Preaching only by the qualified

Art of Inspiring a person to take to the process of Krishna consciousness is often termed as preaching in Gaudiya Vaishanava lineage. However, it is a spiritual art as compared to other arts like painting, dancing, knitting, surgery etc. To learn as well as teach material art takes years of practice and certifications, before one can be appointed in govt institutions as an official teacher. Then, mastering the spiritual art which is much more profound and deep would also take lot of time and efforts before one can learn it perfectly and teach it. In Govt institutions in India, it is mandatory to hold a PhD degree to teach in any higher educational institutions. Such level of expertise is expected from the teacher.

Therefore, to preach Krishna consciousness properly it is important that the preacher must be thoroughly trained about the Vichar, Vyavhar and Vyavastha based on Krishna conscious vedic culture. If this protocol is not followed and preaching is being carried out by improperly trained persons then success may increase in terms of quantity but quality and purity of the teaching would be largely affected. When the quality of teachers is diluted then fanaticism, sectareanism, quarrels, hypocrisy, cheating, hurting emotionally also occurs as a side effect. In words of a local saint, it can be stated that if you are not an expert eye surgeon, you will sure crack the eye of your patient. 

Yesterday, I was going to one place by walking and I saw one cat who was looking very sick and I thought that I would take her to a vet doctor and I just looked around to see if there is someone who can also help me to do this work. There was a preacher of Krishna consciousness near me and I asked him for the help. He said that he would provide spiritual help to the cat by chanting few mantras to the cat , by which it would be spiritually benefitted and I said it is a good proposal. But then he also meant that his help would be restricted only for spiritual benefitting and he doesn't want to help anything to cure that cat. Rather, I felt that he was bound by his belief that spiritual help is the highest help which one can render to anyone and material help is very superficial. Although this belief is perfect but since he was not properly trained in the concept behind this belief, it made him insensititve to the pain the cat was feeling. He felt reluctant to come with me to vet doctor. He rather stressed that let the cat die after suffering the sickness and she would get a better birth in her next life since he has recited mantras in her ears. He felt that there is no need to offer health care service to the cat. I told him that if your mother becomes sick then also would you just recite mantras in her ears and let her die or will you try to save her because she is your mother. He said that he would try to save her through medicines etc. I then told him that it is now not a question of giving help at spiritual level or material level but it is more a question whom you consider your own and whom you consider as other. 

In this example, if this preacher would have been properly trained in Siddhanta he would be able to see everyone as his own and not do partiality between his own blood relatives and other people. He would be sensitive to the pain of cat and wanted to relieve her. Wouldn't the cat hear the mantras more happily if he would also be providing the medical help to her. 

The mood of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is preaching of Krishna consciousness to one and all in this world but at the same time in order to properly serve his mood, we have to take efforts to become trained through the process of personal sadhana, svadhyaya and service to exhalted Vaishanavas. It is easy to speak philosphy and pass as big scholars but it is challenging to be eager to let one's character gets refined and transformed by the process of Krishna consciousness. Nama Ruchi is the foundational principle of the movement of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nama ruchi would not arise till the time we are not respectful to each and every creation of God since all the jivas are very dear to God and if we are voilent towards any jiva, then the eternal father of Jiva which is also present in the Nama would become angry with us and will not let our Nama Ruchi flourish.

Training in Krishna consciousness therefore not only introduces you to the process of devotional services like sravanam, kirtanam, pada sevanam etc but also explains you the attitude while executing these processes and also the culture as well as disposition of mind of a person executing this processes is important to be effectively get benefitted from this processes.