Perfect leader

Expressions researched:
"leader must be perfect" |"leaders must be perfect" |"perfect leader" |"perfect leaders"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Mahatma Gandhi, he was supposed to be a very great, I mean to say, perfect leader of the country.

Lecture on BG 4.1 and Review -- New York, July 13, 1966:

There is nobody in the world, in this conditional state, who can boldly say that "I have never committed any mistake in my life." Is there anybody? No. We have committed so many mistakes. Even a perfect... I shall speak of our country. Our country, Mahatma Gandhi, he was supposed to be a very great, I mean to say, perfect leader of the country. He also committed mistakes, so many. And what to speak of us. What to speak of us. So a conditioned soul is sure to commit mistake. That is one imperfection.

Kṛṣṇa is the supreme leader. Supreme leader, perfect leader, without any mistake, without any illusion, without any cheating, and without any imperfection of the senses.

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974:

One has to understand Kṛṣṇa, tattvataḥ, in truth. Not superficially. What is Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is the supreme leader. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). supreme leader, perfect leader, without any mistake, without any illusion, without any cheating, and without any imperfection of the senses. We have to take direction from such a leader, then our life will be successful. And because we are taking direction from imperfect leaders, cheater leaders, therefore we are meeting with so many problems.

We should not follow the gross materialists, but we should follow the perfect leader, Kṛṣṇa, who says, tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati. This we must follow.

Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Bombay, April 3, 1974:

I have talked with many big, big professors. They are under the impression, atheism, voidism, that after death there is nothing; everything is void, finished. Atheism. Bhasmi-bhūtasya dehasya punar āgamanaṁ kutaḥ: "The body is burned into ashes. Who is coming again?" This is atheism. Because the atheists, they cannot see that how the soul is transmigrated by the subtle body from one body to another. They have no... gross, gross materialists. So we should not follow the gross materialists, but we should follow the perfect leader, Kṛṣṇa, who says, tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). This we must follow. That is human civilization.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

So nobody can be perfect. Therefore all these so-called perfect leaders, they should close their business.

Lecture on SB 1.3.21 -- Los Angeles, September 26, 1972:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I said there is always some statistical factor, which is called error. (laughter) Error is always slipping in.

Prabhupāda: So nobody can be perfect. Therefore all these so-called perfect leaders, they should close their business. (laughter) It is already experimental, all nonsense. Come to Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and chant. That's all right. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Why should we follow the misleaders, the rascal leaders? Let us follow the perfect leader, Kṛṣṇa, and become perfect.

Lecture on SB 1.10.1 -- Mayapura, June 16, 1973:

Our leader is Kṛṣṇa. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). So everyone requires a leader. I have talked many times that "Leader must be followed." When I was talking with Professor Kotovsky in Moscow, I asked him, "Where is the difference between your philosophy and our philosophy? You are following Lenin. We are following Kṛṣṇa. So we have to follow one leader. You cannot avoid it." So he was silent. He could not reply. So to become perfect, to achieve perfection, one has to follow a leader. So why should we follow the misleaders, the rascal leaders? Let us follow the perfect leader, Kṛṣṇa, and become perfect.

The leaders must be perfect.

Lecture on SB 1.15.37 -- Los Angeles, December 15, 1973:

So the leaders must be perfect. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, at least three persons in the society... The first: the priest or the spiritual master, who are engaged in teaching people about religiosity, he must be perfect, above suspicion. Similarly, public leader, he must be also above suspicion. A brāhmaṇa... Brāhmaṇa means priest also. He must be above suspicion. And the king must be above suspicion. Then things will go on. But there is no such restriction. Nowadays it is the days of vote. Any rascal, if he gets vote somehow or other, then he acquires the exalted post. That is also written in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that in the Kali-yuga there will be no consideration who is fit to occupy the exalted post of presidentship or royal throne. Simply somehow or other, by hook and crook, he'll occupy the seat. Therefore people are suffering.

Either you become communist or capitalist or this or that, you have to accept one leader. So take the best, first-class, perfect leader: Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be happy.

Lecture on SB 7.12.4 -- Bombay, April 15, 1976:

This is a civilization where a blind man is guiding a few others or many other blind men. So what is this civilization? The leader, he is a rascal. He does not know what is the aim of life, and he has become leader. So many talking. When I was talking with Professor Kotovsky, so I asked him this question, that "After all, you are required, you are in need of a leader. So you are being led by your Lenin philosophy and we are being led by Kṛṣṇa philosophy. So where is the difference in the procedure? You require a leader; we require a leader. That is wanted. Without leader we cannot go. But if you select a bad leader, blind leader, then you remain blind." That, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is that you have to accept one leader. That you cannot avoid. Either you become communist or capitalist or this or that, you have to accept one leader. So take the best, first-class, perfect leader: Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be happy. Otherwise it is not possible.

