Leaders (Other Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"leader" |"leader's" |"leaders"

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

Just like about the Gosvāmīs, Rūpa Gosvāmī, who was executing his devotional service on this spot... They were ministers. And they gave up everything. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīm. Maṇḍala-pati. Maṇḍala-pati means leaders. The leader of the group, maṇḍala-pati. Just like there is rastra-pati. Similarly they were rastra-patis, maṇḍala-pati, but tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati... Because they were minister, their friendly circles were big, big zamindars, administrators. But they gave up their company.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

There is no guarantee. That... Yes. Now today I am very great leader, minister. That's all right. But after death there is no guarantee that you'll become again minister or big man, big business man. There is no such guarantee. That we'll have to accept another body according to your karma.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

The rascals, they will not understand Kṛṣṇa as Kṛṣṇa says. The rascal will mislead other and mislead himself. He'll go himself to hell and he'll drag all others to the hell. This is going on. This is going on. Everything is there, very plain and clear. One has to act according to that. He gets the benefit. But they, they will not allow. These rascal leaders, they'll not allow. They will be represent Kṛṣṇa as something else. The, the only business is to kill Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Not to accept Kṛṣṇa is fact. All the big commentaries on Bhagavad-gītā, you'll see. They're simply trying to make Kṛṣṇa is not a fact. It is some fictitious. It is some story, mental speculation. This is their business. Demonic. So the condition is very, I mean to say, dangerous. People are being misled.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

This is going on. Everything is there, very plain and clear. One has to act according to that. He gets the benefit. But they, they will not allow. These rascal leaders, they'll not allow. They will be represent Kṛṣṇa as something else. The, the only business is to kill Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Not to accept Kṛṣṇa is fact. All the big commentaries on Bhagavad-gītā, you'll see. They're simply trying to make Kṛṣṇa is not a fact. It is some fictitious. It is some story, mental speculation. This is their business. Demonic. So the condition is very, I mean to say, dangerous. People are being misled.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

We say surrender to Kṛṣṇa. "These are primitive. These are primitive." We are not scholars. This is, this rascaldom is going on. So you want to save people from these rascals. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The rascals have created a situation by defying Kṛṣṇa's authority, atheistic situation, the whole world in chaos. That must be. When there are leaders, only demons, how there can be any peace? The people are also becoming demons. So our, this movement, is very scientific, authorized. If you preach, there is no difficulty. As we, as it is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, simply Bhagavad-gītā as it is, then you are successful and those who hear you, they also successful. Simply method. Go on.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

You cannot say that "I am Indian. I have got my love for India. And I'll get again birth as Indian leader." You, you may get birth in India because you have got strong attachment, but it may not be as leader. It may be as cats and dogs. Or cows or goat. Then you'll be sent to the slaughterhouse, you, even though you are Indian. Or any country, American... So these are simply sentiments. This is, this is, there is no use... But people do not know this science. They think that "I am doing right as philanthropist, as nationalist, as..." But you, he, he forgets that he's under the full control of material nature.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 21, 1972:

Just like Gosvāmīs, the six Gosvāmīs. They were ministers. How they gave up their lucrative service, engagement? Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. They gave up their minister, high posts, association of aristocratic families, maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīm. They were, themselves, not only maṇḍala-pati, great leaders, but they were associate with great leaders. But they gave up everything. Why? Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. They found something better in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore they were able to give up. Just like you are. You are. European and American boys, you were accustomed to better, comfortable life. I know. But you have given up your better, comfortable life, and you have learned, or you are satisfied lying down on the floor, without any bedding. How you have been practiced to it? Because you are trying to find out a better engagement. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59).

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

What is the meaning of this preaching. People are engaged in material activities, and the preacher should approach them that "You are spoiling your time, my dear sir. You become devotee of Kṛṣṇa." This is preaching. "You are simply spoiling. You have got this human form of life, but you are utilizing like animals—eating, sleeping, mating and defending. You may be very great political leader, but your engagement is like animal." That is the fact. What these politicians do? They make arrangement for eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. That's all. They promise that "I shall give you nice eating. You give me vote. I'll... Make me minister of food. I shall give you enough food." Or so many things, they falsely promise, or rightly promise. They know. So actually, minister or minister's father cannot give you food. The food is supplied by Kṛṣṇa. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 1, 1973:

Yes. The first word, the most important thing is that ignorance. They do not know actually things as they are, but still they become leader. Andhā yathāndair upanīyamānām. Then what is their other qualities? Go on.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 2, 1973:

So for our past karma, we have created this body and we are suffering. Therefore our mission should be not to create another body. And finish all suffering in this body and do not create another material body—that is actually our duty. But we have no education. We have no information. Our leaders are blind, foolish. They are leading us to misuse this valuable life of human form. This is our position. They are misleading us.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973:

So that means at the present moment all the leaders, they're fools and rascals. They are simply sectarian. "I am good. My brother is good. My father is good. All others bad." That's all. Nationalism, communism, these are going on. But a Kṛṣṇa-bhakta, he does not see like that. He does not like to kill even an ant. That Mṛgāri, he was a hunter. He was killing animals half-dead. And he met Nārada Muni, so he became a Vaiṣṇava. And when he became a Vaiṣṇava, he was not prepared to kill even an ant—the same hunter, who was killing other animals half-dead, and he was taking pleasure. So this partiality is not in Vaiṣṇava. Patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ. Vaiṣṇava, he's a friend. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇam.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973:

Yes. Without being Kṛṣṇa conscious, there cannot be blissful life. If, if... You may rest assured. You may try in so many ways. Andhā yathāndair upanīyamānāḥ. Leaders may try. It will not be possible. Take, for example, in India. We thought, "If the Britishers go away, so, then we'll be happy. There will be no Hindu-Muslim riots. There will be..." So many things we conjectured. "It will be Rāma-rājya." But what is the Rāma-rājya? Now everything there is fight. Now there is no Hindu-Muslim riot. Now Andhra and other provinces, they're fighting. So fighting will remain, unless we are Kṛṣṇa conscious.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 5, 1973:

So nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Our love for Kṛṣṇa is there already, but it is being choked up by material conditions. I want to love, but some blind leader, he comes. He says that "You love your, this country, your society, humanity," and you love your society but you cut throat of another society. This is going on. Because it is imperfect. One side, they're teaching "Love your nation," and cut the throat of another nation. So this kind of love, or this kind of loving propensity will not be ever satisfied. We shall always remain unsatisfied, because this is artificial. The same example: If you want to love, then you have to pour water on the root of the tree. Then it will be all right.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 6, 1973:

They are thinking by these bodily comforts they will be happy. No. That is not possible. The real happiness is different. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Andhā yathāndhaiḥ. And anyone who will give him false hope that "If you get independence, then overnight you will become like this, like this, like that," that leader is very nice. If there is some political meeting giving only bluff, lots of bluffs only, and people gather there by thousands and millions to hear the bluff... Because... My Guru Mahārāja therefore used to say that this present human society is a society of the cheaters and the cheated. Somebody is being cheated and somebody is cheater, a combination of two things, cheater and the cheated, because they do not know the real interest of life. And anyone who will speak all nonsense and bluff, he will be very much adored.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 11, 1973:

You are God. God is loitering in the street." This is their theory. Andhā yathāndair upanīyamānāḥ. The blind men are led by blind leaders. So we should not follow like that way. If we actually want success of life, then we must be Kṛṣṇa conscious. We must follow the greatest authority, Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). We must follow. If you want success of life, everything is there, whatever you want.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:

We are becoming leaders, the friend of the people. But we are not friend of the people. Kṛṣṇa is the friend of... Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. If I simply say that "I am your friend in this sense that I deliver the message to you that 'Kṛṣṇa is your best friend.' I do not... I am friend so far I am giving you this information. But actual friend is Kṛṣṇa," suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām, so this is friendship. If one preaches Kṛṣṇa consciousness and teaches everyone that Kṛṣṇa is your best friend... He does not say, "I am your best friend." "I am your best friend in this sense that I am giving you this information." Actually, Kṛṣṇa is your best friend. What can I do? I am a teeny living entity. What can I do for you? I be..., may become your friend, but when you are in danger, I cannot give you any protection. Kṛṣṇa can give you protection. This is real friendship. He does not take himself.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

So everyone using... Just like for national cause people are engaging life, they are sacrificing life. So many, for attainment of independence in India, so many Indians gave up their life. Pranaiḥ. So many people gave up their everything. We know during national movement, Mr. C. R. Das, a great leader of the Congress group, he sacrificed everything. He was a big, very big lawyer, barrister. He sacrificed his profession, he sacrificed his life—everything. So as we are sacrificing everything for attainment of some so-called national independence, the same thing, if we sacrifice for Kṛṣṇa, then our life becomes successful. Prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā śreya-ācaraṇaṁ sadā.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

So Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says you have to follow the direction of the spiritual master. He's guiding as a leader. And if he's pleased, that means Kṛṣṇa is pleased. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:

There are two processes of Vedic understanding, Smārta-vicāra and Gosvāmī-vicāra. According to Smārta-vicāra, unless a person born in a low-grade family takes another birth, he cannot be eligible to become a brāhmaṇa. But according to Gosvāmī-vicāra, if he's properly initiated by a bona fide Vaiṣṇava, then he becomes more than a brāhmaṇa. Śvādyo 'pi sadyaḥ. Immediately he becomes eligible to perform sacrifices. so the problem is that at the present moment we are not taking care... I mean that our Indian brāhmaṇas, those who are spiritual leaders, they are not actually taking care of the fallen souls. But in the Bhagavad-gītā it is sanctioned, it is said clearly: māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32).

