Question: We heard that if we sow the seed, the seed turns into a tree and then gives fruit and flowers. We should only return back home with the ripened fruits. So while we preach to students, they step back from Krsna consciousness. So what do we need to do to get them to practice to enthuse them again back to Krsna consciousness?

Jayapataka Swami: I don’t understand the relation with the example you gave that if one seed gives a plant, get the fruit, get the fruit out. You get the fruit, you can offer to Krsna. Ha! And we take prasadam! If a student falls into maya again, we try to befriend him and encourage him to keep on, maybe he is getting bad association or maybe his attachments are dragging him otherwise. Maybe he has some doubts. So talk to him, see what is the matter and we try to encourage everyone. If they give up, we don’t mistreat them, maybe they will come back later. We try to be friendly, and try to be supportive. And if you are a good example, then it should have some influence. Also you can pray to Krsna that please give His blessing to that soul. In this way, your prayers may help the person to remain Krsna conscious. Srila Prabhupada was saying that to make one devotee, it takes buckets of blood. It is not easy and there are many tests. So I would encourage him, I will be a friend. People may go away but they will remember that these devotees were my friends. So they may come back sooner or later and when they come, try to understand them and give them positive association, pray for them, maybe they will stay. One devotee told Srila Prabhupada, he wanted to leave. Srila Prabhupada said, ‘you can go, you are free to go. But eat prasad first’ Srila Prabhupada gave him so much prasadam he couldn’t leave! Ha! Ha! These were some things I saw.
10-OCTOBER-2019 ISKCON TIRUPATI, INDIA