Supreme leader

Expressions researched:
"supreme leader"

SB Canto 1

SB 1.10.26, Translation:

Oh, how supremely glorified is the dynasty of King Yadu, and how virtuous is the land of Mathurā, where the supreme leader of all living beings, the husband of the goddess of fortune, has taken His birth and wandered in His childhood.

SB 1.12.17, Purport:

The Lord gives protection to all living beings because He is their supreme leader. The Vedic hymns confirm that the Lord is the Supreme Person amongst all personalities. The difference between the two living beings is that the one, the Personality of Godhead, provides for all other living beings, and only by knowing Him can one achieve eternal peace (Kaṭha Upaniṣad). Such protection is given by His different potencies to different grades of living beings. But as far as His unalloyed devotees are concerned, He gives the protection personally. Therefore, Mahārāja Parīkṣit is protected from the very beginning of his appearance in the womb of his mother. And because he is especially given protection by the Lord, the indication must be concluded that the child would be a first-grade devotee of the Lord with all good qualities. There are three grades of devotees, namely the mahā-bhāgavata, madhyam-adhikārī and the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. Those who go to the temples of the Lord and offer worshipful respect to the Deity without sufficient knowledge in the theological science and therefore without any respect for the devotees of the Lord are called materialistic devotees, or kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, the third-grade devotees. Secondly, the devotees who have developed a mentality of genuine service to the Lord and who thus make friendships only with similar devotees, show favor to the neophytes and avoid the atheists are called the second-grade devotees. But those who see everything in the Lord or everything of the Lord and also see in everything an eternal relation of the Lord, so that there is nothing within their purview of sight except the Lord, are called the mahā-bhāgavatas, or the first-grade devotees of the Lord. Such first-grade devotees of the Lord are perfect in all respects. A devotee who may be in any of these categories is automatically qualified by all good qualities, and thus a mahā-bhāgavata devotee like Mahārāja Parīkṣit is certainly perfect in all respects. And because Mahārāja Parīkṣit took his birth in the family of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Yudhiṣṭhira is addressed herein as the mahā-bhāga, or the greatest of the fortunates. The family in which a mahā-bhāgavata takes his birth is fortunate because due to the birth of a first-grade devotee the members of the family, past, present and future up to one hundred generations, become liberated by the grace of the Lord, out of respect for His beloved devotee. Therefore, the highest benefit is done to one's family simply by becoming an unalloyed devotee of the Lord.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.8.18, Purport:

Religious affiliation in terms of different countries and cultural circumstances is obviously not the common religion of the human being; rather, the basic principle is devotional service. Even if a particular type of religious principle does not recognize the supremacy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the followers still have to obey the disciplinary principles laid down by a particular leader. Such a leader of a religious sect is never the supreme leader because such a circumstantial leader comes to the position of leadership after undergoing some penance. The Supreme Personality of Godhead does not, however, require to be under disciplinary action to become leader, as we see in the activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.21.16, Purport:

In the Kaṭha Upaniṣad it is stated that the Supreme Lord is the leader of all living entities. He is their sustainer and the awarder of all their necessities and desires. No living entity is independent; all are dependent on the mercy of the Supreme Lord. Therefore the Vedic instruction is that one should enjoy life under the direction of the supreme leader, the Personality of Godhead. Vedic literatures like Īśopaniṣad direct that since everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one should not encroach upon another's property, but should enjoy one's individual allotment. The best program for every living entity is to take direction from the Supreme Lord and enjoy material or spiritual life.

A question may be raised: Since Kardama Muni was advanced in spiritual life, why then did he not ask the Lord for liberation? Why did he want to enjoy material life in spite of his personally seeing and experiencing the Supreme Lord?

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 2.37, Purport:

The cause of all causes, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the cause of the living entities. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.10), where the Lord says, bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānām ("I am the seed of all living entities"), and in the Upaniṣads (Kaṭha Up. 2.2.13), which say, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām ("the Lord is the supreme leader among all the eternal living beings").