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

So yad yad ācarati śreṣṭha lokas tad anuvartate, tat tat eva itaraḥ janaḥ (BG 3.21). According to this formula, if the leaders of the society takes this movement little seriously... They should take, because this is the only movement which can bring in peace and prosperity and happiness to the whole human society.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

We have to accept Kṛṣṇa as the supreme enjoyer. Not we are enjoyer. At the present moment, all our activities are going on, self-centered: "I am enjoyer. I am leader. I am bhokta." No. This is wrong. Kṛṣṇa is bhokta. Kṛṣṇa is leader. Kṛṣṇa is the friend. Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

Pure character, pure qualities will be manifest. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā (SB 5.18.12). Similarly, just the opposite: if one is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he cannot have any good qualities, however he may be educated academically. That is not possible. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā (SB 5.18.12). Therefore, at the present moment, although the leaders are all very educated academically, but still, they cannot bring in peace in the society, because they're godless. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā (SB 5.18.12). Great, great leaders, on account of their godlessness, they cannot lead the people nicely. Therefore there is no peace and prosperity in the society. Go on.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 25, 1973:

Therefore there is a great necessity for pushing on this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is the best welfare activity to the human society. All of them, they are rascals. Abodha-jāta. In the śāstra it is said, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāta. They are being defeated by the onslaught of material nature. These rascals, they do not know. They are thinking they have become great leaders, philanthropists, nationalists, politicians, scientists, philosopher—but they're killing themselves and others. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇu. They do not know how to make progress. Therefore a person who has understood little value of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he should take this movement very seriously and distribute to the fallen souls. That is the best work. That is the best work. Go on.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:

Then if I, I extend my enjoyment, family-wise, community-wise or nation-wise, that does not change the quality of selfishness. People are going on in the name of nationality, big leaders, but from our point of view, that neither as nation or community or person you are the proprietor of things. Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of... So if you expand your selfishness in the name of nationality—"I possess this land"—we do not approve. We say, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Why you are claiming yourself, as nation or individual or community?

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:

Then if I, I extend my enjoyment, family-wise, community-wise or nation-wise, that does not change the quality of selfishness. People are going on in the name of nationality, big leaders, but from our point of view, that neither as nation or community or person you are the proprietor of things. Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of... So if you expand your selfishness in the name of nationality—"I possess this land"—we do not approve. We say, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Why you are claiming yourself, as nation or individual or community?

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.15 -- Mayapur, April 8, 1975:

Unfortunately, the present leaders, they are misleading them. Anyway, you are fortunate. You take advantage of this cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness which was spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself, in this land of Bhāratavarṣa, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1).

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.4 -- Mayapur, March 4, 1974:

You'll be surprised that my Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura... Sometimes Paṇḍita Madanmohan Mahalabhya (?), a great politician, well-known political leader, he came to see him. So he inquired from my Guru Mahārāja, "What are your activities?" So in describing his activities he said that "We have got six magazines, and out of them, one is daily, Nadiya Prakash." Those who are resident of this place might know.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.7 -- Mayapur, March 9, 1974:

Suppose we are in a group, this, our International Society. If everyone becomes ruler or ācārya, then how it can be managed? No. There must be some head. That is the principle in our practical life. We follow our political leaders. We cannot say that "I belong to this party" unless I follow a leader. That is natural.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.7 -- Mayapur, March 9, 1974:

So that is the Vedic statement, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). There must be one leader, the leader of the same quality, nitya. I am nitya, Kṛṣṇa is nitya. Kṛṣṇa is also living entity; I am also living entity. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. So what is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and me? The difference is that there are two nityas or two cetanaś. One is described as singular number, and the other is described as plural number.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.8 -- Vrndavana, March 15, 1974:

Pradyumna: Translation: "Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the supreme enjoyer in the rāsa dance. He is the leader of the damsels of Vraja, and all others are simply His associates." (CC Adi 7.8)

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.8 -- Vrndavana, March 15, 1974:

He said positive definition: gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). "That is my identification. I do not belong to these material categories. I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, who provides, who maintains the gopīs." Therefore it is said, rāsādi-vilāsī, vrajalalanā-nāgara. Vrajalalanā-nāgara: He is the leader of the Vrajalalanā, damsels of Vrajabhūmi. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). These gopīs, vrajalalanā, they are not ordinary girls. Then you will mistake.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.106-107 -- San Francisco, February 13, 1967:

The leader is God. Just think in that way; the whole thing becomes perfect. Everything is there, perfect. The arrangement, nature's arrangement is such that you eat nicely, whatever your bodily wants are there, there is sufficient supply. You take, eat nicely, and live peacefully, and utilize the words of God. There are Bible. There are, I mean to say, Koran. There is Vedas. And try to understand God and make your life perfect and go back to Godhead. This is the whole policy.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.97-99 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

This is blank slate, admitting that "I am fool number one, but people say I am learned, and I accept it." This is our nature. This is called illusion. He will never think that "I am fool number one." He will always think, "Oh, who can be greater than me? I can think myself. Why? What is the necessity of a spiritual master? I can become a religious leader, I can become such and such, or..." This is our mentality.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100 -- Washington, D.C., July 5, 1976:

Mr. Deyani: Well, I just have one thing here, you stated about Gandhi, and we respect that he was really a great leader of us, but stated one point in your lecture, this thing, that Gandhi, mostly, was a servant of the country, but in India, during that period, I didn't see other religious people or the great leaders of India fighting for the country, and they..., he's the one...

Prabhupāda: That is admitted. Why you are bringing that question? I mean to say that Gandhi gave the best service to you, but your country is so ungrateful that he killed him. That is my point. So the point is that the best service you can give, but you cannot satisfy everyone. That is material.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101 -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

Therefore he says, "I know it is not a very easy thing. I was minister, I was in a very good position." Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. He was minister. Naturally, his associate were very, very exalted persons. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati, maṇḍala-pati, big, big leaders, big, big merchants, big, big industrialists or something like that, very, very big men. They are called maṇḍala-pati. One who has control over many people, he is called maṇḍala-pati. So who will have control unless he is a very big man? So about these Gosvāmīs it is said, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. They gave up such position, exalted position, tucchavat, "Eh. Insignificant. What is this?"

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101-104 -- Bombay, November 3, 1975:

The description of the living being is given in the śāstra that the magnitude... Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpi...: "One ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair." And anantyāya kalpate: "There is limitless." As in practical experience also, we have this understanding that we require a leader. In the present moment there are so many parties, so many nations, so many societies, but there is a leader. That you cannot deny. (loud popping noises from outside, like firecrackers) Just like in our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness society—it is a society—I happen to be the leader. Similarly, there are other parties, political parties, and business parties. Everywhere there is a leader. You cannot avoid the leader. That is not possible. You may... I put this question to Professor Kotovsky, that "What is the difference between your philosophy and our philosophy? You are Leninist; you are following the leader Lenin, and we are following the leader Kṛṣṇa. So where is the difference in philosophy?" You have to follow one leader. That you cannot avoid. Without leader you cannot be guided, you cannot form a party. Everywhere you go... Just like in our country we followed the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, so we became a nation. So everywhere you will find: there must be a leader. Without leader you cannot become a community or a nation. Similarly, who is the supreme leader? That is God, or Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is described in the Vedas, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānāmv. He is the leader.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101-104 -- Bombay, November 3, 1975:

So what is the difference between the plural number nityas and singular number? Now, eka. Eka-vacana, singular number leader, God... Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That is the difference, that we are living entity and Kṛṣṇa, or God, is living entity, but Kṛṣṇa maintains all other living entities; we cannot maintain even ourself. And we find difficulty especially nowadays to maintain even a family. That is the difference. And still, as a rascal, I claim that "I am God. I am God." Nobody can claim unnecessarily that one is God. First of all prove that you can maintain all the living entities. You cannot maintain yourself even. You beg from door to door, and how you become God? Very simple question. Because in the Vedas (it is) said that eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān: "That one, singular number leader, He maintains all other living entities." That we have got practical experience.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.118-119 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

Now these Gosvāmīs, the Sanātana Gosvāmī... There is a nice story about Sanātana Gosvāmī, of whom we are now studying. Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī, two brothers, they went to Vṛndāvana for devotional service. So their all business was... Rūpa Gosvāmī, especially, he was always engaged in writing books. And when he was hungry, he went to some householder: "Give me a piece of bread." And everyone at Vṛndāvana... They were leaders. All the Vṛndāvana inhabitants, they took... Even their household quarrels, they used to represent, "Swamijī, this is our position. Please settle up."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu directly says that jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya-dāsa (CC Madhya 20.108), two words. Svarūpa. Svarūpa means original, constitutional position. That is svarūpa. Mukti means just like one is diseased, and there are many symptoms of disease. So when one becomes free from the disease, the symptoms disappear. Similarly, mukti means that we have lost our original constitutional position. Because here Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that the real position of the living entity is that he is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. So our position is servant, subordinate position. That is the Vedic injunction also. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He is the supreme leader, supreme maintainer of everyone. That is our position. We are maintained, and Kṛṣṇa is maintainer. We are predominated, and Kṛṣṇa is predominator.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.121-124 -- New York, November 25, 1966:

There are six kinds of philosophical theses. Out of those, atheism is one of them. So that atheism... Cārvāka Muni. He was, Cārvāka, the leader of the atheists. His theory was that ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet: "Just beg, borrow or steal. You must eat butter. Never mind." Ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet, yāvan jīvet sukhaṁ jīvet: "So long you shall live, you must live very comfortably."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-146 -- Bombay, February 24, 1971:

That's all right. As soon as death comes, "Oh, I am Jawaharlal Nehru," "I am Gandhi," "Oh! Never mind! Please go away! Finish Stop your all leadership." That is God. You don't believe, you may not believe God, but when death comes you have to believe in God. Let the scientists and let the big leaders and rich men protect himself from death. Then you can say that there is no God. (break) This atheism, denying the existence of God, is not very good. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important. (pause) Prasāda, you have given prasāda?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.334-341 -- New York, December 24, 1966:

Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. Formerly the modes was if the king was pious, naturally the citizens were also pious. And that is a fact. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). If the leader is all right, the followers also all right. If the leader is a fool, the followers also fool. So in the days bygone, the kings were made as ideal king, and by his ruling capacity, all the citizens, they become nice. So this was Kṛṣṇa's mission, to establish ideal king of the world, and that was Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.367-84 -- New York, December 31, 1966:

By the symptoms and activities and influence. So what is that symptom? Symptom is that eternal and temporary. So avatāra, incarnation, comes to glorify the eternal existence of the Supreme Lord. So any avatāra, any incarnation, he comes to glorify that "There is spiritual kingdom, there is God, and I have come to reclaim you to back to Godhead, back to home." This is the symptom. So therefore, by that symptom, we accept Lord Jesus Christ as śaktyāveśa avatāra, or Hazrat Muhammad, he's also. Because these two religious leaders of the world, they preached about the glorification of the Supreme Lord. And they sacrificed everything for preaching the glories of the Lord. Therefore... And their influence and their followers, there are... These are the symptoms by which we can understand that Jesus Christ and Hazrat Muhammad was, were śaktyāveśa avatāras.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.19-31 -- San Francisco, January 20, 1967:

Nārāyaṇa has manifested pantheism. Nārāyaṇa has manifested Himself in so many varieties. And the varieties is closed; then again, Nārāyaṇa remains." So this Māyāvāda sannyāsīs, they address one another as "Nārāyaṇa." And Caitanya Mahāprabhu was also a sannyāsī, so he is addressing Caitanya Mahāprabhu as the supreme Nārāyaṇa, as the chief Nārāyaṇa. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). As it is stated in the Kaṭhopaniṣad, that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the leader of all other personalities. He's also person, we are also person. But He is leader.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1970:

A devotee sees that how Kṛṣṇa, Keśava, is cheating these rascals. The devotee can understand. But the demons, they think, "Oh, we have got a nice leader. He does not believe in God." (laughter) You see? Sammohāya sura-dviṣām (SB 1.3.24). The exact Sanskrit word is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. You have seen, those who have read: sammohāya, for bewildering sura-dviṣām. Sura-dviṣām means persons who are envious of the Vaiṣṇavas.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 8 -- Los Angeles, May 12, 1970:

This is the most important function. Human life is meant simply for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He has no other business. But unfortunately we have created so many engagements so that we forget Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is called māyā. This is called māyā. We are forgetting our real business. We are engaged in different, so many businesses. Misleaders. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). The rascal, blind leaders are leading to hell. Te 'pīśa tantryām uru-dāmni-baddhāḥ. All of them are tied up by the stringent rules and regulations of the material nature. And they have become leader. They do not like any authority. This is called māyā. This is called māyā. They are being misled; still they are following that. This is called māyā.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 9 -- Los Angeles, May 13, 1970:

So leaders should think over it, that "What we are producing, in spite of so many educational institutions?" That is hinted here, that because you are worshiping avidyā... That is not knowledge. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung very nicely: jaḍa-vidyā saba māyāra vaibhava. Jaḍa-vidyā. Jaḍa-vidyā means this material education. He says they are expansion of this māyā. Jaḍa vidyā. Jaḍa vidyā sa māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 34 -- San Francisco, September 13, 1968 :

So just imagine the position of the Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Everyone is worshiping somebody. Somebody is worshiping his wife, somebody is worship..., worshiping his husband, somebody is worshiping the leader of the country, somebody is worshiping something, something, something. And if anyone has nothing, then somebody is worshiping a dog, a cat. But we are worshiping the original person, Kṛṣṇa. Just see our position. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. We are not flattering ordinary things. We have captured the original. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. And why not?

Festival Lectures

Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-34 -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972:

So one who is fixed up in this conclusion, that "We shall become happy with this materialistic way of life," they cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And they do not know also that our ultimate goal of life is Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu. Then why it is so? Now, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They have become blind. They are blind themselves, and they are also led by blind leaders. The leaders, at the present moment, leaders, they say that "Why you are going to church? Why you are going to temple? If you want your bread..." Just like in Christian religion you go to church, "O God, give us our daily bread." But the atheist class, they are propagating, "For bread, why you are going to church?

Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-34 -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972:

Whole economic question is solved. And because we have forgotten, we have missed the real point, that our life is meant for God-realization. We are simply increasing botheration. Punaḥ punaś carvita. Adānta-gobhir viṣatāṁ tamisram. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. The leaders are blind; we are also blind. So they are advising that "If you want to solve your economic problem, why you are going to church? Why you are going to temple? Come here, increase business, industry. Take loan and start business." That's all. This is going on. But actually, the more we are trying to mislead this people... Because they are thinking it is all right. They are... That the social condition is becoming more and more grave. That's a fact. We are trying to solve one problem, but many other problems are coming because we do not know what is the ultimate goal of life. Because we are missing the real point.

Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-34 -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972:

Then the next question is that how... People are not interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and then, they are misled by blind leaders. So how, what is the solution?

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day Lecture -- London, August 21, 1973:

So actually if we are anxious for peace and tranquillity in society, then we must be very serious to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is our request. Don't take it neglectfully, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This movement can solve all the problems of life, all the problems in the world. Social, political, philosophical, religious, economical—everything can be solved by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore, we request those who are leaders—just like His Excellency is present here—you should try to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is very scientific, authorized. It is not a mental concoction or sentimental movement. It is most scientific movement. So we are inviting all leaders from all countries: try to understand.

Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami's Appearance Day -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Big, big ministers in the government. But because they became attached to Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Kṛṣṇa, they gave up their posts. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śrenīm. Tyaktvā means giving up; turnam, immediately. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śrenīm. Maṇḍala-pati means leaders.

Govardhana Puja Lecture -- New York, November 4, 1966:

So when the things are not practical, that becomes a forbidden. If you actually get the result by some spiritual or religious rituals, performance, then it is very good. Otherwise it is superstition. Lord Caitanya's opinion is that because all these Vedic injunctions, sacrifices, they are not possible to be performed in this age... They are very difficult. There is no expert leader to perform all these ceremonies and rituals. Therefore, take to this Hare Kṛṣṇa. Take to this. There is no need of rituals. There is no need of expenses. Simply God has given you tongue, and God has given you ear.

Govardhana Puja Lecture -- New York, November 4, 1966:

He is giving so much stress on karma. There is no question of bhakti here. So dehān uccāvācāñ. There are difference of high-grade body and low-grade body. There are different kinds of body. Somebody has got very high grade body—very intelligent, very rich, very beautiful, very wealthy—and somebody has low-grade body. So dehān uccāvacāñ jantuḥ prāpyotsṛjati karmaṇā: "Now, these high-grade and low-grade bodies are obtained according to the work he has done." Śatrur mitram udāsīnaḥ karmaiva gurur īśvaraḥ: "And one is the leader or one is a teacher or one is enemy or one is friend—everything is judged by this karma, by work." Just see how much he is giving stress on work. Karmaiva. Karmaiva gurur īśvaraḥ.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

So when I met Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura... It is a long story, how I met him. One of my friends, he dragged me. (laughing) (laughter) I was at that time nationalist and manager in a big chemical factory. My age was about twenty-four years. So one of my friends, he asked me that "There is a nice sādhu, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. He has come in Calcutta. So let us go and see." So I was reluctant. I thought just like so, there are so many sādhus. So I was not very much... Because I had very bad experience, not very good. So I said, "Oh these kind of sādhus, there are many." You'll be glad to know that even my in young age or early age—it was Kṛṣṇa's grace—even amongst my young friends, I was considered the leader. (laughing) (laughter) In my school days, in my college days, in my private friendship, some way or other I became their leader. And one astrologer sometimes he read my hand. He said in Hindi, kukum calena(?). Kukum calena means "Your hand speaks that your order will be executed."

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, February 7, 1969:

They are not satisfied simply by his personal comfort. In political history also, you will find so many great leaders. They sacrificed their own comforts. In your country there was George Washington. He sacrificed so many. There were other leaders. In every country, in political field. Similarly, social field also. Even the political leaders, the Marx, they also, he was also compassionate by seeing the terrible condition of the Russian peasants, so he started that communist movement. That is the way. Great men, they work for the general mass of people. They are not... That is their greatness.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Mayapur, February 8, 1977:

Kṛṣṇa is giving this information. Tathā dehāntara. This is our real unhappiness. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. But if we are kept in darkness about this and simply we become busy with some superficial things, bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇu, durāśayā. It is durāśayā. So all these leaders, the political leaders, they do not know what is the value of life. The durāśayā, with some hope which will never be fulfilled, they are busy with that. Therefore a Vaiṣṇava is para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. He knows what is the real suffering of humanity and he tries to estab...Sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau.

Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968:

Why you are identifying with this nonsense? Why you are thinking American, American, Indian, or this or that? You are Kṛṣṇa's. Come to Kṛṣṇa." This is our propaganda. We want to give eyes to the people. They are blind and their leaders are blind. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānas na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.31). They do not know what is their ultimate goal of life, this Kṛṣṇa, God.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Los Angeles, June 29, 1971:

So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for releasing all these conditioned souls from this misconception of life. Anyone, any intelligent man can understand that as soon as we identify our activities with the body, then we are fool number one. That is the verdict of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Anyone who is identifying himself with this body... Sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu. "And family members, wife, children, they are our own men. All others are enemies." Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ. "And the land in which we have taken birth, that is worshipable." People are sacrificing their life in so many ways. The leaders are enthusing them, "Oh, you are national of this, national of that." Falsely they are working so hard. This is the basic principle, mistake, of the modern civilization—identifying oneself with this body, which he's not. So by Kṛṣṇa kīrtana, this bodily concept of life is..., in the beginning it becomes vanquished.

Arrival Lecture -- Paris, July 20, 1972:

Even Africa we have got many branches. Canada, Europe, America, Australia, New Zealand—everywhere. So our only request is the leaders of the nation, the scientist, the philosopher, may kindly take some interest in this movement. We can talk with them. We have got many literatures, big, big books, scientifically explained, philosophical explained. So our only request is that you come forward and try to understand this philosophy and spread for the benefit of the whole human society.

Arrival Lecture -- Dallas, March 3, 1975:

So He was so influential that simply by His calling, hundreds and thousands of men immediately joined to go to the Chand Kazi's house to perform kīrtana. So just imagine what was His social position, so popular, leader. He had very good position. As a learned scholar, He was known as Nimāi Paṇḍita. Beautiful, very beautiful body, Gaurasundara. Very beautiful wife. Very honored brāhmaṇa, Jagannātha Miśra's son, grandson of Nīlāmbara Cakravartī, very social, aristocratic position. But still, He gave up everything. That means that although He had nothing material, but to show us that material things should be renounced, that is sannyāsa; and enter into the spiritual family of Kṛṣṇa.

Arrival Lecture -- Calcutta, March 20, 1975:

Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka—they are all devotees of Kṛṣṇa, they have established so many temples, and Gandhi says there was no such person. And how much poor study he had, and still, he is the leader.

Arrival Lecture -- Calcutta, March 20, 1975:

So time is very bad at the present moment everywhere, especially in India. Of course, India's original culture is all right. But unfortunately, our modern leaders, they are killing the original culture. They want to introduce Western culture. Now it is openly there are beef shop, wine shop. So what can be done?

Arrival Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975:

That is not. These political leaders, they have made it. (reading sign:) Carpeteria. They manufacture carpet? We are already on the Venice road?

