What is the proper way to behave toward a devotee?

G

greenberg

until the end of the world
Registered Senior Member
What is the proper way to behave toward a devotee in such a situation: a busy street in a town in Europe, while he sits and chants, and I am not of his religion?

Judging by his looks and the books he has in front of him, I think he is a devotee of Krishna.
I saw him again today, after he's been absent for almost a year. I had already worried something might have happened to him.
I feel extraordinarily happy to see him, I even take the particular route across town in the hopes to see him. I just walk past as he chants, but I look at him and silently say Hello, and smile, and he smiles back.

I do feel a bit awkward about this, I don't want to be impertinent.
 
You can behave with him as you would towards anyone else. If you wish to be acquainted do a Namashkar and he will be happy to reciprocate. If he is Indian, I can guarantee 99% that he will be happy to answer questions etc. Just be polite.

And not to be overly cynical, but watch out for charlatans. :)
 
greenberg said:
What is the proper way to behave toward a devotee in such a situation: a busy street in a town in Europe, while he sits and chants, and I am not of his religion?

Judging by his looks and the books he has in front of him, I think he is a devotee of Krishna.
I saw him again today, after he's been absent for almost a year. I had already worried something might have happened to him.
I feel extraordinarily happy to see him, I even take the particular route across town in the hopes to see him. I just walk past as he chants, but I look at him and silently say Hello, and smile, and he smiles back.

I do feel a bit awkward about this, I don't want to be impertinent.
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If you want to talk to him, make this clear via body language and wait for a break in the chanting. And his options for devotion should be many. He can encounter Krishna in you, for example. He can do his mantra in his head while he shakes hands with you. He can also shake his head, meaning he can't talk then, and not lose a step in his chanting.

You could also drop him a note, which he could read later, where you ask him if you can talk the next time you come by.

He can then nod the next time or shake his head.
 
He is white, he seems European. On one occasion, I heard him talking to some people and he spoke the local language fluently.

I've thought several times about asking him this or that, and as I tried to formulate a concise question in my mind, the question eventually dissipated, "got answered".
And I'm not going to ask people questions which I am pretty sure I can find answers to myself.


It's just awkward - if he was a regular person, then my seeking him out and saying hello and smiling would definitely be considered flirting or even stalking!
 
S.A.M. said:
You can behave with him as you would towards anyone else.
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Is there a difference in how one should behave toward a devotee whether one is male/female, child/adult?
Are there ways in which men can behave toward a devotee, but in which women should not, and vice versa?
 
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