Changing Me
BY: SITA-PATI DAS
Jan 7, BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA (SUN) — Dear Giri Nayaka Prabhu, you wrote: "Recently, somebody told me something. Let me tell you a little secret. You will never change ISKCON, nor will you change the
world, and you will certainly never change other people. The only thing
you can ever hope to change in this world is YOURSELF."
(In case anyone is wondering - it wasn't me! Giri Nayaka Prabhu and I have never met in person)
You then very nicely presented some counter-arguments to this statement.
I would like to present another perspective:
This statement can be re-phrased in this way to make it clearer:
"You will never change ISKCON, nor will you change the world, and you
will certainly never change other people, until you change YOURSELF."
Real change begins with us. Srila Prabhupada and other bonafide Gaudiya
acaryas have lead through self-transformation, rather than through
manipulation.
For a person who has not undergone this personal transformation the
statement above is the time, place, and personal circumstance stating of
this principle. Until they do change themselves they cannot change
anything else, for self-transformation is the means of effecting
external change. That's why Srila Prabhupada emphasized chanting 16
rounds daily as a priority.
Yes we can change the world, and we will. Yes we can change ISKCON, and we
will. Yes we can change the hearts and minds of other people, and we
will. And it alls begins right here, by changing me.
And the most potent process for doing this is the process of hearing and
chanting.
your servant,
Sita-pati das
