If we must be careful of bad association, how can we be merciful and friendly with all kinds of people?

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Question: If we must be careful of bad association, how can we be merciful and friendly with all kinds of people?

Jayapataka Swami: You see that is why preachers take a certain amount of risk to preach Krishna consciousness, and that is why they are so dear to the Lord because they are taking that risk. At the same time, by being merciful and friendly with all kinds of people to preach to them Krishna consciousness we try to give them our association. We can tell them about Krishna, tell them about devotional service, tell them about things related or just be friendly and establish the relationships so we can tell them about these things. We don’t go to the extent where we engage in non-devotional activities with these people usually. We are careful about how far we associate so as not to become engaged in some kind of sinful activity. So we give association rather than taking. Srila Prabhupada mentions that some times over a period of time by preaching to materialistic people, their vibration or their consciousness can affect us. That’s why visiting the Holy Dham like Mayapur and Vrndavan is purifying from that contamination. Therefore Srila Prabhupada recommended that preachers periodically visit the Holy Dham. So we have Gaura Purnima Festival and people are coming to the festival to get re-aligned spiritually and purified. You are living in the Dham so you have lot of protection.

His Holiness Jayapataka Swami
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