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Reference: Srila Prabhupada on
Corporal Punishment of Children

Latest update: September 2, 2017

Please don’t confuse proper, justified corporal punishment, sanctioned by Srila Prabhupada, with sexual molestation/rape of helpless children, which is abominable. Even hardened criminals regard adults who force helpless children to have sex with them to be the lowest of the low! It’s called “pedophilia.” Pedophiles belong in jail.

But now there are certain rascals within the Hare Krishna Movement who are trying to re-write history! Not only that, but they are being very offensive in that they are criticizing former gurukula headmasters and teachers for using corporal punishment. They do this by quoting some private letters from 1972. But, in late 1976 Srila Prabhupada said “As you think.” That means that he specifically sanctioned the beating of the gurukula children because that is exactly what Jagadisa, the ISKCON GBC Minister of Education, suggested be done in a particular case! (See quotes below.) Therefore, to criticize the former gurukula headmasters and teachers in this way is demoniac! These sincere souls were simply doing their best to follow Srila Prabhupada’s instructions!

When I first became a gurukula headmaster in 1981, all of the gurukulas used corporal punishment. All of the headmasters knew that it was Prabhupada’s instruction, all of the GBCs knew it, all of the teachers knew it, and all of the parents knew it. None of us had even heard of those letters to the contrary from 1972. There is no such letter after 1972, so, obviously, Prabhupada changed his mind. In any case, the letters were obviously not regarded as having any significance whatsoever. Otherwise we would have heard about them at the headmasters’ meetings.

But why aren’t there more quotes by Prabhupada which give specific instructions on how to discipline the children? There were many discussions between Srila Prabhupada and The Minister of Education on this subject, but meetings between Prabhupada and the ISKCON leaders were not allowed to be tape recorded. I ought to know. I tried to record one such meeting.

Anyway, as far as I know, corporal punishment is no longer allowed in the gurukulas. Time will tell whether this yields better or worse results. The Christians say, “Spare the rod and spoil the child!” That’s the main reason why the Bible Belt states in the USA still allow corporal punishment of children by parents and teachers.

Please note, by reading the quotes below, that Srila Prabhupada seemed very concerned that the children were being physically punished for not chanting japa. His point was that this policy might cause the children to rebel against chanting japa when they got older.

Please also note that Srila Prabhupada, after 1972, said things in favor of the corporal punishment of children by their parents and teachers, but didn’t say anything against it.

“If the captain of the ship says ‘5 degrees starboard’ and the first mate replies, ‘But captain, before you told me 10 degrees port,’ then it can be understood that the first mate has gone insane.”

1. Prabhupada: “Encourage them to chant as much japa as possible, but there is no question of force or punishment. If there is need you may shake your finger at them but never physical punishment is allowed. Try as far as possible to discipline them with love and affection, so that they develop a taste for austerity of life and think it great fun to serve Krsna in many ways. Rising early and mangal arati, this is enough austerity.” (Letter to Aniruddha, January 10, 1972)

2. Prabhupada: “Regarding your other questions: Children may be recommended for initiation when they are twelve years old. We should avoid as far as possible any physical punishment to train children. It is better to use sweet words or if it is absolutely necessary to punish then you may bind with ropes in one place or show the cane, but do not use—like that. I have recently explained to Aniruddha in Dallas school and you may write to him for details. The most important thing however is to see that somehow or other the children are always engaged in some kind of Krsna conscious activity, then they will naturally develop a taste for it and think it great fun even to work very hard for Krsna’s pleasure.” (Letter to Svati, January, 1972)

3. Prabhupada: “Keep them always happy in Krishna Consciousness, and do not try to force or punish or they will get the wrong idea. By and by, if they are satisfied in this way, they will all grow up to be first-class preachers and devotees.” (Letter to Satsvarupa, February 16, 1972)

4. Prabhupada: “So first obedience by the children. That is not always by punishing or by force, but sometimes by showing the stick, without necessarily hitting and sometimes it is learning how to trick them or even cheat them into obeying you voluntarily and enjoying by their obedience.” (Letter to Stokakrsna, June 20, 1972)

5. Prabhupada: “So I have heard that there has been some beating with sticks on the children. Of course I do not know, but that should not be. You may show the stick, threaten, but better art is to somehow or other, even by tricking them, avoid this matter of force and induce them to obey out of loving spirit. That is success of disciplinary method.” (Letter to Rupa Vilasa, November 18, 1972)

6. Prabhupada: “Now the thing is, children should not be beaten at all, that I have told. They should simply be shown the stick strongly. So if one cannot manage in that way then he is not fit as teacher. If a child is trained properly in Krsna Consciousness, he will never go away. That means he must have two things, love and education. So if there is beating of child, that will be difficult for him to accept in loving spirit, and when he is old enough he may want to go away—that is the danger. So why these things are going on—marching and chanting japa, insufficient milk, too strict enforcement of time schedules, hitting the small children? Why these things are being imposed? Why they are inventing these such new things like marching and japa like army? What can I do from such a distant place? They should run and play when they are small children, not forced to chant japa, that is not the way.” (Letter to Bhanutanya, November 11, 1972)

