ISKON Bhagavatam Translation

I got a copy of "The Beautiful Legend of God" in the mail the other day. It is a translation of the Tenth Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam, the principal source for the story of Krishna. It is a pretty confusing translation, with way too many parenthesis and endnotes etc... It gives me a headache to read and isn't easy for me to understand. I was wondering how faithful ISKON's translation of this is to the original sanskrit. It is the only other translation I know of for this particular canto. Does it flow well? Is it easy to understand?

PS - I am not a follower of ISKON and don't agree with a lot of their teachings, so if this translation is filtered through ISKONs personal philosophy, please let me know.

 

The tenth canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam was first published through ISKCON in 1970 as "Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead". Translated and written as a "summary study" by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, the founder of ISKCON.

Yes, it reflects the particular philosophy but is also very well written and readable...much more like an ongoing narration or novel than a text...almost no footnotes and such. It was intended as a user-friendly version that would introduce the western world to Krishna in a non-academic way. The 1970 first editon was financed by George Harrison and he wrote a short foreword.

When the entire Bhagavatam was published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust several years later, the tenth canto is in the the standard BBT format of Sanskrit verse, verse transliteration, verse translation, and commentary or purport.

As far as word for word faithfulness to the original Sanskrit, probably in the same ballpark as other versions. In general, the philosophical leanings of ACBS's books are most strongly expressed in verse purports.

 

i'm actually a big fan of Prabhupada's "Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead"

its in three volumes... get the big hardbound one if you can, its worth it

 

Yes it's one of the most readable of SP's books, and quite easy to understand. It was the very first book I was given by devotees back in the 70's.I've read 'The Beautiful Legend of God' too - but I probably had the advantage of being familiar with the stories beforehand - mainly from reading SP's 'Krsna'.

 

I believe you can read the Krsna book online (SP's version)....you will have to Google it because I do not remember the URL....sorry there on that one.

 

http://www.krsnabook.com/

 

hehehe...I thought it was that...but that seamed way too easy.

 

So Prabhupada's "Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead" is without a commentary?

 

There's a kind of commentary woven into the book. But it's easy to distinguish from the actual relation of the stories themselves, and not everything SP says is wrong or incorrect.

Thing is, that there are not many english translations available. Maybe someone else might know of other versions.

 

Billie, do you prefer the Beautiful Legend of God or Krsna Book? I've gotten a bit further into the Beautiful Legend of God and it's starting to flow a little better. I guess I'm just wondering if its worth putting this one down for now and getting into Krsna Book.

 

I like them both for different reasons. But the Krsna book is easier to read. (and has nice pictures!)Much of the necessary explanatory material is written into the text rather than being given as footnotes in the 'Legend'.
Overall, I think Prabhupada's book is easier to appreciate.
There is some truth in the idea that to hear of Krishna, it is best to hear from a devotee (however imperfect) than a mundane scholar.

I wouldn't like to say definitively read SP first, but that might be an idea. It's not easy as everyone has their own route into all this stuff. For me, the Krsna book was the only available version when I first read it years ago, and as I say, I think it's among SP's best and most useful works.

 

there's an ambience and a feeling to be had sipping one's tea with a big hardbound book in hand, tossing a log every once in a while into the fire to stay warm that cannot be had with a computer screem

 

on the other hand, i find that bhaktivedanta's verse and purport style to be tedious and unreadable except for when some necessary information is inserted for the understanding.... there is this constant harping to be a devotee and to fear maya dialogue going on which gets in the way of the flow of the story

it works well in krsna book (as it is called) but unworkable elsewhere

 

True...but I usually read in bed and have a bad habit of falling asleep after 1/2 hr. or so.

 

do you finish the stories with dream Krishna adventures?

 

No, it's been a very long time since I read it, but I've had people tell me they've had dreams about Krishna after reading and falling asleep.

 

::nods:: You don't have to tell me...we have research library on campus that has wonderful old books...I love the smell so much...and the feeling of a book in hand. But you know, you do with what you can.

 

Agree. I was only talking about the Krsna book.

 

and not to single out bhaktivedanta but others likewise translate and purport

the book itself holds the purport in the presentation and so that is how i feel it is best presented... just a straight translation

 

I like the translation commentary style. Helps me to know the original and understand it better. Of course SP's commentary is colored greatly by his own philosophical stand, to the point of distorting the orignial meaning. It seeps into his translation as well.