Remembering Srila Prabhupada - On Speaking Strongly in Srila Prabhupada's Service - Blog - ISKCON Desire Tree

On Speaking Strongly in Srila Prabhupada's Service

There is some gentlemanly behavior: even if you are angry with some person, but you do not show your anger. You talk with him. Actually these people are demons, but because we are preaching, if we simply become angry and cannot convince him, that means imperfect preacher. You see? Basically you are angry. That's all. But because we are preachers, so if I simply become angry, then my preaching work will be stopped. Just like politicians. They are angry upon the enemy, but sometimes, by diplomatic means, they take their work from the enemies. Not that they show anger always. Similarly, when you go to preach, first of all try to convince him that "How have you become God? What is your definition of God?" You simply ask, "What do you mean by God that you are claiming to be God?" 690321SB.HAW

Srila Prabhupada resolved the apparent dichotomy between straightforwardness and tact when questioned thus:

Paramahamsa: Our position in preaching should be to encourage people in all respects to associate with us.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Paramahamsa: That means sometimes we might have to compromise in certain ways.

Prabhupada: Why compromise? Don't compromise. If you compromise, you associate with him. Then gradually you'll also go down. When we see some person, we do not associate with him, but we give him chance to associate with me. Why you should make compromise? What is the reason? If you know something positively, why should you compromise? When people come to talk with me, I don't make any compromise. Do I make any compromise?

Devotees: No.

Prabhupada: Then why shall we make compromise? That gentleman, Mr. Gene Herbert, he said, "It has taken eighteen years to write these books." I said, "Still, there are so many mistakes." Immediately I said. And he could not say anything. Immediately I said, "Yes, you have labored eighteen years. Still, there are so many mistakes."

Nitai: Anyone else would have said, "Oh! Very nice."

Prabhupada: (laughs) I did not say.

Pusta-krsna: He said that morning "What can we do, Prabhupada?" He said, "What can we do? If we do not compromise, we will make enemies."

Prabhupada: No, you'll not compromise; at the same time, you'll not make enemies. That is tactics. If you make enemies, then what is your tactics? You must speak the truth; at the same time he'll not be displeased. That is tactics. If you can defeat him by your argument, then he'll not be displeased. After all, everyone is human being. If you can find out his defect, why he shall be enemy? Therefore, it is said, You better make a reasonable man an enemy, but don't make a friend fool. Don't make friendship with a fool, but if a man is intelligent, better make him an enemy. Because, because he's intelligent, although he's an enemy, he'll not do any harm. Because intelligent. But a fool, he may pose himself as friend, and he can do anything which is very harmful.

Paramahamsa: So we should be able to see the quality of man we are preaching to.

Prabhupada: Yes, you have to make him intelligent. Everyone is fool, mudha. Everyone within this material world is supposed to be a fool. 740611mw.par

- From the "My Memories of Srila Prabhupada" by HH Bhakti Vikas Swami

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