Slow but sure

Expressions researched:
"slow but sure" |"slow, but sure" |"slowly but surely"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

Slowly but surely he becomes free from bewilderment. Nothing should be accepted blindly; everything should be accepted with care and with caution.

BG 10.4-5, Purport:

Intelligence refers to the power to analyze things in their proper perspective, and knowledge refers to understanding what is spirit and what is matter. Ordinary knowledge obtained by a university education pertains only to matter, and it is not accepted here as knowledge. Knowledge means knowing the distinction between spirit and matter. In modern education there is no knowledge about spirit; they are simply taking care of the material elements and bodily needs. Therefore academic knowledge is not complete.

Asammoha, freedom from doubt and delusion, can be achieved when one is not hesitant and when he understands the transcendental philosophy. Slowly but surely he becomes free from bewilderment. Nothing should be accepted blindly; everything should be accepted with care and with caution. Kṣamā, tolerance and forgiveness, should be practiced; one should be tolerant and excuse the minor offenses of others.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Only a person who is in knowledge of the science of Kṛṣṇa, he can make an rapid advancement, and he is very dear to Kṛṣṇa. Because slow but sure, he is making sure progress.

Lecture on BG 7.15-18 -- New York, October 9, 1966:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a science. You have to take it scientifically, as they are described in the authoritative books, and test it by your reason and argument and knowledge, and follow it. It is science. It is not sentiment. Whatever we are doing here, the dancing, singing and everything, that is all scientific. Simply you have to understand it. Therefore jñānī, only a person who is in knowledge, who is in knowledge of the science of Kṛṣṇa, he can make an rapid advancement, and he is very dear to Kṛṣṇa. Because slow but sure, he is making sure progress.

If you follow the principles and slow but sure, without any doubt, you'll understand, yourself, "Yes. I am getting something."

Lecture on BG 10.2-3 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

So these are the process. And if you follow, asammūḍhaḥ, asammūḍhaḥ, if you follow the principles and slow but sure, asammūḍhaḥ, without any doubt, if you make... That is the... Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. If you follow, you'll understand, yourself, "Yes. I am getting something." It is not that you are in blindness, you are blindly following. As you follow the principles, you'll understand.

Just like if you eat proper nourishing foodstuff, you'll feel yourself strength and your hunger satisfied. You haven't got to ask anybody. You'll feel yourself. Similarly, if you come to the proper path and if you follow the principle, you'll understand, "Yes, I am making progress." Pratyakṣa... In the ninth chapter He has said pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ susukham.

And it is very easy. And you can do in happy mood. And what is the process? We chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and eat kṛṣṇa-prasāda and study Bhagavad-gītā philosophy, hear nice musical sounds. Is it very difficult? Is it very difficult? Not at all. So by this process you'll be asammūḍhaḥ. Nobody can cheat you. But if you want to be cheated there are so many cheaters. So don't make a cheater and cheated society. Just follow the paramparā system as it is prescribed in the Vedic literature, as it is recommended by Kṛṣṇa. Try to understand it from the authoritative source and try to apply it in your life.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

If somebody can recite Bhagavad-gītā like storm, it is to be understood he has perfected himself. No. Let him explain at least one word of Bhagavad-gītā. That is wanted. Slow, but sure.

Morning Walk -- April 4, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Without understanding, if you follow like a storm, that is no use. That is no use. Slow, but sure. Go slow... And that is the defect in the modern. If somebody can recite Bhagavad-gītā like storm, it is to be understood he has perfected himself. No. Let him explain at least one word of Bhagavad-gītā. That is wanted. Slow, but sure. That is going on. The professional Bhāgavata reciters, they jump over Kṛṣṇa's rāsa-līlā. The rascal does not explain the first line of Bhāgavatam, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). It requires many years to understand that one word, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), and he jumps over, "Bhāgavata recitation means rāsa-līlā." That is going on. That has spoiled the whole atmosphere.

