10. Correcting Others by H.H.Bhakti Caru Swami

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10. Correcting Others

Devotee means he is able to tolerate all kinds of discomfort and whims of the

material nature, and because he is too much absorbed in serving Kåñëa he

takes no time to become angry or take offense with others or find out some

fault.

No. Devotee means very liberal and kind to everyone, always gentleman under

all kinds of conditions of life.

SP letter to Haàsadüta (December 10, 1972)

1. There is a difference between criticism and correction. A devotee realizes

that criticizing a Vaiñëava pollutes the heart and impedes spiritual

advancement.

2. To correct a devotee one must be: -

(a) non-envious

(b) desirous to practically assist the devotee in his Kåñëa consciousness.

© in a position spiritually or managerially which justifies and/or

necessitates such intervention.

OR be personally requested by the devotee to help him in his difficulty.

3. The devotee offering correction must be practicing what he preaches.

4. Methods of Correction:

(a) Correct by personal example and association.

(b) Guide the devotee to the shelter of a more advanced devotee.

© A junior devotee should not personally attempt to correct another

devotee. He should reveal his heart to a senior devotee whom he feels at ease

with

and seek his assistance/advice to adjust the situation.

5. Harsh words and actions have no place in correcting a sincere devotee. We

want to destroy the ignorance in the heart of a devotee-not the devotee

himself.

6. If there is some sincere and honest criticism offered, we should be

grateful, not upset. To react negatively to well intentioned correction is to

manifest false ego.

7. An advanced Vaiñëava will see each and every correction offered as the

mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu.

8. Prevention is better than cure. If all devotees take up the responsibility

to develop proper awareness in their devotional behavior the need for

correction will be minimized.

Quotes from Çréla Prabhupäda

Quotes from Çréla Prabhupäda

Devotee means he is able to tolerate all kinds of discomfort and whims of the

material nature, and because he is too much absorbed in serving Kåñëa he

takes no time to become angry or take offense with others or find out some

fault.

No. Devotee means very liberal and kind to everyone, always gentleman under

all kinds of conditions of life.

SP letter to Haàsadüta (December 10, 1972)

Quotes from Çréla Prabhupäda

Quotes from Çréla Prabhupäda

A devotee-one who is humble-doesn't fault-find. So in your letter you are not

finding fault with anyone. So you are good Vaiñëava. You do not find fault

with anyone. This is the qualification. We should always think ourselves humble

 

and meek. This you must know. So we all have to cooperate amongst ourselves,

otherwise what will people think if we ourselves fight with one another? A

devotee is always ideal in behavior."

SP letter to Patita Uddhäraëa (December 12, 1974)

This is called Vaikuntha attitude. In the Vaikuntha factually there is no

fault in anyone, but there is another type of competition. The competition is

that one devotee thinks of other devotees how nicely they are serving the Lord.

 

In the material world the attitude is that everyone likes to think that I am

doing better than others. This is material conception. In the Spiritual Sky it

is just the opposite: Everyone thinks that my contemporary devotees are doing

better than me. We are trained to address Godbrothers as Prabhu, which means

Master. This means we shall try to find out always the serving side of our

Godbrothers. Sometimes there are misgivings, but we should try to overlook.

SP letter to Brahmänanda (November 15, 1969)

Otherwise

I have received one complaint from an Indian devotee at Mayapur, Prabharupa

Das Brahmacary, that he is maltreated by our American devotees. Kindly inquire

into this matter and do the needful. Either Indian of foreign whoever joins us

they are not under any obligation, our only tie is Love of Godhead. It should

be our definite policy that nobody is ill treated that he may go away. We

recruit a person to join us after spending gallons of blood. Everyone comes for

 

reformation, you cannot expect everyone to be perfect, rather it is our duty to

 

make everyone perfect as far as possible. So we shall be very much cautious

and careful in this connection.

SP letter to Tamäla Kåñëa (August 23, 1973)

Devotee misbehavior

Kindly observe the regulative principles, chanting 16 rounds regularly and

see that all your other assistants are doing the same. If someone is lacking,

try to induce him peacefully.

SP letter to Upendra (August 18, 1970)

Regarding some misbehavior, that we have to check by training peacefully.

Your attitude of tolerance and kindness is very nice, so train them in this

way.

