(12/13) Sincere, Keen and Humble

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Kolkata-Worldwide, 21 June 2020, part 12

Question: In my work, I interact with many people, but many times I cannot find the correct way to start a preaching conversation. How can I do this correctly?

It depends on the atmosphere and your colleagues. Sometimes, you make some friends with somebody, and you can talk to them about Krishna consciousness in a friendly way. You can tell them what you know, you can tell them what you know about Srimad Bhagavat-gita and what you know about your Guru. You can gradually, slowly preach to them, talk with them. You know how to wash their brain; you can do that. Try to wash their brain, it is necessary. Gurudev told, 'That brahmachari washed my brain – he said my body is nothing and atma is main.' You can tell them that we are atma, we are not this body. In this way you can start preaching to them. When Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj went to America alone, how did he preach? He would sing the Hare Krishna maha-mantra playing the kartals, and when some hippies came, he stopped chanting kirtan and preached to them. This is how he spread Krishna consciousness all over the world! You can also try to preach. For example, when you are travelling by bus or by train, you talk to some people – you can tell something about Krishna consciousness to them. Put something in their brain and always keep connection with them.

Srila Janardan Maharaj: I heard that when you went to jail, you preached to the prisoners.

Yes, of course.

Srila Janardan Maharaj: And many prisoners were very happy with you and with Krishna consciousness, with Hari-katha, when you were there.

Yes, I did that. And fifteen people from those prisoners have become disciples. They have become good Vaishnavs. Actually, I was in Nrisingha Palli today, and some of them came to meet with me. They are ex-murderers – one person killed ten people – but they heard my Hari-katha and became sadhus. Now they are devotees.

Srila Janardan Maharaj: Are they still killing people?

No, no! [His Divine Grace laughs] They have become sadhus now.

অপি চেৎ সুদুরাচারো ভজতে মামনন্যভাক্ ।
সাধুরেব স মন্তব্যঃ সম্যগ্ব্যবসিতো হি সঃ ॥

api chet suduracharo, bhajate mam ananya-bhak
sadhur eva sa mantavyah, samyag vyavasito hi sah

'If even a very sinful person serves Me exclusively with devotion, he should be regarded as saintly, for his resolve is perfect.'

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 9.30)

One can be a very bad person, but if they again surrender to Krishna, Krishna accepts them and takes their service – He engages them in service. There is this sloka in Srimad Bhagavad-gita.

Question: Is it very offensive to think about a friendly relationship with Krishna and Gurudev?

No, it is not. Gurudev is your real friend. In this world, you can have so many friends – they all take so many things from you, but Gurudev always gives. Sometimes, you think you have given some donation to Gurudev or to the Math, but that is actually your bank deposit, or bank balance. In this material world, many people have a big bank balance, but if you give something to Gurudev, that is your original (spiritual) bank balance. Even if somebody gives ten dollars, that is their bank balance.

Question: When we hear Vaishnavs (for example, yourself and Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur) speaking in a humble way, when we see their humility, it is almost painful to hear these things because these Vaishnavs are so great. Some people may confuse our attempts to feel that we are low and this kind of humility of great Vaishnavs. Can you explain the difference between these two types of humility?

Humility is shown through service and through behaviour. For example, you can be humble when you can tolerate chastisement. The problem is that you must now show that you are humble outwardly but have much ego internally. That is not good. Outside and inside, everything must be the same. If you show one thing outside and have another thing inside, that is not good. This is called kapatata (কপটতা; hypocrisy), duplicity. Kapatata is a very bad quality. In this world, almost all of us are hypocrites because we show one thing outside but have other things inside.

All right, I am paying my full obeisance to all the devotees. Please forgive my offence. We will meet again the day after tomorrow (23 June), on the Ratha-yatra day.

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READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Without Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur Our Line Is Nothing
2) Mandakini Dhara
3) Spiritual Safety
4) Ignore and Avoid Misconception
5) Practise and Keep Faith
6) Family Consciousness
7) Uncover Yourself
8) Opportunity to Serve
9) Live in Seva-Kunja
10) On Astrology
11) Be Sharp
12) Sincere, Keen and Humble
13) Observing Gundicha Marjan