Let us go slow but sure.

Morning Walk -- April 5, 1974, Bombay:

Indian man (2): Kṛṣṇa is described in the Upaniṣads. Then how can they say there is no Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Still, they say, "There was no Kṛṣṇa." That is the most regrettable incidence, that these people, they do not know what is Bhagavad-gītā, and still, they pose themselves as a knower of Bhagavad-gītā. Yes. That should be protested now. That is our mission. No, you cannot say like that.

Dr. Patel: We are going to read up to the mandir. Because we have not...

Prabhupāda: (break) ...study one line, that is sufficient. It does not mean to go like a storm and do not understand.

Dr. Patel: We don't go like a storm. We go very slowly.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Let us go slow but sure.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Slow, but sure, that is wanted. If you are slow, it is not bad, but it must be sure.

Interview with Jackie Vaughn (Black Congressman) -- July 12, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Just like in your country, the sense of black community, white community. Then, above that, for the nation. When there is war between America and other nation, then you black and white people forget the small interest for national interest. You advance to fight, to lay down your life. So in this way we can make progress, but such progress is not perfection. Such progress is not perfection. The example is given, just like there is tree, and the whole tree is full of branches, twigs and leaves and flowers and fruits. So somebody is watering the fruit, somebody is watering the leaf, somebody is watering the branches, somebody the twigs, but everyone is improper. One who is watering the root, he's perfect. He knows how to do things. If you water the root of the tree, it will go to the twigs, it will go to the leaves, it will go to the fruit, it will go to the flower. One who does not know the root, however he might be working very diligently for the poor humanity or community or society, they will never be successful to gain the result, peace and prosperity. They are forgetting the root. And root is God. So they must put water in the root. Then it will be all right. Otherwise, it will be all failure. The history of the world is like that. They are trying for the nation, for the society, for the community, and for the family, but everything has become unsuccessful.

Jackie Vaughn: I suppose we could use the same analogy for black and white getting together. Ofttimes, we all become impatient because of the progress appears to be so very, very slow.

Prabhupāda: Slow, but sure, that is wanted. If you are slow, it is not bad, but it must be sure. But if you become very busy without any surety, then what is this? Simply waste of time. Slow, there is English word, "Slow but sure."

Jackie Vaughn: Slow but sure.

Prabhupāda: Sure. So what we are proposing, that is sure success. And all other things, they are very busy but no success. This is the difference.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Slowly but surely. And the small book, first of all print.

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Harikeśa: And the Polish book, we were working like crazy but couldn't finish it in time.

Prabhupāda: No, should not be done... Slow...

Harikeśa: It will be ready in one week. That one is Easy Journey.

Prabhupāda: Slowly but surely. And the small book, first of all print.

Such foolish things are going on all over the world. So organize something reality and spread, slow but sure.

Room Conversation -- March 22, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: World Health Organization. Rascal, who is healthy? Everyone is going to die. "World Health Organization." They are manufacturing. They do not think that "Where is health?" Such foolish things are going on all over the world. So organize something reality and spread, slow but sure.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We shouldn't be impatient to compromise just to...

Prabhupāda: There is no question of becoming impatient. You have got diamond. No buyer of diamond—that does not mean you have to throw it away.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And sell something less.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Diamond is diamond. It must be purchased by the suitable customer. Because there is no customer I shall throw it away? So we have got diamond. It is not possible that everyone will purchase it, but there must be diamonds. People must know that "Here is diamond. If I want it, I must pay the proper price." That I want to establish. Why India's culture should be lost in this way, in the wilderness?I am not cheap patriot like Gandhi and... I want to give Indian culture to the whole world. I'm not going to cheat people, taking Bhagavad-gītā and speaking all nonsense. I want to present Bhagavad-gītā as it is. That is my mission. Why shall I cheat you, a gentleman?

Slow but sure. It will stay.

