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Bhaktivedanta Swami is doing preaching all over the world. That has not come to his eyes. He has come to the Japanese incident

Prabhupada took a longer walk this morning because there was no temple program to attend. He walked around the grounds, and then to a nearby lake. Mr. Keshavalal Triveri, who had attended his lectures in Madras, joined us. Pleased to see him, Srila Prabhupada immediately engaged him in further discussion on the central theme of his Madras lectures and this early morning's conversation the false spirit of independence. 

Mr. Triveri was in full agreement and complimented Srila Prabhupada on his lectures. "For the first time," he said, "I am able to explain to my friends that the true status of the soul is atma, not param-atma; brahmana but not para-brahmana." 

In the course of the discussion Acyutananda Swami quoted one of the favorite scriptural references from the Isopanishad that the Mayavadis use to declare themselves as God. They say that the words from the Sixteenth Verse, so'ham asmi, "I am that", mean that the living being is the same as God. Prabhupada refuted his argument with a revealing analogy. "Asmi means 'It is my energy.' If I say that I am ISKCON, what is the wrong there? Because I have created this; therefore I say ISKCON means I. I am ISKCON. So what is the wrong there? It is like that. By energy of Krishna, everything has come out. Therefore it says, 'I am this, I am this, I am this, I am this.'" Having the opportunity to closely observe Srila Prabhupada's daily involvement in the affairs of ISKCON has helped me to understand just how apropos this analogy is. He has created ISKCON, he is sustaining it, and, when difficulties arise due to the ineptness of his disciples, he fully supports it.  
Mr. Triveri told him about a recent negative incident he had experienced with one svami. The svami had publicly condemned ISKCON and Srila Prabhupada's preaching activities. The svami had read aloud to the public on Janmashtami day an adverse newspaper article concerning the devotees in Japan. He declared that ISKCON was not a bona-fide sampradaya and should be avoided. Srila Prabhupada strongly defended his ISKCON's world-wide efforts to spread Krishna consciousness. He advised Mr. Triveri how to deal with such criticism, "Dosham icchanti pamarah. Makshika bhramara icchanti...Makshika, these ordinary flies, they find out where is sore, and the bhramara [bee], he finds out where is honey. Similarly, dosham icchanti pamarah. And the Bhaktivedanta Swami is doing preaching all over the world. That has not come to his eyes. He has come to the Japanese incident." 

Mr. Triveri said that he had told the man that in a big organization there might be some such incidents. But Prabhupada said, "No. Why did you not say, 'You are such a pamara [low minded or sinful] that this thing has come to your notice and not other thing'?...Just try to understand what is the mentality of these rascals that 'The good things do not come to your notice.' If something is bad, 'Oh, here is...' You see. Pamarah dosham icchanti gunam icchanti panditah. Saj-jana gunam icchanti dosham icchanti pamarah. That means they are not even a Vaishnava. You see? Vaishnava means paramo nirmatsaranam. Even one has got some fault; a Vaishnava does not see that. He takes the good qualities. But they are not even Vaishnava. The mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu is being preached all over the world that does not come to their attention. Some Japanese newspaper has written something it has come immediately. He's a lowest of the mankind. You can say that 'Why this thing has come prominent to your eyes and not the other thing?'" 

Mr. Triveri said, "No, I did say in my own way, though I did not quote this, that 'You are a pamara.'" And Prabhupada confidently said, "Yes, you can say now that, 'That day I forgot to say that you are a pamara. So I have come to say that you are a pamara. I forgot it. Excuse me, I forgot it. So you are pamara.'" Mr. Triveri agreed. "As a matter of fact, it is so." And then he added, speaking as the svami in question might respond, "And for that, the apology is, 'No, no, I do realize that lot of work is being done about that...'" Prabhupada completed the apology: " 'But because I am pamara, I am finding out this fault.'" 

Mr. Triveri added another anecdote to illustrate the kind of negative response our Society is getting. "One gosvami, when I said, 'Well, this is a movement which I very much like and like also to join,' then he said that because I am conducting Gita Bhavan founded by him he said, 'No, no, no, no. We as a matter of fact we champion that cause. But afterwards, when we realized that it is not sampradayic, we have given it up...After all, we are qualified. Those mlecchas [meat-eaters]...'" Prabhupada interjected abruptly. "Nobody cares for you. You are so qualified that nobody cares for you...If they are mlecchas, then you are naraki [resident of hell]. It is said, vaishnave jati-buddhir.... naraki. Anyone who considers in terms of caste a Vaishnava, he's a naraki. Everyone knows that he is European, he is American, but because he is Vaishnava, one should not see like that, 'mleccha.' If he sees, then he's naraki." 


Yasodanandana Swami said it proved that they have no faith in the holy names, because the harinama purifies everything. Prabhupada readily agreed. "This rascal says the Nama has no...See. We have to meet simply rascals all over. The so-called religionists, so-called svamis, so-called yogis, so-called politicians. You see? Simply we have to meet with all rascals." "This Maharaja showing that article on Krishna-jayanti day," Mr. Triveri continued, "reading out to the entire audience. That was a rubbish." "So what is the wrong there?" Prabhupada asked. "What was the wrong?" "He said that, 'This movement has got these black sheep and they have been banned in Japan. Everywhere they will be banned.'" "But there is something in Japan which is banned," Prabhupada explained. "But what you have got in Japan?" "Nothing." Yasodanandana added, "First of all, we are not even banned in Japan. The center is still there." Prabhupada said, "No, no, that's all right. Banned means we had something. But what proof you have got that you have done something in Japan? So it is better. Just like one man said that 'I have lost fifty thousand this year.' His friend said, 'You are still fortunate because you had fifty thousand. But I have no fifty paisa even!'" Mr. Triveri was encouraged. "So there is something. Here nothing." "Prabhupada," 

Bhavabhuti said, "they said that if Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted Krishna consciousness in the Western countries, why didn't He go there Himself? That's what they told us." Prabhupada answered, "So he left the credit for me!" The devotees all cheered. "Jaya! Haribol!" "He loves His devotee more than Himself," Srila Prabhupada said. Then Harikesa asked, "Why didn't Krishna kill everybody at the Battle of Kurukshetra?" "Yes!" Prabhupada enthusiastically replied, "Krishna, by His simple desire He could kill. He said therefore, bhavishyatvan. Prithivite ache yata nagaradi grama sarvatra pracara haibe. He [Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu] is leaving the task for somebody else."


Reference: Transcendental Diary Volume 1 by Hari Sauri Dasa





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