Philosophy Discussions

If God is perfect in that way, then we should take guidance from God and mold our lives. That is perfect leader.

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. That's all. Why should I go on, lifelong, just like this child is doing, this scientist. No. But if he takes guide from his teacher, he immediately teaches, "Make this one like this, one like this, one like that. Three lines makes 'A'." Immediately.

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 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.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

First of all you have to follow a perfect leader. Then whatever he says, that is perfect.

Room Conversation with Two Buddhist Monks -- July 12, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: If you think that Kṛṣṇa's not perfect, somebody is perfect, then you follow him.

Buddhist Monk (1): What we believe is that incomparable bliss and peace everlasting is the most perfect.

Prabhupāda: That is... These are items. These are items. First of all you have to follow a perfect leader. Then whatever he says, that is perfect. So that peace, you have given a definition of peace. Kṛṣṇa is giving definition of peace:

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ

sarva-loka-maheśvaram

suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

(BG 5.29)

"I am the proprietor of all the lokas," sarva-loka-maheśvaram, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. "I am the friend of everyone." Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasām. "And I am the enjoyer of all fruitive activities." Jñātvā mām. "When one knows Me like that, he gets śānti." This is the śānti formula given by Kṛṣṇa.

Because they are not leader, perfect leader. With imperfect knowledge they become leader. Our process is to accept a leader who is perfect.

Morning Walk -- December 16, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: No, if the leader is rascal, then it is accepted. But a leader required, that's a fact. But if you select a wrong leader, then you are misguided. But leader is required. Just like to get birth, there must be a father.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Leader is someone whose words can be accepted. A leader is someone, or a scientist, it doesn't matter, anybody, whose words are followed by...

Prabhupāda: Yes, authority. Leader means authority. His instruction is followed, and actually it happens. That is leader.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: (break) ...scientific community. It changes so often...

Prabhupāda: Because they are not leader, perfect leader. With imperfect knowledge they become leader. Therefore we... Our process is to accept a leader who is perfect. That is our process. And the others, fools, they accept a leader who is not perfect. But either we or they, they must accept a leader. The only difference is that we accept the perfect leader and they accept the imperfect leader. Therefore they are cheated.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

The perfect leader is there, His instruction is there, in all fields of life, any field of life. And ultimately spiritual realization. But they will not take it.

Morning Walk -- March 29, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Because they've taken to this asuric principle, they do not surrender. This is the disease, material disease. Here is Kṛṣṇa, the perfect leader, and they're going this side, that leader, that leader, that leader. Why? The perfect leader is there, His instruction is there, in all fields of life, any field of life. And ultimately spiritual realization. But they will not take it. They'll not take.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

That is their misfortune. Just like father says, "Child do this," but he does not do. Father says, "Don't touch fire;" he touches, so he'll suffer.

Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:

Revatīnandana: If you say that your leader is perfect and you do not change your leader, we see that in India... This is where Kṛṣṇa came. He is your leader, but they do not follow Kṛṣṇa any more and India is in trouble.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the right thing.

Revatīnandana: But why do they not follow if He is perfect leader?

Prabhupāda: That is their misfortune.

Revatīnandana: They argue like that.

Prabhupāda: That is their misfortune. Just like father says, "Child do this," but he does not do. Father says, "Don't touch fire;" he touches, so he'll suffer.

You can become perfect if you follow a perfect leader. That's all.

Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:

Madhudviṣa: But the leader should not be a person which is held in esteem for his personality but simply a person who is guiding the system.

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. Then that is Kṛṣṇa. He is giving this leader. This is a fact.

Trivikrama: And their leader can never be perfect.

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Trivikrama: The Communist leader.

Prabhupāda: You can become perfect if you follow a perfect leader. That's all.

Lokanātha: Just like some gurus say there is no need of guru.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The trouble is, their system is not perfect. Our system is...

Prabhupāda: How it can be? Because the leader who introduced this system is a rascal, so how the system can be perfect?

Political, social is not. The leader must be perfect. If the leader is blind, how can I accept such blind leader?

Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Why shall I accept a blind leader? If a blind... I am blind, and if a blind man says, "Come on, I shall guide you," why shall I accept that leader?

Madhudviṣa: Their contention is not that, though. Their contention is that Mao Tse Tung, along with being the political leader, is also the spiritual guide of the people.

Prabhupāda: Political, social is not. The leader must be perfect. If the leader is blind, how can I accept such blind leader? I am blind man. What is the use? I am blind; therefore I am asking, "Can you help me to cross the road?" Another blind, "Yes, yes, come on, I shall." Why shall I accept? First of all I shall ask, "You have got eyes?" "No, I am also blind." What is this nonsense?

He leader, perfect leader, is God. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānāṁ.

Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Everyone requires leader, yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: That is a fact.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: So they are changing leaders one after another because they think that the present leader will satisfy their present desires more.

Prabhupāda: The leader, perfect leader, is God. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānāṁ (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). That nitya and cetana, all living entities, we are eternal, and we are conscious. And He is the supreme conscious. Therefore God means Supreme Being. You take His leadership. Then He'll properly guide you. That is our philosophy.

We also accept leader, but the most perfect leader, who can actually give me protection from all dangers.

Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:

Madhudviṣa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, actually, I think it was either Marx or...

Prabhupāda: But the leader says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo: (BG 18.66) "I shall give you protection from all pitfalls." This is. We also accept leader, but the most perfect leader, who can actually give me protection from all dangers. So Śrīdhara, when you go, you take some letters from me. So what happened about Ganguli? (break) ...this nature. Just like a child is born. Immediately requires protection by mother.

Anyone who commits mistake, he's illusioned, he's a cheater and imperfect—he cannot lead.

Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What... Śrīla Prabhupāda, what are the qualifications of a perfect leader?

Prabhupāda: No mistake, no illusion, no cheating, no imperfection. Anyone who commits mistake, he's illusioned, he's a cheater and imperfect—he cannot lead. So bring any leader of these rascal groups and test with these four principles; he is misleader.

That already told. He does not commit any mistake. He is not illusioned, he is not a cheater, and he is perfect.

Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: A leader means that he's following a system. So what are the criterion of...?

Prabhupāda: That already told. He does not commit any mistake.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, that I understand.

Prabhupāda: He is not illusioned, he is not a cheater, and he is perfect.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So now you've defined a perfect leader. What is a perfect system? What are the criterion for a perfect system?

Prabhupāda: Perfect system means from which we do not suffer. That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No suffering.

Prabhupāda: No suffering.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That is the main criterion.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We are always hankering after happiness. So we do not like suffering. So if there is no suffering, that is perfect system.

Communists should be impressed that "You are trying to establish a perfect society. That is your philosophy. So unless there is perfect leader, how you can establish?" This is the way.

Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No, no. Prasādam, when it is supplied from the temple, in any condition it is prasādam. So communists should be impressed that "You are trying to establish a perfect society. That is your philosophy. So unless there is perfect leader, how you can establish?" This is the way.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And we know what the qualities of a perfect leader are. "We don't find that you have any such persons."

Prabhupāda: No, phalena paricīyate, by result.

If you learn from Kṛṣṇa you become perfect leader. But we do not take Kṛṣṇa's instruction. We manufacture our own ideas. That is failure.

Room Conversation with Mr. Tombe (M.L.A.) -- December 25, 1976, Bombay:

Mr. Tombe: Then how to throw out good leadership?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Good leadership means you must learn how to lead people. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ (BG 3.21). If the śreṣṭha, the leader is ideal, then others will follow. But if the leader is not ideal, if he is not in the awareness of things, then people will be misguided.

Mr. Tombe: So how can we chalk out a program of, say, training of leaders from the villages...

Prabhupāda: Yes. You have to take lessons from the biggest leader, Kṛṣṇa. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). He's the leader of the demigods also. We have to take lesson from... That lesson is there, Bhagavad-gītā. But we do not take it. We manufacture our leadership. That is the defect. What Kṛṣṇa said... Everyone is proud of reading Bhagavad-gītā, but the purpose of Bhagavad-gītā is how to kill Kṛṣṇa, that's all. That is their... All these. What can I say? These misleaders, they are doing that. Leadership is already there. Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna is learning from Kṛṣṇa. So if you learn from Kṛṣṇa you become perfect leader. But we do not take Kṛṣṇa's instruction. We manufacture our own ideas. That is failure. Otherwise in our country so many learned sages, especially Kṛṣṇa is there, and their books are there, their instructions are there. We do not take them. Still we become leader. So what kind of leading? He's imperfect. So he cannot lead. Then there will be some mistake and chaos.

1974 Correspondence

Our propaganda is to educate people to accept Krsna as the perfect leader in all fields of activity, and if people take to it seriously they will be happy in this life and after quitting this body he goes back to home, back to Godhead.

Letter to Dr. Ghosh:

Recently in our experience there was attempt to drive away the British. This revolution changed India from dependence to independence, but factually the situation has deteriorated from bad to worse. We are old friends, we know that in Allahabad when I was there, ghee was selling for 1 kg. per 1 rupee, and now its costs 20-25 rupees per kg. In this way, things have not improved, in so many ways. This is due to imperfect leaders.

Therefore our propaganda is to educate people to accept Krsna as the perfect leader in all fields of activity, and if people take to it seriously they will be happy in this life and after quitting this body he goes back to home, back to Godhead. There is no difficulty in understanding this philosophy in full brain and it is the urgent necessity that it be spread all over the world.