How to ensure that our behavior with our juniors is the same as with our seniors?

Transcript

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we need to go into the subject.
So, sometimes we may have a material ability like Hanuman had but then squirrel had the essence of devotion, Lord Ram appreciated that. So, sometimes we may, in front of our spiritual master act as very humble, say I have no abilities. But then with others we may put on a show that I have so much power.
Or we may dominate others based on our abilities or power. So, how do we maintain that integrity? Actually, it’s not necessary that it’s lacking in integrity if our behavior with different devotees is different. Bhakti Shyamlok also says that that if a devotee is chanting the holy names, you respect them in the mind.
A devotee is initiated, offer them obeisances. A devotee who is dedicated to serving Krishna, offer them initiation. A devotee who is pure-hearted, completely absorbed in Krishna, offer your life to them.
There is an etiquette in which there is a different way of dealing with different people. But overall, there is respectfulness towards everyone. Now, humility is something which a devotee needs to have with everyone.
But the humility may be expressed in different ways. Sometimes, humility may be expressed by bowing down to a person, by hearing submissively from them. And sometimes humility may also be expressed by in a humble mode of service, giving.
Prabhupada defines humility in a very pragmatic way in the 13th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, 8 to 12, that humility means to not be anxious, to have the satisfaction. So, if I have my subordinates, sometimes I may just speak pleasing words to them so that they will stay subordinate to me. So that they will think, they will stay my followers.
And sometimes, to speak strongly actually requires humility. Why? Because when I speak strongly to someone, I risk losing that person. That person may go away from me.
And if I am proud, if I have arrogance, then I may get my security. So, it could be that pride makes me pamper my followers, and humility empowers me to speak strongly. Now, the converse is also possible.
That I think I am so humble, who am I to instruct? And I don’t instruct when any instruction is needed. And I am so proud that I think, what do you know? Just listen to me. So, we don’t know exactly what is motivating whom in what situation.
So, for us, sometimes if Krishna has given us then we may have to take a position, the same example of Hanuman and squirrel, normally the focus is on that now, Hanuman is also a great devotee. And it is not that he lacks the substance of devotion. And this pastime I have not seen in the Valmiki Ramayana.
It is in other renditions of the Ramayana. So, usually when I tell that pastime, I say, some of the monkeys said, because I don’t want to cast Hanuman in a negative light. The point here is that Hanuman or the monkeys, when they felt that the squirrel is coming in the way, now Ram told them that she is certainly calling to her.
So, he wanted to focus on the substance of devotion. If Ram had the squirrel build a bridge for him, how long would it have taken? These huge monkeys, they with huge bodies brought huge boulders. So, when Shri Prabhupada was departing from the world, at that time he told, what will enable the spread of the Krishna consciousness movement all over the world? He said, it is organization and intelligence.
He did not say at that time purity, did not say how attentively you chant the holy names. Now, that is also important. But for the result to manifest in this world, certain material skills are also required.
Brahmanas will be simply satisfied with their knowledge. If somebody comes to seek knowledge, they will give knowledge. But it is Kshatriyas who will want to create a change in the world.
And they will create systems where change can be made. So, Prabhupada said, we need Brahmanas. So, the point which I am making is, we need to also look at the material abilities and if somebody has got good managerial ability and then they tell, you know, you do this, you do this, you do this.
And somebody else doesn’t have the managerial ability. If they try to delegate, they make a mess of things. So, functionally, I may be in a position of authority and I may instruct others.
But I see that simply as a service. I don’t dominate others. I don’t disrespect others.
But in a mode of service, we engage others. However, as we said, we may be respectful to our seniors, our spiritual masters, so that we can dominate our juniors. So, in that case, humility becomes the prize for entering into a power structure where we offer respect so that we can get respect.
That is very insidious. Then, I am completely two-faced. In front of my seniors, you have power, so I will offer respect to you.
But now, in front of my juniors, I have power, you must respect me. Our mood, however, is that in both, when dealing with us, we have a mood of service. The way we serve is different.
as our devotees, our disposition is one. I am a servant of Krishna. But our position and our action may vary depending on with whom we are interacting.
That we use our intelligence