Room Conversation With Son (Vrindavan De) -- July 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here's a picture. It shows only two pictures. Here is the difference between the Moonies and us. Here is a picture of some Moon woman. She has a picture of Moon on her button and her daughter waving the American flag. And then here's us, the devotees. "Hare Kṛṣṇa followers parade on the street." This is in New York. These are some of the New York devotees. "The drop-out rate is high, but there is a slow though steady growth rate among the small membership." This is from the New York Times. I know all these devotees.

Prabhupāda: Slow but sure.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. "Slow but steady growth rate." There's quite a difference. What does this have to do with anything, having an American flag? This is our trademark, this shaved head.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Shaved head and tilaka. They all have tilaka, and beadbags. And everyone is happy here.

Prabhupāda: So there is some agitation about our movement, that "How it is going on, whether it will stay." So anything more?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. It's just... These are all signs that our movement is here to stay.

Prabhupāda: It will stay.

Things are going nice-slow but sure. You have got this Persian civilization and he has got the African civilization.

Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Ātreya Ṛṣi: It's your mercy, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (Prabhupāda chuckles) They respect you a lot in Tehran. The royalty respects you. The businessmen respect you. They really respect Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Persian civilization, very high, Aryan civilization.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: There was this Persian boy who was translating Bhagavad-gītā. He had come with me last month to Vṛndāvana to have your darśana. Then you had gone to London.

Prabhupāda: Anyway, things are going nice-slow but sure. You have got this Persian civilization and he has got the African civilization. (laughter) Black and white.

Bhakti-caru: Śrīla Prabhupāda? (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) (break) ...coming with the report of Persia and...

Hari-śauri: He's saying he's very much pleased when you gave the report of Persia.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: You should come and visit us, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: I am ready to go immediately.

So read one after another. Slowly but surely. Next verse.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think that Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja was also in an invalid state when he completed Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Śrīla Prabhupāda. He expressed throughout the book that sometimes it was very difficult, but on account of the Vaiṣṇavas' great desire to hear the glories of the Lord, he continued his work.

Ādi-keśava: And you compared yourself to him, also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kavi. Your Godbrothers always called you Kavi.

Kīrtanānanda: Kavirāja. Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Let us try. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So read one after another. Slowly but surely. Next verse.

Pradyumna:

vrajasya rāmaḥ premardher

vīkṣyautkaṇṭhyam anukṣaṇam

mukta-staneṣv apatyeṣv apy

ahetu-vid acintayat

Rāmaḥ (baladevaḥ)

Prabhupāda: Yes.

In this way, slow but sure. Then, even in this condition, I can help you.

Room Conversation About 10th Canto -- October 16, 1977, Vrndavana:

Pradyumna: And there's one interesting note, Vīrarāghavācārya. He says in the verse there is svayaiva māyayā. So he says, svayaiva māyayā iti anena sva-śarīraka paramātmā māyayā iti vivakṣitam.(?) Paramātmā, in his own body, had...

Prabhupāda: Upendra can give me little honey in my mouth.

Abhirāma: Śrīla Prabhupāda? I can give you the honey?

Prabhupāda: That's... Yes. Avirāma, "always working."

Pradyumna: Śrīla Prabhupāda, would you like to do the next verse?

Prabhupāda: If you like. Otherwise, make this verse correctly. Then take up the next.

Pradyumna: Yes. Everything was very nicely explained, Śrīla Prabhupāda, very...

Prabhupāda: Pick up the words? Set up in right place. It will be nice. In this way, slow but sure. Then, even in this condition, I can help you. There is no question of hurrying. Finish one verse, husband and wife, one day. And make it everything clear. Eh?

Pradyumna: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Vīrarāghavācārya, Sanātana Gosvāmī, Viśvanātha Cakravartī. We are just trying to explain their ideas. We are teeny.

Pradyumna: I think your commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam will go down in history as one of the most..., one of the best commentaries. It will go down.

Prabhupāda: Let us try for that. (takes honey) Hm... Therefore I said "Upendra," (laughter) because it is solidified.

