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We should behave ourselves nicely, then teach others. Then it will be effective

Expressions researched:
"we should behave ourselves nicely, then teach others. Then it will be effective"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Āpani ācari prabhu jīvere: we should behave ourselves nicely, then teach others. Then it will be effective. Another—this is general principle—now we have discussed, now we try to follow.

Prabhupāda: Whatever is done is done. Now, you try to correct others by behaving yourself. Otherwise, there is no need of keeping so many men. We have attempted in Vṛndāvana. A few men may remain here. That's all. Otherwise, it will be not very nice to attract. When people are attracted by seeing your behavior, they are seeing that, "Oh, Europeans and Americans, they have got such nice Vaiṣṇavas." They are attracted on that point. But if we are not to the standard point, they will immediately accuse, "Oh, they are . . ." So that should be corrected. The same principle, āpani ācari prabhu jīvere: we should behave ourselves nicely, then teach others. Then it will be effective. Another—this is general principle—now we have discussed, now we try to follow. Another thing, that Keśi-ghāṭa affair. Shall we make further progress? I acquired that property all this be dropped? What is your opinion? From the circumstances as that is now . . . because any temple, it must be nicely, very nicely managed; otherwise you cannot attract. Our Los Angeles temple we want to attract people. So it is so nicely managed, very nicely managed. You have seen. So unless . . . and that means there must be sufficient bank balance, such a big temple.

Devotee: I don't . . .

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Devotee: I don't think that there's enough people to clean up and manage and keep clean Keśi-ghāṭa. Maybe in the future sometime, but . . .

Prabhupāda: At the present it is not.

Devotee: It's so big. It's so big.

Devotee (2): Most of the quality of people that are there are . . . less people of a higher quality in a smaller place, it would do much more good. Like I was in the Philippines by myself, all alone, but still the work would go on much quicker because I could avoid all of this. I could avoid all of this what with we're having right now. I could avoid it completely because I was . . . there was nobody there to cause it—all new people.

Śyāmasundara: Everybody here knows everything. (laughter) Like . . .

Devotee (2): And it goes up very quickly, because the people are automatically attracted. And then you teach them, you train them. So less Americans and just one or two people who want to manage, and then start with the people here, the Indian people. And as they develop and become strong, then develop a center. It may take a long time, but it would be solid. It will be more solid then. Just bring a bunch of Americans here, and then the whole thing just falls to pieces. And then we ruin our reputation in that particular area where we want to open a . . .

Prabhupāda: Then what is your suggestion?

Devotee (2): That we start a small center and then develop it gradually, with less . . . with less inexperienced people . . .

Śyāmasundara: We've had a small center here for . . .

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Śyāmasundara: We've had a small center here for nearly a year, eight months.

Devotee (3): Well, we're not saying that it . . . he's not saying that that's going to succeed, but at least it may not be as much of a travesty. Whether or not we're going to succeed at all in India in getting Indians to listen to what we are saying, that's another whole point.

Devotee (2): At least we won't be killing ourselves. At least we won't be making it so that in the future we will have to leave India. We'll be asked to leave. Our visas will be taken away, and we'll be asked to leave. These things can happen very easily. It is not a . . . it is not a . . . it's not an impossible thing. There are places in the world where we can't go already—Singapore. These things have happened. So I feel we should be very, very careful, selective, about who we let manage . . .

Prabhupāda: At Singapore our men cannot enter.

Page Title:We should behave ourselves nicely, then teach others. Then it will be effective
Compiler:SharmisthaK
Created:2022-09-22, 13:42:46
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1