Суд над Бхагавад-гитой / Attempt to ban Bhagavad-gita

Translation zfrom zRussian zinto zEnglishzBased оп соurt records in relation to the "Bhagavad-Gita'' ziп Tomskz

In the Leninsky zdistrict court of the city of Tomsk zthe federal judge Galina Butenko zconsiders

the case initiated Ьу the state zprosecutor in Tomsk for recognizing the book ''Bhagavad-Gita

As It Is" written Ьу А.С. zBhaktivedanta zSwami zPrabhupada z1рuЬГisпеd Ьу the zBhaktivedanta

Book zTrust) to Ье ап extremist zmaterial.z

The zprosecutor stated in the zaffidavit: z"Ассоrdiпg to the report of Тоmsk State (Jпiчеrsiф'sz

compreheПsive zexpert zехаmiпаtiоп zсоmmissiоП zai of 25/10/2010 zihrrc zsigпs of iпstigаtiоп of

religious zhatred, zabuse zof humап zdigпiф zоп the baib zof geпder, zrace, zпаtiопаliф, zlапguаgе,origiп, religioп iп the teпets of the religious zbetief as ехрtоцц4"4 iп the book.z

Rесоgпitiоп of the book "Bhagayad-Gita As It Is"'writteп Ьу Д,С Bhaktiyedaпta zSwamiprabhupada to Ье extremist is пееdеd to рrеvепt ziпstigatioп of social strife or cliscord, апd itszfurther zspread.z

Mass zdistributioп of this book аmопg ап uпrestricted zпumЬеr of people mау lead to theiпstigаtiоп of social hatred or discord, апd its further zехtепsiоп also violates the prohibitioп ofthe extremist zactiviф zuпdеr the сurrепt laws of the Russiaп zFеdеrаtiоп.z

Based zоп the zаЬоvе, Ьеiпg zguided zЬу the Articles z45, Part 2, Art. 2б2 of the Ciyil ProceduralCode of the Russiап Federatioп, zArticles 27, 35 of the Federal Law ''оп the Prosecutor'sOffice of the Russiап zFеdеrаtiоп''z

I KINDLY zдSК to;

L Recogпize zthe book z"Bhagavad-Gita zAs It Is" writteп Ьу Д.С. zВhаktiчеdапtа zSwamiPrabhupada zto Ье extremist.z

2 Deliyer the сору of the judicial zyerdict to the federal ехесutiче zаuthоriФ iп the field ofJustice to iпсludе the аьоvе book iпtо thefederbl hst of extremist z*,ojrriitr.z3, Notifu the Tomsk zprosecutor of the datb апd time of the claim zсопsidеrаtiоп.z

The Prosecutor zexplained zhis zstatement,zin particular, zЬу the followingz

прOфq({и*нfiJ.lьньD{zпер8вOдсвDz


First, the Vedas апd the соrrеsропdiпg age are уоuпgеr zthап assumed iп the Вrаhmапiсаlztraditioп. zМоdеrп zscieпtific zdatiпg of the Vedas zrefers to ХХ-ХТПI zсепturiеs ВС.z

Sесопdlу, the Krishпa's сult iп the Vedic era сап zЬе attributed ztofraud, because по Кrishпаzdеiф's zпаmеfоuпd ziп the Vedas.z

Thirdly, zKrishпaism dепiеs the ziпviоlаЬlе life рriпсiрlе zestablished Ьу the Vedas апd developedzwithiп Нiпduism - Vаrпаshrаmа, or the system of vаrпаs, ziпvоlviпg zdерепdепсе of religiouszrights zапd duties zof the mап оп his zbirth iп а particular zVаrпа.z

Prabhupada zalways tried to show апd prove zcompatibility of Krishпaism апd zСhristiапiф, butzthese attempts haye поt lead to апу "ecumeпical" zresult, siпсе the ziпcompatibility zЬеtwееп theChristology zапd zKrishпaism zоп mапу zkey zpriпciples zis obyious.z

Krishпaism zrepreseпts zthe zworld zas Krishпa's zpastime z(Lila). zKrishпa zis everythiпg, zThereforeeYil has the Dеiф as its source. zDiуiпе eyil is поt eyil апу mоrе. Eyil zbecomes а relativezсопсерt: we take zsеmЬlапсе for rеаliф, what we zthiпk to Ье eyil is iп reality поthiпg else butzthe same dеiф. Еvil iп its real zmапifеstаtiоп is krishпa. The christiaп yiew iп this case isziпсоmраtiЬlе zwith zthat of the zKrishпafollowers.z

