Prabhupāda: If you have got your child on your lap, if some friends come and takes your child and pats him and kisses him, then you become pleased, immediately: "Oh, this gentleman loves my child so much." Similarly, if a Vaiṣṇava, a devotee, is respected, then Kṛṣṇa is more pleased. Therefore it is called yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ. The respectful to guru makes easier to receive mercy from God. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ. What is the meaning?
Satsvarūpa: "By the mercy of the spiritual master one gets the blessings of Kṛṣṇa."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Because Kṛṣṇa is immediately pleased, "Oh, he's obedient and respectful to My devotee." It is in the same way, "Oh, he loves my child so much. He loves my dog." Dog is not qualified, but because the gentleman's dog is loved, the gentleman is pleased. This is counteractive. Similarly, a pure devotee, representative of God, if he is offered respect, that respect goes to God.
Satsvarūpa: Prabhupāda, you said that we should respect everyone as a devotee, but then also you teach that . . .
Prabhupāda: No, no. By qualification, a Vaiṣṇava respects everyone.
Satsvarūpa: But then there's also a teaching not to respect a nondevotee, even if he's a big man. We may formally offer him respect, but if . . .
Prabhupāda: That's all right. Yes. Formality, you should be respectful. Suppose your enemy—that is etiquette—comes in your room. But when he has come to your room, you should offer him respect, "Come on, come on. Sit down." That is etiquette. You know that, "He's my enemy." That . . . the etiquette according to Vedic civilization, gṛhe śatrum api prāptaṁ viśvastam akuto-bhayam. Even your enemy comes at your home, you should treat with him in such a nice way that he'll forget that you are his enemy.