Arrival -- Chicago, July 3, 1975:

We have given all solution. Now our business is how to push it through these leaders who are now thinking, "Crime, Why and What to Do?" They are thinking. They must think. If they actually want welfare of the country, they must think. And here is the medicine.

Arrival -- Chicago, July 3, 1975:

Nitāi: "In such civilization, in all spheres of life, the ultimate end is sense gratification. In politics, social service, altruism, philanthropy and ultimately in religion or even in salvation, the very same tint of sense gratification is every-increasingly predominant. In the political field the leaders of men fight with one another to fulfill their personal sense gratification."

Prabhupāda: In India, these are all foreseen. I have already discussed all this. Then?

Nitāi: "The voters adore the so-called leaders only when they promise sense gratification. As soon as the voters are dissatisfied in their own sense gratification, they dethrone the leaders. The leaders almost always disappoint the voters by not satisfying their senses."

Prabhupāda: Then the protest meeting, procession. But nobody will be able to satisfy them because they do not know how to keep the mass of people satisfied. They do not know. Lokasya ajānataḥ vidvān cakre sātvata-saṁhitām. These rascals, they do not know. All set of rascals, the so-called philosophers, scientists. I have always said they are rascals. Now they are coming, "What to do?" They will face so many problems, "What to do?" This is the beginning. The whole world will be in chaos if they do not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So many "What to do?" will come. Just tell them, "And here is the remedy." Now it is the time for preaching. They are thinking. They were sleeping. Now they are thinking, "What to do?" They were blindly following sense gratification. Now it has come to the stage, "What to do?" "What to do?" This is athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now enquire about Brahman." This is the statement.

Arrival -- Chicago, July 3, 1975:

We don't say that "Stop altogether." No. We say, "No illicit sex." We don't say, "No sex." So we should indulge in sense gratification as far as it is required for the maintenance of the body, and balance time, we shall save for brahma-jijñāsā. This is civilization. Otherwise it is animal civilization. So that has come now. So the American people, the leaders, they are now thinking, "What to do?" And call big, big men, and give our program, "Here is to do. Come here to do." This is opportunity.

Arrival -- Chicago, July 3, 1975:

This is the psychology. So people are degraded so much. Especially in the... Everywhere, not specially this or that. Everywhere. This is Kali-yuga. But thoughtful leaders, they are thinking, "What to do?" That's very good sign. And take advantage and give them program exactly to the direction of Bhagavad-gītā. Then the world will be saved. Otherwise it is doomed. It is a fact. This is the opportunity for preaching.

Arrival Lecture -- San Francisco, July 15, 1975:

And God is the friend of everyone. Why not? He claims that "Everyone, every living entity—never mind in which form he is existing—he is My son." So is not the father the best friend of the son? But no. We are claiming, "I shall become your friend. I shall become your leader. I shall lead you to prosperity." No. That is false. The political leaders or the so-called religious leaders or other many leaders there are. They are taking the position of God, that "I shall become your friend. I shall lead you so that you will become happy." That is wrong. You cannot become friend.

Arrival Lecture -- San Francisco, July 15, 1975:

So therefore God is actually the friend of everybody. That is a fact. But we rascals, we are claiming, "I shall be your friend. I shall be your leader." Therefore the leader, so-called leader, is not in peace. How it can be? All leaders are trying to keep his position some way or other, and that is very difficult job, no peace. That is not possible. You know. Your president, Mr. Nixon, wanted to keep himself in the position. How much restless he was. These are to be studied, that don't claim yourself as friend of somebody or the people or the nation. No. Teach them that "God is your friend. I am God's servant.

Arrival Address -- Paris, August 11, 1975:

We have come to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or brahma-bhūtaḥ, then there will be fraternity, equality. And factually you can see in this movement all classes of men, all nationality, all religion, all color, they are coming together and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and dancing. This is wanted. So don't be misled by the leaders of so-called eternity and fraternity. It is not possible. That are called andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās (SB 7.5.31), just like a blind man is trying to lead other blind men. So come to this platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this fraternity and equality, also eternity.

Arrival Address -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

We are inviting all intelligent persons, the leaders of the society, to understand the basic principle of this movement. And if the leaders of the society lead the people in the proper channel on the basic principle of spiritual life, then everything will be solved. Everyone will be happy. These instructions are there in the Bhagavad-gītā very elaborately. Simply we have to follow the instruction. It is not at all difficult.

Arrival Address -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

But He is the chief living being; He is the chief eternal. We are also eternal, but we are not chief. Why? Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. Just like we require a leader, similarly, He is the supreme leader. He is maintainer. He is providence. He is providing everyone's necessities. We can see that there are elephants in Africa. Who is providing them food? There are millions of ants within the hole of your room. Who is feeding them?

Arrival Talk -- Calcutta, March 22, 1976:

Unfortunately, Bhāratavarṣī is not interested. Here we see side by side the two wings of this house. The one room is interested in making money, and one room is interested in spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So this is the position. We are... Indians, we are neglecting this movement. That is not very good. Recently I had the chance to travel in the villages of Bengal. Oh, it is so pitiable, full of... They have given up this culture of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They have not profited. They have not profited. But unfortunately the leaders, they think that by development of industries they'll be able... No. That is not possible. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā (SB 5.18.12). If you become godless, then you have no good qualification. Everything is finished. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā manorathena asato dhāvato bahiḥ. These rascals, godless people, they will simply manufacture plan. Manorathena: by mental concoction. "Now this, we have made this plan. It will be very nice." But no. That is not possible.

Arrival Address -- New Zealand, April 27, 1976:

...human form of life, but unfortunately, the foolish leaders, they are keeping us in darkness. Therefore Kṛṣṇa personally comes. Whenever people are kept in darkness, that is called dharmasya glaniḥ. Glaniḥ means pollution, when the process of life becomes polluted. The process is that from the lower animal bodies we have come through the evolutionary process to this human form of life. Now there is further improvement required. This is the process, more and more. And that improvement goes up to the point of meeting Kṛṣṇa in Goloka Vṛndāvana. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāmaṁ paraṁ mama (BG 15.6). But even after coming to the platform of human being, the leaders, they do not teach them how to go further ahead, up to the point of Kṛṣṇa. They have no knowledge. Therefore they have been called in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ.

Arrival Address -- New Zealand, April 27, 1976:

These rascals, so-called leaders, gurus and others, they do not know what is the goal of life. Na te viduḥ. They do not know. Some imaginary theory, "I am God," "I am this," "I am that." A commonsense: "If I am God, then why I am under the control of the material nature?" Eh? This another rascal came, that "I am God." If you are God, so why you have become dog? They say it is līlā. (laughter) Just see. God has come to manifest his līlā by becoming a dog, and he's beaten. Whole day, night, he's hungry. And he has come to your home to ask some food, and you are beating.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Satyabhama Dasi and Gayatri Initiation of Devotees Going to London -- Montreal, July 26, 1968:

So actually the world is feeling so much disturbed by the arrangement of..., misarrangement, not arrangement, misarrangement of the leaders of the society. They have forgotten Kṛṣṇa or God. They are thinking that by material advancement they will be happy, but that is never possible. Just try to spread this message of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is very easy and very fact. Everyone can accept. So on this occasion, when you have come here from San Francisco prepared to go to London, so my hearty welcome to you, and please do this missionary work very nicely and Kṛṣṇa will be pleased upon you. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ (BG 18.69). Anyone who is trying to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the most dear friend of Kṛṣṇa. If you want to please Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who is trying to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, he is My most dear friend."

Initiation of Satyabhama Dasi and Gayatri Initiation of Devotees Going to London -- Montreal, July 26, 1968:

So you will get the list. And summarily I can explain that satāṁ nindā. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person will never blaspheme any person, any religious leader, who is trying to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness. In any country, in any religion, anyone who has tried to spread God consciousness to the people, they are all respectable persons. Those who are atheist, those who do not believe in God or those who personally declare that "I am God," we have nothing to do with such persons.

Initiations -- New York, July 23, 1971:

Maṇḍeleśvara. Maṇḍaleśvara means a leader, leader of a group. He is called maṇḍaleśvara. Not ordinary rogues' group but Vaiṣṇava group. Hare Kṛṣṇa. There are different kinds of groups.

Sannyasa Initiation -- Mayapur, March 16, 1976:

The śānti... Everyone is trying to have peace-peace of the mind, peace of the society, peace of the nation. Very good. But you do not know how to get this peace. That is described in every Vedic literatures. Therefore Vedic knowledge is so important. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). The Supreme Lord is the leader. He's also a living being like us. He's not a dead stone. He is... Just like Kṛṣṇa. When He comes, He lives like us, just like human being. So similarly the... No, not similarly. Kṛṣṇa is a living being like us. He has got also two hands, two legs, one head, as you have got. But what is the difference between you and Him? The difference is that eka, that singular number living being, vidadhāti kāmān bahūnām, He maintains everyone, and we are maintained.

Wedding Ceremonies

Address at Wedding of Bali-mardana -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:

There is nothing very painful in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Because Kṛṣṇa is ānanda, ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12), we are going under the protection of Kṛṣṇa, there must be always ānanda. But people do not know how to enjoy ānanda. They have been put into ignorance. The so-called leaders, so-called politicians, so-called philosophers, scientists, they are simply keeping the people in darkness.

General Lectures

Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) -- Boston, May 5, 1968:

The souls are innumerable. Asaṅkhyaya. It is stated in the Vedic literature, asaṅkhyaya. You cannot count. Asaṅkhyaya. And in the Upaniṣad it is said, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). God is also a living entity. As we are living entity, He is also living entity. But He is the chief living entity. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. He's the leader of all living entities. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That one Supreme is supplying all the necessities of these many. So living entities... Just like sparks of the fire. The fire is..., big fire is one, but the sparks, there are millions. Similarly, we are all qualitatively one with God. Just like fire and fire sparks. Qualitatively all of them are fire, but the big fire and small fire is different. Similarly, we are also of the same quality as God, but we are very minute and God is great.

Lecture at a School -- Montreal, June 11, 1968:

So anyway, my appeal to you, American people, that you are considered to be the leader of all nations of the world. You should take this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement very seriously. It is good for you. It is good for the whole world. It is individually, collectively, without any consideration of caste, creed, or color. Everyone can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, anyone and everyone, at home, on the street. There is no expenditure. Suppose while walking if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, there is no loss, there is no expenditure, but you see how much you are profited by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is practical.

