We were in California recently where we were shown various articles
written by devoted followers of Srila Prabhupada, all with the theme of
trying to correct the ISKCON leaders who are in control of the
institution. These leaders are accepted to be devotees by many people
because they wear swami robes and initiate disciples as if they are
authorized by the scriptures to be gurus. This is because most people in
the west don’t know how real devotees act, and because such people are
good at heart they accept these ISKCON leaders’ statements even though
they blatantly intimidate others in many ways. Behaving in this way is
contrary to the servitude demeanor of real devotees and many people in
India know how real devotees act, which is why they are mostly very
peaceful, but are criticized by these people as docile. The truth is
they are happy to see others taking to their faith and tolerate their
shortcomings.
After reading some of these articles we thought to relate to these
devotees that these controlling godbrothers are inflicted with an
incurable chronic disease and cannot be corrected, and therefore should
be left alone because this is the scriptural recommendation. It is
stated in the Subhasitani, dustesu vivadam asajjanasya seva laghutam
prayati, “One should neither argue with nor present counterarguments to
imposters because they will not heed, because by doing so instead of
obtaining merits for the service, they become implicated with half of
the imposter’s sin.” Even though a person may act as a devotee, if they
have not truly had a change of heart and are not fully committed to
serving the Lord they should not be served. People should know if a
person is not always at peace by holding Krsna dear in their heart they
are not a pure devotee. We’ve been called a Hindu many times for trying
to advise the ISKCON leaders to the true purport of the scriptures, to
no avail. We have determined they are adverse to following the
scriptures because they have yet to develop a true servitude nature.
We’re not translating such verses to retaliate against them for any
reason, but such verses are the true advice of the scriptures for one’s
spiritual elevation. Scriptural advice does not mislead anyone at any
stage, but benefits the follower in every way. Hence, it should be
understood that such people have not yet become real devotees in their
heart and therefore should be left alone. As stated by Chanakya Pandit:
saile saile na manikyam mauktikam na gaje gaje
sadhava nahi sarvatra chanmdanam na vane vane
“Just as every hilltop doesn’t contain a ruby, a pearl isn’t found
inside the head of every elephant, and sandalwood trees are not found in
every forest; similarly real devotees are not in every gathering of
people who seem like devotees.”
People who dress and act like devotees but who have not become real
devotees in their heart are referred to as imposters in the scriptures.
Having a real change of heart means, just as a mother is always thinking
lovingly about her child, a person who has had change of heart thinks
about the Lord. Hence the person no longer secretly desires position,
fame, material association etc, but rather yearns to think about the
Lord. Actions speak louder than words and by the ISKCON leaders actions a
person can easily see they have other things on their minds than Krsna.
These verses refer to people who have not had a real change of heart.
If imposters gather they should not be disturbed nor encountered in
any way because they will join forces and gang up to destroy anyone who
threatens their position. As stated in the Niti Sastra:
Bahubhir na virodhavyam durjanaih dustyajair api
Sphurantamani nagendra bhaksayanti pipilikah
“Wise true devotees shouldn’t argue, confront or fight with
wicked-minded imposters because they have not yet changed their hearts
to become real devotees, which is why they will gang up on one and
destroy them just like meat-eating fiery ants gang up and attack even a
poisons cobra who may be angrily hissing, yet they still kill and eat
it.”
Vidura Maharaja also states to Yudhisthira in the Mahabharat, suhrdas
capi dustasya mulad uddharanam varam, “It is better to leave imposters
who may even look like devotees and carry on with one’s prescribed
devotional services to reach their ultimate goal.” While following this
rule a wise person should perform their prescribed devotional duties in a
favorable place in the company of a real devotee; and not waste their
valuable time trying to correct those who are beyond all correction.
Sometimes imposters learn and speak logical philosophy and act like
devotees but remain irreligious at heart, which is why they should not
be trusted because at any stage they can betray, thus causing the person
pain because they believed in them. As stated in the Niti Sastra:
Durjanah priya-vadi ca naitad visvasa karanam
Madhu tisthati jihvagre hrdaye tu halahalam
Durjanena samam sakhyam dvesam capi na karayet
Usno dahati cangarah sitah krsnayate karam
Khalanam kantakanam ca vdividhaiva prati-kriya
Upanan mukha-bhango va durato va visarjanam
“Even if an imposter speaks sweetly, with their words filled with
logical philosophy they should not be trusted because such sweetness is
just a temporary state of their tongue. Their heart, by nature, remains
filled with incurable poison. Therefore they should not be corrected
because they will not listen, nor consoled because they will be
offended. Any good advice given them will be taken in the opposite way.
