Lessons from Srila Prabhupada’s Style of Management

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna my dear graduates of the GBC college, my heartfelt appreciation and congratulations to you. I will speak on lessons from Srila Prabhupada’s Style of Management.

Srila Prabhupada emphasized that management and preaching go together. He wrote, “Good management follows preaching like a shadow, and the best thing is that the managers should always be preaching.”

At a certain stage in India during Srila Prabhupada’s presence, Tamal Krishna Goswami, who was the GBC for India, wanted to leave and go to the West to preach. At first, Srila Prabhupada was reluctant, because he depended on Tamal Krishna Goswami to manage activities in India, but eventually, Prabhupada concluded that a brief change might be beneficial, and said, “Yes, we can always pay a manager, but preaching is a matter of realization.” He stressed how important preaching was to the movement. He said, “Without it, ISKCON will become rubbish. The management will be at our fingertips if the devotees simply follow the rules, chant, and take prasāda.”

In his purport to Bhagavad-gītā (12.10), Srila Prabhupada writes, “Every endeavor requires land, capital, organization, and labor. Just as in business one requires a place to stay, some capital to use, some labor, and some organization to expand, so the same is required in the service of Krsna.”

And Srila Prabhupada said that although we do not want to waste any of those elements, the one element we cannot afford to waste is the labor or the manpower. In other words, we have to take very good care of the devotees and make sure they are engaged.

Srila Prabhupada often said that the first duty of a manager—or the government—is to see that everyone is engaged in service, even if dealing with some of the devotees is difficult. Once, when Srila Prabhupada wanted his disciple Nara-Narayana to take charge of the garden in Juhu, he wrote me, “You can have the gardeners decorate the whole land with flowers and if possible, some fruits also.” And a week later he added that he wanted Nara Narayana to take charge of the gardening. “Sometimes he may be difficult to live with,” Prabhupada acknowledged, “but good manager means he is able to satisfy everyone and live in cooperative manner with all the devotees, and if you manage things nicely, he can do tremendous work. Practically no one has more energy than Vishvakarma” [the demigod architect and master builder after whom Prabhupada had nicknamed Nara Narayana].” So, Srila Prabhupada often said that the first duty of the leader, or manager, or government, was to see that everyone was engaged (and Nara Narayana was one example).

Three days after his directions to me about the gardening, Srila Prabhupada wrote again, chiding me and instructing me how to manage and engage the devotees. He knew our natures, and he was simultaneously engaging and training us all. “I have received reports from Mahāmṣa and Cyavana,” he wrote, “and it appears they are doing nicely. Some of the men, however, are complaining that they have no sufficient engagement. Two girls have already left Bombay, and their complaint was that they had no sufficient engagement. Similarly, I have received letters from Puranjana, Vardhana, and Atmarama, and either they are not willing to work according to the direction or, otherwise, how do they complain there is no sufficient engagement? I think that there is more than sufficient engagement for everyone. We have so much to do.”

In his letter, Srila Prabhupada was simultaneously instructing me and instructing the devotees. To the devotees he is saying, “I think there is more than sufficient engagement for everyone. We have so much to do.” And then to me, he is saying, “We have to deal with so many men with different personalities. So kindly utilize their energies and at the same time keep them satisfied. That is leadership.” So, he is instructing me, guiding me, with this very important instruction.

And he addresses the devotees:

[READING from Lessons from Srila Prabhupada’s Style of Management]

Hare Krishna. Are there any questions or comments?

Devotee (1): Tamal Krishna Goswami desired to go and preach, and Prabhupada accepted the concept that managers could be hired and that it was okay for him to preach. At the same time, you also shared your experience that you had a desire to live like the Six Gosvamis but that Prabhupada wanted you to manage the estate. So, what do we learn . . . why withdraw from the management to preach? Is one easier than the other? Can a devotee do both?

So, Hare Krishna, thank you very much. And now, if any of you have any questions or comments, you can raise your hand, your physical hand, or your virtual hand, and we can discuss more.

Organizer: Guru Maharaja, we have Karuna Chandra Prabhu. Well, before we ask Karuna Chandra Prabhu to unmute, I just want to thank you for this enlightening talk that you gave based on Prabhupada’s thoughts and your personal experiences. Thank you so much, Maharaja, very inspiring.

Giriraj Swami: Thank you.

Organizer: Karuna Chandra Prabhu, please ask your question.

Devotee: Maharaja, please accept my most humble obeisances. It is a great fortune to hear from you directly. Somehow, when I came in Krishna consciousness, I somehow couldn’t get a chance to see you in person also in India, so it is a great honor to have your association and your presence, and to be hearing from you directly, so very, very grateful for that opportunity, and grateful to you for sparing your time.

