TEXT 5
yan-namani ca grhnati
loko bhrtye krtagasi
so sadhu-vadas tat-kirtim
hanti tvacam ivamayah
SYNONYMS
yatof whom; namanithe names; caand; grhnatitake; lokahpeople in general; bhrtyewhen a servant; krta-agasihas committed something wrong; sahthat; asadhu-vadahblame; tatof that person; kirtimthe reputation; hantidestroys; tvacamthe skin; ivaas; amayahleprosy.
TRANSLATION
A wrong act committed by a servant leads people in general to blame his master, just as a spot of white leprosy on any part of the body pollutes all of the skin.
PURPORT
A Vaisnava, therefore, should be fully qualified. As stated in the Bhagavatam, anyone who has become a Vaisnava has developed all the good qualities of the demigods. There are twenty-six qualifications mentioned in the Caitanya-caritamrta. A devotee should always see that his Vaisnava qualities increase with the advancement of his Krsna consciousness. A devotee should be blameless because any offense by the devotee is a scar on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The devotees duty is to be always conscious in his dealings with others, especially with another devotee of the Lord.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/3/16/5

Previous: SB 3.16.4     Next: SB 3.16.6

If you Love Me Distribute My Books -- Srila Prabhupada