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Re: ISKCON : help define these terms
On Fri, 1 Mar 1996, Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian wrote:
> mpt0002@jove.acs.unt.edu (michael tandy) wrote:
>
> >In article <4gggqn$rrq@babbage.ece.uc.edu>, rbalasub@ecn.purdue.edu
> >says...
> >
> >>>Prabhpada
> >>
> >>A person who provides imaginative translations of Hindu scriptures.
> >
> > Although most of the post is too frivolous to merit a serious
> >response, this is a most reckless statement and I object to it.
> >It is definitely what I would consider a "personal attack." Most
>
> It was certainly not a personal attack. I consider many of Prabhupada's
> translations quite absurd.
Please list your credentials as a Sanskrit scholar, and
while you're at it, tell who your guru is, and what
tradition you represent. I will take you seriously if
you can do these simple things.
>
> If you had read my previous posts, you might have realized why I made this
> statement. Obviously you can't expect me to repeat about 4-5 explanatory posts
> each time I criticize Prabhupada.
Fair enough; I can handle that.
Unfortunately, I did not save my posts on
> this topic, perhaps you can do some net search and find the articles and then
> post your criticisms of my reasoning.
Well, actually, I'm pretty busy... :-)
>
> >scholars praise Srila Prabhupada's books highly, acknowledging that
>
> Pray, who are these scholars?
A.L. Basham was one of the most respected Indologists of all
time; he had the highest respect for Srila Prabhupada and his
books. Stillson Judah is another. So is Diana Eck from Harvard. These
are a few I can recall off the top of my head. You'll find many more.
Their favorable reviews are often quoted in the jackets of Prabhupada's
books.
Most of these people know the spelling of
> Sanskrit and not beyond that.
This statement requires no response.
BTW, I'd ask you to look at the skeletons in
> Prabhupada's closet
I did just that, and because there weren't any, I became
his disciple. I would like to think that this means that
I am at least a little bit honest.
before saying that I indulged in personal attacks.
This was my opinion, and stated as such.
After
> twisting verses or thoroughly misinterpreting them, he comes to the conclusion
> that Shiva was trying to mislead people and piously asks people to ignore him.
> This is being sanctimonious, at best.
I think Padma Purana has such authority.
>
> >they faithfully present the commentaries of the Gaudiya Vaisnava
> >tradition. In many cases, these scholar use Srila Prabhupada's books to
> >teach their classes. Since this is probably known well to rbalasub, we
> >can only conclude that it is simply the Gaudiya tradition itself that
> >he is repulsed by, and it is his right to be so if he chooses.
>
> I am not repulsed by Gaudiya Vaishnavism. I actively look forward to Gaudiya
> interpretations.
>
Best wishes.
Haribol! :-)
-m
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