Answer
A devotee should guard himself from both false glorification and even genuine glorification—both can be dangerous if not handled properly. At the same time, he cannot simply tell others, “Stop glorifying me,” because he must respect the devotee who is offering that appreciation. The glorification may be sincere.
So what should he do? Immediately, within his consciousness, he should adjust himself and offer that glorification to his spiritual master. Not just formally, but genuinely—he should truly see that whatever credit is being given actually belongs to his guru. In that way, glorification becomes an opportunity, not a disturbance.
Instead of shutting down the person, he can receive it properly and redirect it. When there is an opportunity to offer something to the guru, why would one reject it? So externally he may accept, but internally and verbally he connects it back to the right source.
He can express it openly:
“This is due to Śrīla Prabhupāda. It is by his mercy. I don’t know how this happened or how I could do it—but somehow, through me, it has happened by his causeless mercy.”
It is important to emphasize causeless mercy. Otherwise, there is a subtle danger: one may think, “It is Prabhupāda’s mercy on me, but not on others—because I have something special.” That mentality leads to pride.
But when we understand that the mercy of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is causeless, then it can come to anyone, at any time. Today it may appear through me; tomorrow it may appear through someone else. It is not owned—it is bestowed.
Therefore, whenever someone glorifies you, you can respond naturally:
“Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda! It is all his causeless mercy.”