Speech to Indian Audience -- Montreal, July 28, 1968:

So still, in spite of our present leaders' policy to completely eradicate all religious ideas... They have made secular state. But people are so born that naturally they are inclined to take part in spiritual movement. That is the nature. Therefore Lord Caitanya said that bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra (CC Adi 9.41). To take one's birth in the land of India, to take one's birth as human being, is great opportunity undoubtedly. But still more great opportunity is there who has taken his birth in India. We are... We must be proud, provided we do not forget our own Vedic culture.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 7, 1968:

Put your question, try to understand, read our literature, and you'll understand. There is no doubt about it. And you'll take to it. And if you take to it, you'll be happy. In other processes... Just like a political creed. Unless it is nationally accepted... Just like there are so many political parties in every country. Everyone is trying to bring in the forefront the party politics because the leader cannot be successful unless the whole country accepts his philosophy, his party. But Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that it does not require that a community or a nation or a family or any group has to accept, then you will be happy. No. Individually, if you accept. If your family does not accept, if your community does not accept, if your country does not accept, it doesn't matter. You will be happy. But if your family accepts, if your community accepts, if your nation..., you will be more happy.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

So all newcomer students, you are welcome. Thank you very much. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme leader. Human society cannot work without leader. Anywhere you go, any country, any nation, any society, any community, any family, there is a leader. So the Vedas instruct that there is a supreme leader. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). This (is) very important mantra in Kaṭha Upaniṣad. You have heard the names of Upaniṣad. They are Vedic literatures. Originally, the Veda was one, Sāma Veda.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

So in that Vedic literature this is, this verse is there, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). A leader, the supreme leader of all living entities—God, or whatever you say, the Absolute Truth, the Absolute Person. Generally, we say God. God is also a person like you and me. Just like whenever you find out some leader, he must be a person. Impersonal cannot be leader. Is there any instance... In the modern history they have abolished monarchy, personal government. They have got democratic government or republican government. But still, they have to find out a president. Why? Why not without president? No. That cannot be done. There must be one leader. Any movement, any organization, there must be.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

Just like you select one person leader because his intelligence is greater than you, something greater than you. Therefore you select somebody as your leader. So in the Vedic literature the definition of God is also there, who is God. Now everyone is claiming, "I am God," but they do not know what is God. They are falsely claiming. But if you find out Parasara-sūtra, there is definition of God. What is that? Aiśvaryasya samagrasya.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

So here is... Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to dovetail your consciousness with the supreme leader, Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be happy (aside:) They are feeling inconvenience while sitting in this way.

Class in Los Angeles -- Los Angeles, November 15, 1968:

He does not know what is spiritual and material. So this misunderstanding, that "I am this body. I belong to this apartment, I belong to this society, I belong to this country, I belong to this nation, I belong to this world, I belong to this universe"—you can expand—that is all misunderstanding. All misunderstanding. If you say, "Oh, now I am not..." Just like big leaders, they say that "My life is for the nation." And some ordinary common man says, "Oh, my life is for my family." And a less important person, just like childlike, he is or she is for this body. That's all. So this expansion from bodily concept of life to family life, or to, from family to community life, from community to society life, or national life, or universal brotherhood life, that is very much appreciated. "Oh, this man is after universal brotherhood." These are all bogus. You see? But this is a misconception.

Class in Los Angeles -- Los Angeles, November 15, 1968:

We do not know what is the goal of our life, and the leaders, they also do not know what is the goal of our life. Our Back to Godhead editorial, they have written very nicely that with the change of some politician we are thinking that something new will be done and we shall be happy.

Class in Los Angeles -- Los Angeles, November 15, 1968:

The leader(s) themselves, they are blind. They do not know what is the ultimate goal of life. Therefore our position is that we are blind and our leaders are blind, so what will be the result? If a blind man leads other hundred men to cross over the street, certainly there will be some accident because all of them are blind men. If one man is with eyes, open eyes, he can lead hundreds and thousands of men behind him. But if the leader and the led, both of them are blind, then the result will be that all of them will fall into the ditch.

Class in Los Angeles -- Los Angeles, November 15, 1968:

So these leaders, they do not know that they are under the control of the stringent laws of nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Suppose if there is a heavy earthquake. Suppose the Atlantic Ocean... And there is some suggestion like that, some years they will mix together, by the scientists. Suppose the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean mix together. Then how you can check? Your hands and legs are tightly packed up. You cannot check the laws of nature. Therefore blind leaders who are so tightly packed up by the laws of nature, how they can lead? They cannot lead. They cannot lead to the goal of life. The goal of life is God or Kṛṣṇa, but they are enamored by the glimmering of, the glittering of this material nature. So they cannot lead. Then how, what is the solution? If Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not possible to cultivate by speculation, by assembly meeting, or by knowledge derived from higher authoritative sources, the leaders are misleading, then how it is to be attained? How the goal of life can be attained?

Press Release -- Los Angeles, December 22, 1968:

It is coming down from disciplic succession, and in India from all great leaders of the Vedic society like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka, and lately, about 480 years ago, Lord Caitanya. The principle is still being followed today. This Bhagavad-gītā is also very widely persued in all parts of the world by great scholars, philosophers, and religionists. But in most cases the principle is not followed as it is. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to present the principles of the Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any misinterpretation.

Press Release -- Los Angeles, December 22, 1968:

Similarly, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the process of clearing the consciousness, and as soon as the consciousness clear and pure it is transferred to the spiritual world for eternal life of knowledge and bliss, which we are hankering for in this material world, and being frustrated in every step on account of material contamination. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should be taken very seriously by the leaders of the human society.

Recorded Speech to Members of ISKCON London -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

We are, however, misled by persons and leaders who have very little connection with God, or Kṛṣṇa. Some of them are denying the existence of God, some of them are falsely trying to place themselves in place of God, some of them are in favor of the impersonal feature of God, and, at last, some of them, without being able to reach any right conclusion, are accepting the ultimate goal of life as void, or zero, in utter hopelessness and frustration. But Kṛṣṇa consciousness is solid ground for understanding Kṛṣṇa, or God, directly by the simple method of chanting the holy name of God, or Kṛṣṇa. Misled by blind leaders, the followers who themselves are blind have failed to achieve the desired success, but here is a method called by the name Kṛṣṇa consciousness which is directly offered by Kṛṣṇa, and the instructions are plainly described in the Bhagavad-gītā, given to us five thousand years ago, and again confirmed by Him in the form of Lord Caitanya five hundred years ago.

Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, February 10, 1969:

We shall create bread." In the Communist country the propaganda was that these Communists would go to villages, ask the villagers to come to church and pray to God, "Give us our daily bread," and they would ask, "Whether you have got bread?" Of course, in the church where is the bread? They will say, "No, we haven't got bread." "All right, you ask us." And they ask the Communist leader, "Give us our daily bread," and they give sumptuously. "Why should you go to church?" They preached godlessness in this way, that "You are not getting bread from the church. You are getting bread from us. Why not worship Lenin and his followers? He gave sufficient bread." In this way they tried to make people godless, that "Don't go to church." Still their propaganda.

Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:

One can understand what is God by the mercy of God, not by mental speculation. It is not possible. We have got very limited scope of knowledge. Our senses are imperfect, we are full of cheating propensities, and we are liable to commit mistake. These four defects are within us. However a great man one may be, he is sure to commit mistake. I shall give you one tangible example in the life of Mahatma Gandhi. You know he was a very great man, political leader in India. So he was also very God-fearing man, a very nice soul. But he also committed mistakes so many times.

Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:

So those who are situated in the modes of goodness, they are called perfect in the material world, very good men. That "very good man" does not mean that he is spiritually advanced. He may be moralist. He may be philanthropist, just like so many leaders of nations. That is another thing. The spiritual state is called viśuddha-sattva. Viśuddha-sattva means goodness where no other quality can contaminate.

Lecture at Engagement -- Columbus, may 19, 1969:

Your country will be perfect, actual leader of the whole world. I have come to your country with this purpose, that if American boys and girls should accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, it will be good for them and good for the world. So try to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is very easy—it is not difficult—but it is sublime. It is the most sublime movement. It can solve all the problems of the world. That we are sure.

Address to Indian Association -- Columbus, May 11, 1969:

We have background. We have background, highest philosophical and theosophical. Whatever you like. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, while He was preaching, He went to Benares. So Benares is the seat of Māyāvādī sannyāsīs. The followers of Śaṅkarācārya, they are mostly seen in Benares, Vārāṇasī. When Caitanya Mahāprabhu was there, He was chanting and dancing. So some of the people, they became very much appreciative of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's dancing and chanting, and there was a big sannyāsī, Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, leader of many thousands of Māyāvādī sannyāsīs. So somebody went to him and said, "Oh, from Bengal one young sannyāsī has come. Oh, He is so nicely chanting and dancing."

Address to Indian Association -- Columbus, May 11, 1969:

So it is not only in India. Everywhere in this age, everything is degraded, degraded in this sense, prāyeṇa kalau asmin alpāyeṣu yuge janāḥ. The duration of life is diminished. They are not very much active to understand what is self-realization. And if they are, some of them are very much active, oh, he is misled by so many misleading, so-called leaders. So the age is very corrupting. Therefore this Caitanya Mahāprabhu's process of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa is the best method and the simplest method. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam. Kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). There is no other alternative.

Address to Indian Association -- Columbus, May 11, 1969:

Hippies who are coming in our touch, they are giving up all these things even. Because they are not guided—misguided—they are seeking after something better, but there is no leader. But this movement will give them relief, to everyone. We are... Anyone who comes to us for initiation, our first condition is that there should be no illicit sex life, no boyfriend-girlfriend. No. Just get yourself married. Although I am sannyāsī, I have no connection with this marriage, but I do it for the sake of my disciples, just to settle them nicely. So all the boys or girls, they are being married.

Conway Hall Lecture -- London, September 15, 1969:

One day it will come, immediately kick you out. You have seen the great President of United States, Mr. Kennedy. He was supposed to be the happiest man in the world, but within a second he was kicked out, immediately. In our country Mahatma Gandhi was very popular leader, but in a second he was removed from the field. So we do not know when we shall be removed immediately by the freaks of nature.

Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 17, 1971:

Now argument may be forwarded that if the simple process, simply by chanting the holy name, one becomes liberated, then why there are so many śāstras, manyadini? Manu is supposed to be the leader of giving all śāstras. There are twenty kinds of śāstras, dharma-śāstra. Vimsati dharma-śāstra. So what is the necessity of these dharma-śāstras? Actually, there is no need of dharma-śāstra. Kṛṣṇa also says the same thing. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66).