The Lord is the reservoir of all cosmic manifestation, animate and inanimate. The advocates of Viśiṣṭādvaita-vāda philosophy explain the Vedānta-sūtra by saying that although the living entity has two kinds of bodies—subtle (consisting of mind, intelligence and false ego) and gross (consisting of the five basic elements)—and although he thus lives in three bodily dimensions (gross, subtle and spiritual), he is nevertheless a spiritual soul. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who emanates the material and spiritual worlds, is the Supreme Spirit. As an individual spirit soul is almost identical to his gross and subtle bodies, so the Supreme Lord is almost identical to the material and spiritual worlds. The material world, full of conditioned souls trying to lord it over matter, is a manifestation of the external energy of the Supreme Lord, and the spiritual world, full of perfect servitors of the Lord, is a manifestation of His internal energy. Since all living entities are minute sparks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is the Supreme Soul in both the material and spiritual worlds.

CC Adi 7.8, Purport:

The word rāsādi-vilāsī ("the enjoyer of the rāsa dance") is very important. The rāsa dance can be enjoyed only by Śrī Kṛṣṇa because He is the supreme leader and chief of the damsels of Vṛndāvana. All others are His devotees and associates. Although no one can compare with Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there are many unscrupulous rascals who imitate the rāsa dance of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. They are Māyāvādīs, and people should be wary of them. The rāsa dance can be performed only by Śrī Kṛṣṇa and no one else.

CC Adi 7.128, Purport:

Oṁkāra is a combination of the letters a, u and m. A-kāreṇocyate kṛṣṇaḥ: the letter a (a-kāra) refers to Kṛṣṇa, who is sarva-lokaika-nāyakaḥ, the master of all living entities and planets, material and spiritual. Nāyaka means "leader." He is the supreme leader (nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13)). The letter u (u-kāra) indicates Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, the pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa, and m (ma-kāra) indicates the living entities (jīvas). Thus oṁ is the complete combination of Kṛṣṇa, His potency and His eternal servitors. In other words, oṁkāra represents Kṛṣṇa, His name, fame, pastimes, entourage, expansions, devotees, potencies and everything else pertaining to Him. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu states in the present verse of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, sarva-viśva-dhāma: oṁkāra is the resting place of everything, just as Kṛṣṇa is the resting place of everything (brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham).

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 16:

We can partially understand that You are within our hearts as the witness of all our activities, but it is very difficult to appreciate Your presence, although every one of us can do so to some extent. You are the supreme controller of both the material and spiritual energies; therefore You are the supreme leader, although You are different from this cosmic manifestation. You are the witness and creator and the very ingredient of this cosmic manifestation. We therefore offer our respectful obeisances unto You.

“Our dear Lord, in the matter of creating this cosmic manifestation, personally You have nothing to exert; by expanding Your different kinds of energy—namely the mode of passion, the mode of goodness and the mode of ignorance—You create, maintain and annihilate this cosmic manifestation. As the controller of the entire time force, You simply glance over the material energy, thereby creating this universe and energizing the different modes of material nature, which act differently in different creatures. No one can estimate, therefore, how Your activities are going on within this world. Our dear Lord, although You have expanded into the three principal deities of this universe—namely Lord Brahmā, Lord Viṣṇu and Lord Śiva—for creation, maintenance and destruction, Your appearance as Lord Viṣṇu is actually for the benediction of living creatures. Therefore, for those who are actually peaceful and who are aspiring after the supreme peace, worship of Your peaceful appearance as Lord Viṣṇu is recommended.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

Yes, Lord of the living entities. Just like here we have got a leader, a society leader or a party leader or a club leader, there are leaders. Some are led by somebody, some are led by somebody. We don't wish to discuss. But there is a leader. Without leader, nobody goes to hell, neither to heaven. There must be one leader. The supreme leader is Kṛṣṇa. Leader of the leader, leader of the leader. There are various types of leaders. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām, eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). These are the wordings in the Vedas. So He is the supreme leader. We are following some leader. Some leader is following Stalin, somebody Hitler, some leader is following Gandhi, somebody's following somebody, somebody. There must be some leader. But why not the supreme leader, who will never misguide you? He will give you actual path of happiness. Then you will become happy.

Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Just like a blind man is leading other blind men. What is the use of such following leaders? He is blind and I am blind. So if he leads me to cross the road, what (is) my life? My life is in danger. So don't follow these misleaders. Kṛṣṇa is approved leader. All leaders of the society, any part of the world, has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the supreme leader. Follow Him. Then you'll be happy. Go on.