KrishПa is persoпified iп the Ьеliф of MOSK (ISKCON, ztraпslator'sfootпote) zas the dеiф ofzdeath апd zdestructioп: z"Дmопg those who rепdеr zjustice I аm Yаmа, the Lord of death"("Bhagavad-Gita as it is", chapter l0, text 29). "I аm the zаll-сопsumiпg death ..." (ibid., textz34).z

Such idепtфсаtiоп of God with death is uпimаgiпаЬlе апd zuпthiпkаЬlе iп the biblicalz

the opposite of the God z("God's zМопkеу"), zalways zhostile to the world аz;s7

ff zttlieнTp Ч\,z

l; .] {
проф*i;о,ffltальньifi z

} i

1,?\ z}*р.оyOдOр} /yzч"z


The word 'fool" iп the sепsе of "stupid mап" reflects zthe reality пegatively zperceived Ьу thez

public zсопsсiоusпеss. zThis zword апd other zwords zwith пеgаtiуе zsemaпtics zderiyed zfrom thezsame root with words as well as their zsупопуms z("igпоrапt", etc.) that characterize zthose whozare поt gепuiпе, true folloluers of Кrishпа, zthat is, represeпtatives zof other zЬrапсhеs zof thezsame religioп, people of other zreligioпs or atheists are zalso fоuпd iп the followiпg zcoпtexts:z

"Iп this age of Kali most zpeople are too stupid апd igпоrапt zto Ье able to uпdеrstапd thezphilosophy of Vеdапtа (BG 2:46, р. 136). z(stupid, igпоrапt, to Ье able to uпdеrstапd)z

"Those who repudiate Му iпstruсtiоп zbecause of malice апd епчу are deпied allzkпowledge, zhopelessly zstupid, zапd all their attempts to achieve zрефсtiоп are doomed to fail"z(BG 3.32). z(repudiate, zdепiеd, zstupid, zdoomed)z

"Д fool апd ап igпoramus does поt uпdеrstапd zthat zthe Supersoul, while iп his heart,zdirects all its actioпs" (BG 1В:]б, р. 73а). (does поt zuпderstaпd)z

The ziпfеriоriф of those who are поt followers of Кrishпа is declared: zthey are stupidzmеп zапd ziпferior zmеп.z

"Similarly, zthe sacred duф of а Kshatriya is to fight, апd he must zexecute zit, еvеп if he has toz

fightwithfrieпds zor relatiyes." (BG 2:15, р. 99). There is а callfor zуiоlепt асtiоп z- the battlezwith zепеmiеs.z

The lexemes z"песеssаrу" zапd "should" zсопtаiп ziпсепtivе zsemaпtics zапd соmЬiпе zgепrеzfeatures of advise, zappeal, zrесоmmепdаtiоп, zguidапсе, zdirectiye, Iп these сопtехts zапу of thesezmеапiпgs сап zЬе sееп, iп particular, zthe zmеапiпg of "calliпg Ltроп".z

The defending zlawyer in his speech zpointed zout the noncompliance of the prosecutor'szaccusation with the provisions of the Constitution and the international zlaw, there was а failurezto prove their claims zthe zprosecutor for the recognition of the book to Ье "the zextremistzmaterial".z

The Court was zpresented with the speech of the ex-Prime zMinister of India АВ Vajpayee'szspeech at the opening zof the cultural zcenter z"Glory of India" in Delhi, where the PrimezMinister praised ISKCON and "Bhagavad-Gita As It Is" translated zand commented Ьу thezSociety's zfounder zBhaktivedanta zSwami zPrabhupada. zIn addition, zduring zthe zcourt zproceedings,zdifferent zopinions of zscholars from around the world with zpositive zrespons9r-.tflgbЦ@Rlationzwere attached to the case materials. z.о|:,У- z\,4\

}y./ z"" z\б\\z

rзр*фе{ilнmfiаJ,Iьfrь!хz

m*$iеyyдФвyz


V.N. Svistunov being zquestioned in the court zas ап expert, stated that zhe does not support thezconclusion of the philosophical part of the expert assessment that zthe Prabhupada's zstatementszindicate zsectarian zorientation of his philosophy, zincluding zintolerance of other zreligions, thezidea of chosenness, zdenigration of апу other form of social and religious zcommitment. In hiszopinion, there аrе zno extremist zstatements in "Bhagavad-Gita As It Is", it only containszpolemical zstatements.z

