By Kesava Krsna DasaFor instance, a ‘strict’ brahmacari gets into managerial positions and manages for the betterment of ISKCON, but in doing so also polarises a number of devotees and congregation members with his ‘take-it-or-leave-it approach. Later, the brahmacari is awarded the sannyasa order. At his sannyasa ceremony, he apologises for any hurt he might have caused. Would that apology be an institutional apology or a self-apology? It is an institutional apology. Are we to expect that this type of apology will absolve him of all offences committed on a personal self-level? In the meantime he might feel safe knowing he is ‘exonerated’, but Vaisnava realisations teach us that the offences will remain until they are forgiven on a person-to-person self-level.