So, my query to you, Maharaja, was that as you emphasized in your talk how Srila Prabhupada wanted, and he emphasized that good management means that all devotees are properly engaged and they all live in cooperation and they are satisfied with the engagements. So, a query came in my mind that I also read Srila Prabhupada’s statement that, “Satisfying everyone means satisfying no one.” So, sometimes it becomes a challenge to satisfy everyone and keep everyone happy, so that becomes a struggle. So, how we can properly serve devotees and keep everyone happy and satisfied? That seems to be quite challenging, specifically during this time. So, I wanted your insights on that, thank you very much, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Well, I think the actual quotation of Srila Prabhupada’s is, “Everyone’s servant is nobody’s servant,” but in this case, we are serving Srila Prabhupada, we are serving Krishna, and we are serving Srila Prabhupada and Krishna by keeping all the devotees engaged, that is really the first duty of the manager, or the government, to keep everyone engaged. And we should, as far as possible, engage devotees according to their natures and propensities.

But sometimes, the demands of the service will require a devotee to serve not according to his nature or propensity, But the devotees should be willing to do that for the sake of the higher cause. For example, I guess you could say my nature or propensity was more to preach rather than to manage, but Srila Prabhupada installed me as the temple president in Juhu, and I had to do a lot of management, which in a way was not according to my nature. But Srila Prabhupada wanted me to do it, he saw something in me that he thought would be favorable for the project, and so I did it, even though sometimes it was difficult. I mean, there were many challenges, but I did it.

So, if we can engage the devotees according to their natures and propensities, well and good, but if the demands of the situation are such that they do service that is not according to their nature propensity, they should be ready to do it for the sake of the higher cause. And we, as leaders, should instill that determination in them to, as Srila Prabhupada often said, do the needful. Hare Krishna.

Organizer: Thank you, Maharaja. Next, we have Madana Govinda Prabhu.

Devotee: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. Thank you very much for your best association. I also had this first opportunity to see you personally like this and here. Maharaja, my question is, we have a hierarchy in terms of our management, we have local management, we have regional management structure, we have general management structure. If the priorities of local management and higher management are different, who do we cooperate with?

Giriraj Swami: Can you give an example? Then I might be able to relate to the question better.

Devotee: For example, with respect to a certain project regarding a temple, local management has different priorities, but the higher management, based on the experience, based on their vision, has different priorities, which are conflicting. So, how do we handle this kind of situation if you are in between both of them?

Giriraj Swami: Well, in principle, Srila Prabhupada wanted us to cooperate with our authorities. So, if the higher authorities are directing the local management, in a certain way, the local management should cooperate. But then again, Srila Prabhupada wanted the temples to be more or less autonomous, and he didn’t want the higher authorities to interfere too much in the local management. In one letter to me, Srila Prabhupada wrote, “GBC does not mean to control the center, GBC means to see that things are going nicely.” So, yes, I guess you can pray for the intelligence on how to navigate the situation.

It happens, there is a very instructive incident in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in which Priyavrata received two conflicting instructions from two superior authorities, from Lord Brahma, and from Narada. And in his commentary, Srila Prabhupada says that one should be intelligent enough to understand how to reconcile apparently contradictory instructions from two bona fide higher authorities. So, yes, you have to pray for intelligence.

Devotee: Thank you very much, Maharaja.

Organizer: Thank you, Maharaja. Quite challenging questions with your brilliant and very thoughtful answers.

Giriraj Swami: Thank you.

Organizer: Next we have Prema-Bhakti Prabhu.

Devotee: Hare Krishna, please accept my humble obeisances, Maharaja. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I am speaking from ISKCON-Ujjain, your servant. Guru Maharaja, sometimes we see some devotees, they are little bit senior to those who are in the management, they do not like to be engaged properly as per the need of the temple, or as per the need of the management, they like to do something according to their wish. So, if the management allows them, they are happy, relationship also good, but if the management is little bit stick to them, the relation becomes bitter. So, at the same time, from Your Holiness, we learn that managers should keep the devotees happy. Yes, it is right, we like to keep them happy. But in this situation, Guru Maharaja, what to do? How to engage them properly, at the same keeping them happy? So, please, Guru Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Are they willing to be engaged but just not according to the management’s direction?

Devotee: Yes.

Giriraj Swami: Or are they not very much engaged at all?

Devotee: Yes, not very much engaged at all, you can say, Guru Maharaja. But they like to do something whenever they like, whatever they like, means according to their own wish.

Giriraj Swami: And do they live in the temple?

Devotee: Yes.

Giriraj Swami: Well, one thought that comes to mind is that you meet with them. I mean, I am not saying all together, but you meet with them, and you say, “You are living in the temple, you are being maintained by the temple, and you should do some service, you should make some contribution. I don’t say that you have to do what I tell you to do, but you should do something. So, what would you like to propose as your service, as your contribution?” And let it come from them. But they should, it is not proper that they are living at the temple and not making a contribution, and they should feel better, they should feel happier if they are more engaged in devotional service. Yes, I wish you all the best.

