Reform

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Dear Mahadyuti Prabhu,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

Here are some quotations from Prabhupada's letters.

 

Letter to: Madhudvisa, Amogha

--

Los Angeles

24 August, 1972

72-08-24

 

My Dear Madhudvisa and Amogha,

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 Mohananandan

there. What he will do by coming here? Amogha 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 Mohananandan 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 Mohananandan 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.

 

Letter to: Vrinda

--

Nairobi

14 October, 1971

71-10-14

 

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.

 

Letter to: Rupanuga

--

Tirupati

28 April, 1974

74-04-28

 

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.

 

Your servant,

 

Aniruddha dasa