# Other Important Instructions Concerning Preaching *Additional guidance on effective preaching from Śrīla Prabhupāda.* ← Back to [[wiki/compile/preaching-is-the-essence|Preaching Is the Essence]] --- ## Qualifications for Preaching ### Anyone who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa can become a spiritual master and preach ![[cc/madhya/8/128#purport|To spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one need only be cognizant of the science of the spirit soul. It does not matter whether one is a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, sannyāsī, gṛhastha or whatever. If one simply understands this science, he can become a spiritual master...Unless we accept this principle enunciated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement cannot spread all over the world]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/8/128|Madhya 8.128]] Purport --- ### The first-class devotee is an expert preacher > Devotees can be divided into three classes. The first or uppermost class is described as follows: one is very expert in the study of relevant scriptures, and he is also expert in putting forward arguments in terms of those scriptures. He can very nicely present conclusions with perfect discretion and can consider the ways of devotional service in a decisive way. He understands perfectly that the ultimate goal of life is to attain to the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa, and he knows that Kṛṣṇa is the only object of worship and love. This first-class devotee is one who has strictly followed the rules and regulations under the training of a bona fide spiritual master and has sincerely obeyed him in accord with revealed scriptures. Thus being fully trained to preach and become a spiritual master himself, he is considered first-class. A first-class devotee never deviates from the principles of higher authority, and he attains firm faith in the scriptures by understanding with all reasons and arguments. When we speak of arguments and reason, it means arguments and reason on the basis of revealed scripture. The first-class devotee is not interested in dry speculative methods meant for wasting time. In other words, one who has attained a mature determination in the matter of devotional service can be accepted as the first-class devotee. —NOD Chapter 3 --- ### Qualifications for effective preaching ![[sb/7/8/1#purport|If a devotee is qualified, sincere and serious about Kṛṣṇa consciousness and if he follows the instructions of a bona fide spiritual master, as Prahlāda Mahārāja did when preaching the instructions he had received from Nārada Muni, his preaching is effective]] —SB [[sb/7/8/1|7.8.1]] Purport --- ## The Nature of Preaching ### Preaching is a dynamic activity ![[sb/1/5/16#purport|The expert devotees also can discover novel ways and means to convert the nondevotees in terms of particular time and circumstance. Devotional service is dynamic activity, and the expert devotees can find out competent means to inject it into the dull brains of the materialistic population]] —SB [[sb/1/5/16|1.5.16]] Purport --- ### The basic principle of missionary activities ![[sb/2/5/9#purport|The pure devotees are not only satisfied by knowing everything about the Lord, but they are also eager to broadcast the information to others, for they want to see that the glories of the Lord are known to everyone. Thus the devotee feels satisfied when such an opportunity is offered to him. This is the basic principle of missionary activities]] —SB [[sb/2/5/9|2.5.9]] Purport --- ### Preaching activities are transcendental ![[sb/3/9/34#purport|A pure devotee of the Lord, being cognizant of the facts of the particular time, object and circumstances, always desires to expand the number of devotees of the Lord in various ways. Such expansions of transcendental service may appear to be material to the materialist, but factually they are expansions of the causeless mercy of the Lord towards the devotee. Plans for such activities may appear to be material activities, but they are different in potency, being engaged in the satisfaction of the transcendental senses of the Supreme]] —SB [[sb/3/9/34|3.9.34]] Purport --- ### Preaching creates an auspicious atmosphere ![[sb/8/1/32#purport|The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading all over the world simply by describing Kṛṣṇa...Wherever a speaker holds discourses from these books and an audience hears him, this will create a good and auspicious situation. Therefore the preaching of Kṛṣṇa consciousness must be done very carefully by the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, especially the sannyāsīs. This will create an auspicious atmosphere]] —SB [[sb/8/1/32|8.1.32]] Purport --- ## Practical Guidance for Preachers ### Any material facility may be employed for preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness > One should not give up anything which can be utilized in the service of the Lord. That is a secret of devotional service. Anything that can be utilized in advancing Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service should be accepted. For instance, we are using many machines for the advancement of our present Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, machines like typewriters, dictaphones, tape recorders, microphones and airplanes. Sometimes people ask us, "Why are you utilizing material products if you condemn the advancement of material civilization?" But actually we do not condemn. We simply ask people to do whatever they are doing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.... Our vision is that Kṛṣṇa is everything. Kṛṣṇa is the cause and effect, and nothing belongs to us. Kṛṣṇa's things must be used in the service of Kṛṣṇa. —NOD Chapter 14 --- ### Preachers should preach where the situation is favorable ![[cc/madhya/7/109#purport|people are really interested in preaching in a favorable situation. If the candidates for conversion are too disturbing, a preacher may not attempt to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness amongst them. It is better to go where the situation is more favorable. