Page 43 - SBV (English)

Editorial Notes xli

exact month is specified, the corresponding Gregorian year cannot be definitively
ascertained.
Herein the term Vedic is used in the broad sense employed by His Divine
Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda, to indicate the culture, ethos, and
literature stemming from and based not only on the four Vedas, but also connate
texts, especially the Puräëas, Rämäyaëa, and Mahäbhärata. The term Vaiñëava
is employed contextually, usually denoting a Gauòéya lineage, or a committed
devotee thereof, considered bona fide by Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté, yet it
sometimes indicates any orthodox Vaiñëava sampradäya or a member thereof.
It also may refer to the broad social genre in Bengal known as Vaiñëava but
which, according to Bhaktisiddhänta-väëé, was considered deviated from çuddha
Vaiñëava dharma. Brähmaëa, guru, and sadhu are other terms used contextually
to indicate either genuine, worthy possessors of such titles, or persons merely
conventionally accepted as such.
Some excellently written pieces from previous English biographical writings
about Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté are blended almost verbatim with the
content of this book. Extracts from His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupäda’s writings are copyrighted by The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
International, Inc. Nearly all cited letters of Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté are
from Çréla Prabhupädera Paträvalé. To avoid repetition and unnecessary increment
of this work, I have not included the many pastimes of Çréla Sarasvaté Öhäkura
with his guru that are recorded in the booklet Babaji Mahäräja: Two Beyond
Duality (Lives of the Vaiñëava Äcäryas, vol. 3), by Karëämåta Däsa Adhikäré
(New Jaipur Press, 1990).
Diactrical marks are featured in most Indian names, whether of persons or
places; non-diacriticized forms are used where considered appropriate. Goswami
is used in reference to caste Goswamis (and also in some proper names), gosvämé
for genuine gosvämés. Some toponyms are written in the anglicized forms current
during the Raj period and are listed in the appendixes with their present
equivalents.
In Gauòéya Maöha publications, withheld names were denoted by a series
of asterisks, and these have been retained in excerpts quoted in this book.
I have employed the unorthodox but readily understandable compounds
birthcaste, birthsite, conchshell, guruship, and lawbook, as well as non-hyphenated
nondevotee and nondifferent; and worshipable. And while alright is still not all
right in the estimation of orthographers who decide such matters, I have used it
nonetheless.