Devotee: Thank you, Guru Maharaja.

Organizer: Thank you, Maharaja. Next we have Atul Krishna Prabhu.

Devotee: My humble obeisances, Maharaja. Maharaja, we were reading Prabhupada’s book, Prabhupada was quoting from Seventh Canto, Prabhupada was mentioning about praising another service to the Lord, and not to be proud of his own service. Maharaja, as managers, we sometimes definitely praise. It is not genuine appreciation, Maharaja, most of the time we praise because we want the service to be continued, and it is not like we really appreciate. I am sorry to say, Maharaja, but that is true. We do not appreciate it genuinely and to this person. So, my question is, how do we develop that mood where we can really appreciate everyone’s service, if they are working under us, or if we are working under someone? So, how to develop the genuine appreciation mood, Maharaja?

Giriraj Swami: Well, one thought that comes to mind, which might seem indirect, is to go out preaching and distributing books. Because when you meet the people out in the material world and see what they are like, you can appreciate the devotees more. Devotees are very rare and special, and they are not like ordinary people. But if we are only with devotees, if we don’t go out and meet new people, then we may take the devotees for granted. But if we go out and meet new people and see what they are like, then we can easily appreciate the value of devotees.

Devotee: Thank you, thank you, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Organizer: Thank you, Maharaja, very practical advice. Gopeshwara Prabhu next.

Devotee: Thank you, Prabhuji. Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances, Maharaja. Maharaja, I come from Faridabad, and we were fortunate enough to have your Zoom association, glorification session of Srila Prabhupada, we are kindly blessed, all of us are, Maharaja, we are extremely grateful. And we also recently introduced the book, I’ll Build You a Temple, and it is the most amazing book, Maharaja, so practical. Thank you so much for that, Maharaja.

Maharaja, my question is that in yesterday’s session we had a video recording of His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja, and he was very nicely explaining about cooperation, and he said to cooperate means to give up one’s own personal interest to adjust with others for the sake of Srila Prabhupada. Maharaja, my specific request to you is to kindly enlighten us in terms of cooperation specifically in the context of cooperating with team members. I mean, cooperating with peers, cooperating with seniors, cooperating with authorities is kind of given and kind of natural. But cooperating with team members, Maharaja, how to do that? What is the meaning of that, Maharaja? And how to do that, Maharaja? Thank you, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Cooperating with team members?

Devotee: Kind of subordinates who are our team members.

Giriraj Swami: Oh, I see.

Devotee: Kind of weird authority for them, so, how to cooperate with them, Maharaja?

Giriraj Swami: It reminds me. . . In Los Angeles. . . I mean, I was based in Bombay, but at one stage, I became quite ill, and eventually, Srila Prabhupada said as long as I remain in Bombay, I won’t be able to recover, so, I went to Los Angeles. And in Los Angeles, while I was there, one of our very important life members and supporters from Bombay came to visit and meet Srila Prabhupada, and Srila Prabhupada requested him to kindly cooperate with me, kindly cooperate with this movement, kindly cooperate with me. And I often heard Srila Prabhupada use that phrase ‘kindly cooperate.’

And after the man left, I asked Srila Prabhupada, “What does that mean that he should cooperate with you?” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “It means that he should do what I say.” So, you want the team members to cooperate with you, what you really need is you want them to do what you say. And that is not wrong because you are their authority, they should do what you say. But at the same time, you should also hear them, if they have any reservations, any doubts, any counter proposals, there can be some mutual discussion. But then in the end, if you are the authority, they have to do what you say.

That question of authority came up in a very nice exchange with Srila Prabhupada. Because there are two questions, “Do you have to do what the authority says?” And, “Do you have to believe that the authority is right?” And Srila Prabhupada gave the example that if you are driving in a car but you are not the driver, someone else is the driver, and the driver may have an idea of how to reach the destination, and you may have another idea that you think is a better way to reach the destination, and you propose it to the driver but the driver may not agree, and he is in the driver’s seat, so you have to go the way of the driver that directs the vehicle. But Srila Prabhupada added, “Within yourself, you can maintain the conviction that your way was better, even though the authority, even though the driver didn’t choose to follow the suggestion.” But, of course, yes, they should cooperate with you.

Devotee: Thank you, thank you so much, Maharaja. Maharaja, the other aspect of the question was, how does the authority cooperate with the subordinates? How to develop this humble mood of me as an authority cooperating with them? One is ,you said that I should hear them, I should get them more involved in discussions. But then, is it also like this example of driving, as you rightly said, so, whatever the authority says, they should just follow? Is it just that, Maharaja? I mean, there can be collective decision making, that is fine, but then, always there will be some cases where one has to go against the others.

