Receiving guests at the Temple

1) From letters

1. “The culmination of all our preaching efforts is when a sincere soul experiences his or her spiritual home when they visit our temple. I cannot overestimate the great importance the service, which you have accepted as a guest receptionist. I am most indebted to you for taking this service so seriously. Any person who ever visits our temple should feel so personally welcomed that they feel they have made a true friend. A devotee who genuinely is concerned with their spiritual lives. The beauty of the temple may attract people to come, but it is the hospitality of devotees, which will attract them to sincerely hear the divine message of Srila Prabhupada.” (Dated 16^th July, 1998)
2. “For many years I dreamt of having a first class Guest Reception Department. You are so kindly fulfilling that dream. Each and every congregational devotee, guest and temple devotee should be lovingly greeted with sweet words, folded palms, literature, caranamrita and prasadam. Make them feel that they have finally arrived in their eternal home at the lotus feet of Krishna. Your goal should be to treat people so nicely that they will come back again and again. To those who wish to hear, offer them a sitting place, and graciously discuss Hari-Katha. To those who wish only Darshan, graciously encourage them to receive causeless mercy of the Lord. When possible, take names and offer them to our database. Offer services to those who are sincere according to their spiritual needs. The overall spirit of our temple should be established by this wonderful service.” (Dated 15^th May, 1999)
3. “Thank you very much for your sincere service. We should not be attached to the results but rather we should be attached to pleasing Lord Krishna and the devotees by our honest efforts. May Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu bless your devotional

service.”(Dated 14^th Oct, 1999)

2. From Lectures

1. Guest is considered to be someone who is sent by Krishna. When guests come to our temple, Sri Radha Gopinath Temple, its Prabhupada’s temple and every single devotee who has faith in Prabhupada. We are the caretakers of this temple. Not only the department of Guest Reception but everyone, everyone should be eager and anxious to receive any guest that comes to the temple in such a way that they feel Prabhupada’s love for Krishna. No one should walk in these doors without feeling Prabhupada’s love for Krishna and Prabhupada’s love for them. And how will they feel that? Through us, through how we treat them, through how we speak to them, through how we respect and honor them. We are the vessels, we are all representatives. They are coming to Radha Gopinath’s personal guests. As Srila Prabhupada’s guests into their house. And we are the servants. If a rich person has a guest and the butler or maid or the servant of the house mistreats them, they will be cast away. So it is everyone’s duty. Any guest that comes, from India, from abroad should give them, whether we have lot or little, that is not important. It is the spirit of affection, spirit of respect, the spirit of servitude. (Lect. dated 12.1.03, SB: 4.21.4)