Once, an elderly gentleman came to the temple with a letter from Srila Prabhupada that he’d received in Prabhupada’s absence, and the letter said, “When I come to New York, then you can see me and we will discuss.” Brahmananda had me take the gentleman over to Srila Prabhupada’s apartment at 26 Second Avenue, a block or two away from the temple. The gentleman was respectful. He said to Srila Prabhupada, “Swamiji, I like your teachings, but one of your disciples said that you said such-and-such person is a rascal,” and he mentioned a big spiritual person from India. The man said, “It seems to me that he’s a holy person. I don’t understand why you’d say he’s a rascal.” Prabhupada said, “Who has said this?” The man said, “You didn’t say that?” Prabhupada said, “If he says that I have said that and I have not said it, then he is a rascal.” The man became settled—he was relieved that Prabhupada hadn’t said that. Then Prabhupada took a little blue hardbound volume from his shelf and opened it. He showed the book to the man and said, “Do you know this book?” The man said, “Dr. Thus-and-so. Vedanta Society! Oh, yes!” He was pleased. Prabhupada opened the book and said, “Read this verse.” The verse was man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. The man read, “Always think of Me, become My devotee, offer your homage to Me, worship Me.” Prabhupada said, “Yes, he is a very good scholar, he has translated the verse nicely. Now what does the commentary say? Read.” The man began reading, “It is not to Krishna that we have to surrender but to the all-pervading unborn within Krishna.” Prabhupada said, “Just see! Therefore, I say they are all rascals.” Then Prabhupada quoted, na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah, mayayapahrta-jnana asuram bhavam asritah: “Anyone who doesn’t surrender to Me is a miscreant, the lowest of men, his knowledge is stolen by illusion, he is demonic in nature.” Prabhupada explained all of these words at length and said, “I am not saying they are rascals, Krishna is saying it. What can I do?“
Reference: Remembrances by Sidhanta Das- Folio Vedabase