Giriraj Swami: Yes. One consideration is how much the relationships will be affected by the decision. Sometimes we might do something that within our heart we know is not the best course, but we still do it for the sake of the relationships because we determine that the relationships are more important.

I remember one incident shortly after Srila Prabhupada left. Srila Prabhupada had placed me in charge of his funds, and one of Prabhupada’s other disciples, my god-brother, came to Juhu, and he wanted some funds. And within my heart, I did not believe that Srila Prabhupada would want the funds to go for that purpose, but the god-brother was very adamant, he really wanted the funds. So, I went up to Srila Prabhupada’s quarters on the top floor of the west tower in Juhu, and I prayed to him for guidance. And the answer I got was that I should give him the money, that the relationship is more important to preserve than the money.

And as I mentioned quoting Srila Prabhupada earlier, Srila Prabhupada said that every endeavor requires land, capital, labor, and organization. And Prabhupada said that we don’t want to waste any of those resources, but the one resource we cannot afford to waste or lose, is the manpower, the devotees. So, sometimes we might have to sacrifice what you could say is a lesser principle for the sake of the larger principle of maintaining good relations with the devotees, and keeping everyone encouraged and engaged. Of course, a lot depends on how “surrendered” they are, but in the scenario you described, it sounds like they are not that surrendered to you.

So, yes, you might consider doing some things for the sake of the relationships even if they are not things that you ordinarily would have preferred. Just a thought.

Devotee: Thank you, Maharaja. Grateful, Maharaja, extremely grateful. Hare Krishna, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Organizer: Rasaraj Krida Pran Prabhu.

Devotee: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Thank you very much for a very enlightening talk today, and I have had the good fortune of meeting you in one of the GBC midterm meetings in Mumbai, so it is so wonderful to have you, your association, again. Thank you.

Devotee: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Thank you very much for a very enlightening talk today, and I have had the good fortune of meeting you in one of the GBC midterm meetings in Mumbai, so it is so wonderful to have you, your association, again.

Giriraj Swami: Thank you.

Devotee: Maharaja, just the question that Gopeshwara Prabhu just asked and you re-emphasized the very important point that you brought out in your talk today, which is what Prabhupada emphasized on you, can’t lose manpower, to take good care of devotees. And yesterday, we heard in one of the talks by His Holiness Bhakti Charu Maharaja, where he said, how powerful ISKCON will be if no one had left in the past, and no one lives in the present and future. And in our history, we have had many devotees who have left in the past, and in the more recent history also we’ve had devotees leave ISKCON. 

And considering the dynamics of ISKCON have changed drastically from what it was during Srila Prabhupada’s time, which is more temple centric, to devotees being outside of the temple, we are probably 90+ congregation based. Yes, ISKCON is doing a lot on the devotee care. But in my services, particularly in the GBC succession committee, I meet leaders and I have found that this is still a big concern, taking care of devotees.

I would like to hear from you as to how do we manage this very critical aspect of perpetuating the mission of Srila Prabhupada wherein we take good care of devotees and don’t lose the manpower.

Giriraj Swami: Yes. Well, there are different levels of devotee care, or different dimensions. There is physical care, there is emotional care, there is social care, there is spiritual care. And, of course, the most essential would be spiritual care, but caring for devotees on all levels and in all aspects is important.

But another thing. . . It was an interesting comment made by, I believe, late His Holiness Suhotra Swami. I think he did some investigation about why devotee’s leave, and the way he put it there was sort of a maternal aspect and a paternal aspect. The maternal aspect would be, like, taking care of the devotees, as we usually think, but the paternal aspect is that devotees should have the opportunity to realize their full potential in service. And yes, if we don’t take care of devotees nicely like a mother takes care of a child, they will leave, they may leave, but if they don’t have an opportunity to realize their full potential in devotional service, they may also get frustrated and leave.

And I thought that was a very instructive perspective on, why devotees leave, and how we can prevent them from leaving. And that is to give them the opportunity to realize their full potential in devotional service.

Devotee: Thank you very much, Maharaja. Love the analogy that you have picked up from Suhotra Maharaja. I have to say, there is so much happening in devotee care, I really feel that this should be added into the realm of maternal and paternal. This is the first time in more than three decades of my association with ISKCON, absolutely fantastic. Thank you.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna. Thank you.

Organizer: Thank you, Maharaja. Dhīra Gaura Prabhu is next.

Devotee: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. Thank you so much, Maharaja, for the amazing lecture, the content was wonderful, really, very wonderful and touching, inspiring. 

