Below we have a short segment of one conversation where Srila Prabhupada tells TKG and Satsvarupa NOT
to criticize important well known people-especially done in writing, in a book. This will only
create enemies, of which we already have many.
When these people open their mouths we immediately can tell if they are Krsna
Conscious or not. We say what Krsna says, and never what rascals say. And we do not give these people any importance by saying we “know of them”. We say, never heard of them, which means ,they are not that important.
But Krsna/God–everybody has heard of.. And winning first place for the books of the Bhaktividanta Book Trust at the annual national library convention –THAT he said– was our “triumph”!!
Hare Krsna
damaghosa dasa
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Vrndavna July 5 1977
Tamala Kṛṣṇa: The karmīs. They don’t know what is what. They don’t know what is good for them. If they have their choice, they won’t immediately talk with a devotee. But we are like the doctors. We don’t consider what the patient says. Somehow we have to administer the medicine because we know it will be good for them. There’s a letter that just came from Satsvarūpa. ….
He says, “Actually in America, when you criticize someone who is highly regarded, people are very interested to read it. That is the American spirit. So I think by purposely singling out historical figures who are considered good welfare workers and showing that actually their welfare platform failed, it will make interesting reading and will help to establish the real platform of welfare in Kṛṣṇaconsciousness. I also want very much to write this book on men…” And then it says here, he says, “I… We decided on a number of historical figures. Because they lacked Kṛṣṇa in their philosophy and activities, their program for welfare failed. I want to deal with the figure of Mahatma Gandhi and also with the daridra–nārāyaṇa philosophy which was taught before his time by Ramakrishna and Vivekananda.” He says, “When viewed in the light of Bhāgavata philosophy, these personalities will have to be criticized for their failure to put Kṛṣṇa in their teachings. My question is whether there is any objection on your part to a book which will criticize Ramakrishna and Vivekananda.”
Prabhupāda: I think that is not good. You should go positively instead of attacking some particular person. They will never admit that they have been failure.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, but we can prove that they are. See, his whole point of his book is that he wants to attack others.
Prabhupāda: Satyaṁ vada mā likha. You can criticize them with your mouth, but don’t put into writing. That will create a section of enemy. Then we’ll have to fight with the enemy one after another. That will be wasting of time and energy. What is the use of criticizing them? They are failure. Failure. Finish. Let us prove by action that all others are failures. And they will be automatically. Just like the Bala–yogi is failure now. (chuckles) Whatever it is. The Transcendental Meditation is going to be failure. And so many others. To criticize them means to give them some importance, that “the rival to Hare Kṛṣṇa.” We don’t care for them. We go on positively, and automatically they are failure.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, every time I’ve seen a reporter say, “Swamiji, what do you think about so and so?” you said, “I do not know about such persons.”
Prabhupāda: That’s all.
Śatadhanya: And then you’d begin to preach.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. He… Actually he already thought of what you’re saying. He [Satsvarupa] says, “I think there is no harm in writing about Gandhi…”
Prabhupāda: No, no, it is waste of time. Don’t write such book.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. He says, “In addition, I plan to write on other highly regarded welfare workers such as the American Civil Rights worker Martin Luther King.” Boy, if he does that, every black person in America will hate us. It’ll create many enemies. This book will be the biggest enemy-creator. We already have enough enemies.
Prabhupāda: That will be embarrassment. Yes, I said, “I do not know this.” Bas. Finished. And that means it is not so important that I should know it.
Prabhupāda: Unless something is important, why shall I try to understand it? It is all useless. Actually that is. Our criterion is, as soon as we see one is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is rejected. He is nothing. He has no value. That is our criterion. Just like the other day he was opening that book of geography.
Śatadhanya: Oh, yes. When you opened the book of maps.
Upendra: World Atlas.
Prabhupāda: I rejected immediately. What is this nonsense? Why shall I refer to it? “Probably.” Finished, one word. Tāvac caśobhate mūrkho yāvat kiñcin na bhāṣate:(?) “A mūrkha, a rascal, is beautiful so long he does not speak. As soon as he speaks, we understand where he is.” Bas. Just like you’re cooking rice. You take one rice and press it. If it is not soft, oh, whole rice is not. If it is not soft, it is not yet cooked. Similarly, one word will give his identity. As soon as he says “Probably,” finished. Why shall I take trouble?
Upendra: In all of your books there’s not that word.
Śatadhanya: That way we avoid wasting time.
Prabhupāda: Yes. “Probably,” “maybe,” “in millions of years.”
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We call that “closet talk.” That means when you start talking like that, we advise him to go into the closet and close the door. Then only they will have to hear it.
Prabhupāda: We take Kṛṣṇa’s word. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante… [Bg. 7.15]. [break]
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very positive. He says, “One additional note. Our Library Party in America recently attended the annual convention of the largest organization of libraries.” That’s called the American Library Association. It’s made up of all of the libraries in the US, and it’s the most prestigious library association. “At this convention, the booth of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust won the first prize…”
Prabhupāda: Just see. This is our triumph.