# Preaching Method *Instructions on how to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness following Lord Caitanya's example.* ← Back to [[wiki/compile/preaching-is-the-essence|Preaching Is the Essence]] --- ## What to Preach ### The preachings of a sādhu ![[sb/3/25/21#purport|A devotee travels all over the country, from door to door, preaching, "Be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Be a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Don't spoil your life in simply fulfilling your animal propensities. Human life is meant for self-realization or Kṛṣṇa consciousness." These are the preachings of a sādhu]] —SB [[sb/3/25/21|3.25.21]] Purport --- ### What a preacher should preach ![[sb/7/6/24#purport|One is expected to understand these three formulas of knowledge concerning the Supreme Lord—that He is the supreme enjoyer, that He is the proprietor of everything, and that He is the best well-wisher and friend of everyone. A preacher should personally understand these truths and preach them to everyone. Then there will be peace and tranquility all over the world]] —SB [[sb/7/6/24|7.6.24]] Purport --- ### One has to preach following the clear advice given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu ![[cc/madhya/7/128#purport|This is the sublime mission of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Many people come and inquire whether they have to give up family life to join the Society, but that is not our mission. One can remain comfortably in his residence. We simply request everyone to chant the mahā-mantra: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. If one is a little literate and can read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that is so much the better]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/7/128|Madhya 7.128-130]] Purport --- ## How to Preach ### Preaching by humble persuasion ![[cc/adi/7/99#purport|All preachers will have to meet opponents, but they should not make them more inimical. They are already enemies, and if we talk with them harshly or impolitely their enmity will merely increase. We should therefore follow in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu as far as possible and try to convince the opposition by quoting from the śāstras and presenting the conclusion of the ācāryas. It is in this way that we should try to defeat all the enemies of the Lord]] —Cc. [[cc/adi/7/99|Ādi 7.99]] Purport --- ### A preacher's duty is to induce the offenders to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra ![[cc/adi/7/150#purport|Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches us that those whom preachers meet are almost all offenders who are opposed to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but it is a preacher's duty to convince them of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and then induce them to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra...By inducing the offenders to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu exemplified the success of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement]] —Cc. [[cc/adi/7/150|Ādi 7.150]] Purport --- ### Devotees must chant the Pañca-tattva mahā-mantra before every preaching function ![[cc/adi/8/4#purport|We must strictly follow the principle of offering our respects to the Pañca-tattva, as summarized in the mantra—śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. At the beginning of every function in preaching, especially before chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra...we must chant the Pañca-tattva's names and offer our respects to them]] —Cc. [[cc/adi/8/4|Ādi 8.4]] Purport