ONLINE ETIQUETTE FOR DEVOTEES

Srila Prabhupada writes one of his purports that the symptom of the age of Kali is that sometimes we dress as devotees – we may wear dhoti, kurta, tilak everything but the behavior is not that of a devotee.  So what does it mean to behave like a devotee and how does this extend to virtual media?

First let’s understand the nature of virtual media and virtual personalities – Internet as a medium is and can be very powerful tool for communication, connection, connivance and cooperation…and it comes with a plethora of tools like Websites, Facebook, Blogs, wikis, Google Plus, Pinterest and various other groups.  Not to forget connectivity tools like Skype, Hangouts etc. and video publishing tools like YouTube.  All these can be very perfectly employed in the service of Srila Prabhupada and Krishna.

Coming to virtual personalities – in this case, there is no physical, face-to-face presence and everything, every interaction is interpreted by the mind and intelligence, drawing from previous real life experiences and feelings with people in our immediate environments.  It is both a part and extension of our daily lives.  Two critical points to note here is that, unlike in face to face platforms, in virtual medium, you almost always fail to know the exact mood or intent behind the interaction (unless you know that person and have met him/her face to face).

The term “Virtual reality” WAS an oxymoron when we were in school.  But not anymore.  It is an inevitable actuality now and a matrix we must learn how to deal with; not escape from.

The first thing we need to remember as devotees is that, nothing in this material creation can replace, augment or substitute our one-on-one, personalized relationship-building endeavor with Guru and Krishna.  We should not allow anything to comfortably place itself in lieu of that exclusive relationship.  At the end of our lives, no virtual medium or even personal relationships of this world can save us.  It is only Krishna through the medium of Guru, who matters.

We see some very heartwarming interactions on the virtual platform which leaves us with a very nice feeling and helps us draw closer to Krishna and Srila Prabhupada.  We also see some unpleasant squabbles and rancorous exchanges, which can leave a very bitter taste for a long time.  No one really is a friend or an enemy on the virtual medium (just like elsewhere).  It’s just personal choices to interact or not but there is no need to carry any negative feelings.  It takes a lot more than reading and commenting on status updates to build relationships with people.  Yes – there ARE people behind personalities.  And those people have feelings.  What to speak of devotees, who are endeavoring so much to please Krishna and Srila Prabhupada.  Vaishnavas are not impersonalists.  They believe in and practise loving the Supreme Personality of Godhead and have the ultimate responsibility to deal with all His tiny parts and parcels who are also personalities – even if behind the firewall.

So let’s talk about the Virtual etiquette for Vaishnavas.  Unless we understand the importance of etiquette, we will never really be effective instruments in the hands of Guru and Krishna.  And without such a watchful service, there is no really going back home back to Godhead.  We will have to come back to learn our lessons.

The real quality of a Vaishnava is not how much he is reading, but how much he is behaving based on what he is reading.  This is the key.  If after reading all the rich, cream-like, philosophy of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, after all the services that we endeavor to do, if we cannot behave in a conducive manner, we are not really helping Krishna like us and that means, our life is of no value.  Srila Prabhupada says that in this age of Kali, there are so many people dressed as Vaishnavas and as kings but their words and actions are not befitting their title. We should not be so much keen on only the external form rather than the substance or the essence of that form.  It is not only wearing the essentials like kanti mala, tilak etc. that makes us a Vaishnava but also our interactions and behavior.  Wherever we go, we must remember we are brand ambassadors of Srila Prabhupada, our guru.  Others may not notice our actions or motives – but the Lord is watching every one of them.  And we must always understand the essence of pride.  We should never be proud of ourselves; but always try to behave in such a way that Guru and Krishna are proud of us.

Here are a few tips:

1.  Whenever one discusses anything on public domain, one should ask himself/herself three questions: is it necessary, is it kind, is it right.  It is so easy to say hurtful things on the Internet, because we think we don’t own the responsibility of how the other person feels because we don’t see that person.  Really?  I mean, Really?!  Point to ponder.
   
2. Many times I see devotees trying to convince or fight with people who follow other demigods or sects.  Srila Prabhupada says, ‘yata mat tata pat.’  There are many sects and beliefs people all over the world follow; we do not need to forcefully establish the inherent superiority of Vaishnavism.  No one has ever been successful in preaching without patience and tolerance.  In Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya Lila, 8.44, Srila Prabhupada writes, “When one engages in preaching work, he must distinguish between people and understand that some people are not engaged in the 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”
3. Preaching means changing the other person’s heart.  Not just winning an argument intellectually or philosophically.  This doesn’t imply philosophy is not important.  But we must remember that the best preacher is the most humble servant of guru.  The more we endeavor to please Srila Prabhupada with our submissive, loving behavior, the stronger we become empowered to preach.  In Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya 24.98, Srila Prabhupada says, “If a preacher behaves properly in devotional service, he will be able to convert others. Otherwise, his preaching will have no effect.”
4. Any virtual debate or discussion must happen in the mood of humility and not superiority or condescendence.  This humble mood is not artificial.  We must understand that without the mercy of Guru and Krishna, we cannot do anything.  That acceptance alone is sufficient to make us humble.
5. We must speak the truth but according to desa, kala and patra.  A Vaishnava’s goal is to make people Krishna Conscious.  This is the primary principle behind every interaction – face to face or virtual. “A Vaiṣṇava should be a touchstone so that he can convert others to Vaiṣṇavism by his preaching” (CC Madhya 24.277)
6. With regards to dealing with others who are innocent or misguided, we should try to give them our association for helping them move towards guru and Krishna.  But we should not take their association and become engaged by them in activities which give them material pleasure.
7. While dealing with atheistic and arrogant people online, we should avoid them; but we may try to give them knowledge from Guru, if they become willing to hear in proper mood, by the mercy of the Lord.  Any extra endeavor to convince them while they are rude and offensive is detrimental to our sadhana since it becomes an offense against the Holy Names.