Maharaja, my question is, you quoted Srila Prabhupada mentioning that devotees should be engaged as per their nature. So, if they are brahmans, they should be engaged in deity worship, singing kirtans, and appreciating all that aspects. But if they do not like to do that, then they should work in the garden and do some physical service. But sometimes it is seen, observed, that some devotees, although we can see as managers that their propensity is that they should be engaged in some physical services, but still, they want themselves to be engaged in some preaching-related services more because they can relate more with the satisfaction, which is coming from there, or the appreciation, which is coming from there. So, they want themselves to engage more in preaching-related service. 

So, few services, like preaching-related services, they are becoming stronger and stronger. At the same time, other services, which are also important to the temple, which require full-time services in temple, other areas not directly preaching-related, so, they are becoming weak. So, how to balance this, how to manage this, and at the same time keep the devotees enthusiastic for those services, which are more liver intensive in a way?

Giriraj Swami: Again, I think of Srila Prabhupada’s phrase ‘do the needful.’ I mean, everything is ultimately meant for preaching Krishna consciousness, and Srila Prabhupada was explaining we have these big temples to attract people so we can preach to them, and the big temples require maintenance. So, yes, devotees should be willing to do the needful.

But I am thinking of my dear god-brother, departed god-brother His Holiness Sridhara Swami Maharaja, whose Disappearance Day is coming up soon. So, Srila Prabhupada wanted him to look after the construction materials because Prabhupada perceived that he had that nature. But Sridhara Swami wanted to preach. And although he really wasn’t experienced in preaching to the affluent Indian people we were approaching, he ended up becoming one of our best preachers, and he had that desire.

So, yes, if someone has a desire to preach, that is good. But the person should also be ready to do anything and that Sridhara Swami was. I mean, yes, he wanted to preach and he was an expert preacher, became an expert preacher, but he was ready to do whatever was required for Srila Prabhupada’s service. So, someone wants to preach, well and good, we want preachers and we want preaching. But in the name of preaching, we should not refuse to do other service that is also required. We have to be ready to do the needful. Yes, we shouldn’t place conditions on what service we do or want to. Yes, we should be ready to do the needful, and we should be happy about it.

I did miss one word when you were introducing your question. You said something that they want to preach in something that is associated with it. What was that?

Devotee: Yes, preaching gives them satisfaction and appreciation so they are more motivated for them.

Giriraj Swami: Oh, I see, they want the appreciation. Well, appreciate them for doing other service besides preaching. [laughter] Yes, we appreciate that service too. Yes, Vaisesika Prabhu uses the phrase ‘the invisibles,’ people whose service is invisible, they are behind the scenes but their service is very important. So, yes, we have to appreciate the invisibles.

Organizer: Thank you very much, Maharaja. Next, we have Rama Bhadra Prabhu.

Devotee: Hare Krishna. Please accept my humble obeisances, Maharaja. So, this is my good fortune, second time my good fortune to hear from you, Maharaja. First when you came online, Covid time, so Dhananjay Prabhu, ISKCON-Gurugram, you give wonderful session, Maharaja. So, this is my second opportunity, so thank you so much, Maharaja, for this wonderful answer to the difficult questions of devotees, and I am sure that will not very easily get this answer. When we read so many books, and we have a lot of realization, such a great maturity, so it is really soothing to the heart and it is a new dimension for us.

So, Maharaja, I am very new to the management, and sometimes, when we end management, we have so many things to do. We had different projects, we had to care for the devotees, we had to run the organization. And sometimes the schedule is spontaneous although we should be in a discipline, and then things come so demanding, at the night sometime. So, you have to make a relationship with the devotee, you have your own health, your own sadhana.

So, how should we properly balance? Where to set the priorities? Because things are becoming so demanding sometimes, devotee comes at night, they have so many issues, somebody gets sick at night, you have to go with, and you have to come to the morning maṅgala-ārati, and next day you have a whole schedule for the meetings. So, you lose something. If you focus on something, you lose other things. If you focus too much on preaching, you lose your health, and if we do more sadhana, we lose some time preaching, and then lose our health also.

So, I am just new, Maharaja, and you have whole years, like, when from the last forty, fifty years you have been balancing nicely, you are writing books, you are taking care of health, preaching nicely, and answering the many questions of the disciples. So, Maharaja, how to balance, and how to set the priorities in the life? Thank you so much.

Giriraj Swami: I will read a very interesting purport from the Tenth Canto of Srila Prabhupada that might give an insight into this. Okay, I will read the verse and purport. It is a short purport, but very deep. The translation of the verse. . . This is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Ten, Chapter Nine, “Mother Yaśodā Binds Lord Kṛṣṇa.”

