A compilation by
Bhakta Paul:
Paramahamsa: Our position in
preaching should be to encourage people in all respects to
associate with us.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Paramahamsa: That means sometimes we might have to compromise in
certain ways.
Prabhupada: Why compromise? You don't compromise. Then you
associate with him. If you make compromise, then you associate
with him. Then gradually you'll also go down. When we, when we
see some person, we do not associate with him, but we give him
chance to associate with me. Why you should make compromise?
What is the reason? If you know something positively, why should
you make compromise? When people come to talk with me, see me, I
don't make any compromise. Do I make any compromise?
Devotees: No.
(MW Paris 11/07/74)
Indian man: There was some trouble with your movement in America
recently.
Prabhupada: We don’t care for this trouble. If you are sincere
it is all right. We are facing so many difficulties. We don’t
care for it. We never compromise. All my students, they will
never compromise. Why shall I compromise? If I am confident that
I am speaking the truth, why shall I make compromise? Those who
are not confident of his position, they will make compromise.
One who does not know where he stands, he will make compromise.
And if I know where I am standing, why shall I make compromise?
Let others do whatever he likes. This is our position.
(Press Int. Bombay 31/12/76)
The fact is that I am the only one in India who is openly
criticizing, not only demigod worship and impersonalism, but
everything that falls short of complete surrender to Krsna. My
Guru Maharaja never compromised in His preaching, nor will I,
nor should any of my students. We are firmly convinced that
Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and all others are
His part and parcel servants. This we must declare boldly to the
whole world. (Letter 72-01-03)
If I criticize them, they become angry. So what can I do? I have
to speak the truth. I cannot amalgamate real and nonreal. That
is not possible. (740315CC.VRN)
We have got a very nice diamond. Try to sell it. If there is a
purchaser, he will purchase. Otherwise not. It is our duty to
canvas. But we cannot sell iron instead of diamonds.
(770410rc.bom)
We say plainly, You are all rascals. That's all. You have no
discrimination. Anyone who does not believe as it is, he's a
rascal. That's all. He may be happy or sorry. You don't mind.
You don't make compromise. (750323ar.may)
No-one should resent the incisive words of a preacher; they
should appreciate his straightforwardness and beneficial
instructions. As Canakya Pandita says, "He who speaks out
plainly cannot be a deceiver." (Niti Sastra 5.5)
When you become actually preacher of God consciousness, you
cannot make any compromise. You must call a spade a spade.
(721016SB.Vrin)
Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mäm ekam saranam vraja:
“Let aside everything. Just become My devotee, a surrendered
soul.” So we are preaching that. We don’t make compromise.
Therefore all people are against me. Because “This man simply
says, ‘Krsna.’ ” But I cannot say anything more.
(731228sb.la)
We don't make any compromise. What we believe, we are preaching
that. People are accepting. So you believe or not believe; it
doesn't matter for us. (751113mw.Bom)
We cannot compromise to satisfy others. (Letter, September
30, 1973)
A devotee should never make compromises with nondevotees. (CC
Mad. 12.135p)
If you become Krsna conscious, the whole world will be your
enemy. You must be prepared for that. (740802BG.VRN)
As soon as you become successful, there will be many enemies.
That is natural. That is the sign of success. (731103rc.del)
We have not very many followers because we disagree with all
rascals. We are not rascals. (730918rc.bom)
But I cannot make any compromise I shall... My life is ended,
now eighty-one. I do not... But so long I shall live I shall
make no compromise, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Drdha-vrata. And
that is a fact. Why shall I mislead people? They are searching
after God, what is God. Here is God. Why don’t you take it.
(Conv. Hyderebad 24/08/76)
Unless there is opposition, it is not genuine. It is not genuine
or it is not serious. Opposition must be there.
(770109mw.bom)
Opposition is our victory. (770109rc.bom)
We don’t make any flattery to satisfy the whims of the ordinary
people. We speak from Srimad-Bhagavatam, we speak from
Bhagavad-gita, and present them as it is, without any
adulteration. This is our position. If you like, then you make
progress. If you don’t like, that is your option. But we cannot
make any compromise. We must present the sastra as it is.
(740927sb.cal)
In spiritual matters, everything is spoken frankly, without
compromise. We say, "If you are not Krsna conscious, then you
are a rascal. You may be the president. That doesn't matter. But
because you are not Krsna conscious, you are a rascal." There is
no compromise, "Oh, he is a big man." So many scientists come. I
say, "You are a rascal. You are a demon." (laughter) I say it.
(731231sb.la)
“Give up everything. Simply surrender unto Me.” This is
confidential knowledge. Jnana, karma, yoga, this will not help.
It will take some time. You can waste your time in that way, you
are at liberty, but real dharma is that “You fully surrender
unto Me. Don’t talk nonsense.” Arjuna was talking so many
nonsense things. So Krsna ultimately said, “My dear Arjuna, you
are My confidential friend. Therefore I am asking you. You do
this. Don’t waste your time. It will not help.” It will help—bahunam
janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19]. You can go on with your learning, with
your study of Vedas, with your practice of yoga or ritualistic
ceremonies, karma-kanda, jnana-kanda, but unless you come to
this point—sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg.
