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on speaking strongly in Çréla prabhupäda’s service         6

           complained that this preaching was chopping technique and it would
           not be successful. But we have seen that those who criticized fell
           down. For my part, I have taken up the policy of my guru-mahäräja—
           no compromise. All these so-called scholars, scientists, philosophers
           who do not accept Kåñëa are nothing more than rascals, fools, lowest
           of mankind, etc. 1
          Once a senior disciple of Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté
          complained that a young  brahmacäré had spoiled a preaching
          engagement by openly vilifying a popular charlatan. The meeting
          had  dissolved into  chaos. It  was  terrible  publicity. But instead
          of rebuking that  brahmacäré,  Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté
          commented, “He has done well.” Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté
          appreciated the combative spirit. 2

          Some  präkåta-sahajiyäs  fault Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté,
          claiming that Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu was not so confrontational.
          Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté explained that although
          Mahäprabhu by no means entered into barren dogmatic debates,
          He established His position by meaningful scriptural grapples
          with the most erudite philosophers of the day.  During the time
                                                     3
          of Mahäprabhu, within learned circles arguments were conducted
          according to exacting Vedic rules of logic and hermeneutics,
          and participants both understood and accepted when they had
          been  defeated. But nowadays such principled debate is largely
          unknown.  Almost everyone thinks himself qualified  to  express
          opinions on various issues, even without having thoroughly
          studied them, and does not even understand when he has been
          defeated. Therefore in the present era, in serving the mission of
          Mahäprabhu by awaking people to His message, our recent äcäryas
          have prescribed a more forceful and shocking approach than that
          personally adopted by Mahäprabhu. As Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta


          1 Letter, 27 Jul 1973.         3 SBV, vol. 2, p. 15.
          2 SPl ch. 4, “How Shall I Serve You?”
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