devotees are coming. (Evening Darsana — July 11, 1976, New York)