During the court zproceedings expert S.S. Avanesov ztestified that zhe had not directlyzparticipated in the study of the book in question z"Bhagavad-Gita As It Is" and answered поzquestions asked of experts. His function zwas zto edit and assess the zquality of conclusions.zAccording to the expert's zopinion, zthe reasoning and zstructuring zof the text zwere performedzsatisfactorily, with references to the source, in а scholarly zstyle. Не has no objections to thezfindings of scholars V.N. zSvistunov and V.G. Naumov. Не confirmed that zthe idea ofzchosenness and exclusiveness of followers of this denomination zoccurs zthroughout zthe text ofzthe commentary, zin some cases zquite rigidly, and that there zare рrеtф strong zstatements thatzmау Ье perceived as insulting. In this case, everything zdepends on perception.z

According to the ztestimony of expert V.G. zNaumov, zthe text studied Ьу him containszstatements in the form of assertions in which zthere is negative zinformation, and zinformation ofzhostile, zderogatory, zdefamatory znature. In the study he used contextual zanalysis, zwhile he didznot investigate zeverything zassooiated with the interpretation of the text, with its conceptualzapparatus, zwith zclarification zof the meaning of individual words, phrases, since such zstudieszfall under the title of psycholinguistics.z

At the same time, zduring zthe court zproceedings, in accordance with Art. 56 of the CivilzProcedural Code of the Russian Federation the interested zpersons zpresented the expert opinionzof S.I. Ivanenko on scholarly level of the assessment of Tomsk State zUniversity'szcomprehensive zexpert zexamination zcommission of 25.10.2010, in which he zstates that thezassessment of 25.10.2010 zis of а паrrоw zlinguistic znature, it does not meet the zlevel of modernzscholarly zanalysis of religious zstudies. Experts substitute the analysis of "Bhagavad-Gita As ItzIs" with subjective zassessments of the zInternational zSociety for KTishna zConsciousness.zAccording to S.I. zIvanenko's zfindings, z"Bhagavad-Gita As It Is" does not zcontain zinformationzof hostile, zhumiliating, zinsulting nature in relation to persons of any nationality, zethnicity,zsocial and religious zgroups. The book does not contain any condemnation of other forms ofzreligious zpractice, zas well as апу specific zreligions. It is recognized zthat апу zauthoritativezreligion zseeks to zworship опе God, the source zof а11 things. z"Bhagavad-Gita As It Is" does notzcontain апу expressions of propositional znature related to calls for hostile оr violent actszagainst zpeople of а certain znationality, of zone social, zreligious zgroup zagainst zanother, zcalls forz

Specialist E.S. Elbakyan, zhaving zassessed from the perspective of асаzthe ехреrt zassessment of the Tomsk State University's zcomprehensiz

commission of 25.10.2010, zindicated in her zrероrt zdated z15.08.zilЁffiФв$вz

i. }л\

\?r}*z

.q{0€z


examination does not zcontain any zanalysis of religious zstudies and that its attempts to build аzdeclared z"contextual" zanalysis are of а purely z"linguistic-sophistic zcharacter" zand are notzconvincing zin most cases.z

Specialist zN.V. zSerebrennikov, zwho was zquestioned zduring the zcourt zproceedings, zexplainedzthat the book z"Bhagavad-Gita As It Is" does not contain zanything zoffensive, zaggressive, no zcallzfor violence, zhostility. As ап expert in style and zphraseology, he pointed out that it iszimpossible to judge the meanings zof words and their perception zwithin this ztext in isolationzfrom the context.z

Explanations Ьу а specialist zN.N. Karpitsky zmaintain zthat the book z"Bhagavad-Gita As It Is"zdoes znot zcontain zany negative zinformation, zапу zinformation zof hostile, zhumiliating, zinsultingznature in relation to persons of any nationality, zethnic, social, zreligious group, i.e., does notzcontain zany elements zof extremism.z

The court was presented with the zconclusions of а number of Moscow scholars in religiouszstudies, zwhich zcategorically zdenied any zextremist zideas in the book.z

After zlistening to the zparties, the соurt, rrpon the zprosecutor's zrequest zcommissioned а judicialz

comprehensive zpsychological, ztheological zand zlinguistic zexpert zexamination zwhich zshall Ьеzperformed Ьу the Кеmеrочо State University's zexperts. In connection zwith the appointment zofzthe expert zexamination, the соurt proceedings оп this matter are suspended zuntil December z1,z201 1.z

Address: zMoscow, zР1. TverskayaZastava zbld.3, zoffice z|5217zТ е|: +7 (495) 649-6 8- 89, +7 (499)7 z04-1 5 -49z

fi рs* zg{tl,,iff zнyJ,ihжь!хzfтgрgyфдyy}}z