1968 Correspondence

I am so pleased to learn about your slow but sure progress in the matter of your most glorious London yatra.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Seattle 1 October, 1968:

My Dear Syamasundara

Please accept my blessings. I am so pleased to learn about your slow but sure progress in the matter of your most glorious London yatra. I am sure Krishna will help you fully and do it seriously. I hope the letter of Alan Ginsberg will help you greatly. If you think so right you can open a/c external sterling scheme with the _____ London and let me know the a/c number. Hope this will find you in good health. Offer my blessings to Gurudasa Yamuna, Janaki & Malati. ACB

Let us grow slowly but surely. Let us try our best to spread this Krishna Consciousness movement with sincerity.

Letter to Mukunda -- Seattle 15 November, 1968:

So far Mr. George Harrison is concerned, he promised to call Dayananda, but he has not done so. Therefore I think it is not probable to meet him. It doesn't matter, let us grow slowly but surely. Let us try our best to spread this Krishna Consciousness movement with sincerity. And Krishna will give us all facilities. After all, it is Krishna's business. We are simply servitors. Our sincere desire is to serve Him and this is our bona fide position. Krishna says that we should give up all engagements and be seriously in Krishna Consciousness and surrender unto Him.

1969 Correspondence

Our disciples in Hamburg are proposing to purchase a printing machine, and they have sent me the news for my approval. So by the Grace of Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, His mission in this part of the world is progressing slowly but surely.

Letter to Sraman Maharaja -- Los Angeles 15 January, 1969:

You will be glad to know that our London center is working for the last 5 months, and by the Grace of Srila Prabhupada, some English man there has agreed to donate a house for our temple there which is worth not less than Rs 800,000. The preaching work in other parts of our activities are going on, especially in Los Angeles, New York, Montreal, Boston, London and Hamburg. We have an invitation from Guyana, So. America, as well as from Hawaii where we have already got our own temple. Back To Godhead is being published both in English and French language and very soon He will appear in the German language. Our disciples in Hamburg are proposing to purchase a printing machine, and they have sent me the news for my approval. So by the Grace of Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, His mission in this part of the world is progressing slowly but surely.

There is no rush you can paint pictures slowly but surely very nice.

Letter to Rukmini -- Los Angeles 31 January, 1969:

P.S. While Jadurani is sick you can continue the work slowly. There is no rush you can paint pictures slowly but surely very nice.

It doesn't matter if things are going a little slow; but make everything slow but sure. That is a good principle.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 15 July, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 6, 1969, and it is very encouraging. The best thing is that you have now a first-class building for a temple at 7 Bury Place. It doesn't matter if things are going a little slow; but make everything slow but sure. That is a good principle. To do things hastily and incorrectly is not good.

Regarding Nectar of Devotion, although it has been little procrastinated, things should be done slow but sure.

Letter to Pradyumna -- Tittenhurst 13 October, 1969:

Regarding Nectar of Devotion, although it has been little procrastinated, things should be done slow but sure. Your questions certainly are not stupid. They are very intelligent questions and I am just pleased to discuss all these matters threadbare. I quite approve of your way of thinking. So do the work and Krishna will help you.

1970 Correspondence

In this way, the whole Society has been organized and incorporated under Religious and Societies Act in different countries like U.S.A., England, Canada, etc., and things are improving slowly but surely.

Letter to Aranya Maharaja -- Los Angeles 27 February, 1970:

In the beginning of my preaching work in the Western countries, I thought that some of our men from India should come here because I came here alone, single handed, without any men or money. By the Grace of Lord Caitanya the young boys and girls enthusiastically joined me while I was chanting Hare Krsna Mantra in the public parks. In this way, the whole Society has been organized and incorporated under Religious and Societies Act in different countries like U.S.A., England, Canada, etc., and things are improving slowly but surely.

1971 Correspondence

So try to attract these students with profuse prasadam and nice philosophy and they will appreciate more and more. Slow but sure, that is our motto—and class, not mass.

