Śrīpāda Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja (Iskcon GBC member): We see that we must be so careful not to commit nāma-aparādha, sevā-aparādha, and vaiṣṇava-aparādha. But sometimes, as managers of an institution, we must distinguish right from wrong, and we must analyse another person’s behaviour for the purpose of protecting our institution, and even perhaps helping that person.
So, how do we keep free from vaiṣṇava-aparādha, and at the same time be able to perform sevā to the Vaiṣṇava or the institution when we have to analyse or even perhaps criticize?
It may be criticism in a helpful way, but still it is criticism.
Śrīla Bhaktivedanta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: At that time we may remember Kṛṣṇa and Yaśodā in the pastime of Mother Yaśodā tying Kṛṣṇa to the grinding mortar (Dāmodara-bandana-līlā). Yaśodā says to Kṛṣṇa:
“May I beat You?”
And she ‘rebukes’ Him so much. She does not slap Him, but she shows her stick as if she will do so, and she strongly chastises Him. But she is not committing any aparādha, because her heart and mood is favourable (anukūla-bhāva). This means she desires only His happiness. Her heart is devoid of any unfavourable mood (pratikūla-bhāva). We should be very careful. We may use some rough words for the purpose of management; but this must be done with love (prīti), and it can only be done with prīti if our inner heart is such. There cannot be any mood of revenge, or hatred, or anything of the sort. We can give someone a slap and rebuke him, but with prīti, so that his nature will change. if someone is acting against bhakti, we will give him appropriate śikṣā. A madhyama-adhikārī has the right to act in this way. However, if we are not pure and we criticize repeatedly, our heart becomes like a stone and our fear of committing vaiṣṇava-aparādha goes away. So, we should be very careful. if we do anything wrong to anyone, by heart also, with Kṛṣṇa also, or with any Vaiṣṇavas, it is essential that we try to please those Vaiṣṇavas according to their position in bhakti.