(HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, Pretoria, South Africa, 15th September 2012) Lecture: Initiation talk
There was a disciple of Srila Prabhupada’s who came in the very beginning and later he was not so strict any more. He wasn’t following all the rules and so on. Once on a telephone call the secretary, Tamal Krishna Maharaja, was speaking to this senior devotee who was not following all his vows.
So Prabhupada told Tamal Krishna Maharaja:
‘Tell him that if he doesn’t follow the vows then I will reject him!’
Tamal Krishna Maharaja was shocked, and said to the devotee:
‘Prabhupada said that if you don’t follow the vows, then he will reject you!’
When he put the phone down, Tamal Krishna Maharaja asked Prabhupada:
‘Would you have really rejected him?’
Prabhupada said:
‘Of course not. I just said that to scare him.’
Because Prabhupada was ever a well wisher – always a well wisher, always. Like, as a parent, sometimes you tell your son:
’If you don’t shape up then ship out. I don’t want to see your face again.’
But you don’t mean it since he’s your son!
