Bhagavad-gita - Another New Translation

BY: KRSNA DASA
Mar 23, UK (SUN) — On Lord Caitanya's Appearance day, I spied a "new" translation of Bhagavad-gita for sale at Bhaktivedanta Manor book shop, Srila Prabhupada's temple. Amongst Srila Prabhupada's supreme books was a new translation by WHO..!!!? I felt quite disturbed…
I asked Indriyesha dasa about this and his reply was, what was my problem with the book? My problem is that this is Srila Prabhupada's temple, and who is the guy anyway? I found the Intro quite averse to Srila Prabhupada's style. I further added that I wasn't happy with "Lilamrta" minimizing Srila Prabhupada, to which Indriyesha shockingly answered that he felt too many people place Prabhupada on an unreal platform, i.e., on the level of Krishna. This from a rep from ISKCON educational services.
As per usual when confronting authority, I was asked how many rounds I'm chanting and what I'm doing to spread Krishna consciousness... I then understood why/how these people could associate Srila Prabhupada, the messenger from the spiritual world, with mundane Mayavadis, etc.
Check out the presentation of Srila Prabhupada on the ISKCON "Heart of Hinduism" webpage.
Apparently the author of the new Bhagavad-gita, Graham Schweig, is 'aka Garuda das' and because he's preaching to intellectuals, has to hide his identity to "attract" (?) them. I doubt there's mention of Srila Prabhupada in his work. It's madness, as evident below, that he cannot bring himself to recommend Srila Prabhupada's greatest Bhagavad-gita As It Is, but is persuaded to compose his own sanitized translation for his colleagues teaching Gita:

• "A collegue of mine approached me about his teaching a Bhagavad-gita class at the University and, because I am somewhat considered the resident expert on the subject, inquired as to what translation of the Bhagavad gita he should use? After standing there for about an hour, casually discussing the pros and cons of various editions, he said, "Well, why don't you do one?" and I queried back, "Do one what?" "A translation of the Bhagavad-gita" I thought that that was interesting and wondered if Princeton, who had just published my book Dance of Divine Love had it on their list to publish. But I didn't really think of it seriously.
  I happened to write to my editor at Princeton and asked, "Do you folks have the Bhagavad-gita on your list? That was all I said about that. She wrote back, "That's a wonderful idea. I'll send this over to Fred. Send a proposal in immediately."

Garuda das's Gita

BY: KRSNA DASA
Mar 30, UK (SUN) — I did write an insensitive piece about Garuda das and his Gita and I would like to apologise to all who have done their best to put me back in my place. I have now carefully read Garuda's intro to his book and can understand how intelligently he's presenting this translation attractively for the people in general....please excuse me on that front.
What I do feel still stands are my real concerns. It's the general disregard for His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada and the exploitation of the facilities He gave us for a Krishna conscious society... Mahavidya das and his campaign exposing not just the Temple President of Bhaktivedanta Manor, but almost every other opportunist exacting more than tithes for their "service"
Graham Schweig is unknown to me. He is a professor in an American university. IF he is on a personal salary out of teaching Bhagavad Gita, what message is he sending? What is his profit by selling his books in Srila Prabhupada's temples and ISKCON websites? If by his illuminating presentation of Bhagavad Gita to the intellectual classes he is simultaneously living a life of renunciation (setting the example), then I have totally misrepresented him and his works. We have no right, however, to make business out of the gifts from Lord Sri Krishna and Srila Prabhupada.
What is an ordinary devotee to feel when he/she sees a book by Graham Schweig alongside the books of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada? Why is Graham Schweig selling his book here? Is he donating all his money to the BBT? Has he written this book purely out of service to the Supreme Lord, or is there some cut for himself? If he is receiving profit, then it cannot be pure service to Lord Sri Krishna and His pure devotee. The ordinary devotee working for Srila Prabhupada, in Srila Prabhupada's temple, developing his devotional service attitude for Lord Sri Krishna, is not expected to honor those who furnish their bank accounts, profiting from their knowledge or expertise.
Graham Schweig has written other books. One of them is on the rasa lila pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna. I believe in freedom of speech and Graham Schweig has liberty to write as he likes but who sanctioned his books for sale on ISKCON websites and at ISKCON temples?

• "We must always remember that a devotees life is one of vairagya-vidya, or renunciation and knowledge. Therefore all devotees are warned not to live unnecessarily luxurious lives at the cost of others. Grhasthas living within the jurisdiction of the temple must be especially careful not to imitate karmis by acquiring opulent clothing, food and conveyances. As far as possible, these should be avoided. A member of the temple, whether grhastha, brahmacari or sannyasi, must practice a life of renunciation, following in the footsteps of Haridasa thakura and the six Goswamis."
  Caitanya-caritamrta Antya 3 .101
  
  
  "Any householder who is working full-time (with his wife) as a sankirtana book distributor, or temple managerial duties, artist, cook, etc., shall be provided food, shelter, and other bare minimum necessities by the temple itself. They should not cook their own meals separate from the temple meals. If they have children, then some minimal allowance may be given according to the number of children. If they want anything extra or over and above what the temple president sees as absolute necessity, then they should work outside--the temple cannot pay for anything beyond the bare necessities. And definitely, the BBT cannot pay any salary to anybody. Our philosophy is "simple living and high thinking"--not sense gratification. The temple presidents and leaders (elder students ) must show this by example. Temple or asrama means for renunciation and renounced persons. If one is engaged in self-realization process, then his material necessities become almost nil. Persons who do not like this can work outside."
  Srila Prabhupada Letter to Kirtiraja das, January 12, 1975

Retraction BY: LALITA MADHAVA DEVI DASI
Apr 3, BATTLEBORO, VERMONT, USA (SUN) — During the past several days since my article, "Garuda dasa's New Gita Translation" (which was written at Garuda Prabhu's request) was published, I have received letters and phone calls emphatically calling for me to retract it in light of disturbing information that has recently surfaced. I was not aware of this information at the time I wrote the article, and thus I now find myself in a most awkward and difficult position.
In response to those requests from Vaishnavas, and under mounting pressure in which my own personal integrity is being called into question, I will say the following: I am not a "ritvik" and I consider ritvik-vada to be a philosophical deviation. I wholeheartedly believe in the principle of disciplic succession and therefore I continue to believe that it is appropriate for devotees in the disciplic succession following Srila Prabhupada to write books - provided their character and conduct are beyond reproach.
However, I now regret publicly calling Krishna dasa on the carpet in an impassioned personal defense of Garuda Prabhu, and accusing him of being ignorant and ill-informed with regard to matters of Garuda's integrity, character and qualities. Unfortunately, it is I who seem to have been ill-informed.