Prabhupāda Explains His Disciples About the Dangers of Constantly Changing in Spiritual Life
The material mind is inherently restless, constantly seeking new environments, new programs, and new philosophies in a futile search for satisfaction. Śrīla Prabhupāda identifies this tendency as a dangerous material disease that can easily destroy spiritual progress. He trains his disciples to understand that spiritual advancement requires changing one's internal consciousness, not one's external circumstances. By establishing strict boundaries against altering the paramparā teachings, prohibiting the abrupt changing of temple managers, and guiding his followers to remain steady in their prescribed duties, he protects his society from the devastating effects of mental instability.
Changing Consciousness, Not Social Position
A common misconception in spiritual life is that one must abandon their occupation or social standing to be successful. Correcting this illusion, emphasizing that true spiritual evolution occurs within the heart is the foundational philosophy Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches. He explains that one does not need to change their physical position in the world; rather, they simply need to change their consciousness from desiring personal sense gratification to desiring the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa.
- A living being, to become desireless, how you can? I am living. I am not a dead body. Desire should be to satisfy Krsna. Attachment should be for Him. That's all. You have to change. That is Krsna consciousness.
- At the present moment our consciousness is that we are working for our own sense gratification. When this consciousness will be changed, that we work for satisfying Krsna, then our lives will be complete. You haven't got to change your work or position.
- In this Krsna consciousness movement, one's consciousness must be changed. If consciousness is aimed toward material enjoyment, it is material consciousness, and if it is aimed toward serving Krsna, it is Krsna consciousness.
- We are teaching our students that practice, this Krsna consciousness, to change the consciousness. When you change your consciousness, you will see yourself, you will see God, everything.
- We are going to Krsna consciousness means we are going to our eternal consciousness. We are changing from the temporary, bodily consciousness to the eternal consciousness. This is the sum and substance of Krsna consciousness.
Never Changing the Philosophy or Books
The absolute truth descends through the disciplic succession without alteration. Fiercely protecting the purity of his teachings, forbidding his disciples from changing the philosophy or the text of his books is the strict standard Śrīla Prabhupāda enforces. He warns that whimsical interpretations, altering covers, or changing the words to satisfy an audience completely destroys the paramparā system and strips the spiritual movement of all its authority.
- We are presenting this, that Krsna is the original authority. So this is parampara system. We are not changing, that "Krsna means this; Krsna means that." We don't commit such rascaldom.
- We do not change. Why should you change? What right you have got to change? If Bhagavad-gita is a book of authority, and if I make my own interpretation, then where is the authority?
- We don't manufacture any ideas. That is not our business. Therefore we present this Bhagavad-gita as it is. As it is. We don't change it.
- Thank you for your kind sentiments and I am very glad that you have appreciated our International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Our actual credit is that we are simply repeating Bhagavad-gita As It Is without changing it.
- Your appreciation of my Spiritual Master is very commendable. We should always be very careful to give full respect to those who have so carefully handled this Divine Fruit of transcendental knowledge before us. Even a slight change will spoil it.
The Disease of Restlessness and Changing Programs
A mind not fully absorbed in devotional service quickly becomes bored and seeks artificial variety. Diagnosing this restlessness as a serious material disease, ordering his disciples to stick to the basic guiding principles is the cure Śrīla Prabhupāda prescribes. He strictly rejects the introduction of hippie-like "yoga villages" or rock shows, insisting that constantly changing schedules, redecorating temples, and inventing new programs will cause the essence of Kṛṣṇa consciousness to quickly evaporate.
- Devotees like to increase, that is very nice, but this whimsically changing, now one way, now another way, now this schedule, now that one, this is not good.
- Don't change from this to that. That is your American disease. This is very serious that you always want to change everything.
- I simply want things to be developed which we have got, not to make so many big big plans and changing all the time, that is not very practical.
- Every precaution must be taken to preserve our basic guiding principles as they are and not change them because we want to hear something new.
- Our standard is to have kirtana, start temples. What is this "Road Show" and "Yoga Village?" It will be another hippie edition. Gradually the Krishna Consciousness idea will evaporate: another change, another change, every day another change.
