Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 12.44
Diplomacy in the Lord’s Service
“Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya was indeed a diplomatic minister for the King. His general behavior was very expert, and simply by describing the King’s love for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he gradually softened the Lord’s mind.”
What the purport teaches
- Some great devotees were government officers with backgrounds of very opulent householder life. They knew how to deal with people.
- Rāmānanda Rāya expertly described the King’s love for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and gradually softened the Lord’s mind, although the Lord had decided not to meet the King.
- Rāmānanda Rāya’s diplomacy and the devotees’ entreaties succeeded. Diplomacy used for the service of the Lord is a form of devotional service.
Try this today
Use one thoughtful, tactful conversation today to help with a task in the Lord’s service.
Ask yourself
How could my ability to deal thoughtfully with people be used in the Lord’s service?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport; the practice and question are plain words for trying the verse today.