Does Prabhupada say its ok to break laws or societies norms to preach and serve Krishna?
Murari Gupta Das
No...he told for his disciples follow up countries laws.
Thomas Garden Tamoharadasa Acbssp
We are law-abiding, conservative, do not wish to create a loud sensation or disturb in normal human society. We obey all the righteous Kings and laws of countries we reside in. On the other hand, sometimes yes ! This creates a comedic or tragic or astonishing humor etc in bhakti rasa. Recall the brahmanas doing strict sacrifice, who failed to feed Krsna Balarama due to being absorbed in pukka ritual. By being so strictly religious, they failed to serve. Recall, even more close, the activities of the gopis, who leave their own homes to sneak out at night. Or Sri Govinda, Lord Caitanya's servant, who chose to step over the sleeping form of Lord Mahaprabhu as service was to be done for the same Lord, thus committing an offense to get service done. ..........So, there is some room for discretion in raga nuga bhakti, but otherwise as the three brahmans all agree, above in comments, one should follow the local laws carefully, so as not to disturb. This was SP's instructions. In raga nuga sankirtan bhakti, we often distributed books against the local laws, steal/picked flowers (which SP did not like so we stopped), seeing as it is an emergency and authorized by a higher authority, Sri Guru. Therefore, we can conclude that devotional service is higher in authority than man's laws, but as a rule, we advise and pracrtice carefully to obey the King's law, so long as it does not interfere with sankirtan. Sacinandana Himself led the nagar kirtan against the Khazi who dared stop sankirtan... I recall once in Memphis Tennessee, SP told us if a man says something blasphemous, to hit him with your shoe ! HAHA ! One devotee did on the stret that next day ! Rupanuga had to go to the jail to bail him out. It made the local newspapers, how Swami was there to beat sinners with shoes, lol something like this. He was also in great bliss hearing of the Chicago devotees fist fights with the demons at the O'Hare Airport, Chicago. I had to dodge security guards hundreds of times to distribute BTG in malls in USA and Canada. We usually wore pants and wigs.
Comments