Prabhupada: “Krsna has two engagements: paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam (Bg. 4.8) giving protection to the sadhus, the devotees, and killing the demons. Krsna gave protection to the Pandavas and Vrsnis because they were devotees, and He also killed demons like Kamsa, Aghasura, and Bakasura. Of the two engagements, His killing of the demons was His major occupation. If we examine how much time He devoted to killing and how much time He devoted to protecting, we shall find that He devoted more time to killing. Similarly, those who are Krsna conscious should also kill-not by weapons but by logic, by reasoning, and by education. If one is a demon, we can use logic and arguments to kill his demoniac propensities and turn him into a devotee, a saintly person. Especially in this present age, Kali-yuga, people are already poverty stricken, and physical killing is too much for them. They should be killed by argument, reasoning, and scientific spiritual understanding.”
(Teachings of Queen Kunti, chapter 24)
a) Srila Prabhupada clearly says here that we in the Krishna conscious movement should ALSO spend MORE time in KILLING (“SIMILARLY those who are Krsna conscious should also kill…).
b) But this killing is done via “LOGIC, REASONING, and ARGUMENTS”. Srila Prabhupada mentions these words TWICE in the short passage above. This will turn the demon into a SAINTLY PERSON.
c) So the next time one thinks that BTP is simply full of arguments presented in a logical manner, please remember the above quote from The Teachings of Queen Kunti. For this arguing with logic and reason is actually part of the mission of the Krishna consciousness movement for THIS is how we will KILL the demons and turn them into devotees, saintly persons.
And practically we are witnessing this with many devotees returning to Srila Prabhupada’s lotus feet. We say ‘returning’, because we have a crazy situation in ISKCON where:
i) It is Srila Prabhupada’s books and teachings which attract people to taking up Krishna consciousness and joining ISKCON in the first place.
ii) Indeed, at that point new devotees are told they must accept Srila Prabhupada as a ‘caretaker’ Guru for the first 6 months.
iii) After this initial period people are then told to choose a different ‘Guru’ to worship.
iv) Then if that Guru falls down, guess what – yes, again you must return to the ‘caretaker’ Guru, Srila Prabhupada.
v) And all throughout your spiritual life it is Srila Prabhupada’s teachings and his discipline you must follow.
But, here’s the catch: Srila Prabhupada is NOT the Guru! Go figure!
Well fortunately (though unfortunately for the ‘Guru business’), more and more devotees ARE figuring it out, and accepting Srila Prabhupada only and experiencing their spiritual lives improving dramatically as a result, as we will continue detailing in the pages of BTP.
Here’s looking forward to another year of BTP. The magazine of the REAL Hare Krishna Movement.
Thank you. Hare Krishna and all glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Krishnakant, Editor
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