Does one have to accept everything in the philosophy of ISKCON to become a devotee-preacher?

Hare Krishna.

Question. I accept the philosophy of ISKCON, but I don't believe that any organization has says everything that is completely correct. I want to become devoted to ISKCON.

I was thinking of becoming a full time devotee. But is it necessary that I should be accepting everything that is taught in this philosophy? Or if I accept majority of it and I feel that it is benefiting me and sharing that majority is benefiting others also. Can I still become a serious devotee and share Krishna consciousness with others? Answer.

We have to understand that first of all, it's not ISKCON's philosophy. It is the philosophy of the Shastras. ISKCON is simply teaching the philosophy that is given in the Vedic scriptures, especially the Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam.

Secondly, when we talk about accepting everything, what it refers to is, we will have to look at two different attitudes in this. After Krishna speaks the Bhagavad Gita's chatur shloki in 10.8 to 11, then Arjuna accepts what Krishna has said in 10.12 and 13 and then in 14 he says, Arjuna sort of, 12 and 13, he reiterates parambrahma paramdhama and then 12.14 he says sarvam etadritam manye, yanmam vadasike eshavar sarvam etadritam manye, I accept everything that you say, O Krishna. Now he says I accept everything that you say.

At the same time, if you will see, after the Bhagavad Gita, when the Mahabharata war starts and Abhimanyu is killed unfairly in the Chakravyuha, at that time Arjuna's heart broke. And in fact there are several dozens of verses which in very heart-rending detail describe the lamentation of Arjuna. So now Krishna's message was that be equipoised in happiness and distress.

And Arjuna is devastated in stress. So has Arjuna not accepted Krishna's message? Arjuna, there are natural human emotions which come to him also. When the son dies, the father is naturally going to be pained.

But the point is, don't become overwhelmed. So Arjuna is affected by the emotions but he is not overwhelmed. And the test of that is, he doesn't give up his service to Krishna, his service to Krishna continues.

So this is one kind of what might seem lack of acceptance. That means, Krishna gives a particular standard, but one is not able to follow the standard. And because of situations, one is shaken by emotions.

But overall one continues moving forward in one's path, which is given by Krishna, the path of bhakti. So if we are not able to emotionally accept and apply certain principles, although we accept those principles to be correct, Prabhupada talks about this in the paraphora of 3.31.