Post by Nityānanda dāsa on Feb 17, 2020 7:33:19 GMT -6
In my internet wanderings I came across this current project at the BRC also (brcindia.com/svalikhita-jivani/). They are translating the auto-biography of Kedarnath Datta Bhaktivinoda. I have heard, but have no verification, that Bhaktivinode had some unsavory things to say specifically about his son, Bimala Prasad (who later became Saraswati Thakur). So how can we trust a group who maintains a hagiographical and/or sentimental mood towards Bimala Prasad to produce an authentic 'as it is' translation?
I guess I really have a hard time with the many IGM folks who want to pick and choose what they like from more authentic, traditional CV sources. Of course, we've yet to see what Bipin Bihari Goswami wrote about Bhaktivinode in the Gauranga Sevak, but hopefully someone will be able to track that down soon. I guess it just bothers me. Please see my other post from today in the 'book seva' thread about the BRC's project of translating the Gaudiya Vaishnava Jivana. Same thing goes there. Granted that it does look like they've hired a legitimate Bengali scholar to do the translation work, but again, what will they do when there is disagreement about some of the content? And how can there not be disagreement considering all of the philosophical mISKCONceptions that ISKCON maintains and proliferates? IGM doesn't believe in what all the Vaishnavas in the Abhidana believed so how can the book be of use to them? Maybe it will shake things up in a good way? But then again, look what happened to the BBT's Sandarbhas project when Satyanarayan revealed that Jiva Goswami was very clear that the soul does not fall from Vaikuntha/Goloka. ISKCON shut the project down, banned books, wrote an erroneous book with their 'conclusion', kicked people out of ISKCON, gave the project to a biased translator (Gopiparanadan), and more mis-history (mystery, LOL!
) gets written.
On a positive note, I did track down and obtain the photos that Yadubar das took of (all?) of Bhaktivinode's original writings back in the 70's. He took something like 3000 photographs and perhaps the original Svalikhita Jivani is in there? I don't know as I haven't made my way through the photos. But I have them if anyone is interested.
I guess I really have a hard time with the many IGM folks who want to pick and choose what they like from more authentic, traditional CV sources. Of course, we've yet to see what Bipin Bihari Goswami wrote about Bhaktivinode in the Gauranga Sevak, but hopefully someone will be able to track that down soon. I guess it just bothers me. Please see my other post from today in the 'book seva' thread about the BRC's project of translating the Gaudiya Vaishnava Jivana. Same thing goes there. Granted that it does look like they've hired a legitimate Bengali scholar to do the translation work, but again, what will they do when there is disagreement about some of the content? And how can there not be disagreement considering all of the philosophical mISKCONceptions that ISKCON maintains and proliferates? IGM doesn't believe in what all the Vaishnavas in the Abhidana believed so how can the book be of use to them? Maybe it will shake things up in a good way? But then again, look what happened to the BBT's Sandarbhas project when Satyanarayan revealed that Jiva Goswami was very clear that the soul does not fall from Vaikuntha/Goloka. ISKCON shut the project down, banned books, wrote an erroneous book with their 'conclusion', kicked people out of ISKCON, gave the project to a biased translator (Gopiparanadan), and more mis-history (mystery, LOL!
) gets written. On a positive note, I did track down and obtain the photos that Yadubar das took of (all?) of Bhaktivinode's original writings back in the 70's. He took something like 3000 photographs and perhaps the original Svalikhita Jivani is in there? I don't know as I haven't made my way through the photos. But I have them if anyone is interested.