Pandal Lecture at Cross Maidan -- Bombay, March 26, 1971:

That is the difference. Similarly, the activities of this material world which is going on, we do not say like the Māyāvāda philosophers, that brahma satya jagan mithyā. According to the leader of Māyāvāda philosophers, Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya, his perfection of life begins when one takes to sannyāsa. The Śaṅkarācārya philosophers, they do not admit anyone as realized soul unless he has accepted sannyāsa. But Vaiṣṇava philosophy is not like that. Vaiṣṇava philosophy is that you may remain in any condition of life—it doesn't matter—but you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That's all.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, March 31, 1971:

That is their attempt. But we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. We are presenting in that way. We are presenting Kṛṣṇa in the Western world. When I first went there the people were saying, "God is dead." Exactly in the same way as in our country also. We have been misled by so-called leaders. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, March 31, 1971:

But actually we are misled by the so-called blind leaders. They have no vision what is the actual goal of life. Not only in a particular country—everywhere the same mischief is going on. Therefore, as a blind man, if he leads other blind men, there will be catastrophe, similarly, because we are led by blind men, the whole world is in catastrophe.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 10, 1971:

There are two kinds of energies working. Everyone can experience. Just like in my body, I am the spirit soul, and the body is matter, material. When combined together it is working wonderfully. A man is becoming a great leader, a great scientist, a great philosopher, how? So long the spiritual spark is there. As soon as the spiritual spark is gone, the same very body is no longer a great leader, a great scientist, or great philosopher. So both these energies are products of Kṛṣṇa's body. Just like the sunshine is the energy of the sun globe, and within the sun globe there is the sun-god also. We get it from Bhagavad-gītā. In the Fourth Chapter there is mention of the sun-god: imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam, vivasvate (BG 4.1). Vivasvān is the name of the sun-god. At present, the predominating leader, or the principle deity, in the sun planet is called Vivasvān. So he's a person.

Lecture at Wayside Chapel -- Sydney, May 13, 1971:

The Wayside Chapel, of course, is the home of world religion. As a matter of fact, in three weeks time the Sikh community will conduct their major festival here in this very theater, and everybody is invited to share with the Sikh community on that particular Sunday. So that's part of our program. And therefore it's perfectly natural that this evening we should have in our presence such a renowned world leader of a religious movement, which we have watched with great interest from the Wayside Chapel, and we are very honored that the Swami should be in our presence this evening.

Speech at Olympia Theater -- Paris, June 26, 1971, (with translator):

I thank you very much for your kindly participating in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This movement is very important. It is a movement to save the human society from a suicidal policy. The suicidal policy is... Just this evening I expressed my desires to the press conference that the human society is being misled by leaders who are blind themselves. Take for example just like there a few blind men, and one, another blind man, is proposing to help them, crossing over the street. So this blind following is there in this sense, that we do not know what is the aim and objective of human society. The aim and objective of human life is self-realization and reestablishing our lost relation with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the missing point. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to enlighten the human society on this important point.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971:

So here in this material world, either you worship some demigod or worship some leader or worship some friend, the ulterior motive is that you want to get some benefit from him, that's all. Therefore he is priya. But Kṛṣṇa, when you speak of Kṛṣṇa, there is no such business. Just like you love your ātmā very dearly, your life. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa being the ātmeśvaraḥ, the sum total of all ātmā, therefore ultimately Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu is our dear.

Pandal Lecture -- November 14, 1971, Delhi:

We keep one man's statue, but we do not know where the man has gone, where the soul has gone. But we keep the statue as if he is staying there. This is called illusion. We do not know where my leader has gone, but I am worshiping the leader's statue on the street, and it has become the place for passing stool on his head by the crows, and we are worshiping. But when you go to worship in the temple, it is idol worship.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

One lawyer who quotes from the lawbook various bona fide quotations, the judgment is given in his favor because that is authorized. Similarly, a Vedic statement is accepted in Indian spiritual society. There are hundreds and thousands of men who are still dedicated. Practically the whole population of India, they are dedicated to spiritual life. Perhaps you may not know, but anyone who has taken birth in India, he has got a natural inheritance of spiritual life. Unfortunately, at the present moment the leaders are under wrong impression that in India, being too much spiritually inclined, its material advancement has been checked. But material advancement does not become hampered by spiritual knowledge.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

Why there should be interpretation? These are facts. Why there should be... It is clear. Dharma-kṣetra is... Kurukṣetra is dharma-kṣetra, and historical fact is māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Two groups of cousin brothers, they wanted to fight to settle up. Formerly the war was declared—the leader of the war, if he is killed, then the other party is victorious. Not that unnecessarily killing the civil citizens, no. This was nonsense. If there was fight between two kings, the citizens, they were unaffected, not that there is fight now between two parties, there is immediately siren, (imitates siren:) gaw, gaw, gaw, gaw, now bomb and the civil..., the most uncivilized way of war. In those days—those days means at least five thousand years ago—they selected a place, and "Let us fight and decide our fate," kṣatriyas. Why the public should suffer? So in this way Kurukṣetra was selected to fight between the two parties.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

So instead of reading so many news from the newspaper, if you utilize... The newspaper means the repeated things. Every morning you see something: "Somebody has stolen, somebody was killed, some political leaders have bluffed you," and so many things, the same thing, repetition of the same thing.

Lecture -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

So in our paramparā system we are trying to create some Vaiṣṇavas in the world. There are many industrialists, many scientists, many philosophers, many politicians, diplomats, and leaders—so many things. They are trying also to solve the problems of the world in different ways, but they cannot do anything. It is impossible. They cannot do anything. They are themselves blind. They do not know actually what is the objective of life. So what they can give you? They can simply create problems. That's all. Ugra-karma. By engaging you in pungent, karmī activities, life becomes most miserable.

Lecture -- Laguna Beach, September 30, 1972:

This is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata in one verse. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. These rascals, they do not know what is the aim of life. They are captivated by the external energy of God. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni-baddhāḥ. They are led by blind leaders. All these materialistic leaders, the politicians, the scientists, the philosophers, the technologists and so on, businessmen, so on, so on, and all these material—they are all blind and they are leading other blind. So what will be? The result will be catastrophe, because both of them are blind. If one man is with eyes, he can lead another thousands of men, blind men: "Please come. I shall help you crossing the road." But if the leader is also blind and the followers are blind, then what is the result?

Rotary Club Lecture -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

There are leading men in every society—in government post and educational institution, in business, and so many other fields. In every field of activity, there are leading men. That is natural. And in the Vedas we understand the supreme leading person is God. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Leaders must be accepted. Just like father is necessary, similarly, leader is also necessary. Guru is also necessary. So according to Vedic verse, Vedic version, we can understand that the supreme leader is Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, God, a person. The conception of Absolute Truth, as given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate: (SB 1.2.11) "The Absolute Truth is realized from three angles of vision—as the impersonal Brahman, the localized Paramātmā and the Supreme Personality of Godhead." The, this Bhagavān, this word, is used at the end in the matter of describing the nature of Absolute Truth.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

But unfortunately, there is no educational system throughout the whole world about the activities of the soul, how he is working in different evolutionary process, what is his ultimate goal of life, wherefrom he's coming, where he's gone, what is the relation. So many things, we have to know. But we are placed in ignorance on account of blind leaders. We do not know the problems of life. We are blind, and we are led by other blind leaders into still blindness.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 5, 1972:

We are all souls, living entities; similarly, God is also a living entity. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He's the supreme living entity. Just like we have got leader—in every society, in every country. Just like in our country we have got the president, the chief Indian. Or in America, Mr. Nixon, the chief Indian, uh, chief American. Similarly, there must be one chief, leader of the whole creation, and that is Kṛṣṇa. There must be. By logical conclusion, there must be a leader. That is... That indication we get from Bhagavad, yes, Vedas, Kaṭhopaniṣad: nityo nityānām. Who is God? God means the chief of all living entities. It is not very difficult to understand.

Lecture at Indo-American Society 'East and West' -- Calcutta, January 31, 1973:

Just like in your country, George Washington. Many scientists. In our country also, many big leaders, Mahatma Gandhi and others. Do you think that these men are combination of bag, combination-bag of bones and flesh and urine? Therefore, the śāstra says: yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Tri-dhātuke. This body is made of three elements, according to Ayur Vedic system, kapha pitta vāyu. Mucus, bile and air.

Lecture at Indo-American Society 'East and West' -- Calcutta, January 31, 1973:

I have selected Kṛṣṇa as God. Where is the difference of principle? You cannot live without a leader or God. I cannot live without a leader or God. That's a fact. Then where is the difference? Now it is to be judged whether Lenin is good or Kṛṣṇa is good. That is another thing. But your position is that you have to accept one leader, either Lenin or Jawaharlal Nehru or Hitler or this or Lord (?) Churchill. You have to accept. You cannot work independently. Therefore you have got so many parties. So here is also one party, Kṛṣṇa party. So where is the difference in philosophy? There is no difference in philosophy. Now let us study whether Kṛṣṇa party is good or Lenin party is good. Then whole solution is there."

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 28, 1973:

Big, big leaders, they also want to give some service. So this is our service attitude. It is our eternal attitude. It cannot be changed. Just like faith. Today I am Muslim and tomorrow I may become Hindu. Today I am Christian and tomorrow I may become Muslim. Faith can be changed, but my character is still that I am servant. That cannot be changed. It does not mean... Suppose you are working in office. Now today you are Hindu or tomorrow you become Muslim. Does it mean in the office you be, become master? No. The service is there. Either you change your faith or don't change your faith, your character is still to serve, will continue. That is the reality. That is sanātana. Sanātana means eternal. Try to understand.

Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

Guest (3) (Indian man): There is one thing, Swamijī, if I may, which I cannot reconcile. As an Indian, the question bothers me very, very often. I believe in a great many things which you say. There's no question about that. I'm not a Westernized Indian. But what I cannot reconcile is the fact that we who had this Vedic knowledge and all the things which you have just now said is the solution to all our problems, with all this knowledge, we have not been able to keep our society free from so many evils to come... I'm not only referring to the poverty, but to the other things...

Prabhupāda: No. It is due to bad leaders. It is due to bad leaders.

Guest (3): They are our own people. They...

