And Ten Years After, Another Rascal Will Come

BY: APRAKRITA DASA

Oct 14, 2010 — MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA (SUN) — Below is the last part of one Srimad Bhagavatam lecture given by Srila Prabhupada on how Vedic knowledge is received. It is NEVER changed down through time, otherwise it loses its inherent authority. Some present day so-called followers of Srila Prabhupada think otherwise, and therefore what they produce is flawed from the inception of their endeavors. Hare Krishna
Srila Prabhupada’s Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam
Los Angeles, September 20, 1972
Now we have to accept knowledge from Vedas, Vedic knowledge, not this rascal’s knowledge. Rascal knowledge is that “Yes,” as soon as he comes to the imperfect point, “yes, we are trying.” You are trying. What is this trying? Trying means that your knowledge is imperfect. And another rascal will come, he will say, “Now here is the perfect.”

And ten years after, another rascal will come,” No, this is not perfect. This is perfect.” This is going on. This is called scientific advancement. This is… Advancement means… But we don’t change our Vedic knowledge. We do not say, “Now, Krishna, five thousand years ago, said like this. Now we are advanced. We change this line.” Of course, others are doing. In the scriptures… Just like the Christians, they are changing the words.
But you cannot do that. Then where is the authority? If you change the word of the scripture, then where is the authority of the scripture? Just like in lawbooks, there is some law made already. Whimsically you cannot, I mean to say, erase the words and put something that “It should be changed like this.” That will not be accepted. Law, if there is change… Actually, there is no change.
There cannot be change. Real law means there is no change. Just like day and night, it is coming. The fortnight, the dark period and the light period, it is coming for millions and millions and time immemorial. The same law is going, going on. You cannot change. So as soon as you change, that means it is imperfect.
You change. So Vedic laws are not like that. You cannot change. Five thousand years ago Krishna said, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: “You give up all other religious principles. Simply surrender unto Me.” We are preaching the same thing. No change. No change. There is no possibility of change.
Then how Krishna is authority? So change means imperfect knowledge. This very change. And perfect knowledge… You will find that one who is very experienced medical practitioner, he gives you a prescription, and you visit him again and again, he gives you the same prescription unless you are cured. His prescription is so nice that he doesn’t change.
But a non-experienced physician, every time you go, he will change the prescription. But actually, those who are experienced, he knows “This is the disease, and ultimately this medicine will cure. So let him repeat that medicine.” So our is that platform. Harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam. We repeat only.
We don’t change: “Now harinama is not curing so let me add, instead of Hare Krishna, ‘John Krishna,’ if I may.” No. No “John Krishna.” (laughter) That same Hare Krishna must be repeated. And you will be cured. So change means imperfect knowledge. No change means that is perfect knowledge. So we follow that no change policy. No, not that because I think I have become now advanced, I change this to that. That mean I am not advanced. My knowledge is imperfect. Therefore I am changing.