This spontaneous loving devotional service is not so easy matter, but if one simply sticks strictly to the rules and regulations, like rising early, chanting 16 rounds, chanting gayatri, keeping always clean—then his enthusiasm will grow more and more, and if there is also patience and determination, one day he will come to the platform of spontaneous devotion, then his life will be perfect. All of this I have told you in Nectar of Devotion.
In order to come to the platform of spontaneous devotion, and for your life to be perfect; you have to follow the items just mentioned by Srila Prabhupada.
If you do not follow the items just mentioned by Srila Prabhupada. You will not come to the platform of spontaneous devotion, and your life will not be perfect.
So, I do not think the leaders are themselves following, nor they are seeing the others are following strictly. That must be rectified at once.
This sentence is the most revealing and at the same time un-expected. Here Srila Prabhupada actually said,
“I do not think the leaders are themselves following.”
Yep! In other words, Srila Prabhupada is saying,
“The leaders, GBCs, Sannaysis, Temple presidents, secretaries, treasurers, and commanders, are not following the rules and regulations, like rising early, chanting 16 rounds, chanting gayatri, keeping always clean.”
This is a “heavy” statement by Srila Prabhupada. Was Srila Prabhupada speculating when he said
“I do not think”?
No! because he was using the aphorism,
“Where there is smoke there is fire.”
This is called “discrimination”.
Previously, “Pramana, “proof or evidence” was discussed. One of the items that qualifies as “evidence or proof” is,
“Arthapatti, which means’ inference from circumstances’…”
This statement by Srila Prabhupada, I found as un-believable, however, because Srila Prabhupada said so, I believed it. However, it took me the last 56 years, to realize how true his statement was.
I mention how fortunate I was, to obtain a copy of this letter in 1974. Understand, that in 1974, there was no Internet; no means to distribute this letter to all of the ISKCON centers leaders, what to speak of the rank-and-file devotees. I have a valid notion that this letter was classified “top-secret”, by Karandar das, a GBC, and put into his safe in his office. In the years that followed, and even after Srila Prabhupada’s departure, I showed this letter to many devotees, and invariably, no one had read it or had knowledge of its contents. It was not until the advent, and its wide use, of Srila Prabhupada computer Veda Base, did this letter get wide attention.
The reason I say I have a valid notion, is because, after 1974 to 1977 these same problems that Srila Prabhupada alludes to; increased, and after his departure, went viral. This letter, “The Art of Management” has not been heeded.
Then Srila Prabhupada accuses the leaders of ISKCON,
“You leaders, you are also not seeing the others, non-leaders, are following strictly.”
Srila Prabhupada sensed the deterioration of the leadership, and then somehow or another that influenced many of the rank-and-file devotees not to follow themselves.
Did this defect get rectified in the years to come? A big fat NO!