Letter to Lalita Kumar, Jambavati -- Vrindaban 27 November, 1971:

I am very pleased that your preaching work is going on nicely. That is the test, that you are making devotees. Especially I want this school and college program. If only the intelligent class of men understand our Krishna philosophy, then our mission is successful. So try to attract these students with profuse prasadam and nice philosophy and they will appreciate more and more. Slow but sure, that is our motto—and class, not mass. So never mind some other Christian movements are getting many followers. The competition is beneficial for us. Everything is beneficial for Krishna consciousness if it is utilized properly. That is the art.

1972 Correspondence

Our process is slow but sure, not that we must do everything immediately and then later on regret it.

Letter to Cyavana -- Los Angeles 15 September, 1972:

The boy Sharma from Bombay may come there to join you if you want him. By your own work you can recruit men locally, that is the best process. So immediately resume the preaching work amongst the Africans and show yourselves as always meek and humble and refrain from a tough attitude and in this way gain their confidence. Gradually you will recruit men locally and they will be able to share the responsibilities. Our process is slow but sure, not that we must do everything immediately and then later on regret it. Many of our big centers started with only a handful of men and because they were determined to expand by recruiting the local men, that has been their success.

Never mind it takes little time to make progress, our process is slow but sure, and we are confident that if we continue in this way we shall go one day back to home, back to Godhead.

Letter to Bhagavan -- Vrindaban 5 November, 1972:

One thing is, if that printer is so cheap, why not print all our European books there? Anyway, print books, distribute profusely, and that will be the best preaching work. What will your three minutes' preaching do?—but if they buy one book, it may turn their life. So make this your important task, to print our books in French language and other languages, and distribute widely, and that will please my Guru Maharaja. Never mind it takes little time to make progress, our process is slow but sure, and we are confident that if we continue in this way we shall go one day back to home, back to Godhead.

1974 Correspondence

All your programs are approved by me; simply if you keep on with it, slowly but surely we will become very solidly situated there with many devotees and books and temples. Krsna simply wants to see our desire.

Letter to Bhagavan -- Bombay 6 April, 1974:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of 30/3/74 along with the French edition of Back to Godhead which is certainly a great pleasure for me. I can see by this publication and by your report that things are going on nicely in Europe. All your programs are approved by me; simply if you keep on with it, slowly but surely we will become very solidly situated there with many devotees and books and temples. Krsna simply wants to see our desire.

Our progress is slow but sure, when walking down the street, we first place one foot down and when it is firm we take another step. We want to firmly establish centers in South America.

Letter to Hrdayananda -- Geneva 4 June, 1974:

Of course I am encouraged to hear that in each center you have stressed the distribution of my books and you are seeing that devotees daily go out for sankirtana as a primary devotional item. So you have a very wide range of area to cover and many things to look after, please do it very soberly, consulting when necessary with your GBC Godbrothers. Our progress is slow but sure, when walking down the street, we first place one foot down and when it is firm we take another step. We want to firmly establish centers in South America.

1975 Correspondence

It is very good that you are progressing with the book proving scientifically that Lord Sri Krishna is the origin of life. Yes, do it slowly but surely.

Letter to Svarupa Damodara -- Los Angeles 23 June, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 20, 1975 with enclosures, and I thank you very much for it. It is very good that you are progressing with the book proving scientifically that Lord Sri Krishna is the origin of life. Yes, do it slowly but surely. It is important work for our preaching mission.

Regarding Spain, yes, don't risk anything. You've got sufficient engagement in the other European cities. Do everything slow but sure.

Letter to Bhagavan -- Bombay 14 November, 1975:

Regarding Spain, yes, don't risk anything. You've got sufficient engagement in the other European cities. Do everything slow but sure. The new French Back to Godhead is very nice. Amsterdam temple has also grown to 55 devotees. This is a credit, not that the temple should be a place simply for good residence.