On Speaking Strongly In Srila Prabhupada’s Service – No Compromise

From the “My Memories of Srila Prabhupada” by His Holiness Bhakti Vikasa Swami

 

Those who compromise in preaching grant themselves a license to compromise their practices. For maya is such that if we give her a little room, we will adjust more and more until we end up becoming totally mundane. Better stick to our principles and be proud of them. Even if initially devotees are somewhat fanatical and immature, if they are sincere Krsna will bless them with transcendental intelligence, and they will gradually gain experience in how to preach effectively.

Young man: Srila Prabhupada, how does one surrendering to Krsna discriminate between being tactful in his speech, on one hand, and, on the other hand, compromising?

Prabhupada: To surrender to Krsna is the best tactfulness and if you surrender, He will give you instruction. Then all tactfulness will be there.

tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te

If you become a completely surrendered devotee of Krsna — He is within your heart — will give you the right instruction so that in every sphere of life you’ll be perfect.

The devotee learns how to fight with the sword of knowledge, not simply brash abrasiveness. However, the fact is that not only is the knowledge of sastra heavy, but the manner of presentation in sastra is also extraordinarily heavy.

To preach Bhagavat religion sometimes we have to quote from the sastras what is not palatable to unscrupulous so called religious persons. But in preaching we cannot do without quoting the proper verses. Sometime they take it adversely and we become subject to unwanted criticism. We are presenting Krsna’s philosophy and teaching as it is and what can we do more? But this process of presentation has become fortunate and we have become successful. I do not wish to change the process. I hope you will appreciate this process of preaching to please the facts as they are confirmed by all Vaisnava acaryas. letter, 16 May, 1974

If we become overly concerned with what the karmis think, if we become involved in the likes and dislikes of others, we cannot possibly present the simple truth. (c.f. CC Madhya 2.86)

Of course, there is an art of speaking so that unpalatable truths will be more easily accepted. A devotee should not try to defeat others for the sake of self-aggrandizement, but he should attempt to bring them to the proper position. He should not simply be staunch and heavy but should also feel the compassion of wanting to uplift others. The Absolute Truth may also be given with a sugar-coating of kind words or gifts (some flattery to get a person’s attention, some prasada etc.) as long as the bulk of the pill is pure medicine. To give sugar without substance is cheating. Volumes could be written about the need to preach with sensitivity. But in the name of careful preaching, the spirit of combating the rogues and rascals should not be lost.

We say these are all rascals. Generally I say this very strong word, but that is the only word to be used for them. Rascals, simply rascals. We have no business with them that we have to flatter. “No, no, sir,” you have to be saying, “a great scientist.” We say you are rascals. That’s all. Straight, blunt. Four annas worth.