Prabhupāda: They may be own, your father. Just like Prahlāda's father was Hiraṇyakaśipu, a demon. So what can be done? Prahlāda was a devotee, and his father was a demon.

Guest (3): Yes. He has to be destroyed.

Prabhupāda: So he was destroyed. He'll be destroyed. They are being destroyed. These demonic leaders will not stay. They'll be destroyed. But everything takes some time. Just like I told you that Gandhi, he understood the pulse of the country. He wanted to reorganize the villages, but our big Paṇḍitajī topsy-turvied everything.

Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

And we killed him, Gandhi. Yes. So this is... Mūrkhāyopadeṣo hi prakopāya na śāntaye. If a mūrkha is advised to do something, he becomes angry. Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ visa-vardhanam. So at the present moment, our Indian leaders are not very good. Blind. They have no knowledge, and they are leading. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They have killed our original Vedic culture, and they cannot give anything. Gandhi wanted to give something, but he was also killed. What can be done?

Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

We are getting a better response from the Western countries than in India. In India, we see that the leaders, they do not like it. They are now opening beef shop, wine shop, and we are preaching "No intoxication, no meat-eating." So actually, we are not very favorable to their propaganda. (laughs) They don't like us, the leaders. Now there are big, big signboards. In Juhu we have got a center, and the government has opened beef shop, very big. And wine shop, you'll find everywhere. And we are preaching, "No intoxication, no meat-eating." So how they'll like us? That is the difficulty. "It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss." But still, we are struggling.

Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:

Father Greene: ...there is more to life than what we see and touch and hear, that there is a need for salvation, redemption, in one form or another. And that both these ideas, that we do not live on bread alone and that we need salvation, lead us to agree that there is something beyond this life which we can call at least in general, to use a technical word, the transcendence. I think within this context we can talk and discuss and agree at least to some extent. I would now like to ask one of the Australian members of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement to introduce their leader to us in a more personal manner.

Madhudviṣa: Umāpati. Umāpati.

Umāpati: We would like to introduce His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, who is the ācārya of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement and who has mercifully come and delivered us with the blazing torchlight of transcendental knowledge to deliver us from this disease of material existence. I think he is going to lecture from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Thank you very much. (applause)

Prabhupāda: (chants maṅgalācaraṇa prayers) Father Greene and all other Fathers and Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your kindly participating in this movement. So I will try to explain some of the verses from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is considered to be the essence of Vedic literature. Vedic literature means the four Vedas: Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg, Atharva, then Upaniṣad, 108 Upaniṣad, and eighteen Purāṇas, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata.

Speech -- Vrndavana, April 20, 1975:

So we cannot understand even Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa. Actually, there are so many malinterpretation about Kṛṣṇa. I do not wish to discuss because they have been made mistaken by big, big leaders. So people cannot understand even Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa, and what to speak of loving Kṛṣṇa.

Speech -- Vrndavana, April 20, 1975:

We are using this microphone for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, we are using nice buses, cars and wagons to go to village to village and distribute book and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. One of the leaders is present here, Śrīman Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Gosvāmī. He is going. He is controlling about one dozen buses. And here is Haṁsadūta also. He is doing the same in Germany. So we have introduced this as Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered, pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma. Throughout the whole world, as many villages and towns are there, this saṅkīrtana movement should be introduced.

Speech -- Vrndavana, April 20, 1975:

They have got natural tendency for becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Therefore in these days, still so many hundreds and thousands of people coming to Vṛndāvana to relish the transcendental mellow of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And now the foreigners are also attracted to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And I am trying to place them in our temple. This temple is one of them. We have got four, five temples in India. We are constructing one big temple in Hyderabad, and we are getting good response. So it is our request to the leaders of the society and to the people of India that they may take this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, very seriously. It will be good for everyone and the whole world will become peaceful.

Speech -- Vrndavana, April 20, 1975:

You will be surprised if you go. So this movement is undoubtedly increasing in the foreign countries, and why not in our country? So the government, the leaders and the guardians, they should deeply contemplate on the serious nature of this movement and help us. Now we are bringing men from the foreign countries to preach.

Lecture -- Nellore, January 4, 1976:

So we living entities, we are here in this material world. We are loitering in different bodies. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Now I am Indian or American. I am very great leader, Indian leader or American. Next moment I may become a dog or cat. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ is absolute. There is no question of... Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantor deha upapatti (SB 3.31.1). As we are working, creating a mentality—just like if I am infecting some disease, then I have to suffer from that disease—so similarly, this material world is consisting of three modes of nature, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, and mixed. So we are infecting according to our activities. The first-class position is to become a qualified brāhmaṇa.

Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977:

About Gosvāmīs, Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, he has written, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. (child talking) (aside:) Please take out. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīm. They were ministers. Naturally their associates were very, very big zamindars and rich men, aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīm. Maṇḍala-pati means leaders, social, political. So, gave up their company. Explain. Why? Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. Dīna-gaṇeśakau, the poor mass of people... We are thinking that we are advancing, but actually we are becoming poverty-stricken. So this very word is used, dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā. So this time is always. Unless the social leaders, the leaders of the society, they take care of the mass of people to educate them, dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā, if they do not become compassionate to the poor mass of people, who will deliver them?

Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977:

They are poor because they have no spiritual conception of life. So that situation is always existing; therefore it is the duty of the leaders of the society, especially of the brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas, to take sannyāsa and preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the mass of people. Dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. Now we have got experience that many big, big leaders in political field... We have seen this noncooperation movement.

Lecture -- Bombay, April 1, 1977:

So the beginning of divya-jñāna is there when we try to understand that "I am not this body. I am superior element, I am spirit soul. This is inferior. So why should I remain in this inferior knowledge?" We should not remain in the inferior... Inferior knowledge means darkness. Tamasi mā. The Vedic injunction is, "Don't remain in the inferior knowledge." Jyotir gamaḥ. "Come to the superior knowledge." So to worship guru means because he gives us superior knowledge. Not this knowledge—how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex life and defend. Generally, the political leaders, social leaders, they give this knowledge—how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex, how to defend. A guru has no business with these things.

Departure Talks

Departure Lecture -- Caracas, February 25, 1975:

So under the guidance of your leaders in this temple, especially Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja, and if followed... One life, just take little trouble. It is no trouble; it is very happy life. But because we are accustomed to these material habits, we think it is trouble. No. It is not trouble. It is very pleasing. Su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2).

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: You have got the opportunity and the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is also in your hand, now it is up to you to utilize it and become actually the leaders of the world. That was my mission: "I shall go to America, and educate them, and they, if they follow, the whole world will follow." And that is coming to be true. You are all young men, it is in your hand. Now you make policy in that way. Just like the communists.

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So then it is to be understood that different natural laws are working, and they are working under one controller, and that is God. Just like we are taking so many services from this electricity current, but all this electricity current are working under one leader in the powerhouse, the resident engineer. From him, the original electricity current is coming, is generated. And we are utilizing the same current in different varieties, purposes. So then, just like electric current, the same electric current working in this machine, in a way; another machine another way. It may be contradiction, but the power is the same. According to the machine, the same example: one machine is cooler, one machine is heater, although the current is the same. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). Everywhere God's energy is working as if natural.

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: Because they will be defeated. Because they will be defeated. They never recognize. That was British policy. Britishers wanted to... That is the cause of degradation of Indian culture. They manufactured such a... Even Dr. Radhakrishnan is a victim of that policy. They wanted to impress upon the Indians that before the arrival of the Britishers we were almost uncivilized: "We have made you civilized." And these rascal leaders, they accepted. That was their policy. Because they are very intelligent people. Lord Macauley (said): "If you keep them as they are, you will never be able to rule over them." And later on also, when Gandhi started that "Noncooperate with these rascals, they will go away. They are by force getting our cooperation and killing us." So noncooperate. Therefore he established the noncooperation movement. And Sir (indistinct), one of the greatest diplomats, statesmen of India, he said that "This is a very dangerous movement. Try to cut down this movement. Otherwise, if one percent of the Indian people noncooperate, it will not be possible for us to rule over this country." So in order to get our cooperation they are simply impressing that before the arrival of the Britishers, Indians were uncivilized. So many books they published. One American prostitute wrote Mother India.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Prabhupāda: This is spiritual following. Just like we are doing. We are also not neglecting the bodily necessities of life, but our main business is how to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So this is not supported by the state or the leaders of the society. They think they are unnecessary because they are animals. So that is the... If the leaders, yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tad tad eva itaraḥ janaḥ (BG 3.21), that is, every leading man accept that this is necessary. Just like we say "No illicit sex." So if the state helps, it can stop immediately. "No meat-eating": the state can immediately do it, "No slaughterhouse." If somebody says that it is enforcement for a person who wants to eat meat and the state has stopped, no.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

So it is not the brain that helps; it is the voice, it is the instruction which helps. Therefore we take instruction of Kṛṣṇa. So that is the Kṛṣṇa's point. Kṛṣṇa says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). When people becomes rascal, without any God consciousness, and the so-called demonic leaders keep the society in darkness, dharmasya glānir bhavati, at that time, to stop these demons talking nonsense, and to raise the devotees who are interested, Kṛṣṇa comes. That is Kṛṣṇa's coming. Then He leaves behind Him instruction of Bhagavad-gītā so that His devotees can preach for the benefit of the society. So it is not the brain; it is the voice, the instruction, which is important. So a human being has got this nice machine and he can take. But if the leaders are blind, they do not know what is the use of this brain, then it is useless.

Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Prabhupāda: God has nothing to struggle. He is so powerful that He has nothing to do. That is the Vedic injunction. Na tasya kāryaṁ kāraṇaṁ ca vidyate. The Vedic description of God is like this, He has nothing to do. That is right because just like a big man, a big leader, a king, personally he has nothing to do. He has got so many servants, secretaries, ministers, soldiers, so why he has got to do anything? So he has nothing to do. That is described in the Veda, na tasya kāryaṁ kāraṇaṁ ca vidyate. There is nothing to do actually. Therefore we see Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa picture, the Supreme Lord He is playing on his flute and enjoying.

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Prabhupāda: We can say in the United Nations clearly that "Your, this attempt will be failure." It is already failure. (aside in Hindi) Hariṁ vinā naiva mṛtiṁ taranti. What is the solution? You cannot make any solution of this repetition of birth and death, disease and old age. What do you mean by solution? The real problems are there. So they do not know what are the problems, how to solve them. So andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās (SB 7.5.31). Some blind leaders, so-called leaders, they are leading other blind men. This is going on. They do not know what is the aim of life, how to make solutions of the problems. They do not know.

