Theos-Talk Archives (April 2003 Message tt00126)

Several years ago, I spent some time comparing the 1987 edition of 
the VOICE published by The Theosophy Company (CA) with the original 
1889 edition of HPB's classic. 

This Theosophy Company edition (first published 1928) is NOT verbatim 
with the original VOICE. In fact, the TC edition has more than 600 
changes and "corrections".

Here are several examples of these changes:

On p. 73 of the original VOICE, HPB wrote:

> The "great Master" is the term used by *lanoos* or
> chelas to indicate one's "Higher Self."

The Theosophy Company's 1987 edition reads:

> The "great Master" is the term used by
> Lanoos or Chelas to indicate the HIGHER SELF.

As one can see, there are several changes in this one sentence
including deleting a word and adding another.


Again, HPB in the original wrote on pp. 74-75:

> It stands generally for the 100 years or "age" of Brahma, the
> duration of a Kalpa or a period of 4,320,000,000 years.

The Theosophy Company's edition reads (p. 5):

> It stands generally for the 100 years or "age" of Brahma, the
> duration of a Maha-Kalpa or a period of 311,040,000,000,000 years.


Again, the 1889 edition, p. 78:

> These mystic sounds or the melody heard by the ascetic . . . .

The TC edition changes this to (p. 19):

> The mystic sounds, or the melody, heard by the ascetic . . . .


Again, the original VOICE, p. 87:

> *Upadya* is a spiritual perceptor, a Guru.

The TC editions reads (p. 49):

> *Upadhyaya* is a spiritual preceptor, a Guru.


Once, again, the original VOICE reads on p. 82:

> Bodhidharma called them in China---from whence the names reached
> Tibet---the *Tsung-men* (esoteric) and *Kiau-men* (exoteric 
school).

The TC edition changes this passage to read: (p. 25)

> The *Bodhidharma*, Wisdom Religion in China---whence the names 
reached
> Tibet---called them the *Tsung-men* (Esoteric) and *Kiau-men* 
(Esoteric
> school).


On pp. x-xi of the original, one finds the following:

> . . . (*Bhagavatgita II*. 70). . . .

> . . . (*Bhagavatgita II*. 27). . . .

The TC edition changes the spelling of this Hindu text and deletes the
numbers "70" and "27".

*Also the spelling of numerous Sanskrit words are changed throughout 
the TC edition when compared with the original 1889 edition of the 
VOICE.*

Over the years, The Theosophy Company has prided itself on
providing photographic reprints of HPB's original works.
Notice what this publisher writes in their 1947 edition
of THE SECRET DOCTRINE:

"With the present printing of THE SECRET DOCTRINE, The Theosophy
Company continues its function of providing students and inquirers
with unaltered editions of the original literature of the Theosophical
Movement. . . . this edition is a perfect facsimile of the original
edition and can be relied upon as such."

And earlier in the same "Publishers' Preface", pains were taken to
point out:

"Besides the original edition of 1888---the only one authorized
by Madame Blavatsky---several other editions of this work have
appeared. One of these, the so-called 'Third and Revised
Edition' of 1893, is marred by many thousands of alterations, some
of them trivial, some actual mutilations of the original text."

And this preface went on to say the following about another edition
of the SD:

"Except for gratuitous 'corrections' of the author's [Blavatsky's]
Sanskrit scholarship. . . . this edition is virtually an accurate
reproduction of the original text. Its exact authenticity, however,
cannot be determined without laborious comparison with the original."

How much of this (Theosophy Company's) "Publishers' Preface" could be
equally applied to their own edition of THE VOICE OF THE SILENCE??!!

Why are there 600+ changes in this Theosophy Company's edition?

The editor has decided to *alter and correct* HPB's text. And some
of the changes are so trivial that one should ask: "Why even make the
changes in the first place??" But some of the changes are
significant.

Apparently G.R.S. Mead and Boris de Zirkoff are not the only
persons who have had the editorial "itch" to change and correct HPB's 
text.

Boris de Zirkoff in his "Collected Writings" edition, at least,
tells the reader that he is making certain types of changes. Nothing
is found in the Theosophy Company's edition of the Voice to alert the
reader that hundreds of changes have been made to HPB's original 
edition.

The only reason I bring up Boris de Zirkoff's name in this posting 
is that many ULT associates, and even ULT "officials", have been
quite vocal in their criticisms of Mr. de Zirkoff's "editing" and
"correcting" of HPB's writings. 

But I guess it's . . . okay with many ULT associates that the 
Theosophy Company has made more than 600 changes in HPB's original 
text of the VOICE??????

Compare all of the above with Dallas' latest comment:

"As far as I can see, that's why the U L T insists on using and
providing for study, only the ORIGINALS -- I see too many
interpretive changes in Theosophical texts altered by those who have
later claimed that they can correct errors made in those 'originals.'
Who dares to say that they can do better than H P B and the Masters
who certified ( PATH Vol. 8, p. 1-3 ) to have co-edited the text of
The SECRET DOCTRINE?" Quoted from: 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theos-talk/message/11759

Daniel H. Caldwell
BLAVATSKY STUDY CENTER/BLAVATSKY ARCHIVES
http://blavatskyarchives.com