18.66]—there is no happiness. That is not possible. This is the
confidential... So if this confidential knowledge, one who
preaches without any compromise, he is the confidential servant
of Krsna. There is no compromise. This is real religion. (SB
Lect. Vrindavan 30/11/76)
Prabhupada: No. Why compromise? My Guru Mahäräja never made any
compromise.
Atreya Rsi: Compromise means you have some material attachment.
Prabhupada: Yes, compromise means you don't want real business
but you want some money by cheating and by bluffing. That's all.
That is compromise.
(Conv. San Diego 29/06/72)
Prabhupada: I don’t make any compromise with these rascals. No
words. No, no. I never made that. Even if I don’t get any
disciples, I’ll be satisfied. But I can’t make any compromise
like these rascals. I cannot make. Ekas candras tamo hanti na ca
tara sahasrasah. If I create one moon, that is sufficient. I
don’t want many stars. That was my Guru Maharaja’s principle,
and that is my principle. What is the use of having number of
fools and rascals? If one man understands rightly, he can
deliver the whole world. (MW Bombay 12/03/74)
Tell them. Challenge them, “What do you know about the value of
life? Your brain must be washed to clear out all the dirty
things.” Our duty is that. Just like a patient does not know how
he will be cured, but the surgeon—“Operation. Clear out these
pusses.” He may protest, “Oh, you are clearing out my pusses!”
But “Yes! It is my business. Clear out the pusses. Then you will
be relieved—by force.” But he can protest, “Oh, you are clearing
out my pusses!” “Pusses, what for you...? Pusses is not to be
maintained. It has to be cleared out.” This is para upakara,
doing good to others. And the patient will protest, “Oh, this
rascal doctor, killing me, killing me, killing me!” “Yes, I am
not killing you. I am saving you. You go on accusing me any way,
but I must do my duty.” This is the point. “Yes, we are washing
brain,” exactly like the experienced surgeon. He doesn’t make
any compromise. “Oh, you are suffering from the boil. There is
pus. All right, you don’t like operation?” Will that cure? “”No,
fool! Come one. Bring knife. Cut it. Press. Now?” “Oh, I am so
relieved! You are God. You are God.” Then he will see. That is
our duty: purge out all pusses accumulated due to infection,
material infection. This is our duty. We cannot make any
compromise. When the pusses are to be purged out, we cannot take
your advice, that “Just blow some air from the mouth or some
fan. It will be cured.” No, it will not be. Take surgical
operation. That is only way. Purge out.
(Conv. Bhubaneswar 21/01/77)
Pusna Krsna: All of the others are trying to make some
compromise.
Prabhupada: That is also bad. How we can make compromise? Here
is gold, here is iron, how you can compromise? Can we accept
iron as gold? All right, let us accept. (laughs) Where is the
possibility?
Hari-Sauri: They don’t see that clearly. They are looking at
their iron and thinking it’s gold.
Prabhupada: They are seeing... They’re tested. I don’t make any
compromise. All my speaking is also no compromise.
(Conv. New Vrindavan 01/07/76)
Prabhupada: No. How can I say anything which is not spoken by
Krsna? Krsna is.... Krsna says, na mam duskrtino mudhah
prapadyante naradhama mayayapahåta-jnana [Bg. 7.15]. So we have
got this test: if anyone has no interest in Krsna, he must be
with these groups, that’s all. Duskrtina, mdhha, naradhama. And
Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, yare dekha tare kaha ‘krsna-upadesa’
[Cc. Madhya 7.128]. So how can I violate?
Dr. Patel: No.
Prabhupada: Both ways. I cannot violate. Caitanya Mahaprabhu
said that you simply speak what Krsna has said, and Krsna says
that anyone who is not Krsna conscious, he is a rascal. He is a
most sinful man, he is the lowest of mankind. So why shall I not
say? It is not firing; it is telling the truth. (laughs with
Patel) But I am not loser. I am, I do not make any compromise.
All these my students ask, I never made any compromise. But
still they understand, and they are with me.
(MW Bombay 18/12/75)
Prabhupada: Don’t make compromise. This principle must be
observed. Then you’ll remain strong. As soon as you make
compromise, then it is finished. Drdha-vratah.
Find out this verse. Drdha-vratah. What is that? Bhajante mam
drdha-vratah. Namasyantas ca mam...
Caru: Bhajante mam drdha-vratah.
Prabhupada: Ah, ah. That drdha-vratah must be there, strong
determination. Then it will go on. The scientists will come to
learn and the psychiatrists will come to learn if you keep
drdha-vratah. And as soon as you make compromise, then nobody
will care for (it). (Conv. Melbourne 02/07/74)
Satyam, truthfulness, means that facts should be presented as
they are, for the benefit of others. Facts should not be
misrepresented. According to social conventions, it is said that
one can speak the truth only when it is palatable to others. But
that is not truthfulness. The truth should be spoken in a
straightforward way, so that others will understand actually
what the facts are. If a man is a thief and if people are warned
that he is a thief, that is truth. Although sometimes the truth
is unpalatable, one should not refrain from speaking it.
Truthfulness demands that the facts be presented as they are for
the benefit of others. That is the definition of truth. (Bg.
10.4-5 purport)