TEXT 5

Mother Yaśodā then embraced Kṛṣṇa, allowed Him to sit down on her lap, and began to look upon the face of the Lord with great love and affection. Because of her intense affection, milk was flowing from her breast. But when she saw that the milk pan on the oven was boiling over, she immediately left her son to take care of the overflowing milk, although the child was not yet fully satisfied with drinking the milk of His mother’s breast.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Everything in the household affairs of mother Yaśodā was meant for Kṛṣṇa. Although Kṛṣṇa was drinking the breast milk of mother Yaśodā, when she saw that the milk pan in the kitchen was overflowing, she had to take care of it immediately, and thus she left her son, who then became very angry, not having been fully satisfied with drinking the milk of her breast. Sometimes one must take care of more than one item of important business for the same purpose.

COMMENT

I will read that again because I think that is your question.

PURPORT (continued)

Sometimes one must take care of more than one item of important business for the same purpose. Therefore mother Yaśodā was not unjust when she left her son to take care of the overflowing milk. On the platform of love and affection, it is the duty of the devotee to do one thing first and other things later. The proper intuition by which to do this is given by Kṛṣṇa.

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ
bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ
yena mām upayānti te        (Bg. 10.10)

In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, everything is dynamic. Kṛṣṇa guides the devotee in what to do first and what to do next on the platform of absolute truth.

Devotee: Beautiful. Thank you so much, Maharaja. It is a wonderful purport, really.

Giriraj Swami: Yes. Prabhupada’s mercy.

Devotee: Thank you so much.

Organizer: Thank you, Maharaja. Next, we have Bhakti Advaita Navadwip Swami from Bangladesh.

Devotee: Daṇḍavat Maharaja, accept my humble obeisances. Maharaja, [Unintelligible 01:24:34] comfortable seen.

Organizer: We cannot hear you, Bhakti Advaita Swami Maharaja. Please translator, please say it again. Cannot hear again, please come closer to the microphone.

Translator: There are so many devotees in Bangladesh. There are so many senior devotees. Those previously staying in temple and serving nicely, but due to some issue with the management, they have left the temple, and they are living now in small places, and doing some teaching service, and they are getting some benefits there. So, how can we take care of them, and again, how can we engage them in the temple services? Please guide us.

Giriraj Swami: Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura gave a nice instruction. Of course, they haven’t given up devotional service when they’ve left the temple. I will see if I can find that statement of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta because that was really, really nice. Well, I am not finding it, but I will paraphrase it. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, he said that the purpose of living in the matha is to help one another to remember Krishna and chant and hear about Krishna. And if someone leaves the matha, one should approach the person as one would approach a brother, and try to reason with the person, and encourage him to come back with genuine love and compassion. Do you want to translate that?

Translator: Maharaja, I think they already did. He has a translator right next to him.

Giriraj Swami: Okay.

Devotee: Yes, yes, that did so.

Giriraj Swami: You have done that but they still didn’t come back, is that the idea?

Devotee: Yes, yes, Maharaja. They have done nothing.

Giriraj Swami: I guess just encourage them to preach, and if they see that you deal with them very nicely, very kindly, very considerately, that you are encouraging them and appreciating them, then they themselves might want to come back.

Organizer: Thank you, Maharaja. Very, very potent, and you are always supporting whatever you say from the statements of acharya and Srila Prabhupada and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other scriptures like Caritāmṛta. Thank you very much, Maharaja. So, Bhakti Advaita Maharaja I think your translator already… reach already [Unintelligible 01:32:25].

Devotee: Yes, yes.

Organizer: Okay. Thank you, thank you. Maharaja, I know it is getting late, but we have two more questions, Maharaja. Will you be able to take?

Giriraj Swami: Oh, yes.

Organizer: Okay. So, next Nityananda Ashray Prabhu.

Devotee: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Thank you so much for a very enlightening class and very much inspired for such wonderful experiential learning of wonderful questions and answers. And I have a set of questions for you, Maharaja, during this talk.

The first question is that you told in the class as you quoted Prabhupada as well, that a manager should see that everyone should be engaged properly. And I had a question, what are the prime qualities the manager should have in order to inspire or engage others in Krishna’s service? That is the first question, Maharaja, and I will ask the second question.

Giriraj Swami: Well, there is two elements, achar and prachar. Your behavior and your instructions. And you should, by your own behavior, be the example of what you want the devotees to be, and then, simultaneously, you can instruct them based on Srila Prabhupada, based on sadhu, shastra, and guru, what they should be like as devotees, as servants of Krishna and paramparā. Yes, I think the two, achar and prachar, as Sanatana Gosvami praised Haridasa Thakura. Some preach very nicely but they don’t behave properly, and some behave nicely, but they don’t preach much. And he was appreciating Haridasa Thakura that he does both in relation to the holy name.

