(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Helsinki, Finland, 2011)

Vedic culture is sometimes very rigid in following rules and regulations. Especially nowadays, they do not even know why. The main reason why many Hindus are becoming Christians is because their elders are enforcing all these things, and they can't say why.

It's like stricter than strict………because India has been ruled by the smarta-brahmanas for a very long time. The smarta-brahmanas are particularly into following all rules and regulations. They have imposed upon society with so many rules and regulations. So everyone is just following someone:

" No…no…. no, you cannot drink like this! No…no…no you cannot do it at all!"

So there is excessive stress on following rules and regulations, in India due to thousands of years of smarta-brahmanas. So this excessive attachment to rules and regulations that is existing in India.

But on the other hand, in the vaisnava culture, we are also careful of maya. So there is strictness…..strictness is needed, because we are afraid of maya….so we are strict. So it is difficult to understand exactly the borderline….it takes time to understand in depth the distinction between vaisnava culture and vedic culture.

(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Helsinki, Finland, 2011)

A vaisnava must be honest even if that honesty is to his own disadvantage – he should not sacrifice it. He should publicly just maintain his honesty, and like that a vaisnava should stand for integrity. In the beginning devotional service is based on what you do, and as time is continuing it's not just what you are doing but also who you are, that is becoming important………more and more it becomes who you are! That we have to become saintly personalities!

It starts with commitments…………you have to make commitments. We have to start making commitments to certain things:

'Ok I am making a commitment to rise early, whether I am tired or not; I am making a commitment to be truthful; I am making a commitment to be tolerant; I am making a commitment to be clean.'

So gradually by making all these commitments, we are making a change, and in that way we are building our integrity!