Compromise and flattery have no effect where strong words are required. POY Ch. 4
But does this not contradict the Vaisnava principle of humility? Not according to Srila Prabhupada.
Krsna is especially addressing as, "chastiser of the enemy." Where there is no excuse, you must be a chastiser. Not that, "Because I have become Krsna conscious, I'll be very humble." You must be humble, but if there is a need, you shall be like a thunderbolt. That Krsna is instructing. 681125BG.LA
In the words of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura,
The theist is by no means enjoined by the scriptures to be a non-violent passive spectator of the violent acts of aggressive non-theists against Visnu and His devotees. This is not the meaning of the teaching of the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya by which the devotee is required to be humbler than a blade of grass and more tolerant than the tree. These qualities are to be exercised in upholding, and not for deserting the cause of the Truth.
(The Harmonist, October 1931, page 113-114)
Such conduct on the part of the servant of the guru appears unpleasant to the jiva in the bound stage, but there is no other alternative. Conduct that is agreeable to the body and mind of the bound jivas serves only to prolong his state of bondage. In such circumstances there would appear to be no other method of destroying the evil mental tendencies of the bound jiva than the performance of unalloyed kirtana in the form of preaching the messages of the scriptures and of the pure devotees (viz. the six goswamis), fully practicing them oneself. There is no other weapon available to the servant of the guru for cutting the tangled knot except for the words of the scriptures and of the guru. Accordingly God Himself, the establisher of all religion, thus advised his beloved devotee, Uddhava, regarding the remedy: "the devotees will dissipate the evil mental tendencies of the bound jiva by their words." The servant of the guru has no other means except following in the footsteps of Sriman Mahaprabhu and Prabhu Nityananda under the guidance of Sri Guru. He is unable to act in accordance with the tastes and nature of the bound jiva, thereby disobeying the injunctions of the guru and of the scriptures. This constitutes his proper function of honoring others. In such conduct there is no deficiency of the quality of humility that is greater than that of a blade of grass. This is the humble submission of the servant of the servant of the guru. From "Humbler than a blade of grass" by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
- From the "My Memories of Srila Prabhupada" by HH Bhakti Vikas Swami
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