By Giriraj Swami
Sometimes people are suspicious if spiritual performances are too simple. They want to see something elaborate, something gorgeous, something complicated, and then they have faith that it is proper. Srila Prabhupada used the same approach as mentioned here when he installed the Deities of Krishna-Balarama in Vrindavan. He invited the local brahmans to chant mantras and light sacrificial fires. He did so to satisfy them and to inspire faith in the community that the installation was being done properly. Later, Srila Prabhupada wrote, “We would simply have performed sankirtana, but then the inhabitants of Vrindavan would not have taken the installation ceremony seriously.” So, to satisfy the local residents and instill faith that the installation was done properly with local brahmans, he observed the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. But Srila Prabhupada’s disciples still performed loud sankirtana, and Srila Prabhupada “considered the sankirtana more important than the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies.” (SB 6.3.25 purport)