what was appropriate for one person may not be for another
Hridayananda Goswami: Prabhupada had an individual relationship with each person, and what was appropriate for one person may not be for another, depending on the special relationship each had with Prabhupada. Once we were walking on Venice Beach, and Prabhupada was trying to bring an intelligent young Indian boy to the Krishna consciousness movement. The boy came from a good Hindu background, and as Prabhupada was speaking, the boy occasionally quoted some Sanskrit from the Bhagavad-gita and Prabhupada praised and encouraged him, “Oh, that’s very nice. You know that verse, very good.” I thought, “This boy is getting so much mercy from Prabhupada by quoting Gita verses. I know Gita verses. I want to get some of this mercy myself.” Of course, this boy was an outsider that Prabhupada was trying to cultivate. I was supposed to be Prabhupada’s trusted son. But, as we were driving back, Prabhupada said something, and I said, “Oh, yes,Prabhupada, that reminds me of the Bhagavad-gita verse . . .”, and I quoted the Sanskrit. Prabhupada turned around, gave me a look and said, “There are so many verses.” That’s the last time I ever tried that one.
Source: Remembrances by Sidhanta Das – Folio Vedabase
