Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda As He Is

Abstract

Vineet Chander’s "Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda As He Is" examines the interplay between authorial presence, translation fidelity, and devotional authority in A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda’s Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Chander analyzes how Prabhupāda’s translation and commentary serve not merely as exegetical work but as theological proclamation, establishing both Kṛṣṇa’s divine voice and Prabhupāda’s role as transparent via medium (śuddha-bhakta). Drawing on reception theory and comparative textual analysis, the article highlights the uniqueness of Bhagavad-gītā As It Is in its fusion of linguistic literalism, Gaudīya metaphysics, and charismatic authorship. Chander argues that rather than effacing himself as a neutral translator, Prabhupāda boldly inscribes his devotional identity into the text—recasting translation as devotional witnessing. Through this lens, the work becomes less a bridge across cultures and more a vehicle of spiritual transmission, cultivating a readership that mirrors Prabhupāda’s own fidelity to Kṛṣṇa. The article ultimately positions Bhagavad-gītā As It Is as both scripture and embodiment, extending the lineage of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava theology into the global modernity.