Devotee: Thank you so much, Maharaja. I had one more question, Maharaja. As you see, Maharaja, this word, manager sometimes seems like a demon because a manager inspires, engages, and as well as give feedback and corrections to others. So, how to give feedback or correction? Because when you engage someone, the responsibility is yours, and it does the devotee and you care, and it does mistakes. So, maybe sometimes you need to correct or give feedback as well.

Giriraj Swami: That is true, you do have to. But do it with sympathy. Srila Prabhupada said that if criticism or correction is offered with sympathy, then it is more likely to be accepted. So, yes, do it humbly, respectfully, with compassion, and help the devotee understand that you are doing it both for the devotee’s benefit and also for the benefit of the project. Because it is for the devotee’s benefit if the devotee improves. Of course, so, you should appreciate that you are helping him to do better, which will be beneficial for him, and also for the mission.

Devotee: Thank you so much, Maharaja. It is a great answer, Maharaja. Can I ask you one more question, Maharaja?

Giriraj Swami: Sure.

Devotee: In the management terms, we see that there is a difference between the manager and the leader. So, I mean, from your quotes, from Prabhupada’s quote, we find the term manager. But where does this leader fits in in that manager role?

Giriraj Swami: Yes. Sometimes people do make a distinction between manager and leader. And, of course, the two go together, but the leader, yes, he leads, he inspires people to follow his lead. Again, by his achar and prachar. And a manager may have the assignment more to tell people what to do, what not to do, so all the service is covered, and they are also fully engaged. So, yes, we need leaders and managers. And ideally, every manager should be a leader that will keep the followers inspired.

Organizer: Thank you, Maharaja, that is a brilliant answer, and the analogy that sometimes they give is like the two wheels of a chariot. One side is leadership, the other side is management. You very brilliantly put it together. Thank you, Maharaja. Next, we have Chinmaya Krishna Prabhu. He is also from Bangladesh, so he will first speak in Bangla, and then the translator will translate.

Translator: Hare Krishna. I got in the space to get your association, Maharaja. Guru Maharaja, my question is, in Bangladesh, we face very financial problem. For their senior devotees, they have done so many struggles, and now, present condition, this is the result of their struggle. Now condition is better. But new generation, they don’t know what happened before. So they don’t want to about what previous leader, senior devotees gone so many struggle, they don’t want know about this. So now they are in more in dream, in more facilities, their lifestyle is more luxurious. Srila Prabhupada told that one money of… this is one….of Srila Prabhupada. So there is miss gapping between new generation and old generation. How senior devotees and leaders balance between new generation and old generation? [Unintelligible 01:40:41].

Giriraj Swami: What was the last words? Did you say leaving ISKCON? What did you say?

Translator: Not living, leading.

Giriraj Swami: Leading ISKCON. So, how can the senior devotees who are leading ISKCON engage and inspire the new generation of devotees?

Translator: And also, old generation.

Giriraj Swami: And the old generation. Well, as you were translating, I thought of Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta, the book by Satsvarupa dasa Gosvami. Do you have Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta in Bengali?

Translator: Yes, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: I think every devotee should read that book, and when they see how much Srila Prabhupada struggled and how much he sacrificed for us, they should be inspired to want to reciprocate with Srila Prabhupada’s efforts and serve his mission in a cooperative spirit. Yes, I think that is very important. I mean, it would be nice also if the newer devotees understood the sacrifices that the older devotees made, but at least if they understand the sacrifices that Srila Prabhupada made, that should inspire and encourage them.

Translator: We teach them about Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta to read. Okay, Maharaja, so, if we give the reference of Śrīla Prabhupāda-līlāmṛta, then they tell that it is an old person. So, the leader mentality is only the dominating the junior. So, in this situation, how can we guide them and engage them in the service of Srila Prabhupada?

Giriraj Swami: So, the leader’s mood is to dominate, really? Or they are thinking that the leader’s mood is to dominate?

Translator: They are thinking.

Giriraj Swami: Oh. And so, that makes them want to not cooperate? Is that the consequence? Is that the result? That they think the leader wants to dominate, so they don’t want to be dominated? They don’t want to cooperate?

Translator: Okay, Maharaja, they are thinking that nowadays there are a lot of facility in the temple, so why should we not use that facility or to enjoy that. So, that is their mentality, the junior devotees. They are thinking so, that they are dominating us.

Giriraj Swami: So, there is a lot of facility in the temple, all right.

Translator: Yes, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: And so what? The facility is for preaching. What is the point about the facility? They think the leaders are enjoying the facilities?

Translator: Guru Maharaja, there are five centers under the guidance of the temple. So, one center, they have a lot of facility, they have android phone, a motorcycle, a lot of money. But other temple devotees don’t have that facility, so they are thinking, “We don’t have that. Leaders are not providing us that facility, so why should we stay in this temple and do service?” It is how the leader balance.

