Mar 18, 2017 — FRANCE (SUN) —
I received two days ago an email starting with this quote from Srila Prabhupada:
CC Adi 8.62:
"A Vaishnava, a sober man, accepts only a man's glories and not his faults, for
flies seek sores whereas honeybees seek honey"
In the whole email, the verb "accepts" from the quote was, for one reason(?), clearly interpreted as "sees". So, let's develop the conversation on this basis, for it was the devotee's idea.
So, I don't give you what was following, which was not very scandalous, but it was very clearly said that I am the fly (and also a crow) because of what I was saying about some persons and subjects. And of course, those who accept everything, including what is absolutely not acceptable, are the honeybees. Well, I am starting to change my alimentary diet, little by little, to get used to my future foodstuff. Not easy!
If we consider this quote, I suppose that it is for that reason that Srila Prabhupada spent so much time to accuse, condemn and criticize materialists, impersonalists, mayavadis, cheaters, bogus gurus and even sometimes his own Godbrothers, and Radha Kunda babajis...
It happens many times that someone is attached to a particular verse or a quote or a concept which suits his or her material conditioning of the moment, or even of a long period, and brandishes it like a flag and thinks he got a long term victory! Allelluia! Veni Vidi Vici! That, without having a wide vision of things. You get that vision only with advancement. It gives you the ability to consider a maximum of elements and to have or make a permanent synthesis of things. To consider only one element as if it was the whole thing is noted in Gita as a symptom of ignorance. I read that many, many times, but at the moment, I could not find it again... Now, with all of Jayadvaita Swami's past and present scriptural lilas, generally, I don't any longer insist too much in my researches, for I will maybe lose my time!
So, why does this quote in the beginning of the article seem to be in contradiction with Srila Prabhupada's behavior, for example? This only shows the difference between being active and inactive, or much less active. If someone is really spiritually advanced and has the possibility or (and) wants to be only contemplative or a peaceful babaji, he can have this vision of everyone serving Krsna or have only a positive vision of all people. Even Gaurakisora Das Babaji himself was not always in this spirit.
If a spiritually advanced person has just a very peaceful job that will be possible, even if more difficult. But if someone is, like Prabhupada was, concerned about Lord Caitanya's mission and is active in one way or other in it, this person cannot consider things in this way. They must take responsibility to say the truth. And although Srila Prabhupada was the best, that is not the acarya's exclusivity... So, all the so-called naughty criticizers generally don't do that only for the pleasure of criticizing or because of supposed anarthas.
Of course, there is also the latent and background Dandavats newspaper's general irresponsibility... only play flute! Everything is wonderful. But this irresponsibility is related to impersonalism. So, we have to chose! It is very easy not to take one's responsibility. Fortunately for us and everyone, Srila Prabhupada fully took his responsibilities to the maximum. He did not try to appear as the person who sees everyone in pink colour. He did not play any role. And anyway, even Dandavats writers very often criticize criticizers and so, become themselves naughty criticizers! The point is much more whether you criticize rightly or not.
So, coming back to those people who are very swift to handle some verses or quotes as flag... when someone still has mainly a theoretical or sentimental (or both!) understanding of Krsna Consciousness, it is actually much better to be very careful!