Sudāmā: "Viṣṇu is the Lord of all living creatures, all worlds, and all beauties, and protector of everyone. The Lord created this material world for the conditioned souls to learn how to perform yajñas for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu so that while in the material world they can live very comfortably without anxiety in life. Then after finishing the present material body they can enter into the kingdom of God. That is the whole program for the conditioned souls. By performance of yajña the conditioned souls gradually become Kṛṣṇa conscious and become godly in all respects. In this age of Kali the saṅkīrtana-yajña, or chanting the holy names of God, is recommended by the Vedic scriptures, and this transcendental system was introduced by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu for the deliverance of all men. Saṅkīrtana-yajña and Kṛṣṇa consciousness go well together. Lord Kṛṣṇa in His devotional form as Lord Caitanya is worshiped in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as follows, with special reference to the saṅkīrtana-yajña. 'In this age of Kali people who are endowed with sufficient brain substance will worship the Lord who is accompanied by His associates, by performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña.' "

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.

Kṛṣṇa says that yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata. Tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). That I have already explained, what is that glāniḥ? The glāniḥ is when we forget Kṛṣṇa. Then our activities become polluted. Just like a servant. If he forgets that there is master, then he becomes polluted. He steals, he mismanages things, things become very disordered. But if he has got the sense that "I have got my master, everything belongs to my master," and if he acts accordingly, that is very nice.

So we do not know what is the constitutional position of Kṛṣṇa and what is my constitutional position. That is called sambandha-jñā. My relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Everyone of us has got a relationship. Kṛṣṇa says in the Fifteenth Chapter, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Just like sons are part and parcel of the father. Father's body extends as son and daughter.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

You'll find that all the pigeons, they flock together, not the crows and the pigeons flock together. The ducks, they flock together. Similarly, this is the natural way, and there... In every group there is a leader.

So the Supreme Lord, He is called in the Vedic literature that He is the supreme leader. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. Nitya means eternal, and nityānām, that means many other eternals. We are many other eternals. Eka, that one eternal... Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. There are two kinds of eternals. We living entities, we are also eternal, and the Supreme Lord, He is also eternal. So far eternity is concerned, both of us equal on the qualitative nature. He is eternal, and we are eternal. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). He is also all pleasure, and we are also all pleasure because we are all parts and parcel of the same quality. But He is the leader.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

So our position is always subordinate. That is our natural constitutional position. Now, the Supreme Lord's position is the leadership, and our position is subordinate. Then what is our duty? Our duty is to follow the leader. And actually we are doing so. We have got... Instead of... We have forgotten that the supreme leader is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but still, for our daily activities we create a leader. We accept some leader and follow his principles. Just like you have elected your leader as President Johnson, the president of your state. He is supposed to be the leader of your nation, and he is asking you to go to the Vietnam and sacrifice your life. So you are following. So this is the natural position. Even if we do not accept God, if we do not accept the leadership of God, we have to select another leader. We cannot get rid of this principle, that we can live without leader. That is our constitutional position.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

We cannot get rid of this principle, that we can live without leader. That is our constitutional position.

So the difficulty is that... Our difficulty is that instead of following the supreme leader, we are creating by mental concoction some leader according to our material conception of life, and we are following. That is our position. So Lord Kṛṣṇa said,

ye yathā māṁ prapadyante

tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham

mama vartmānuvartante

manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ

(BG 4.11)

People are actually following the same principle, but the difficulty is that in our this position of lower nature we are following in the manner which will not make us happy and satisfied. Because we are not following the supreme leader, the difficulty... By constitutional position we are to follow a leader, but because we are misled, because we are deluded to follow a leader which is not perfect, therefore our position is always unhappy in spite of following the leadership of a concocted nature.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

Therefore the best thing will be to get rid of this concocted position and follow the supreme leader. That is the highest perfection. Just try to understand that I cannot avoid following someone's leadership. That is not possible. Can anyone say that "we can avoid this"? No. We cannot avoid. Even if we don't accept the leadership of God, we have to accept some other leader. That is our position. We cannot avoid it.

So there is a very nice verse in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. A brāhmaṇa, he was a family man, just like worldly man, as we are. Now, brāhmaṇas are generally expected to be highly learned, and he was very learned man in Vedic literature. And when he came to his consciousness by reading all this Vedic literature, that "Although I am following the leadership, why I am not happy? Why I am not happy?"... This question should arise in the sane human mind. One should think that "I am following the leadership of somebody, according to my position and according to my circumstances. But still, I am not happy. Why?"