SP letter to Bhavänanda (October 28, 1970)

Yes, a new man may commit blunders in the beginning, but that does not mean

we may be too impatient with him. After all, training means the man does not

know, so you should train him nicely. A Vaishnava is expected to be humbler

than

the blade of grass, so when you train some new man you should not get

agitated with him. After all, we are preachers, and we do not expect our

audience or

candidates completely respondent to our call. If everyone is trained [already]

then what is the use of our preaching?

SP letter to Upendra (March 11, 1969)

Mend it; Don't Break it

Try to settle up amicably and correct yourself. One man is trained up with

great difficulty, especially in spiritual life. Everyone has got some weakness

and deficiency. It is better to correct or mend it than to break it."

SP letter to Haàsadüta (September 29, 1974)

Let The Authority Handle It

I beg to thank you very much for your letter pointing out some of the

discrepancies of many of the devotees in New York. You are correct regarding

the

items which you have stated, such as sleeping in front of the deities, taking

of

unoffered foodstuffs, drinking water from the bathroom, and non-chanting of

rounds. But the thing is discipline can not be observed unless there is

obedience. As you are obedient to me, you should be similarly obedient to my

representative. Your statement about Brahmananda that he is a wonderful devotee

is 100

percent agreed by me. He is in charge of the New York center, and therefore, if

 

proper obedience is not given to him, it will be impossible for him to manage

affairs of the temple. Under the circumstances, the discrepancies you have

observed in the temple may be referred to him, and he is quite reasonable, and

will handle the matter with the respective devotees.

SP letter to Nara-Näräyaëa (February 7, 1969)

Regarding general state of affairs at Amsterdam temple, I can understand

there is some disturbance among you, but that is not to be taken very

seriously.

Real business is preaching work. And if there is full attention on this matter

only, all other businesses will be automatically successful. Fighting amongst

ourselves is not at all good, but if our preaching work is neglected, or if we

fall down in following the regulative principles-such as rising before four,

chanting 16 rounds, like that-if these things are not strictly observed, then

Maya will enter and spoil everything. So my best advice to you is to strictly

observe these things yourself and be the example so that all others may

follow. We should not criticize each other as Vaiñëavas, because there is fault

in

everyone and we may be ourselves subject to criticism. Best thing is to be

above suspicion ourselves, then if we see discrepancies and make suggestions,

the

others will automatically respect and take action to rectify the matters. That

is cooperation. And we must exist on such cooperation, otherwise the whole

thing is doomed if we simply go on fighting over some small thing. So try to

organize things and preach together in this spirit and that will please me very

 

very much.

SP letter to Madhu-maìgala (November 18, 1972)

You have mentioned about some criticism made by Jayagovinda which upset you.

I do not know exactly what is the point, but if there is some honest

criticism, there should be no cause of becoming upset.

SP letter to Våndävaneçvaré (July 8, 1969)

The Defect Lies Within You

If there is some incident and I claim that no one is cooperating with me or

no one will work with me, that is MY defect, NOT THEIRS. The Vaiñëava devotee

must think like this. We should not find fault with others and criticise and go

 

away. That is not the Vaiñëava way. Better we should always be willing to

offer all respect to others and consider them as our superiors always.

SP letter to Gaurasundara (August 26, 1972)

Etiquette in Management

11. Etiquette in Management

ISKCON is a spiritual organization personally established by Çréla

Prabhupäda. We must to take care that it doesn't become material. Anything

(husband-wife

relationship, Deity worship, even prasädam) can turn material by one's

consciousness. In any Society, there must be some organization and management,

otherwise there will be chaos. Even in the spiritual world, Kåñëa's friends are

 

subdivided and supervised (Lord Balaräma is group leader for his cowherd boy

friends; Candravalé and Rädhäräëé head up left-wing and right-wing gopés, etc).

 

ISKCON is no different. In order for people interact in a harmonious fashion,

dealings and activities must be regulated and orchestrated.

1. The material nature is the world of exploitation but the spiritual nature

is the world of service.

2. ISKCON is a spiritual organization. Regardless of position everyone is

first and foremost a servant of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu and Çréla Prabhupäda.

No

one should exploit his position for selfish interests.

3. Higher position means greater service. Position means an opportunity to

purely represent Çréla Prabhupäda. Hence our management must be based on

humility and tolerance.

4. Treat your subordinates as younger brothers.

5. Leadership is based on spiritual qualification, not on anything material.

A mature, dedicated preacher makes the best leader.

6. A leader's character must be spotless.

7. Leaders must feel for their followers, then the followers will naturally

trust them.

8. It is important to lead with detachment and guide with a strong sense of

duty.

