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

On Speaking Strongly in Srila Prabhupada's Service

What to speak of direct preaching outside, there is much need to speak candidly inside also. Many standards within our movement have become diluted since 1977. Srila Prabhupada kept us in line when he was here. Nowadays, among some devotees, anything goes. Going to movies, eating karmi food, wearing T-shirts with non-devotional themes -- somehow everything has become "okay." They do not like to use words that we learned from Prabhupada, like karmis or demons, or to clearly differentiate between devotees and non-devotees. And if a sannyasi speaks against this nonsense, as he should, he is conveniently labeled ''old school'' or ''fundamentalist'' and not taken seriously. ''That's just his opinion.'' ''That's alright for him because he's a sannyasi. I'm not, so I don't have to follow so strictly.''

Of course, speaking out within the institution is different because we are dealing with Vaisnavas. At least the senior devotees cannot avoid their duty to point out discrepancies that will inevitably arise. Frank words may be used, but special care should be taken to maintain respect.

Srila Prabhupada preached with a hatchet and warned against mental speculation. He showed how to be at once strong and clear, firm in sastra and philosophy, yet sensitive and kind also. We have to model ourselves after His Divine Grace, not by imitation, but by following. Rather than becoming overly cautious, better to keep on strongly pushing our points, and simultaneously endeavoring to become more expert and realized. That requires a mature commitment to study, absorb and intelligently preach the philosophy so elaborately presented by Srila Prabhupada in his books.

Let us not neglect the challenge to present Krsna consciousness strongly and clearly, as Srila Prabhupada did, always praying to him for guidance that our preaching be authoritative, to the point, and effective in dispersing illusion.

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

Comments