Correction: Try and Pray

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
24 February 2013

Question: Sometimes you post a devotee to do a particular service, but they cannot receive your direct instruction, and someone may notice that they are doing something wrong. They may go to some higher authority, check themselves to make sure they are coming from the right place, and try to correct the devotee but still this devotee cannot accept it, thinking what they are doing is good for the Mission. We do not want to discourage the devotional feelings of this devotee because they are doing the best they can, but at the same time there could be some slight disturbance in their service. How can we help somebody in such a situation?

Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur said that a flatterer who always says, "Yes, you are good," is not a guru. If I really want your good, if I am your good friend, then you will believe this is an instruction.

I have told the story about a doctor and a blood-sugar patient before. The doctor tells the patient not to eat potato and sweets, but the patient objects, "But I want to eat it—I cannot leave potato and sweets." If the doctor is bad, he will say, "OK, you can eat some," but this doctor is not good for you. You must try to do what the doctor says.

Sometimes devotees may not be following all things, but you should teach them with love and affection how to do it properly, "Please, this is not good." Devotees may do something bad, but Gurudev tolerates it and we must tolerate too. You can pray, "O Gurudev, my power is small, what can I do? Please protect them. Gurudev, please protect them." What else can you do?

You cannot kick them out, you must try to adjust again and again. Devotees must understand, but sometimes they cannot understand, no matter how many times you tell them. If the person is good and they have sukriti, then they will practise properly. Actually, the main thing is to engage yourself in sravanam, kirtanam. If a devotee does sravanam and kirtanam, they will never fall down. Do you know any example when somebody who practices, chants and maintains their life properly falls down? Nobody. You must also understand that there are different kinds of sravanam and kirtanam, and you must be always careful about Vaishnav aparadh, Nama aparadh, seva aparadh. Sometimes, we are doing kirtan and Vaishnav aparadh or seva aparadh comes, then we can also fall down...

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