The latest controversy over CC Mad 7.130 purport – resolved

Guru – To Be or Not To Be

BY: H.H. BHAKTI VIKASA SWAMI Jan 29, 2013 — INDIA (SUN) — Sattvic Prabhu has quoted from Srila Prabhupada's purport to Cc Madhya 7.130: "One should not try to be an artificially advanced devotee, thinking, "I am a first-class devotee." Such thinking should be avoided. It is best not to accept any disciples." In the present edition of the Vedabase, this has been changed to: "One should not try to be an artificially advanced devotee, thinking "I am a first-class devotee, so it is best not to accept any disciples." Such thinking should be avoided." This change is based on the Anubhasya, the commentary by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, from which Srila Prabhupada was translating.

I have seen the original transcript of Srila Prabhupada's dictation of this section of his commentary, and it is clear that the editors at that time mistakenly rendered this part as it was first published. It is unsurprising that errors like this were made in the marathon to publish eighteen books in two months. This has now been corrected. The original transcript is with the Bhaktivedanta Archives.

I plan to gradually respond, probably starting next week, to other points made by Sattvic Prabhu.

Here is the actual original transcript from the Archives: So to summarize the whole thing – Original one – Srila Prabhupada's purport to Cc Madhya 7.130: "One should not try to be an artificially advanced devotee, thinking, "I am a first-class devotee."

Such thinking should be avoided. It is best not to accept any disciples." In the present edition of the Vedabase, this has been changed to: "One should not try to be an artificially advanced devotee, thinking "I am a first-class devotee, so it is best not to accept any disciples." Such thinking should be avoided." Conclusion: The changing of the last two sentences does not change the meaning of this purport at all. It doesn't matter which sentence comes first because the meaning is still the same. Either way it is stated, Prabhupada didn't want neophytes to become diksha gurus because he knew we are not at all advanced disciples. (Just because one follows the 4 regulations and chants 16 rounds for 20 years or so, this is not a qualification for becoming diksha guru. It means one has become a human being and at least a kanishta adhikari devotee) either to think "I am advanced" or to think "I can take disciples" – either way Srila Prabhupada says-"should be avoided".