The Dangers of Changing Management and Presidents
Stability in leadership is absolutely critical for pushing the preaching mission forward. Condemning the whimsical turnover of temple managers, enforcing proper administrative protocol is the strict oversight Śrīla Prabhupāda applies. He instructs that temple presidents should not be removed abruptly or repeatedly, and that any significant changes in management must be conjointly considered by the Governing Body Commission rather than executed out of personal dissatisfaction.
- If you all, my right-hand men, are doing things without consulting me and making such big big changes within our society without getting my opinion and the opinion of all the Governing Body Commission members then what can I do?
- This change of Presidents is to be made in the Governing Body Commission meeting. In the middle of the year there is no question of change. Tejyas can continue as President. Three times changing president is not good. It should first be conjointly considered by the Governing Body Commission.
- Three times in one week changing presidents, this will ruin the whole thing.
- Regarding the art of management, constant changing is not good. Even if there is some fault in management it should be corrected, not changed. Besides that, Vaisnava philosophy is that everyone is addressed as prabhu, or master.
- This constantly changing managers is not good. We shall develop more progressively by sticking in one place and working.
Changing Dress and Āśramas
While external dress is secondary to pure devotion, playing with the sacred āśramas is a serious offense. Establishing practical guidelines for his preachers, navigating the balance between utility and strictness is how Śrīla Prabhupāda manages his disciples. He readily allows devotees to change into Western clothing to facilitate book distribution, but he heavily condemns those who artificially change their dress to accept sannyāsa or the babājī order only to subsequently fall down.
- Better we should try to stay in this determination than to accept the sannyasa order by changing the dress and then again we fall down. That is not very good. There are instances like that, but it is not at all good. We should not trust the mind.
- Actually that mentality is sannyasa. It doesn't matter whether we have changed the dress or not, but if we decide it, that "I am eternal servant of Krsna; my only duty is to serve Krsna," that is sannyasa.
- The real principle is to spread the Krsna consciousness movement, and if one has to change into regular Western dress for this purpose, there should be no objection.
- We can understand that we may change our dress in any way to facilitate our service. When our members change their dress to meet the public or to introduce our books, they are not breaking the devotional principles.
- It is great offense to change dress now that you have taken babaji dress you must continue. You are all so restless and take everything as farce. Now, take more rest and go on with your program of chanting and that will be good for you.
Overcoming the Urge to Change Locations or Duties
When a devotee faces interpersonal difficulties or struggles with their service, the immediate reaction is often to run away. Exposing this escapism, demanding that his followers remain fixed in their current duties is the tough love Śrīla Prabhupāda shows. He clarifies that changing temples or switching services solves nothing, because conflicts are rooted in one's own lack of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not the external environment.
- It doesn't look well if you change from one center to another for some convenience. Everywhere service to Krishna is the same, but if you are feeling some inconvenience, then you may inform Brahmananda, and get some relaxation by change of duty.
- Do not think of changing the place. Stick to that place and chant Hare Krishna. Krsna will send more men, rest assured. Devotees may come or not come, but you do your duty.
- Simply by changing my status of occupation or my status of life, that will not help anything. Because the real fact is that if there is any difficulty with others, that is my lack of Krsna consciousness, not theirs. Is this clear?
- We are preachers on behalf of Lord Krsna, that is our occupational duty, we haven't got to search any further some new challenge or change our engagement. No, that has been already settled up. Best thing will be to develop more and more what we have begun.
- You just remain in Los Angeles city and engage your eyes to see Krsna, you are more than a person who has gone to Himalayas. You'll forget all other thing. This is our process. You don't require to change your position.
Conclusion
The path to spiritual perfection is paved with patience, steadfastness, and obedience. By thoroughly exposing the dangers of mental restlessness, protecting his disciples from the devastating habit of constantly changing things is the incredible security Śrīla Prabhupāda provides. He proves that when a devotee finally stops trying to artificially change their external circumstances, their management, or the philosophy, and instead focuses entirely on chanting the holy name, their consciousness becomes eternally fixed at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Our Changing (Disciples of SP). We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.