DON’T CRITICIZE
An adapted excerpt from Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja’s istagosthis on A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s book The Nectar of Instruction, in Badger, California, June 1997.
Once there were two Vaisnavas who both went to live in the same town. One took residence under the shade of a banyan tree. Very close to that banyan tree lived a prostitute. She lived in an apartment on the second floor of a very beautiful building.
The other Vaisnava went to live in a temple in the middle of that town.
The Vaisnava who was living under the tree next to the prostitute was always thinking in one particular mood and the other Vaisnava, the one living in the temple, was always absorbed in another mood. The one living in the temple was always thinking how he was so much better than the other:
"I am so much better than that other wretched fellow. I am living in the temple and he is living under a tree next to a common prostitute. How fallen he must be. There are always men coming and going by constantly. They’re all enjoying illicit sex with that young girl who lives on the second floor. She is always dressing herself in such a provocative way. She must really agitate the senses of that so called Vaisnava living next to her, under his tree. Perhaps that is why he is living there. Perhaps they are enjoying together. O he is such a wretched and fallen fellow...."
The Vaisnava who was living under the tree however, was thinking in a very different way. He was always thinking:
"I am so fallen and wretched that I am forced by circumstances due to my previous actions, to live under this tree next to a prostitute. That other Vaisnava however is so fortunate and full of good qualities that he is able to live in the temple. He is always engaged in discussing hari-katha, kirtan, performing puja for the deities and serving them in other ways. He is always serving the Vaisnavas who visit the temple and always engaged in chanting and remembering. He is so fortunate. I wish I could be like him."
He was always thinking how fortunate the other devotee was and how fallen he himself was. The other Vaisnava living in the temple was always engaging his mind on criticizing and finding fault with the other as well as constantly meditating on the activities of the prostitute and the goings on in that area, near the banyan tree. Always thinking himself better than the other, and always thinking how the other was so fallen.
Time went by and the moment of death came. The devotee living in the temple saw that three very large and fierce looking shapes were appearing in front of him. He asked them: "Who are you?"
They replied: "We are death. We are Yamadutas the agents of Lord Yamaraja and we have come to take you to be judged."
The devotee living in the temple replied:
"Oh! Now I understand. But you have made a mistake, the person you have come for is living over there, under a banyan tree, next to the home of that prostitute. I'm afraid you've got the wrong person. But that other fellow, he is very fallen. I am however a very proper devotee and I live in this temple."
The Yamadutas said: "No! No! No! We know everything about all of this, and it is because of this that we have come especially for you. You are always meditating on the faults of that pure and humble sadhu, and you are constantly engaged in criticizing him. So come with us."
Meanwhile the Vishnudutas appeared before the devotee living under the banyan tree. Upon seeing them the devotee said:
"Oh! Alas. You have got the wrong person. You must have made a mistake. I am just a very fallen and wretched person. The devotee you have come for is living in that temple over there. He has so many good qualities."
The Vishnudutas replied: "No! No! We have come for you, so please step into this flower airplane and come along to Vaikuntha, Lord Narayana is very eager to meet you."
After telling this story Srila Gurudeva comments:
"So, my instruction is, as is that of Srila Rupa Gosvami, that we should never criticize anyone. If someone is doing something bad, then he is doing something bad for himself. But we should not criticize anyone. If you criticize anyone thinking, "This is wrong, that is wrong, this fellow is very bad, what he is doing is very bad...etc". Then all of those bad qualities will enter into your hearts, and Yamaraja will come for you first, to punish you. Always try to think and meditate upon the good qualities of Vaisnavas who are chanting and remembering the name, form, and pastimes of Krishna. Sometimes I hear that some of my disciples are criticizing some of the leaders of ISKCON™. I want this to stop. I want that no-one should be criticized, whether they are part of ISKCON™ or not, whatever cast or creed they may be, whether they are bad or not, you should not criticize them. Always try to remember and glorify devotees of Krishna. This is the instruction of Srila Rupa Gosvami and is also the instruction of Bhaktivedanta Swamiji. So always be careful of this."