Remaining Fixed in the Authentic Mission - That Is Not Our
In a world filled with countless religious sects, political movements, and philanthropic organizations, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness is often misunderstood. To keep his followers strictly on the authentic spiritual path, Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently used the phrase "that is not our" to draw clear boundaries. He emphasized that the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a mundane charity or a concocted religion, but a purely scientific endeavor to reawaken the eternal soul's relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Not a Sectarian Religion
Many people view the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement as just another religious cult competing for followers. Śrīla Prabhupāda firmly rejects this idea, explaining that the mission is not concerned with changing a person's temporary material designation from Christian to Hindu. Rather, it is the universal science of understanding God.
- I repeatedly say that this Krsna consciousness movement is not a religious cult, that we want to supersede another type of religion. That is not our business. Our aim is to make all people happy. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. This is the Vedic mission. Everyone should be happy.
- It is not the purpose, that we are trying to convert American into Indian, or Indian into American, or Christian into Hindu. That is not our mission. We are just preaching the science of Krsna, or science of God, Krsna consciousness.
- Don't bring in any religion. A type of religion is made, "Believe something blindly." So that is not our concern. We are talking of the science. If I say that stone is also Krsna, is not that the science?
- This is not our real identification. I am thinking, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am African," "I am Russian," "I am brahmin," "I am ksatriya," "I am sudra," I am Andhra-pradesh, I am Bengali.
Not Philanthropy or Vegetarianism
Society often equates spiritual work with opening hospitals or feeding the poor. While devotees are compassionate, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that superficial bodily welfare is not the primary business of the movement. The true goal is to cure the soul's material disease by providing the transcendental medicine of the holy name and the diet of Kṛṣṇa prasādam.
- We say that. We are not anxious to this daridra-narayana-seva. We are not. We give. Whatever we have got, we distribute prasadam. That's all. We are not concerned about their daridra-narayana-seva. That is not our business.
- In order to cure him from these material desires we shall give him medicine, hari-nama, and diet, prasada. We have no such program, to make him vegetarian. That is not our program.
- Our philosophy is that we prepare nice foodstuff and we offer to Krsna, and after He has eaten, then we take it. That is our philosophy. We don't take anything which is not offered to Krsna.
- We cannot become sympathetic with everyone. That is not our policy.
Rejecting Concocted Ideologies
To attract a larger following, many leaders compromise their teachings or invent new philosophies that appeal to the masses. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement never manufactures dogmas or alters the strict injunctions of the śāstras just to become popular.
- We are known as Hare Krsna men. So we are not manufacturing something imaginary. That is not our position. Vasudevoktah. We are simply executing what Vasudeva has spoken. That's all. So our task is very easy, because we haven't got to manufacture.
- We don't manufacture concocted ideas, dogmas. No, that is not our business. One should not do that. But if you speak what Bhagavan has said, what Krsna has said, that is perfect.
- We are not going to change it. We are not after vox populi. That is not our concern. We have got our standard method.
- Simply because they have not got any real substance for attracting, they offer what they think the public might like, such as sex, crimes, amusements, like that. That is not our method.
Beyond Bodily Necessities and Politics
Conditioned souls spend their entire lives worrying about how to eat, sleep, and maneuver through political struggles. Śrīla Prabhupāda asserts that a devotee is completely confident in Kṛṣṇa's protection and is therefore not bothered by these basic animalistic problems or mundane political squabbles.
- How to eat, how to sleep, that is not our problem. Our only problem is how to satisfy Krsna.
- Because we are surrendered to Krsna we are confident about eating, sleeping. We don't bother about that. That is not our problem. Our problem is how to serve Krsna honestly.
- Generally we don't praise or eulogize somebody or criticize somebody. That is not our business. Our business is Krsna consciousness, God consciousness, always thinking that we are eternal servant of Krsna.
- Politics is not our business.
Active Preaching Over Retirement
Some spiritual practitioners mistakenly believe that the highest perfection is to abandon society and retire to a solitary place for meditation. Correcting this sentimental idea, Śrīla Prabhupāda insists that the true mission of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to actively preach and distribute spiritual knowledge to the suffering world.
- Where have you got this idea to retire and simply translate books? That is not in our line. My Spiritual Master has given me the instruction to spread this movement all over the world and you are my good disciples, are helping me do this.
- Do not fall victim to this sentimental idea of peaceful life in seclusion. That is not our dharma.
- Our business is to be recognized by Krsna. Whether one man is converted or not converted, that is not our business.
- This Krsna consciousness movement is meant to deliver people to the proper understanding that they are not their body, that they are pure spirit soul. We may or may not be appreciated, that is not our concern.
Conclusion
By distinctly defining what the movement is not, Śrīla Prabhupāda perfectly preserves the purity and potency of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He makes it unequivocally clear that his followers are not engaged in the temporary, superficial work of political adjustment, philanthropic feeding, or manufacturing sectarian dogmas to please the public. Instead, their sole business is to present the exact, unadulterated science of the Bhagavad-gītā and to actively preach this message worldwide without retiring into sentimental seclusion. By remaining completely fixed in this authorized mission and avoiding all material distractions, a sincere devotee solves the only real problem of life: how to perfectly satisfy the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa.
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 That Is Not Our. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.