Hare Krsna-below we have two separate items about not compromising our principles, just to gain popularity or use the “go along-to get along” principle. Srila Prabhupada is quite adamant about sticking to our philosophy whether the general masses of people like it or not. After all, if we actually believe all our informations are coming from a bona fide spiritual master who is in the disciplic succession from the Supreme Lord since time immemorial, then where is the doubt or lack of faith in his words? He also makes a point about tactics, and how each of us has to learn how to convince others on the basis of intelligence or reason and at the same time not make enemies, which is as we all should know, a great art.
damaghosa das
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June 11 1974 Paris-conversations
Paramahaṁsa: Our position in preaching should be to encourage people in all respects to associate with us.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Paramahaṁsa: That means sometimes we might have to compromise in certain ways.
Prabhupāda: Why compromise? You don’t compromise. Then you associate with him. If you make compromise, then you associate with him. Then gradually you’ll also go down. When we, when we see some person, we do not associate with him, but we give him chance to associate with me. Why you should make compromise? What is the reason? If you know something positively, why should you make compromise? When people come to talk with me, see me, I don’t make any compromise. Do I make any compromise?
Devotees: No.
Prabhupāda: Then why shall we make compromise? That gentleman, Mr. Herbert, Gene Herbert, he said that “It has taken eighteen years to write these books.” I said, “Still, there are so many mistakes.” Immediately I said. And he could not say anything. Do you remember that?
Devotees: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Immediately I said, “Yes, you have labored eighteen years. Still, there are so many mistakes.”
Nitāi: Anyone else would have said, “Oh! Very nice.”
Prabhupāda: (laughs) Eh? I did not say.
Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: He said that morning “What can we do, Prabhupāda?” He said, “What can we do? If we do not compromise, we will make enemies.”
Prabhupāda: No, you’ll not compromise; at the same time, you’ll not make enemies. That is tactics. If you make enemies, then what is your tactics? You must speak the truth; at the same time he’ll not be displeased. That is tactics. If you can defeat him by your argument, then he’ll not be displeased. After all, everyone is human being. If you can find out his defect, why he shall be enemy? Therefore, it is said, “You better make a reasonable man an enemy, but don’t make a friend fool.” You don’t make friendship with a fool, but if a man is intelligent, better make him an enemy. Because, because he’s intelligent, although he’s an enemy, he’ll not do any harm. Because intelligent. But a fool, he may pose himself as friend, and he can do anything which is very harmful.
Paramahaṁsa: So we should be able to see the quality of man we are preaching to.
Prabhupāda: Yes, you have to make him intelligent. Everyone is fool, mūḍha. Everyone within this material world is supposed to be a fool. Because everyone is thinking, “I am this body.” So he’s fool. “I am Indian,” “I am American,” “I am German,” “I am Frenchman,” “I am this,” “I am that.” What is the difference? A cat is thinking, “I’m cat.” A dog is thinking, “I am dog.” So if somebody thinks that, in relationship with the body, “I am Frenchman,” “I am Englishman,” “I am…”, then where is the difference between the cat and the dog? He’s thinking himself as this body. Therefore everyone is thinking, at least in this modern world, the so-called nationalism, everyone is thinking, “I am Englishman,” “I am Frenchman,” “I am Indian,” “I am this,” “black,” “white.” So everyone is fool. Is it not? Yes. He’s thinking in a way what he is not. Therefore he’s a fool. All these big, big political leaders, Napoleon, Hitler, Churchill, and in Europe , they fought with this consciousness, “I am Englishman,” “I am German,” “I am Frenchman.” That’s all. Even the big, big leaders, they are fools. And what to speak of common men?
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Letter to Brahmananda — San Francisco 21 December, 1967:
It is very difficult to conquer over the influence of Maya, but who firmly fixed up in Krishna Conciousness cannot be a victim of Maya. Anyway, we cannot stop our fighting with Maya, neither we can expect that all our soldiers will remain unhurt. You know Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu was killed in the battle in which Bhismadeva.. was a party. Fight Krishna’s cause sincerely and you will be gloried with victory. I was glad to hear from Gargamuni that you refused to set me in the N.Y. Times columns along with the other so called Swamis or yogis. We have a distinct position that we are neither cheated nor cheaters. We are the genuine representative of Krishna who is the friend of all living creatures. We must play our part independently only on faith in Krishna and His bona fide representatives.
Krishna was very kind to me when He sent you to me for cooperating. My hearty thanks for you when you write to say that “Krishna Consciousness is the full perfection of life”. Lord Caitanya was eulogized by Rupa Goswami as the latter understood that Lord Caitanya was there to distribute Krishna Consciousness. The only gift for the humanity at large. Lord Caitanya wanted that the message should be distributed in every village and town of the globe. Let us do this service as far as possible in all seriousness. We can not make any compromise with anyone for cheap popularity.