Associating with such people is like touching red hot charcoal that
burns and causes pain or like touching cool charcoal that dirties the
hand. There are only two ways to deal with wicked people— either destroy
them or leave them alone. They should be dealt with like a person deals
with thorns, they either wear shoes to break them or avoids them by
walking away from them. Thus avoiding spiritual and material pain”
Srila Vyasadeva warns the sincere in the following way:
Tyaja durjana samsarga kuru sadhu samagamam
Bhaja laksmi-patim visnum bhukti mukti pradayakam
Durjano dosam adhatte durgandham iva sukarah
Sajjanas ca guna-grahi hamsah ksiram ivambhasah
Durjanasya ca sarpasya varam sarpo na durjanah
Sarpo damsati kalena durjanas tu pade-pade
“O people, if you want to advance on the spiritual platform please
give up all connections with wicked imposters who only claim to be
devotees but have not yet changed their hearts to spirituality. Seek out
a real devotee and under his direction, supervision and with his
association serve the Supreme Lord, who rewards all material and
spiritual benedictions, because the nature of wicked-minded imposters is
like that of hogs who eat filthy things, leaving palatable dishes
aside. Such people enjoy their bad qualities and cannot tolerate the
good qualities of others. Therefore associate with real devotees who
have the nature of a swan who easily separates milk from water, drinking
the milk and leaving the water; thus aspiring devotees should develop
divine qualities and leave bad qualities behind. If you have a choice
between a wicked imposter and a poisonous snake choose the poisonous
snake because the poisonous snake will only bite when time of death
arrives, whereas the wicked-mined imposter disturbs one’s devotional
service at every step.”
In other words one should stay away from imposters because they
cannot be corrected. Only an innocent person can be corrected. A
sleeping person can be woken, but not a person pretending to sleep.
Therefore using one’s time to write articles and printing magazines
against such people is not advised by the Vedic scriptures. It is
stated:
Durjano narjavam yati sevyamano’pi nityasah
Svedanabhy anjanopayaih sva-puccham iva namitam
“Just as a dog’s tail can’t be straightened by regular massage or
servicing it many ways for a long time or putting it into a straight
pipe, similarly wicked imposters pretending to be devotees cannot be
corrected by any means or counseling. They will always remain as crooked
as a dog’s tail.”
Therefore endeavoring to correct imposters causes frustration and
anxiety and is a losing battle. It is best to leave them aside and use
one’s time in a beneficial way like heeding the scriptures and use that
knowledge to seek out a real saintly person and serve Lord Krsna under
his supervision. Even if one sees a seemingly external undesirable
quality in such a saintly person he should be associated with because
Lord Krsna lives in the heart of such a real devotee in His magnified,
active form and real blessing will be gotten. That is why the scriptures
state:
Susajjananam hi samsargah nitaram parisobhanam
Padma-patra-sthitam toyam dhatte mukta-phalam-sriyam
Kachah kancana samsargad dhatte marakatim dyutim
Tatha sat-sannidhanena murkho yati pravinatam
“Association of real devotees is always beneficial and such
association is glorified in the scriptures because it elevates the
position of an ordinary person, like a drop of due on a lotus petal
looks as beautiful as a pearl. And just as a piece of glass placed on a
jeweled ring is identified with the beauty of a priceless jewel,
similarly an ordinary person that connects to a real devotee becomes
knowledgeable and well situated.”
One may wonder how to recognize a real saintly person because many
people say they are saintly and better than others and that others are
not as good as them. In answer to this question the logic of the Nyaya
Sastra states:
Yatha caturbhi kanakam pariksyate
Nirgharsanam chhedanam tapa-tadanaih
Tatha caturbhih purusam pariksyate
Tyyagena silena gunena karmana
“Just as the authenticity of gold is determined using four different
tests, by rubbing on a touchstone, cutting it into pieces, melting it
and by hitting it with a hammer; similarly a person is understood to be a
real devotee by examining him in four different ways, by his outgoing
straightforward nature, by learning of his pure birth dynasty, by his
unconditional spiritual dedication, and by his constant performance of
spiritual activities.”
Therefore, those who are heart of heart followers of spiritual life,
those aspiring to advance on the spiritual path and those interested in
pleasing Lord Krsna should follow scriptural statements and stop using
their time and energy trying to correct those who cannot be corrected.
Such people should be left alone, just as a doctor who determines a
fallen soldier on the battlefield is terminal and goes to help someone
else. Time is very valuable, therefore it is better to utilize it by
searching out a real devotee whose qualities are mentioned in the
ancient scriptures and learn how to transform our aggressive nature to
one of servitude, because only servants enter the kingdom of God. The
Hitopadesa states, upadeso hi murkhanam prakopaya na santaye, “Giving
good advice to imposters doesn’t pacify them but only makes them
angrier.” So it is best to physically and mentally leave such class of
people behind and participate with those where your devotional service
will be recognized by Lord Krsna.
Jai Sri Radhe
