quotes on cooperation

[Guest guest]

This beautiful compilation of quotes from Srila Prabhupada has been

prepared by Viraja dasi. Thank you, dear Viraja!

 

Ys Dhkdd

 

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"One very intimate devotee of Lord Caitanya, most probably Vasudeva Datta,

requested Lord Caitanya to deliver all the conditioned souls in his

presence. He said, 'Let me suffer for their sinful actions, but my dear

Lord You take them with You back home, back to Godhead.' So this attitude

of offering facilities to others for going back to home, back to Godhead,

and personally accepting their suffering thereof is perfect Vaisnava

attitude." (SPL to Umapati, August 23rd, 1970)

 

"I know you are always experiencing difficulties in living with devotees,

but we must be tolerant and endure the personal differences, being humbler

than a blade of grass, and stick to our duties to the spiritual master."

(SPL to Sri Vallabha, 4th June, 1974)

 

"We should learn to forget and forgive minor incidents because there are 2

men in a place, there is always some misunderstanding. Such

misunderstanding happens even between husband and wife -- what to speak of

others. But we have to adjust things on the basis of Krsna consciousness."

(SPL to Gargamuni, 11th January, 1968)

 

"Each and every living entity is an individual soul, and as such,

disagreement is quite possible in our dealings with one another, BUT WE

HAVE TO CONSIDER THE CENTRAL POINT OF INTEREST." (SPL to Yamuna and

Harsarani, 15th January 1968)

 

"We are preaching Krsna consciousness, THE GREATEST PLATFORM OF HARMONY,

and if we dissent amongst ourselves and disunite, it doesn't look very

well." (SPL to Aniruddha, 30th May, 1968)

 

"Of course, disagreement may be there, but there should not be

dissension." (SPL to Umapati, 30th May, 1968)

 

"Your appreciation for the service of your Godbrothers is very much

laudable. THIS IS ACTUALLY A DEVOTEE'S BUSINESS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD

APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF OTHER DEVOTEES. Nobody should criticize anyone.

Because everyone is engaged in the service of the Lord, according to one's

capacity, and the thing is, Krsna wants to see how much one is sincere in

rendering Him service." (SPL to Tamala Krsna, August 19th, 1968)

 

"If you work conjointly, without quarreling amongst yourselves, a

tremendous service can be done towards the expansion of our mission.

Please therefore, try to execute this program peacefully for the sake of

Lord Krsna, to Whom you have all dedicated your lives." (SPL to

Harivilasa, September 29th, 1968)

 

"Please do your duty combinedly without any disruption of peaceful

attitudes among yourselves. We are pushing our movement on the bacground

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. That is my special request

to you all." (SPL to Janaki, 18th January, 1969)

 

"Relationship between Godbrothers must be very genuine and pleasing.

Otherwise, the future of our institution will not be very hopeful." (SPL

to Tamala Krsna, October, 1969)

 

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

this sankirtana movement. If you cannot work together then my work is

stopped up. OUR SOCIETY IS LIKE ONE BIG FAMILY AND OUR RELATIONSHIPS

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." (SPL to Upendra, August 6th, 1970)

 

"Anyway one quality of a devotee is that he is always very much tolerant

of other people, so I request you simply to tolerate the faults of others

and always think that I am myself the most faulty. In this way your humble

attitude will qualify you to advance very quickly in Krsna consciousness."

