Word for word

Expressions researched:
"word for word" |"word-for-word"

BG Preface and Introduction

In all of my other books—Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Śrī Īśopaniṣad, etc.—the system is that I give the original verse, its English transliteration, word-for-word Sanskrit-English equivalents, translations and purports. This makes the book very authentic and scholarly and makes the meaning self-evident.

BG Preface:

Originally I wrote Bhagavad-gītā As It Is in the form in which it is presented now. When this book was first published, the original manuscript was, unfortunately, cut short to less than 400 pages, without illustrations and without explanations for most of the original verses of the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā. In all of my other books—Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Śrī Īśopaniṣad, etc.—the system is that I give the original verse, its English transliteration, word-for-word Sanskrit-English equivalents, translations and purports. This makes the book very authentic and scholarly and makes the meaning self-evident. I was not very happy, therefore, when I had to minimize my original manuscript. But later on, when the demand for Bhagavad-gītā As It Is considerably increased, I was requested by many scholars and devotees to present the book in its original form. Thus the present attempt is to offer the original manuscript of this great book of knowledge with full paramparā explanation in order to establish the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement more soundly and progressively.

SB Canto 3

To honor the spiritual master means to carry out his instructions word for word.

SB 3.24.12, Purport:

Lord Brahmā, as the first living entity within the universe, is supposed to be the spiritual master of everyone, and he is also the father, the creator, of all beings. Kardama Muni is one of the Prajāpatis, or creators of the living entities, and he is also a son of Brahmā. Brahmā praises Kardama because he carried out the orders of the spiritual master in toto and without cheating. A conditioned soul in the material world has the disqualification of cheating. He has four disqualifications: he is sure to commit mistakes, he is sure to be illusioned, he is prone to cheat others, and his senses are imperfect. But if one carries out the order of the spiritual master by disciplic succession, or the paramparā system, he overcomes the four defects. Therefore, knowledge received from the bona fide spiritual master is not cheating. Any other knowledge which is manufactured by the conditioned soul is cheating only. Brahmā knew well that Kardama Muni exactly carried out the instructions received from him and that he actually honored his spiritual master. To honor the spiritual master means to carry out his instructions word for word.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Thus the gopīs and cowherd men remembered the words of Garga Muni, who had foretold, by dint of his vast knowledge of the Vedas and astrology, that this boy would be attacked by many demons. Now they were actually seeing that this was coming true, word for word.

Krsna Book 11:

When they arrived home, they spoke of the wonderful activities of the son of Nanda. When the gopīs and cowherd men all heard the story from the boys, they felt great happiness because naturally they loved Kṛṣṇa, and by hearing about His glories and victorious activities they became still more affectionate toward Him. Thinking that child Kṛṣṇa had been saved from the mouth of death, they looked upon His face with great love and affection. They were full of anxiety and could not turn their faces from the vision of Kṛṣṇa. The gopīs and the men began to converse amongst themselves about how wonderful it was that child Kṛṣṇa had been attacked in so many ways and so many times by so many demons, and yet the demons themselves had been killed and Kṛṣṇa had remained uninjured. They continued to converse amongst themselves about how so many great demons in such fierce bodies had attacked Kṛṣṇa to kill Him but, by the grace of Hari, had not been able to cause even a slight injury. Rather, they had died like small flies in a fire. Thus they remembered the words of Garga Muni, who had foretold, by dint of his vast knowledge of the Vedas and astrology, that this boy would be attacked by many demons. Now they were actually seeing that this was coming true, word for word.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

"My dear Kṛṣṇa, whatever You are saying, I accept them in toto, word for word." This is required. Not that I give up this portion, I give up that portion, whatever is to my purpose.

Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:

Arjuna, after hearing Bhagavad-gītā, he said, sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye yad vadasi keśava (BG 10.14), "My dear Kṛṣṇa, whatever You are saying, I accept them in toto, word for word." This is required. Not that I give up this portion, I give up that portion, whatever is to my purpose... Just like sometimes the politicians, scholars, they also try to understand Bhagavad-gītā. Because Bhagavad-gītā is very authoritative book, they want to exploit. They do not understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise they would have preached Kṛṣṇa. Because what is Bhagavad-gītā? Bhagavad-gītā is Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, the supreme. That is to be taught. That is to be understood. That is Bhagavad-gītā. Not that keeping Bhagavad-gītā in front, a scapegoat, I become great politician and great scholar and give my own opinion: "In my opinion, it is like this." This is nonsense. What you are? Your opinion? We don't care, we don't care for all these nonsense who gives his own opinion as if Kṛṣṇa left something to be opined by another rascal. This is their business. He becomes greater than Kṛṣṇa, to interpret Kṛṣṇa's words. This is rascaldom. We don't accept.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

That will give you guidance. Read Bhagavad-gītā as it is, word for word. But don't misinterpret and spoil.

Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Every word is important.

Devotee: Jaya.

Prabhupāda: Every word. Beginning from dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1), every word.

Guest (1): Every one.

Bali-mardana: Every word.

Guest (1): Every word.

Prabhupāda: And that will give you guidance. Read Bhagavad-gītā as it is, word for word. But don't misinterpret and spoil. The rascals misinterpret and spoil the whole Bhagavad-gītā. That is the difficulty(?). You cannot misinterpret Bhagavad-gītā. Then it will be spoiled. If you get Bhagavad-gītā as it is, you are benefited. And if you misinterpret, then you spoil. So generally they misinterpret. Everyone speaks on Bhagavad-gītā, but he misinterprets.

1971 Correspondence

First the student must be able to repeat exactly the words of the guru and then after some time he may be qualified to apply the principles he has learned word-for-word to personal situations.

Letter to Bhakta dasa -- Delhi 20 November, 1971:

Your proposals for teaching them our philosophy are very good. But if we try artificially to explain sastra in our own words, there is every danger of interpretation and speculation. First the student must be able to repeat exactly the words of the guru and then after some time he may be qualified to apply the principles he has learned word-for-word to personal situations. It is not that we are a dry philosophy of dogmas and slogans. No. The language of Krishna Consciousness is ever-fresh and we can explain everything by it, just like my Guru Maharaja once lectured for three months on one verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam. But every precaution must be taken to preserve our basic guiding principles as they are and not change them because we want to hear something new.

1972 Correspondence

Play the Gayatri mantra tape for them, and let them repeat the mantras along with my vibration, word for word, and then hang the sacred thread on their necks as usual.

Letter to Bhagavan -- Los Angeles 28 May, 1972:

Please accept my blessings. I have received the threads from you for the three boys and I am enclosing them herewith duly chanted by me. Now you can hold a fire yajna and give sacred thread to Parivrajakacarya, Santosa, and Indradyumna. Play the Gayatri mantra tape for them, and let them repeat the mantras along with my vibration, word for word, and then hang the sacred thread on their necks as usual. Teach them how to count on the finger divisions. This Gayatri Mantra function should be held amongst the devotees only. So you can hold the fire yajna for all five devotees. I am enclosing herewith also three copies of Gayatri Mantra.

Show him how to count on the finger divisions, and then hang the thread over his shoulder in the proper way, after he has repeated, word for word, the mantra as I intone it on the tape.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Los Angeles 22 August, 1972:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your note along with the letter of Sriman Des Louragan, and upon your recommendation, I have gladly consented to accept him as my duly initiated disciple, and to give him Gayatri mantra also. His beads have been duly chanted by me and they have been sent under separate post. Now you can hold a fire yajna for these two boys and give gayatri mantra to Des (Gaura Sakti das). Show him how to count on the finger divisions, and then hang the thread over his shoulder in the proper way, after he has repeated, word for word, the mantra as I intone it on the tape. The tape should be heard through earphones into the right ear.

Have him repeat along with my vibration, word for word, and then hang the sacred thread on his neck as usual.

Letter to Aksojananda -- Los Angeles 15 September, 1972:

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 11 September, 1972 and upon your recommendation I am very glad to accept Anga das Brahmacari for the second initiation. Enclosed herewith please find one copy of Gayatri mantra and also one sacred thread, duly chanted by me. Now hold a fire yajna, and teach him how to count on the finger divisions, then play the Gayatri mantra tape of me reciting Gayatri mantra through the right ear. Have him repeat along with my vibration, word for word, and then hang the sacred thread on his neck as usual. This Gayatri mantra function should be held amongst the devotees only.

1973 Correspondence

So hold the fire yajna and for those who are initiated as brahmanas, teach them how to count on the finger divisions, and play the Gayatri mantra tape in their right ear and have them repeat it along with my vibration word for word, then hang sacred thread on his neck as usual.

Letter to Sukadeva 2 -- Calcutta 29 January, 1973:

Concerning the second initiations for Ojasir das Brahmacari, Smaranananda das Adhikary and his wife Samsaramochan Devi Dasi, that is also approved, and you will find enclosed the Gayatri threads. So hold the fire yajna and for those who are initiated as brahmanas, teach them how to count on the finger divisions, and play the Gayatri mantra tape in their right ear and have them repeat it along with my vibration word for word, then hang sacred thread on his neck as usual. Girls don't require thread but can responsively chant the Gayatri mantra. In each individual case the instruction should be given and the mantra replayed. The giving of the Gayatri mantra can be held after the fire yajna and each devotee can come alone to you to receive the thread.