Giriraj Swami: Well, the centers that have more facility, did the leader give them the facility, or they got the facility by their own effort?

Translator: They are taking the facility from the congregation deputy, they are not giving the money to the center, the main temple, so the rest of the center devotees, they are also thinking, “I can also collect money from the congregation, and I can use for myself. But the leader is not giving me that facility.” So, that is the conflict between different center devotees.

Giriraj Swami: So, the center that has the motorcycle and the computer and the facilities, they got this financial support from the congregation?

Translator: Yes.

Giriraj Swami: And the other centers without so much facility, why can’t they approach their congregation to support them? Is anyone stopping them?

Translator: Maharaja, the question is that they are not giving the money to the main temple, they are taking the facility for themselves.

Giriraj Swami: Oh.

Translator: Yes, that is the conflict.

Giriraj Swami: I see. So, is the main temple lacking in some way because the sub-centers are getting facility?

Translator: They are taking the money from the congregation and not giving it to the temple, and they are using that facility for themselves only. So, other centers are also thinking, Why should we not get the same facility?

Organizer: So, Maharaja, let me see if I can restate what they are saying. I understand a little bit of Bangla.

Giriraj Swami: Okay.

Organizer: I think the problem, Maharaja, is that one, there is, let us say, one zonal leader, there are five centers under them. And in one center, the devotees are going to the congregation, and they are quite opulent, but the zonal leader has no influence on them, they are not sharing what they get from the congregation with the zonal leader, and he cannot redistribute it to other centers. And the zonal leader is not able to, basically, institute that policy that, “Whatever you collect has to come to the main leader, and then we can utilize whichever way we want.”

So, some other leaders, the other center, they want to approach the congregation, and kind of get the same facilities for themselves, but the leader is stopping them from doing that. So, then they are saying, “Why are you stopping me from doing what the other center is doing?” So, they see this kind of discrimination. I think the leader is unable to control this opulence center, unable to control their activities, and the other centers are complaining, “Why are you not allowing us?” So, the other centers are listening to the leader, and they are not approaching the congregation directly for their own benefit. And this one center is kind of a deviant center, and they approach the congregation and get the money for themselves, and not give it to the leader of the zone. Did I. . . Okay, I think they are in agreement that I have understood.

Devotee: Yes, yes.

Giriraj Swami: So, Rupanuga Prabhu, what do you suggest?

Organizer: I suggest that you please, based on your vast experience, share some words of wisdom.

Giriraj Swami: So, the deviant center that has a lot of opulence, can we ask them to share that with the main center so that the other centers don’t feel that they are at a disadvantage? I mean, it doesn’t sound right that the one center should have so much, and then the other centers are giving to the main center, and they are not keeping much for themselves.

Organizer: Maharaja, I think they are not able to enforce that. Is that correct, Chinmaya Krishna Prabhu?

Devotee: Yes.

Organizer: Maharaja, should they involve the GBCs in this situation? Because one center basically is not following the advice or the leadership of the zonal supervisor so to say.

Giriraj Swami: Yes.

Organizer: And is creating disturbance with other center leaders.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, yes. I think that is good. He approaches the higher authority and says, “We have this problem, I am not able to deal with it but it is a problem, it needs to be addressed, so can you help?” I think that is a very good suggestion.

Organizer: Maharaja, this is the situation like in your times, also Prabhupada’s time, like the misappropriation of funds, as Prabhupada, I believe, was very strict about any misappropriation. So, in this deviant center, it seems the funds are being misutilized for personal gains and for personal comforts, and not being shared with the authorities so to say.

Giriraj Swami: I thought they were using it for the benefit of the sub-center, but some are using it for their own personal benefit?

Organizer: Like their own motorcycle and laptop and cell phones, whereas the other centers, they are quite poor, in the same zone.

Giriraj Swami: Yes. So, then we need some higher authorities to intervene. Yes, it is not a good situation.

Organizer: Thank you very much, Maharaja. Thank you. So, Maharaja, this has been a wonderful evening for us and morning for other parts in the world, and afternoon in some parts of the world. I think we have benefited tremendously, and I am speaking on everyone’s behalf. I have been enlightened again by your wonderful instructions and your so rich personal experiences under the guidance of Srila Prabhupada, and your also very rich and comprehensive knowledge of the shastra that you use to substantiate your answers. Truly honored, Maharaja, thank you so much from the core of our hearts.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, it was a pleasure. So, if we are ending now, I suggest we conclude with Vaishnava praṇāma.

Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto all the Vaishnava devotees of the Lord. They are just like desire trees who can fulfill the desires of everyone, and they are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.

vāñchā-kalpa-tarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca
patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

Anand koti Vaishnava vrinda ki jaya!

Devotee: His Holiness Giriraj Swami Maharaja ki jaya!