7. Prabhupada: “Regarding your question should force be used on children, no, there shall be no forcing the children to do anything. Child should not be forced. This is all nonsense. Who has devised these things? If we want them to become great devotees, then we must educate the children with love, not in a negative way. Of course, if they become naughty we may show the stick but we should never use it. Child is nonsense, so you can trick him to obey you by making some little story and the child will become cheated in the proper behavior. But never apply force, especially to his chanting and other matters of spiritual training. That will spoil him and in the future he will not like to do it if he forced.” (Letter to Brahmanya Tirtha, December 10, 1972)

“I may say many things to you, but when I say something directly, ‘Do it,’ your first duty is to do that. You cannot argue, ‘Sir, you said me like this before.’ No, that is not your duty. What I say now, you do it. That is obedience. You cannot argue.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam Class, April 15, 1975, Hyderabad, India)

8. Prabhupada: “Just like sometimes we punish our children; we give a very strong slap. That is…out of love. There is love.”­ (Srimad-Bhagavatam Class, April 21, 1973, Los Angeles, USA)

9. Prabhupada: “Just like if you want to train your children, sometimes you have to slap, you have to chastise for his benefit.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam Class, April 12, 1975, Hyderabad, India)

10. Prabhupada: “But if this is done in America, they will accuse us of child cruelty although this is actually the saving grace of the child and he becomes very blissful. Therefore in all ways it is obvious that the best place to have this gurukula is in Vrindaban and this should be done before the US Government starts to cause a disturbance which will harm us, and before we have to waste large sums of money on a risky endeavor which may turn out to be a complete failure.” (Letter to: Jayatirtha, Mayapur 20 January, 1976)

11. Prabhupada: “Child is not interested for education. But it is the duty of the father to make him educated, sometimes punish him. So a child may be foolish, but how the parents can be foolish?” (Magazine Interview - June 6, 1976, Los Angeles)

12. Prabhupada: “As the father gives slap to rogue child, that is also kindness.” (Room Conversation - August 11, 1976, Tehran, Iran)

13. Prabhupada: “A devotee is never disturbed when the father gives slap or the master gives slap.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam Class, September 20, 1976, Vrndavana, India)

14. Rupa-vilasa: Bhavananda told me he did not want to see that boy again.

Pradyumna: In Mayapura he had some girl…

Jagadisa: In my opinion, the best thing is to make an example and beat him.

Prabhupada: Yes, send him to farm, work in the field. If he does not work, beat him. Murkhasya laktausadhih.

Yasodanandana: He was just in Hyderabad for that ceremony there, and he caused such disruption in the whole temple that I don’t think they’d want him there.

Jagadisa: The thing is, if we beat him here [in the gurukula] and keep him here, then all the boys will straighten up because they will see that if they go bad, then this will be their punishment.

Prabhupada: As you think, you can do. But I wanted to engage in farm work, in digging.

(Room Conversation about Gurukula - November 5, 1976, Vrndavana, India)

15. Prabhupada: “As the father gives slap to rogue child, that is also kindness…” (Room Conversation - August 11, 1976, Tehran, Iran)

16. Prabhupada: “Child cannot see. He’s a rascal. He should be beaten with shoes. Then he will see. The child cannot see. Putram ca sisyam ca tadayen na tu lalayet [Canakya Pandita]: ‘Sons and disciples should be always chastised.’ That is Canakya Pandita. ‘Never pat them.’ Lalane bahavo dosas tadane bahavo gunah… ‘If you pat, then he’ll be spoiled. And if you chastise him, he’ll come out a very nice person. Therefore, either disciple or son, they should be always chastised.’ This is the injunction of Canakya Pandita. There is no question of patting them.” (Morning Walk Conversation - February 1, 1977, Bhubaneswar, India)

17. Prabhupada: “Yes, insult. The animals should be kicked with shoes and stick. Argumentum baculum. There is no argument for animals. Kick and stick. Beat him. That is the way of dealing with animal. You cannot request an animal very… ‘My dear dog, please do not bark. Sit down.’ Simply kick and give him stick. That is good. They’re animals. Gentle behavior with gentleman, not with the animal. ‘You are so big, big animal, you are simply to be kicked and whipped. Then you’ll come to your senses.’” (Room Conversation - February 18, 1977, Mayapura, India)

18. Prabhupada: …And from fifth year to fifteenth year you should chastise the sons and disciples just like tiger. After five years.

Mr. Koshi: Using the stick.

Prabhupada: Yes.

(Interview with the assistant editor of The Current Weekly - April 5, 1977, Bombay, India)

19. Prabhupada: “Just like a small child is fighting with his strong father. So one slap by the strong father is sufficient to the small child.” (Discussion with Hayagriva Dasa about John Stuart Mill’s Philosophy)

20. Prabhupada: “The Lord is not envious. The killing of the demons is also a display of His affection. Sometimes we may punish our children by giving them a very strong slap because of love. Similarly, when Krsna kills a demon this killing is not on the platform of material jealousy or envy, but on the platform of affection.” (Teachings of Queen Kunti, Chapter 12 - Bewildering Pastimes)

My thanks to Sanjaya Dasa, Buddhi Yogam Dasa and Sanaka Rsi Dasa for helping me to find the above quotes.

Your servant, Pratyatosa Dasa (ACBSP)


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