Category:Our Criticism (Disciples of SP)
Theme Analysis
Śrīla Prabhupāda provides deeply nuanced instructions regarding the act of finding fault within the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Internally, he strictly forbids his disciples from condemning fellow devotees, emphasizing that everyone is in the process of purification and is rendering service according to their individual capacity. He warns that petty fault-finding among Vaiṣṇavas destroys spiritual progress and creates unnecessary division. Externally, while a bold preacher must philosophically defeat atheists and speculators, he advises against unnecessarily attacking popular figures or rival sects by name in public, as this only creates enemies and distracts from the positive message. Furthermore, he demands that his followers maintain spotless behavior—especially in holy places like Vṛndāvana—so they remain entirely above public reproach. Ultimately, when outsiders mock devotees for having a "slave mentality," he teaches his disciples to embrace this as a profound compliment in their joyful, voluntary servitude to the Supreme Lord.
- Avoiding Internal Fault-Finding: Disciples must never criticize one another, recognizing that every Vaiṣṇava is sincerely serving the Lord. Since everyone in Kali-yuga has faults, condemning others is a dangerous distraction from one's own steady progress.
- Positive Preaching: Rather than creating enemies by attacking other religious sects or popular figures by name, preachers should focus on presenting the positive philosophy of bhakti. Unnecessary public condemnation only wastes time and creates opposing elements.
- Defeating Speculators and Maintaining Standards: While devotees avoid sectarian attacks, they must boldly criticize materialistic philosophies and speculators like Darwin. To support this strong preaching, they must behave perfectly, especially in places like Vṛndāvana, to avoid validating the complaints of strict brāhmaṇas who doubt the elevation of mlecchas and yavanas.
- Handling External Critics: When materially motivated karmīs and jñānīs mock the devotees for having a slave mentality, the disciples are taught to happily accept the title as voluntary slaves of Kṛṣṇa. They should ignore the howling of inferior critics and gracefully accept any honest feedback that helps improve their service.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: How Prabhupāda Trains His Disciples to Handle Criticism in Spiritual Life.
Pages in category "Our Criticism (Disciples of SP)"
The following 28 pages are in this category, out of 28 total.
I
- If you do not protest, and if you do not say anything... So such a big criticism from (indistinct), and they are silent. Why do they not go to the court? Bluff only
- If you don't follow strictly, then it is useless to criticize them also. You are also victim; they are also victim
- In India especially, we must be careful to remain above any criticism especially in Vrindaban. Our behavior there and everywhere must be first class example
- In Kali-yuga, you cannot strictly follow, neither I can strictly follow. If I criticize you, if you criticize me, then we go far away from our real life of Krsna consciousness
- It would be better to set the example rather than to criticize the defects of the devotees
O
- On the whole, I wish to present Back To Godhead purely in the line of Krishna Consciousness throughout and criticism of too much materialism, as you have written many articles already. That is very nice
- Only we, the Vaisnavas, we are trying to become servant. The karmis and jnanis, they do not like to become servant. They criticize us that - You Vaisnavas, you have got slave mentality
S
- Simply criticizing and no work, that is the business of inferior men. So do not be disturbed by them, go on with your work, increasing more and more. Never mind the jackals howl
- Some of our so-called devotees, they criticize me that I have limited only sixteen rounds. No, why sixteen rounds? You can make three hundred rounds, but minimum, minimum sixteen rounds, because we are not accustomed to devote much time
- Sometimes some critics criticize us that - Krsna everywhere, He is black. Why in your temple white
- Sometimes we are criticized: "Slave mentality." Yes, we want voluntarily to become slave - of Krsna
T
- The Vaisnava devotee must think like this. We should not find fault with others and criticize and go away, that is not the Vaisnava way
- There are many things to criticize in the matter of any faith, and if we divert our attention to such activities we shall simply create more opposite elements and waste our time
- These men are not so important than our institution, so we shall not give them unnecessary publicity by criticizing. We shall consider it later after reading more carefully
- They are criticizing in India that I am giving a brahmana's position to these mlecchas and yavanas. You should be very careful so that we may not be subjected to criticism
W
- We do not criticize the communistic idea, but we want to make it perfect
- We should not criticize each other, as Vaisnavas, because there is fault in everyone and we may be ourselves subject to criticism
- We should not criticize others' methods of religion. There are different types of religious systems operating under different qualities of material nature
- We should not criticize the Ramakrishna Mission by name, or directly, for they have become somehow or other popular and people are against us for it. So carefully avoid this type of preaching
Y
- You can criticize, if you are right. You cannot criticize wrongly
- You have mentioned about some criticism made by Jaya Govinda which upset you. I do not know exactly what is the point, but if there is some honest criticism, there should be no cause of becoming upset
- You should understand that Krishna Consciousness is a purificatory process. One may not be purified immediately, but since he is on the right path for purification, one should not criticize him for some faults that he may still have