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

So ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. A proportionately, as I surrender unto the Supreme Lord... We must always know that our background of relationship is that we are subordinate, and He is great. God is great. We cannot be equal with Him. We have to follow. He is the supreme leader. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa says that "You give up everything." He is trying to give you leadership. He is prepared to give you all leadership provided you are prepared to follow His leadership. That's all. Reciprocation. And in proportionately, proportionately, as you accept His leadership, He also responds reciprocally. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. As you...

So everything depends on me. I can see God. Just like I am seeing you face to face, you are seeing me face to face, similarly, you can see Kṛṣṇa face to face. Just like Arjuna saw face to face. Why? Because the relationship was so nice that they were in friendly relation. So seeing of God is not very difficult. Simply we have to acquire that qualification.

Lecture on BG 4.11-12 -- New York, July 28, 1966:

And we are trying to make some group according to the similarly of thought and propensities. There are association, you know, various association, mercantile association, bankers' association, lawyers' association, and there is a leader. That is the nature's way.

Now, the supreme leader is Śrī Kṛṣṇa. That we do not know. Supreme leader, the leadership is accepted, but we do not know that the supreme leader is the Supreme Lord, or Kṛṣṇa. So that is informed in the Vedic literature, and in the Bhagavad-gītā also, the same thing is confirmed, that ye yathā māṁ prapadyante: "Now, everyone is under My leadership, everyone. There is no exception." Especially He mentions the manuṣya. Manuṣya means the human being. The human being especially mentioned here because amongst all the human beings in this lower status of our existence, the human being is considered the highest perfectional stage of living condition. And especially human being has the prerogative to understand the supreme leadership of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The animals cannot understand it, or the persons who are in the animal nature...

Just like you will find in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Hyderabad, April 22, 1974:

There are many hundreds and thousands of followers, but there must be one leader. You follow any cult, you have to accept one leader. Either you follow this philosophy, that philosophy, it doesn't matter. But you have to follow a leader. But Kṛṣṇa is the supreme leader, leader of the leaders.

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjayaḥ (BG 7.7). Leaders there are, gods are, there are. God means controller. There is controller always. So there are many gods. Anyone is god, because he is, somehow or other, he is a controller; a leader also. But we are meaning the supreme leader, the supreme controller. That is Kṛṣṇa. Leader you have to accept. But... Controller you have to accept. But nobody is supreme leader or supreme controller. That is Kṛṣṇa. Every leader is also controlled by some other leader. But Kṛṣṇa is such a leader that He is not controlled by any other leader. That is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat... (BG 7.7). "There is no one superiorly..."

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Hyderabad, April 22, 1974:

That is the statement of the Vedic literature: the supreme controller, the supreme leader, is Kṛṣṇa. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is not formless. When Kṛṣṇa was present on this planet, He is not formless. He has His form. And what is that form? Sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). Ānandamaya-rasa-vigraha. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa. That is not this vigraha. That we have to understand. Our vigraha, our form, at the present moment, material form, that is not sac-cid-ānanda. Sat means eternal, cit means full of knowledge, and ānanda means full of blissfulness.

So as soon as we think of one body, we think comparing with our body. So similarly, by our foolishness, if we think of Kṛṣṇa's body like one of us, then we become mūḍha. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because Kṛṣṇa comes in the human form like a human being, therefore we should not take Kṛṣṇa as one of us. Then we become mūḍha, rascal, fools. Or in other words, one who thinks of Kṛṣṇa having a body like us—that is the Māyāvāda philosophy—he is a mūḍha. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). These are the statements of Bhagavad-gītā. How you can misinterpret? This is plain thing, that symptom. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ. These are the words used in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974:

So our principle is that Kṛṣṇa should be accepted as the leader because Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Kṛṣṇa is the supreme leader. Eko bahū..., nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Leader means he must... Just like father. Father is the leader of the family. And why father is the leader? Because he earns, he maintains the children, wife, servant, and establishment; therefore naturally, he's accepted the leader of the family. Similarly, you accept the President Nixon as the leader of your country because in dangerous time he gives direction, in peace time he gives direction. He's always busy how to make you happy, how to make without any cares, anxiety. This is duty of the President. Otherwise, why you select one President? Any man can live without any President, but no, it is required.