9. Kåñëa conscious management is autocratic and democratic.

10. Talk to devotees and be open to new ideas.

11. Don't hide anything from the Vaiñëava's.

12. There should be more than one signer for bank accounts, buying of

properties etc.

13. It is best if all incoming funds are declared before the Deities, Çréla

Prabhupäda, and the Vaiñëavas.

14. All incoming funds should be deposited in the bank and then spent from

the account.

Quotes from Çréla Prabhupäda

Quotes from Çréla Prabhupäda

The sweetness of Lord Kåñëa is not to be tasted by those who consider

themselves equal to Kåñëa. It is to be tasted only through the sentiment of

servitude.

Cc Ädi-lélä 6.103

....Or you may follow your other plan, but however you do it, do it jointly by

combined consultation. If you do it jointly in this way, you will get

strength to decide the right thing.

SP letter to Haàsadüta (July 11, 1970)

One thing is, too much competition between centers is not good, the emphasis

should be on co-operation, not competition.

SP letter to Amogha (May 9, 1972)

Please do your duty combinedly without any disruption of peaceful attitudes

amongst yourselves. We are pushing our movement on the background of a peaceful

 

atmosphere in the world, and if we show a little disturbance in our own camp

that will not be a very good example, therefore, everyone should be

forbearing, tolerant and cooperative.

SP letter to Janaké (January 18, 1969)

Kåñëa consciousness is such an important mission, the devotees should

cooperate, even if there were discrepancies [insufficient income, inadequate

diet].

The material world is like an ocean, and there would always be waves." (SP

Lil.V, p.9)

Lélämåta Volume V p. 9

Now all my disciples must work combinedly and with cooperation to spread this

sankirtan movement. If you cannot work together, then my work is stopped up.

Our Society is like one big family and our relationship should be based on

love and trust. We must give up the fighting spirit and use our intelligence to

 

push ahead. You should accept help from your Godbrothers.

SP letter to Upendra (August 6, 1970)

"Yes, following the rules and regulations is the real qualification of GBC.

We have made things easy for being qualified for such position, but still they

are violating... Your conclusion is very good and I very much appreciate that

GBC or XYZ you are always servant of Kåñëa. That is wanted.

SP letter to Kértanänanda (November 12, 1974)

When a KC person is elevated to a responsible position, he becomes humble, as

a tree laden with fruits.

When a Krishna Conscious person is elevated to a responsible position, he

never becomes puffed up. Just like a tree when overladen with fruits becomes

humble and lower down; similarly, a great soul in Krishna Consciousness becomes

 

humbler than the grass and bowed down like the fruitful trees because a Krishna

 

Conscious person acts as the agent of Krishna, therefore he discharges his

duty with great responsibility.

SP letter to Gajendra (January 27, 1970)

Spiritual Management

Prabhupäda said he knew "the pulse of his disciples." Thus he had recently

[1972] sensed a tendency to be too absorbed in management and not enough in

preaching. He had been telling his secretary that G.B.C. men should not simply

sit

behind their desks and try to centralize power but should become detached,

take sannyäsa, and travel and preach. Now he had advised that they not give up

their managerial burden but follow his example of preaching and managing their

G.B.C. zones in a renounced spirit.

Lélämåta Volume V p. 91

My request to you is that you try to follow the authorities there-the temple

president, the GBC, etc. Cooperate nicely with them. Our movement is based on

love and trust, so if we do not cooperate, then how is that love and trust?

Follow all of the rules and regulations very strictly without deviation, chant

16 rounds, attend class and mangal arati, and then everything will be all

right.

SP letter to Kåñëaveça (January 16, 1975)

This surrendering process is unconditional. Surrendering does not mean that

one should only surrender in favorable circumstances. That is not surrender.

Surrendering means that in any condition the surrendering process must

continue.

[And what is an important part of that surrendering process?] ...You must

work conjointly. That is my desire. And if you fight amongst yourselves for

some

individual interests, that is not surrender.

SP letter to Kåñëa däsa (March 5, 1969)

Kåñëa consciousness means full cooperation with Kåñëa, and Kåñëa means with

all his entourage. We should always remember this. Just like when we speak of a

 

tree, it includes the root, the trunk, the branches, the leaves, the

flowers-everything. Therefore to love Kåñëa means to love Him along with all

His Name,

His fame, His qualities, His entourage, His abode, His devotees, etc.

SP letter to Yamunä (March 2, 1970)

Temple Room Etiquette