Potential devotees

Expressions researched:
"potential devotee" |"potential devotees"

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 24, 1974, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Bombay. And he's speaking on Gītār Gān. Gītār Gān means to construct a big śiva-liṅga temple. He's proving himself a rascal by his activities. He's a rascal number one. He has gone many times to foreign countries, but not a single foreign student he has got. (break) ...from atheistic fools who are not prepared to follow any rules and regulations, they are after him.

Akṣayānanda: That Sai Baba too...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone.

Akṣayānanda: Many of those young boys and girls, they are potential devotees. They are just in it for a bit of fun. A bit of fashion or fun.

Prabhupāda: Similarly Rajneesh. (break) ...very good intelligence, Lieberman.

Satsvarūpa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes, he's speaking very nicely. He's fit for that position. Similarly our, what is his name?

Satsvarūpa: Balavanta.

Prabhupāda: Balavanta. He's also very nice. If we get some important votes in the government, then our mission will be successful. This, our philosophy is being properly ventilated, it is coming in the papers, isn't it? On account of this political leadership. And I see that his statements are published profusely. Not with other contemporaries. And what they'll speak? They have no sense, they have no leadership idea.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Prahlāda Mahārāja was offered, "Whatever you like, you take." He said, "No, no, I don't want anything. Please engage me in the service of Your servant." He rejected everything. He simply said, nīja-dāsya-yogam: "Kindly engage me in the service of Your servant." That is wanted.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, Prahlāda Mahārāja...

Prabhupāda: He did not want even direct service. "Engage me in Your service," he did not say.

Guru dāsa: No.

Prabhupāda: He said, "Engage me in Your servant's service."

Guru dāsa: So if we see people in the world as potential devotees, we should also serve them so they can become good devotees.

Prabhupāda: That is not service. That is mercy. One who is potential devotee, to show him mercy, develop him to become a devotee, that is mercy. That is not service. Service can be rendered to the higher person. And to the lower person you can show your mercy.

Guru dāsa: Oh, that's a good distinction.

Hari-śauri: That's said in Upadeśāmṛta...

Prabhupāda: Yes. One who is lower than you, he requires your mercy. You give him mercy. And who is higher than you, you give him service. Not that Vivekananda did, that everyone service. No, service to the higher person. And to the lower person? Mercy.

Guru dāsa: Someone asked me the other day if I knew Swami...

Prabhupāda: And equal person? Friendship.

Guru dāsa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: With equal, friendship. With higher, service. And with lower, mercy.

Guru dāsa: And envious, ignore.

Prabhupāda: Yes, ignore. Neutral: "You go to hell. We don't mind."

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Suppose there is little success, but in comparison to the money expended, that success is little. Just like I, in the beginning I advertised my books in the Times, New York Times. They charged me sixty-three dollars, a small space. So there was inquiry, not order, three inquiries. Not even order. I have got this experience. For me, at that time, sixty-three dollars were too much. So I did not get any response. That is my practical experience. I got three inquiries, not even order. But the Times, New York Times, they have got millions of customers and millions of readers, but I got three inquiries.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: To find those few potential devotees that are in, let us assume, in New York, big city, there were a few potential devotees, and materially speaking, it may be very difficult to find them. But when the devotee is sincere, Kṛṣṇa will give opportunity that those people will be found, even if they are one in that big city. Kṛṣṇa will arrange that they will find a pure devotee if they are sincere. So no material advertising will accomplish the task.

Prabhupāda: Yes, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that it is only for the fortunate persons. But we must present. Only the fortunate will come forward. We cannot expect that everyone will come. That is not possible.

Jñānagamya: But you said to make everyone fortunate.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is by your preaching. That we have to do. We are doing that. That I have given the example, Nityānanda Prabhu, He faced rebellion, and by His power converted the Jagāi-Mādhāi. By chanting. They injured, Jagāi-Mādhāi injured, and Nityānanda Prabhu said, "Never mind you have injured Me, please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." That is not advertisement, that is personal behavior.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Prahladananda -- Bombay 9 January, 1973:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 31, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully. Yes, that will be the best idea, to move your Austin temple closer to the University where there are so many potential devotees. Of course, we may set up our camp below any tree and preach anywhere, but because they will expect some comfortable place just to their standard of comfort, therefore we provide, but only so they will be more receptive to our preaching. So whatever must be done, must be done. Now in consultation with Satsvarupa, just do the needful and think always in your mind how much what you are doing will be pleasing to Krsna. That standard for pleasing Krsna is simply to spread this Krsna Consciousness message far and wide all over the globe. So if you are engaged in that activity, somehow or other, for preaching Krsna's name and fame, then that is the proper use of your energy and time, and you have nothing to worry further. So go on in this way, serving your spiritual master to best of your capacity, and remaining always fixed and steady in your determination to fulfill the goal of your life, namely, to go back to home, back to Godhead, without further delay.