Page 19 - OSSISPS - Eng
P. 19

xiii                                                  preface

           We  went  to  a  devotee’s  house  nearby,  where  Romapäda  Däsa,
           upset over losing the program venue, told me that the angry man
           was the chairman of the temple. I responded, “He thinks that the
           temple is his private property. He doesn’t think that it belongs to
           Kåñëa; he thinks it belongs to him.” Later, I also told Romapäda
           Däsa that Kåñëa would give them a better location and added,
           “You should find an independent place, where you can preach
           Kåñëa consciousness without any compromise.”
           The next year, when I again met Romapäda Däsa in London, I
           asked him if he was still annoyed with me. He cheerfully replied
           that by Kåñëa’s mercy the youth group had indeed found a bigger
           and better hall for their programs where they were able to freely
           speak the philosophy of Kåñëa, and resultingly, the group had
           significantly expanded.

           When Romapäda Däsa had complained of what he perceived as
           my errancy, I became perturbed—not because I regretted having
           angered that foolish man, nor due to the fallout of my outburst,
           but because I was fed up with devotees’ objecting to my direct
           speaking. Having carefully studied Çréla Prabhupäda’s books and
           listened to hundreds of his recorded talks—with the specific intent
           of imbibing his preaching mood and learning how he responded
           to various propositions and challenges—I was confident that
           forceful, uncompromising presentation of Kåñëa consciousness
           was a valid way to follow him, and according to my understanding,
           the best way. I was also confident that the best way to worship
           Çréla Prabhupäda is by conveying to others the same message he
           gave us, and that any supposed worship of Çréla Prabhupäda is just
           a sham if not accompanied with living by and faithfully iterating
           his teachings.

           Consequently, being spurred by Romapäda Däsa’s disconcertment,
           I resolved to publish a justification of my stand, for those who in the
           future would inevitably protest against my and others preaching
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