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On Speaking Strongly in Srila Prabhupada's Service

Once at a festival in Hawaii, a bogus group was glorifying a supposed incarnation of Rama and Krsna. Govinda Dasi stood up on a table and started yelling: "How can you say this ugly man is God?" A girl complained, "You're not emanating love." Govinda Dasi shot back, "This ugly old man is killing you and you want me to emanate love." This was reported to Srila Prabhupada, who was very pleased and ordered the incident to be reported in Back to Godhead under the title, "Heroine Govinda Dasi." Told by Umapati Swami

Although Srila Prabhupada sometimes cautioned his followers to be tactful in preaching, it was the mood of no-compromise all-out attack that caught his attention and most pleased him. Prabhupada said that his Guru Maharaja did not like devotees who compromised. Those who compromised he called "good for nothing." Compromising means cheating. Despite having knowledge of the highest truth, we are reluctant to give it to others. We want to preserve an appearance of being "nice," for our own sense gratification. This is not following in the mood of Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada never compromised, and he did not want his disciples to.

The fact is that I am the only one in India who is openly criticizing, not only demigod worship and impersonalism, but everything that falls short of complete surrender to Krsna. My Guru Maharaja never compromised in His preaching, nor will I, nor should any of my students. We are firmly convinced that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and all others are His part and parcel servants. This we must declare boldly to the whole world. Letter 72-01-03

We are facing so many difficulties. We don't care for it. We never compromise. All my students, they will never compromise. Why shall I compromise? If I am confident that I am speaking the truth, why shall I compromise? Those who are not confident of his position, they will compromise. One who does not know where he stands, he will compromise. And if I know where I am standing, why shall I compromise? Let others do whatever they like. This is our position. 761231iv.bom

When you become actually preacher of God consciousness, you cannot make any compromise. You must call a spade a spade. 721016SB.VRN

We don't make any compromise. What we believe, we are preaching that. People are accepting. So you believe or not believe; it doesn't matter for us. 751113mw.bom

We cannot compromise to satisfy others. Letter, September 30, 1973

We don't make any flattery to satisfy the whims of the ordinary people. We speak from Srimad-Bhagavatam, we speak from Bhagavad-gita, and present them as it is, without any adulteration. This is our position. If you like, then you make progress. If you don't like, that is your option. But we cannot make any compromise. We must present the sastra as it is. 740927sb.cal


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

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