Dear friends,
Hari Om,
Please, do not consider my post as offensive. I'm just a student trying to get knowledge.
From my actual stage of learning sanskrit and comparing translations, I've noticed some different perspectives in Prabhupada books and commentaries that takes ISKCON far away from the real text as it is (the texts are full of interpolations and extrapolations). Some shlokas translated by Prabhupada are completely different from their respective sanskrit correspondents, and the purports are very biased. Sometimes - that is to say, almost everytime, Prabhupada doesn't even give his considerations at the Purport, but at the translation itself, changing the meaning of the words, adding words and even phrases in the translation space, which for me is a aggression to the shastra.
I have a lot of ISKCON friends and with respect try to talk with them, but unfortunately, they quote paramparā and Prabhupada in defense of the arguments. But I've seen that Prabhupada defending Prabhupada is kind of useless... I'm new to HDF, and my doubts became more intense when I saw that there is a forum for discussions about "God in Hindu Dharma" in the views of Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism.. and Hare Krishna. That came to me kind of confirming my thoughts about ISKCON, that they have became kind of a sect that started differentiating from traditional Vaishnavism.
I'm just a student, and humbly would like to ask you about this thought of mine.
a) Is ISKCON considered a traditional Vaishnava group?
b) The separation in HDF is due to what I was already thinking (ISKCON have different perspectives and non-traditional analysis of texts and became kind of a sect for itself, centered in Prabhupada)?
c) What do you think about Prabhupada and his translations?
Please, I humbly propose not to start a fight, since I believe that everybody that seeks for God, in any sect, system of philosophy or any other way is worthy of respect. I respect Swami Prabhupada, all ISKCON members and devotees, and acknowledge Prabhupada's value.
But, since we are at the forum of the Vaishnava and not at the forum of the Hare Krishna, I'm proposing this topic to know your points of view.
Please, accept my sincere pranam, beforehand apologizing if my words caused any harshness,
R
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