[Advaita-l] Tampering of ancient texts.

[Vidyasankar Sundaresan]

> Critically editing the ancient texts is necessary and a number of
> ancient texts have been critically edited. BORI Mahabharata and
> Baroda Ramayana are examples of such critical editions. In these
> editions if a portion is removed because the editors consider it as
> extrapolated, they mention it and give the portion removed separately
> for future reference.
> 
> But lately I am aware that some publishers including some reputed ones
> are simply omitting certain passages because they think that they reflect
> badly on hinduism. This is a silly and futile attempt because most of our
> ancient texts are available in their full form in libraries
> of western countries

You are perfectly right and I couldn't agree with you more. Let me add that
one should distinguish between critical editions prepared by scholars of a
high intellectual caliber and general editions/reprints that are brought out 
by publishing houses, no matter how reputed they are.
 
One can perhaps find fault with the editorial decisions made in a critical
edition, but all information about the manuscript evidence and history will
be available in footnotes, appendices etc. if the critical edition is indeed
carefully done. This is just not available in general publications.
 
Sadly, by and large, in India, both academia and publishing houses have
exposed their own intellectual bankruptcy in this regard. There are a few
exceptions even today, but their support base is very limited.
 
Vidyasankar