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is historical fact. It is not imagination. It is, to think like that, is imaginative. Kṛṣṇa... The Mahābhārata is there. It is accepted by all Indian authority, and Kṛṣṇa is a historical figure. How it can be imaginative? So... he may think like that, like a madman, but India's leader will not accept that. Especially the ācāryas who are controlling the spiritual life of India, they do not accept a lunatic foreigner speaking like that.

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Prabhupāda: So the middle stage, so then you have to learn. You are not perfect, so you do not know. So one who does not know, his speculation, what is the value? Just like a child, if he does not know how the machine is working, how, then his speculation on this machine, what is the value of it? Without perfect knowledge, simply speculation, that is going on. The modern civilization, they prefer simply speculation without any basic truth. That is the defect. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās (SB 7.5.31). And they have become leaders, philosophers, scientists. Bhāgavata condemns them: andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās. They are blind themselves and they are trying to lead other blind men. So their leading, their science, their philosophy are practically useless. They cannot give any benefit to the human society. Childish.

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Prabhupāda: Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). His energies are so perfect and subtle, as soon as He thinks, "Let there be creation," immediately everything perfectly done. That is God. So if God is perfect in that way, then we should take guidance from God and mold our lives. That is perfect leader. That we are doing. We have taken Bhagavad-gītā, the words of God, and guide, that is the guide, and we are following. Therefore our principle, our process is perfect. We don't make any experiments for perfection. Take. Just like a teacher, if he shows that you write "A" like this, that is perfect.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's a fact. He has taken sexuality as God. But our position is that we must accept a leader. That is our natural tendency. So he gave up the leadership of God and took the leadership of sex. That is his position. Leadership we must have. That is..., this question also I asked to Professor Kotovsky, that "Where is the difference between your philosophy and our philosophy? You accept leader, Lenin. We accept leader, Kṛṣṇa. So where is the difference in the process?" So this is the nature of human being, to accept a leader. But this man, unfortunately, he lost the leadership of God and he took leadership of sex. That is his position.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: The puppy is, you will sometimes find, they try to take shelter of some boy, of some man. Natural tendency. "Give me shelter. Keep me as your pet." They are happy. That means by nature they are wanting some shelter. A child is also wanting some shelter. So that is our constitutional position. So in the human form of life, when consciousness is developed, that tendency to have a leader, to take shelter, that is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is giving direction that "You want shelter, you want guidance, so you take My guidance," sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ (BG 18.66), "then you will be perfect." That is the ultimate instruction of Bhagavad-gītā.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: Either you take Communism or this "ism" or that "ism," your real characteristic to render service, that will not change. The, in the capitalist country they are asking people that "You work in the factory and work for me, and whatever I say, you do," and the same thing is being dictated by the Communist leaders. Where is the difference? There is no difference, but it is only difference of nonsensical idea. Therefore a mass of people, they have to render service, either to Mr. Lenin or Mr. Roosevelt, it doesn't matter. He has to render service. But both the services are not being profitable to the mass of people.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Prabhupāda: That's right. (laughter) We accept that. Nityo nityānām. (laughter) We accept that. That is Vedic. That is Vedic. He is also living being, but who is the superior, chief living being? That is Kṛṣṇa. Just like we are also living beings, but you accept me as chief of the society. Similarly, there are innumerable living entities all over the universes, all over the creation, but who is the chief of them? That is God, the leader. Our philosophy is to follow the leader, Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Prabhupāda: That means foolish, all set of foolish rascals, that's all. From his talking we can understand. He is the leader. So he is a big foolish man, and his followers must be all fools. That's all.

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Prabhupāda: So unless one understands that abide by the orders of God is the benefit of man... If there is any, any organization... Even in communistic country there are many men working, but there is one director. In the state also there is one dictator, either Stalin or Lenin. A leader is wanted. So the supreme leader is called God. So the Communist cannot do without leader. Even Karl Marx, he is giving leadership. So, so leadership is wanted. There you cannot change. A person, a society is working under the leadership of God or Kṛṣṇa, and a society is working under the leadership of Marx... What is this? Marx?

Hayagrīva: Marx and Engels and Lenin, they were...

Prabhupāda: And Lenin. So that leadership wanted. Now the question is who will be the leader—Kṛṣṇa or Lenin? That is to be understood. Without leader, either the Communist or the theist cannot work. So, so far accepting leadership, the philosophy is one. Now the question will remain, "Whose leadership is perfect?" That is to be decided. But the Communist cannot avoid leadership.

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Prabhupāda: No. Our point is that religion is not sentiment. Leadership has to be accepted, either by the Communist or the theist or atheist. There is leadership. So when the leadership is selected and the direction given by the leader, you can take it as some "ism." So religion is the same thing. When we accept the leadership of God and His direction, that is religion. I don't think on principle the Communist can change this idea. The same leader is Lenin or Stalin, and he is giving his direction, and people must follow it. So where is the difference of philosophy? Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is there, His instruction is there, and we are following. So where is the difference in fact?

Hayagrīva: In either case there is authority.

Prabhupāda: Authority. So where is the difference in principle? There is no difference, but everyone will say that "I am the best leader." But who will select the best leader? What is the criterion of best leader?

Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:

Prabhupāda: Why I shall develop an ideological perfection by conflict, by struggle, by talking in the parliament, and talking to the leaders, and... Make this simple method that whatever you produce, you give me one-fourth. That's all.

Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:

Prabhupāda: That we are doing. We are repeatedly said that "You are controlled, you are controlled, you are controlled." (laughter)

Śyāmasundara: But what if you said... Like Mao Tse Tung might say, "I am the leader. I am the leader. I am the leader. I am the leader."

Prabhupāda: That is false. You are not leader.

Śyāmasundara: But they will accept it as true.

Prabhupāda: Why Mao becoming old? He is controlled. Is it that he will not die? Then he is controlled.

Śyāmasundara: He may die, but they will still accept him as the leader.

Prabhupāda: Well... Accept leader, a group of rogues and thieves accept another big thief as leader. (laughter) That is another thing. You see? That does not mean he is leader?

Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:

Prabhupāda: Anyway, the Russia is supposed to be leader of the Communistic idea.

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:

Prabhupāda: He may, he may follow Kant and I may follow Kṛṣṇa, but if there is contradiction, then which one is morality? How it will be decided, and who will decide? He may follow somebody. That this question I asked Professor Kotovsky in Moscow, that "You are following Communism, and we are following, say, Kṛṣṇa-ism, but your leader is Lenin and our leader is Kṛṣṇa, that so far the philosophy is concerned we have to accept a leader." So there is no difference in the basic principle of philosophy that we must have a leader. Now who shall be the leader and who will decide it? Regards to both of us, we have got a leader. Now which leader is perfect? If both of them are perfect, then why there is difference of opinion—one leader does not agree with the other leader? So who will answer this question that who is the best leader? Leader you have to follow. That you cannot avoid. Either you follow Kant or you follow Kṛṣṇa. Either you follow Lenin or you follow Kṛṣṇa. What is the answer? Who is the perfect leader? You cannot avoid leader, either you say according to Kant, I say according to Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussion on Plato:

Hayagrīva: In his Politics, Plato changes his mind later in life. In the beginning he believed that in an ideal state the leaders should possess nothing of their own, neither property nor family. He felt that they must live together in a community where wives and children are held in common to guard against corruption, bribery and nepotism in government. He felt that the elite philosophers should mate with women of high qualities in order to produce the best children for positions of responsibility. Now, how does this view of common wives and children correspond to the Vedic version?

Prabhupāda: Yes, Vedic civilization is that, that putrārthe kriyate bhāryā. A man should accept a wife for putra, for son. Why son? Putra-piṇḍa-prayojanam: a putra should be responsible for offering piṇḍa, so that after death, even by mistake or somehow or other I am in a wrong position, by the piṇḍa I am elevated. This is idea. So marriage is for having good son, that's a fact, who will deliver me even if I am in the hell. Therefore the śraddhā ceremony in there. So even the father is in hell, by this śraddhā ceremony he will be delivered. This is the idea. So unless one has got son, nobody is going to offer him śraddhā oblation, and even one may be very benevolent, but it is not expected. But it is the duty of the son, as it is said, putra.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner and Henry David Thoreau:

Hayagrīva: He feels that Walden II should be a community without a leader, that uh...

Prabhupāda: He wants to become leader.

Hayagrīva: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That is the idea.

Hayagrīva: The man who's setting up the community.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. He is suggesting that "You make me leader." That is the...

Hayagrīva: This sounds very familiar.

Prabhupāda: Everyone says, "Don't accept leader. Accept me as leader, that's all." But our proposal is that the, without leader nothing can be done. And the supreme leader is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and His representative should become leader. Then the society will be perfect. The supreme leader is God. So He gives instruction, and real leader takes the instruction by disciplic succession, and for the benefit of the total human society they spread the message of God. That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Without leader nothing can be done. Even if he says that without leader, he is, that preaching is also leadership. So why people should accept his leadership if there is no need of leader?

Hayagrīva: This was the position of Mr. Rose, who started to try to, try a community at, where we have New Vrindaban now. The man we initially bought New Vrindaban from. This was his position: "No leaders." But it turned out that he wanted to be the leader.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Who is that gentleman?

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner and Henry David Thoreau:

Prabhupāda: Imagination, if he thinks like that, that our society will be perfect on imagination, then what he can say? This is childish. That is going on practically. Everyone is coming, a leader like him, and he is trying to make some followers of his own imagination. That is going on.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner and Henry David Thoreau:

Hayagrīva: Well he doesn't believe in any leaders.

Prabhupāda: Then who will control? Society controlled without any controller? What is the meaning?

Rāmeśvara: It's a type of communism, where the people work together in a communal way.

Prabhupāda: How they will work together? They require Lenin, Stalin, or something like that, to force them to work. Still, in Communist country there are manager class. Not only worker class, the manager class. So this is all utopian theory. It has no practical value.

Hayagrīva: In the United States all of the successful utopian communities have had a strong religious leader.

Prabhupāda: Leader must be there, religious or not religious. Everyone has leader. The Communist has got leader, and the spiritualists, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we have also leader. So without leader nothing can be done. They may defy leadership, they may defy authority, but one who defies authority, he wants to become authority. So this is natural. Without leader nothing can be done.