Like Srila Prabhupada says, “A Kṛṣṇa conscious person engages his words in preaching the glories of the Lord. This is called kīrtana.”  (NoD, Introduction)

In essence, as followers of Srila Prabhupada, a pure devotee of Krishna, it is important to realize and embrace the fundamentals of devotee etiquette.  We have a long way to cover to become fully purified, but that doesn’t absolve us from the current accountability of proper behavior – right here, right NOW – especially in virtual media which are now becoming quite effective tools for spreading the message of Lord Caitanya.  Duplicity and Krishna Consciousness are foes.

 

CONSCIOUSNESS OF A DEVOTEE WHILE PREACHING

As practitioners of Krishna Consciousness, we come across many different people with many different personalities and propensities.  It is indeed a challenge to understand how to deal with each person while also avoiding unnecessary interactions that can hamper our devotional progress.  It is important for us to know that we have to develop and maintain the necessary attitude of a devotee towards karmis or even non-devotees – first being compassion.

Everyone in this world needs love, affection and genuine care and if nothing else, atleast empathetic disposition – all of which are so hard to come by in this Age of Quarrel. We have to help them without any expectations and how can we do this without being entangled in any one person’s problems?

There are three ways in which we can primarily induce someone to Krishna Consciousness, when they have no idea or interest in spiritual realization.

1.  Offering them prasadam:  This is the most effective and potent way of helping another living entity to get connected to Krishna and His direct Mercy.

2.  Distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books to them:  You can start with the small ones – and encourage them to read it by quoting examples on how it has made a difference in your life or anyone you know.  Most people hesitate to explore spiritual realms because they feel they need to drop everything that they are doing and become ascetics.  Srila Prabhupada says in his lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam 5.5.2, “So it doesn’t matter whether you remain outside home or inside home, what is your occupation, but do not forget your real business”.  So a devotee has to slowly and steadily remind all people he comes in touch with, their real business. And that, they can do it while remaining in whatever material position they are in.

3.  Inducing them to chant Holy names of the Lord – the Hare Krishna Mahamantra:  Namacharya Srila Haridasa Thakura says, “..The whole world will be inundated with the chanting of the holy name: with loud congregational chanting, the holy name is to be propagated widely among the masses. Those who are faithful will come forward and choose a bona fide spiritual master, receiving instructions and initiation in the name from him. By sincere chanting they will surely obtain love of Godhead, Krsnaprema.”  (Harinam Cintamani).  A devotee must always look for ways to expose karmis to the Holy name vibrations.  Inviting them for a temple program, special festival, celebrations, rath yatra, prasadam treats etc. are great ways to do this.

They key here is to build that bridge of trust and faith.  And convert that into a bonding through Krishna Consciousness (and nothing else!).  When we related to everyone through and for Krishna, there is no scope of fall down or contamination.  So the key is not to take their association but give them our association – for Krishna and Srila Prabhupada.  Else, like Srila Rupa Gosvami says, “if we get too entangled in associations with worldly minded persons who are not at all interested in Krishna consciousness, our devotional life will be spoiled” 

One should not, at any time, use the bond or relationship they build with mundaners, for extracting personal favors or benefits.  Not should we make it all about money collection for the temple, which is a good thought but is only a means to an end.  The end result we want for Srila Prabhupada is that, the people we associate with get attracted to Krishna and Krishna Consciousness movement.  And then, they will volunteer to services with all their body, mind, intelligence and other resources.

Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita 9.13

mahatmanas tu mam partha
daivim prakrtim asritah
bhajanty ananya-manaso
jnatva bhutadim avyayam
“O son of Prtha, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in
devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible.” 

Since all the devotees of the Lord are under the protection of His supreme potency, they should not deviate from the path of devotional service and take to the path of the karmi, jnani or yogi. This is called utsahan niscayad dhairyat tat-tat-karma-pravartanat, enthusiastically executing the regulative activities of devotional service with patience and confidence. In this way one can advance in devotional service without hindrance.

Above all, one should be careful to never be careless or relaxes on the importance of association with other advanced devotees.  In Srimad Bhagavatam 4.9.11 Dhruva Maharaj prays,

bhaktim muhuh pravahataam tvayi me prasango
bhuyaad ananta mahataam amalaashayaanaam
yenaanjasolbanam uru-vyasanam bhavaabdhim
neshye bhavad-guna-kathaamrta-paana-mattah

“O unlimited Lord, kindly bless me so that I may associate with great devotees who engage in Your transcendental loving service constantly, as the waves of a river constantly flow. Such transcendental devotees are completely situated in an uncontaminated state of life. By the process of devotional service I shall surely be able to cross the nescient ocean of material existence, which is filled with the waves of blazing, firelike dangers. It will be very easy for me, for I am becoming mad to hear about Your transcendental qualities and pastimes, which are eternally existent.”

So we must always take shelter of the Lotus Feet of the Bona fide spiritual master and the Supreme Lord Krishna and Their instructions.  Through them, our attitudes and associations – both get purified gradually and steadily and we can become dynamic, exemplary instruments in the propagation of Lord Caitanya’s movement.