Disagreements Amongst Ourselves Are Natural

Śrīla Prabhupāda offers a profound and practical understanding of conflict resolution. He teaches that because every living entity is an eternal individual, total homogeneity is impossible—that would be impersonalism. Therefore, disagreements are natural and inevitable, even amongst advanced devotees. The danger lies not in the disagreement itself, but in how it is handled. The instruction is clear: we must adjust our differences by keeping Kṛṣṇa in the center and never allow "flimsy" misunderstandings to drive us away from the association of devotees.

Natural Individuality

Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that unity does not mean uniformity. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is variety, and where there is variety, there will be difference of opinion. He points out that even in the spiritual world, amongst the gopīs, there is "transcendental rivalry." Therefore, slight disagreements are simply a symptom that we are individuals with independent intelligence, not dead stones or robots.

• So long we are individual souls, there must be disagreement also, because that is the symptom of individuality. But when such individual is surrendered unto Krishna, there should not be any disagreement.
• So if there is sometimes slight disagreements between devotees, it is not due to impersonalism, but it is because they are persons, and such disagreements should not be taken very seriously.
• In Krishna Consciousness there is variety but there is no discord. We may fight with one another on the point of serving but that is not a discord.

Do Not Leave the Association

One of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s strongest warnings is against leaving the movement due to interpersonal friction. He considers it a sign of spiritual immaturity if a devotee abandons their service over a minor quarrel. He asks, "If one moment you are willing and the next moment there is some small disagreement and immediately you all go away, how can I be calm in my mind?" To leave the shelter of ISKCON because of a disagreement is to fall victim to māyā.

• Do not let yourself fall out of this association. Even if it is very difficult and there may be many problems or disagreements still simply by remaining in the association of devotees and follow our regulative principles, chanting 16 rounds, rising early.
• The fact that you have left our movement just on account of some minor disagreements shows that you are not actually serious about going back to home, back to Godhead.

Adjusting for the Central Point

The solution to disagreement is to focus on the "Central Point"—Kṛṣṇa. If the goal is personal prestige, disagreement leads to ruin. But if the goal is to please Kṛṣṇa, disagreement is just a discussion on how to serve Him better. Śrīla Prabhupāda advises that even if opinions differ, the devotees should "patch it up" for the sake of the mission, recognizing that everyone is working for the same end.

• Competition, disagreement, or even dissension, if they are there, and the center is Krishna, such disagreement is not material.
• The devotees' disagreement does not last long because they patch it up for Krsna's sake, because they are all working for the same end - Krsna's service.

Forgive and Forget

Ultimately, living in a community requires tolerance. Śrīla Prabhupāda pragmatically states that "whenever there are two men in a place, there is always some misunderstanding." The Vaiṣṇava standard is not to hold grudges but to forgive and move forward. He encourages his disciples to act maturely, reminding them that expert management means engaging everyone despite their differences, not splitting into parties.

• We should learn to forget and forgive minor incidents because whenever there are two men in a place, there is always some misunderstanding.
• They may have had some disagreement with you, but expert management means to engage all of the devotees and not allow them to split into different parties.

Conclusion

Disagreement is a test of our surrender. If we allow it to divide us, we remain on the material platform. If we use it to refine our service while maintaining our solidarity, we pass the test. Śrīla Prabhupāda’s final request is simple: "You must jointly work because both of you, you have started this New Vrindaban, and you have to work jointly. There may be sometimes disagreement, but you should settle up. Otherwise how you can make progress?"

Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani

Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Our Disagreements With Each Other (Disciples of SP). We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.