Qualities of Preacher

Display ideal character and to interact with others with

with politeness and respect

Therefore, those who are members of this society, they should be ideal. Simply by their association people will become good, very good responsibility. And if they become bad themselves, there is no possibility because we are giving instruction. We are behaving like that. Still, one becomes bad—où, that is very great misfortune. Therefore all our members, the members of the Kåñëa consciousness society, should be ideal. At least people may see that "Here is a class of men—ideal character, ideal behavior, spiritual advanced, and very frugal and very nice." That is... Yasyästi bhaktir bhagavaty akiïcanä sarvair guëais tatra samäsate suräù [SB 5.18.12]. That is natural. If one becomes a devotee... That is the certificate, that how one has achieved good qualities.

- Srimad Bhagvatam Lecture, September 2, 1975

Freedom from Maya

tate krsna bhaje, kare gurura sevana
maya-jala chute, paya krsnera charan
If the conditioned soul engages in the service of the Lord and simultaneously carries out the orders of his spiritual master and serves him, he can get out of the clutches of maya and become eligible for shelter at Krishna's lotus feet.
Madhya Lila 22.25

INTERNAL WORMS

Once the headmaster of the Thakur Bhaktivinode Institute asked Srila Saraswati Thakur, “So many devotees have given up everything, are staying in the math, and are engaged in devotional service. Why don’t they improve to the advanced stage?” Saraswati Thakur answered, “They have internal worms. They are being eaten up by worms inside. They are taking food but are not getting nourishment because of worms. They are engaging in devotional service, but the advancement is eaten by material desires and secret bad behavior. So they become weak.