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement was first attempted in India, but the people of India, being absorbed in political thoughts, did not take to it...We preferred, therefore, to come to the West, following the order of our spiritual master, and by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu this movement is becoming successful]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/7/109|Madhya 7.109]] Purport --- ### A preacher must distinguish between devotees and nondevotees ![[cc/madhya/8/44#purport|Unless one is a first-class devotee, he cannot be a preacher. A preacher is generally a topmost devotee, but in order to meet the general populace, he has to come to distinguish between devotees and nondevotees...When one engages in preaching work, he must distinguish between people and understand that some people are not engaged in devotional service of the Lord. The preacher then has to take compassion upon such innocent people who do not know how to worship the Lord]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/8/44|Madhya 8.44]] Purport --- ### The purpose of selling books is to remember Kṛṣṇa ![[cc/madhya/22/113#purport|One may sell books or enlist life members or render some other service, but these duties are not ordinary duties. These duties serve as an impetus for remembering Kṛṣṇa. When one goes with a saṅkīrtana party or sells books, he naturally remembers that he is going to sell Kṛṣṇa's books. In this way, he is remembering Kṛṣṇa...The conclusion is that one must act in such a way that he will always remember Kṛṣṇa, and one must refrain from doing things that make him forget Kṛṣṇa. These two principles form the basic background of Kṛṣṇa consciousness]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/22/113|Madhya 22.113]] Purport --- ## Austerity and Success in Preaching ### Austerity in preaching work leads to perfection ![[sb/9/4/26#purport|the hard labor involved in preaching, preparing literature, preaching to atheistic men and distributing literature door to door is of course an austerity (tapo-yuktena). Tapo divyaṁ putrakā...Such austerity is necessary. Yena sattvaṁ śuddhyet. By such austerity in devotional service, one is purified of material existence (kāmān śanair jahau). Indeed, such austerity leads one to the constitutional position of devotional service]] —SB [[sb/9/4/26|9.4.26]] Purport --- ### Success formula: One should act only to satisfy the Lord ![[sb/8/8/38#purport|While the demons fight to satisfy their own senses, devotees engage in devotional service to satisfy the senses of the Lord. The members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must be alert in regard to this point, and then their preaching of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will be successful]] —SB [[sb/8/8/38|8.8.38]] Purport --- ### Devotees overcome difficulties through faith in Kṛṣṇa ![[sb/2/8/6#purport|sometimes a representative of the Lord engaged in preaching work meets various so-called difficulties...But such difficulties are gladly suffered by the devotees in preaching because in such activities, although apparently very severe, the devotees of the Lord feel transcendental pleasure because the Lord is satisfied...Pure devotees like Nārada and Nityānanda Prabhu take up the order of the spiritual master as the sustenance of life]] —SB [[sb/2/8/6|2.8.6]] Purport --- ### The success of ISKCON preaching is due to faith in the previous ācāryas ![[cc/adi/12/8#purport|The secret of success in advancement in spiritual life is the firm faith of the disciple in the orders of his spiritual master...The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is being propagated according to this principle, and therefore our preaching work is going on successfully, in spite of the many impediments offered by antagonistic demons, because we are getting positive help from our previous ācāryas...Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura wanted to print as many books as possible and distribute them all over the world. We have tried our best in this connection, and we are getting results beyond our expectations]] —Cc. [[cc/adi/12/8|Ādi 12.8]] Purport --- ## Special Considerations ### Converting even one person assures going back to Godhead > The missionary goal of a devotee is to convert simply one person into a pure devotee. In this way his admission to the spiritual kingdom is guaranteed. —Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 26 --- ### Opposition to saṅkīrtana indicates its purity and genuineness ![[cc/adi/17/127#purport|Such orders stopping saṅkīrtana in the streets of the world's great cities have been imposed upon members of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement...We must remember that such incidents took place in the past, five hundred years ago, and the fact that they are still going on indicates that our saṅkīrtana movement is really authorized...Similar demons are trying to obstruct the saṅkīrtana movement we are executing all over the world, and this proves that our saṅkīrtana movement is still pure and genuine, following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu]] —Cc. [[cc/adi/17/127|Ādi 17.127]] Purport --- ### Preaching of Kṛṣṇa consciousness angers demons ![[sb/7/8/11#purport|It is said in Hitopadeśa, upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye. If good instructions are given to a foolish person, he does not take advantage of them, but becomes more and more angry...This kind of difficulty always exists when a devotee preaches Kṛṣṇa consciousness to persons like Hiraṇyakaśipu, who are interested in money and women]] —SB [[sb/7/8/11|7.8.11]] Purport --- ### Preachers of Kṛṣṇa consciousness are paramahaṁsas ![[sb/8/3/7#purport|Understanding that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the friend of everyone (suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām), they [devotees] act as friends of everyone on behalf of the Supreme Lord. Making no distinction between one nation and another or one community and another, they preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā, everywhere. Thus they are competent to see the lotus feet of the Lord. Such preachers in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are called paramahaṁsas]] —SB [[sb/8/3/7|8.3.7]] Purport --- ### The Lord assists a pure devotee delivering conditioned souls ![[sb/4/29/46#purport|a devotee is always engaged in preaching to deliver conditioned souls...A pure devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always thinking of how fallen conditioned souls can be delivered. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, influenced by the merciful devotees' attempt to deliver fallen souls, enlightens the people in general from within by His causeless mercy]] —SB [[sb/4/29/46|4.29.46]] Purport --- ### The devotee's desire to spread Kṛṣṇa's glories is blessed by the Lord ![[sb/3/9/39#purport|A pure devotee of the Lord like Brahmā and those in his line of disciplic succession always desire that the Lord be known all over the universe by each and every one of the living entities. That desire of the devotee is always blessed by the Lord]] —SB [[sb/3/9/39|3.9.39]] Purport --- ## Special Topics ### Mature disciples should preach, allowing the spiritual master to retire ![[sb/4/28/33#purport|Everyone should be engaged in preaching the cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness...when disciples are grown up and are able to preach, the spiritual master should retire and sit down in a solitary place to write and execute nirjana-bhajana...Only when one is mature can he sit in a solitary place and retire from preaching all over the world. Following this example, the devotees of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness now render service as preachers in various parts of the world. Now they can allow the spiritual master to retire from active preaching work]] —SB [[sb/4/28/33|4.28.33]] Purport --- ### Book distributors are not beggars but perform highest welfare activity ![[cc/madhya/8/39#purport|A sannyāsī is supposed to beg from door to door. He does not beg simply because he is hungry. His real purpose is to enlighten the occupant of every house by preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness...Members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement have no business begging. Instead, they work very hard to introduce some literatures about Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that people can read them and be benefited. However, if one gives some contribution to a Kṛṣṇa conscious man, he never refuses it]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/8/39|Madhya 8.39]] Purport --- ### Preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness can save Western students ![[sb/6/5/18#purport|The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very eager to present Vedic literature in modern languages, especially Western languages such as English, French and German...The people of the West are seeing their students becoming hippies, despite gorgeous arrangements for university education. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, however, is trying to convert misguided, drug-addicted students to the service of Kṛṣṇa and engage them in the best welfare activities for human society]] —SB [[sb/6/5/18|6.5.18]] Purport --- ### Preaching as spreading nāma-saṅkīrtana ![[sb/8/5/23#purport|Those who have accepted the task of spreading the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness should take this opportunity to deliver people very easily from the clutches of material existence. Our duty, therefore, is to follow the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and preach the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world very sincerely. This is the best welfare activity for the peace and prosperity of human society...The leaders of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should very seriously take this opportunity to be kind to the fallen souls by delivering them from the misunderstanding of materialistic life]] —SB [[sb/8/5/23|8.5.23]] Purport --- ### How the ordinary citizen can engage in preaching ![[sb/1/17/38#purport|The citizens of the state must give in charity up to fifty percent of their income for the purpose of creating a spiritual atmosphere in the state or in human society, both individually and collectively. They should preach the principles of Bhāgavatam by (a) karma-yoga, or doing everything for the satisfaction of the Lord, (b) regular hearing of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from authorized persons or realized souls, (c) chanting of the glories of the Lord congregationally at home or at places of worship, (d) rendering all kinds of service to bhāgavatas engaged in preaching Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and (e) residing in a place where the atmosphere is saturated with God consciousness]] —SB [[sb/1/17/38|1.17.38]] Purport --- ### Hearing, preaching and remembering brings fearlessness ![[cc/madhya/22/110#purport|It is one's duty to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the hearing process. This is called śrotavyaḥ. If one has heard properly about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his duty is to glorify the Lord and preach His glories. This is called kīrtitavyaḥ. When one hears about the Lord and glorifies Him, it is natural to think of Him. This is called smartavyaḥ. All this must be carried out if one actually wants to be immune from fear]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/22/110|Madhya 22.110]] Purport --- ### One who doesn't take advantage of the movement is doomed ![[cc/antya/3/254#purport|There is now a flood of the eternal nectar of love of Godhead due to the incarnation of Lord Caitanya. All living entities are floating in that flood. The entire world is now thankful to the Lord. Anyone who does not float in this inundation is most condemned. Such a person cannot be delivered for millions of kalpas...if one does not take advantage of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he cannot be delivered for millions of such kalpas]] —Cc. [[cc/antya/3/254|Antya 3.254-255]] Purport