Answer
Therefore, this dovetailing is essential. That is why it is said one cannot make progress in spiritual life without sadhu-saṅga and full faith in one’s sadguru. The Lord is situated in the heart as the Supersoul, so why should we doubt that He will guide us if we sincerely try to follow?
Just as Prabhupada explains, one cannot independently imitate Arjuna and justify violence. Arjuna acted only because he received direct instruction from Krishna. Initially, Arjuna even doubted violence in the Lord’s service. Similarly, we must examine the source of our own impulses. When we doubt whether our anger, desire, or enthusiasm is appropriate, that doubt itself is useful for a sādhaka. It helps us check whether the impulse is spiritual or coming from karmic conditioning.
For a pure devotee, there is no such question. His anger, desire, and enthusiasm arise from a completely spiritual platform — for spreading Krishna consciousness and serving the Lord. But for us, these impulses may arise from rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, lust, or accumulated karmic tendencies. We are born with these influences in this body. Therefore, we must be careful.
So in the case of a pure devotee, there is spontaneous dovetailing. In our case, dovetailing requires discrimination. When anger (krodha) arises, we should not simply let the six enemies loose. We must seek guidance, pray to the Lord, and align our actions properly. If someone is initiated by Prabhupada, then Prabhupada will guide him — that is his transcendental responsibility. This is the meaning behind the statement that the guru takes responsibility for the disciple’s karma: he guides the disciple toward proper engagement.
Thus, one should have faith that the Lord in the heart, along with Prabhupada’s instructions, will guide us. Dovetailing happens in different degrees of purity. One person may be attached in one area and detached in another, according to karmic tendencies. Until the desire for independent enjoyment is fully removed, we move through stages — devotional service in passion, in goodness, and eventually pure devotional service. This is a gradual training, not blind dovetailing.
Therefore, when a sādhaka experiences anger, he should carefully consider whether it should be expressed and how it can be engaged in the Lord’s service. When Prabhupada becomes angry, he does not need to check himself. But when a sādhaka becomes angry, he should thoughtfully decide how to control and properly dovetail that emotion in the best interest of the Lord.
