If I am careful to avoid offenses against practicing devotees, I will be seeing disturbance coming from them as Grace of the Lord. But how far should we tolerate injustice, intimidation and unkindness before we start objecting? Shell we object, talk to those devotees or try to correct their misbehavior? Or just let it go on hoping that Krishna and Gurudev will correct it?
It is easy to choose the last option, especially dealing with young or unexperienced devotees but when problem is caused by a senior ... how should we behave?
Very respectful dandavats from a distance. Then consult with higher vaishnavas.
Vidya
It is easy to choose the last option, especially dealing with young or unexperienced devotees but when problem is caused by a senior ... how should we behave?
Very respectful dandavats from a distance. Then consult with higher vaishnavas.
Vidya
The main point seems to be "how to avoid offending devotees". SGM says in Sermons 2 chapter 10 pg. 191-192 "My main responsibility is to cure myself ... That should be the principle of any bonafide student of this Krsna consciousness. That is the positive side; and the negative side, indirect side, is to judge others' practices and how to associate with them. We shall associate with the good and we shall avoid those who are not up to standard. But this is the negative side, and this is not as important as the positive side". SGM does not say the the negative side is not important, rather that it is not AS important.
ReplyDeleteThere is more than one measure by which to discriminate. We can discriminate based on the concept that I am better than someone else, OR we can discriminate based on my inability to associate without fault finding. While following the positive side is the IDEAL, sometimes we are forced to follow the negative side in order to avoid causing offense. Eventually we should try to transition pack to the positive, but the negative side acts as a buffer, allows us to try and recognize our own faults while avoiding offense. For me, this approach is necessary. I have an experience where I have tried, on multiple occasions, to follow the positive side, with no success. My only option was to follow the negative side to minimize offense. I see no other way.
I have just wrote few paragraphs on www.vidyafusion.blogspot.com to spill more of my confusions. Srila Guru Maharaj is saying this so naturally as this is his life an soul. It is like talking of an expert car mechanic while we are trying to understand the practical side of it. I believe strongly that the help should come from above. Meaning, there must come a point when the heart is clear of longings, lamentations, unperfections, etc. Everything becomes clear when (over a time) He helps, vivrinute tena lapbhyas. This day will come... He will clear our hearts. But meanwhile I think to myself "Why there is a disturbance from devotees for us who are already struggling so much to combat senses, earning situations, personal situations and all material garbage of past and present....? We come to Guru and Krishna attracted by these sweet and charming, harmonious teachings. How many times we heard from Gurudev or Guru Maharaj: charm, beauty, love, harmony, affection, .... they go on and on these descriptions of Krishna's world. So why then the favorite disciple is not presenting these in dealings with other devotees? I am not talking about Srila AN Acharyya Maharaj.
ReplyDeleteIt is just disturbing. I am in Maya I know, no one has to tell me this.