Reform rather than remove

[Guest guest]

There is one letter to Hansadutta in the latter half of 1974 where Srila

Prabhupada, speaking about a particular devotee who had been having some

problems, said something like "better to mend it than to break it". That is

probably not the specific reference you are looking for, but I think it has

the same meaning.

 

You could probably find the exact reference by using the words "mend" and

"break" in a folio search.

[Guest guest]

> There is one letter to Hansadutta in the latter half of 1974 where Srila

> Prabhupada, speaking about a particular devotee who had been having some

> problems, said something like "better to mend it than to break it". That

> is probably not the specific reference you are looking for, but I think it

> has the same meaning.

>

> You could probably find the exact reference by using the words "mend" and

> "break" in a folio search.

 

 

Not quite what I wanted, but it helps. Thank you for your prompt reply.

[Guest guest]

The following are excerpts from four different letters that include the word

'reform'. Hope they help

 

Please accept my blessings. I have received your letters dated August 13 and

August 15 respectively and have noted the contents with some dismay. I do not

like to hear these things, but whatever is done, is done. What you have is all

right, now go on preaching as you are doing. So far the presidents are

concerned, they should not be abruptly changed in future. If there is any

complaint they should be first of all informed to me. One thing we should

always remember is that all of our devotees picked up here are accustomed to

all of these bad habits in their past life, so if sometimes they reveal their

old characteristics, instead of rejecting them, it is up to us to rectify them

as far as possible. So try to reform --------------there. What he will do by

coming here? ---------------has indicated he has already shaved his sikha and

has left everything. do you think U.S.A. is a magic place, simply by coming

here he will become reformed? If possible you can send to the U.S.A., 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. When I was there in Sydney, I observed that --------------is very, very

good boy and he has great intelligence and talent, simply it has become little

bit misguided due to circumstances. Now you both big leaders in Australia,

along with the others, you make a very concerted attempt to help

---------------over his difficulties and persuade him that everything is all

right; that I am not angry or displeased in any way. These things will

sometimes happen even with the best devotees, and in this way try and persuade

him to become engaged with his previous enthusiasm for becoming once again a

great devotee. He is young boy, so we should not take his actions too

seriously, better to forget the past and try to reform him. His service can be

once again very much valuable there in Australia, I know he is very good boy.

Do not drive him away, that will be the discredit to all of you leaders. But

if there is great difficulty, he may come and live with me here in Los Angeles

for the time being, I have no objection. But he has done very nicely in Sydney

up to the present time, so if you can utilize his experience and talents

there, that is the best plan.

_________

 

Another request I have to you is that there have now been two instances of

when somebody does not agree you try to get them out by calling the police.

This is never to be done. This is the mistaken policy of --------------, but

do not follow this principle. With great difficulty we get a man. We have to

reform them. Our business is to become sympathetic to fallen souls. So in

future do not do it all. Everything should be done amicably.

 

______________

 

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead orders that there must be four division in

human society, a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th class, like that, and the 1st must

be ideal. If the whole society is full of rogues, thieves, drunkards, cheaters

and demons, where is there question of decent government. There must be

division so the lower class men may aspire to be second class men. So far we

are concerned we are trying to train first class men. How much great

responsibility we have to follow regulative principles, chant the beads, live

with personal character etc. Regulative principles means to especially execute

devotional service in terms of the revealed scriptures under the direction of

the spiritual master. By fulfilling the regulative principles you come to the

platform of spontaneous love for Krsna. Spontaneous love for Krsna is there

already but is covered by the influence of Maya. The regulative principles are

a device how to overcome the influence of maya and come to the platform of

spontaneous love of Krsna. If we want to exist as first class men in society

all our students must be induced to following the regulative principles. One

shouldn't think artificially he has come to the spontaneous platform. That is

sahajiyaism.

The GBC must be vigilant by following the regulative principles and teach by

ideal character the presidents of the centers, and the presidents by their

ideal character must teach the others then automatically all members of the

whole institution will be ideal to the human society. Then we can dictate to

administrators or sometimes take hold of the administration. In the absence of

competent leaders we may take the post. But we must be very careful in the

flow of the political movement we may not forget our ideal life. For example,

Parasaram was a Brahmin but when he found the ksatriyas were mismanaging he

killed them twenty one times and some of them fled to European countries. This

is the history. So far we are concerned we shall keep ourselves in ideal

brahminical position and if need be if no ksatriya or Vaisya is here we can

take up their work as emergency. Our business is to create ideal ksatriyas and

vaisyas but beyond that our real business is to keep ourselves as ideal

Brahmins. If we are not ideal we cannot create others as ideal. Training is

required for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd classes of social constitution. Persons who

are not fit for being advanced by training are sudras or less than that. At

the present moment in the world state, there are sudras and less than that.

There are no ideal brahmanas or ksatriyas. But these four divisions are

imperative. So our business is to keep fit as brahmanas and to train others to

be ideal ksatriyas and vaisyas for advancing the whole society. As Krsna says

in the Srimad-Bhagavatam:

Tamala Krsna Goswami is going to Los Angeles and I shall give him instruction

to join Madhudvisa Swami, Bali Mardan and Jayatirtha and reform the

deficiencies. As soon as there is a little deficiency we must repair it or it

will create a big hole and the ship will drown. So I have said keep fit. I saw

this ------------and ---------as a little sentimental without thoroughly

understanding. Without following the regulative principles advancement is

doubtful, and one may fall at any moment.

As for drugs, not just one party, but everyone was involved. Our process is to

reform. Everyone is under the clutches of maya. If we follow the regulative

principles we can get out and come to spontaneous love. A diseased man is

always under the clutches of disease. But if he follows the prescribed orders

given by the __ __ he can be cured. Now, how to reform? If we ask him to go

away the whole society will be finished. In the hospital many patients are

there and the attempt is made to cure them, not to tell them to go away or to

kill them. They try their best to cure them. If they tell them to get out of

the hospital or if they kill them, that is easy.

Initiation should be given as a future hope, but we should be careful about

the second initiation. As recommended by the president or GBC they should only

do so when they are quite confident of a man. Otherwise, he should not be

recommended. If you follow this principle it will be successful. Every day I

am getting request for second initiation, but I do not know. The

responsibility goes to the presidents who pick them. Unless they are

thoroughly convinced second initiation should not be given. In the beginning

we may be a little lenient. But if someone falls down after being initiated he

should not be credited with second initiation.

 

_____________

 

 

Our ISKCON Society married couples means that both parties fully are engaged

in Krishna's service. 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 set the example by your personal behavior and try to reform the others, not

by criticizing but by friendly behavior. If sometimes there are any

disagreements, we should try to forget such incidences and be always in

friendship with each other. So I hope you will immediately return to your

husband and forget all these disagreements and fully cooperate for developing

our Berlin center.

[Guest guest]

> The following are excerpts from four different letters that include the

> word 'reform'. Hope they help

 

Eminently relevant quotes. Thank you!