(SPL to Jairge and Lindon Lomese, May 25th, 1972)

 

"This fighting spirit will destroy everything, but what can I do, you

American and European boys are trained up in this fighting attitude. Now

put it aside and simply work cooperatively for spreading this movement all

over the world." (SPL to Bali Mardan and Pusta Krsna, 18th September,

1972)

 

"We should not criticize each other, as Vaisnavas, because there is fault

in everyone and we may be ourselves subject to criticism. BEST THING IS TO

BE ABOVE SUSPICION OUERSELVES, THEN IF WE SEE DISCREPANCIES AND MAKE

SUGGESTION 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." (SPL

to Madhumangala, 18th November, 1972)

 

"So perfect society, or Vedic society, does not eliminate competition --

competition of stronger and weaker must be there -- but it eliminates

envy, because everyone is weak before Krsna." (SPL to Sri Govinda, 25th

December, 1972)

 

"The test of our actual dedication and sincerity to serve the spiritual

master will be in this mutual cooperative spirit to push on this movement

and not to make factions and deviate." (SPL to Babru, December 9th, 1973)

 

"You have dedicated your life for Krsna and therefore you should be ideal.

We are introducing Krsna consciousness movement for the harmony and good

will of huminity. But if you yourselves are suffering from the very ills

we are trying to remove, how can the people be influenced favorably? Stop

this fighting, tolerate, chant and read our books. Use the intelligence

and do some service for Krsna. My request to you is not to fight anymore."

(SPL to Trivikrama Maharaja, 1th May, 1974)

 

"Those who are advanced devotees try to see only the good that other

devotees are doing, just as bees are attracted to honey, while flies are

attracted to sores." (SPL to Ramesvara, May 5th, 1974)

 

"Because the real fact is that if there is any difficulty with others,

that is my lack of Krsna consciousness, not theirs. Is this clear? KRSNA

SAYS THAT HIS DEAREST DEVOTEE IS ONE WHO DOES NOT PUT OTHERS INTO

DIFFICULTY, IN FACT, WHO PUTS NO ONE OTHER INTO DIFFICULTY." (SPL to

Madhukara, January 4th, 1975)

 

"OUR MOVEMENT IS BASED ON LOVE AND TRUST, SO IF WE DO NOT COOPERATE, THEN

HOW IS THAT LOVE AND TRUST?" (SPL to Krsnavesa, 16th January, 1975)

 

"So, this criticism of Sridhara Swami was as much intolerable for Caitanya

Mahaprabhu as His criticism upon Vallabhacarya is intolerable for you.

Such kind friendly criticism you'll always find among learned scholars,

but that does not mean there is any ill feeling with one another. So, as

you can criticize Sridhara Swami in the above words, what is the wrong if

in the same spirit the supporters of Sridhara Swami criticize you? There

is an English proverb spoken by Lord Jesus Christ, 'Judge not others lest

ye be judged.'" (SPL to Giriraja, 25th November, 1976)

 

"You have mentioned about some criticism made by Jaya Govinda 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." (SPL to

Vrndavanesvari, 28th July, 1969)

 

"IT IS NOT OUR POLICY TO REJECT SOMEONE ON ANY PERSONAL GROUNDS. RATHER IT

IS OUR DUTY TO ENCOURAGE HIM ON THE COMMON PLATFORM OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE

TO KRSNA." (SPL to Satsvarupa, 25th November, 1970)

 

"I have noted your several complaints against the devotees but it would be

better to set the example rather than to criticize the defects of the

devotees. We should always remember that we recruit members from people in

general. It is not expected that every one of our members should be

immediately to the standard qualification. The best thing for you is to et

the example by your personal behavior and try to forget such incidences

and be always in friendship with each other." (SPL to Vrndadevi, October

14th, 1971)

 

"Do you think USA is a magic place, simply by coming here he will become

reformed? If possible you can send to the USA, but it is better to correct

him to the standard point by friendly gestures. WE CAN REJECT ANYONE, THAT

IS VERY EASY, BUT TO REFORM HIM THAT REQUIRES GREAT SKILL AND TACT AND IF

YOU CAN REFORM HIM THERE BY KIND WORDS AND DEALINGS, THAT IS BEST." (SPL

to Madhudvisa and Amogha, 24th August, 1972)

 

"We should not find fault with others and criticize and go away, that is

not the Vaisnava way." (SPL to Gaurasundara, 26th August, 1972)

 

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