Lecture on SB 2.9.10 -- Tokyo, April 26, 1972:

Prabhupāda: So we have accepted the original leader, Kṛṣṇa. Why should we follow the nonsense leader who has no perfect knowledge? We have accepted the supreme leader. That is our advantage. Then?

Pradyumna: "...as only the Lord satisfies all the needs of all other living entities."

Prabhupāda: And He is so able leader that He supplies everything. He is not a false leader. Then?

Pradyumna: That is the end of the purport.

Prabhupāda: That's all. So stick to this leader. Don't deviate. That's all.

Devotee: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)

Lecture on SB 3.25.37 -- Bombay, December 6, 1974:

So why a devotee should be interested in such thing? No. A devotee wants Kṛṣṇa, the supreme eternal. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). That is the Vedic version. The Supreme Lord is the supreme leader of the nityas. We are all nityas, eternal. He guides. Therefore Kṛṣṇa plays with the living entities, Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, in the spiritual world. There Kṛṣṇa and the devotees become His friend, cowherd boy. They play with Kṛṣṇa. They want that thing. They do not want to go to the Brahmaloka or the Candraloka or this loka or that loka, because that will be finished. That will be finished. Because that is māyāvinas tām. Māyā will finish. It may be... Just like here we see. A germ lives for a few seconds, or a worm at night... There is clogging together, so many millions and millions, and by the morning, they are all dead. So their duration of life comparative. Similarly, Brahmā also. It may be millions of year, but he'll die. Kṛṣṇa has said in the Bhagavad-gītā that ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). The birth and death, old age and disease, they are everywhere. Either you go to the Brahmā planet or this lower planet or this Brahmā life or human life or cat's life, dog's life, tree's life—everything is finishable.

Lecture on SB 3.26.15 -- Bombay, December 24, 1974:

He is bhūtānām īśvaraḥ. Bhūtānām, all the living entities, He is the Supreme. Nityo nityānām. Nityo nityānām. He is the chief, leader.

We require a leader. Any field of activities, we require a leader. Suppose for getting independence, we had to follow one leader, Mahatma Gandhi. Therefore for guidance we require a leader. And the supreme leader is Kṛṣṇa. So if we follow Kṛṣṇa, the supreme leader, then our life is successful. And if we do not follow... Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "You rascal, you fool, mūḍha, you just follow Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is the whole story of spiritual life. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme leader. He is also a living being, He is also person like you and me, but He is ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa. Therefore He is called Bhagavān. We cannot be called Bhagavān because our power is very limited, not pūrṇa. Therefore we become saguṇa. Kṛṣṇa does not become saguṇa. The Māyāvāda theory, that God, when He incarnates, He becomes saguṇa, that is wrong theory. Here it is said that brahmaṇaḥ saguṇasya ha. Saguṇasya brahmaṇaḥ, these twenty-five elements, they cover him, that means the living entity who has come in this material world. But Kapiladeva or Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān, He is not saguṇa; He is always nirguṇa. Nirguṇa guṇa ca. In... The Bhagavān says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "Although He is nirguṇa, but He is the controller of the guṇas."

Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

So you have to change your thinking process. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto. And we are already devotees. We are devotees of the country, of the society, of the person, of the president, of the king, so many. God says, that, "You become My devotee." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto. Mad-yājī: We are worshiping our leader. So God is the supreme leader.

Therefore, this question I put to Professor Kotovsky, that "Your philosophy, Communist philosophy, and our philosophy, where is the philosophically different? Because you have selected a leader, Lenin, and you are worshiping him. And we have selected a leader, Kṛṣṇa, we are also worshiping Him. So where is the change? How we have advanced? You have selected another leader, that's all. You have to select. So the worship must go on. Either you become Communist or not Communist." So God says that "Instead of worshiping so many others, you worship Me." So, and man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). And "You offer my respect to Me." So these things... You may accept any type of religion; that doesn't matter.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

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

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.

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. He is maintaining within the sand so many crabs. He is maintaining so many ants in the hole of your room.

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

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. This is our relation. How(?) Caitanya Mahāprabhu describing the constitutional position of the living entity, svarūpa. Svarūpa means original position, and mukti means svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). Mukti means hitvā anyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. This is the Vedic injunction. Mukti means hitvā anyathā rūpa. Now we are acting differently. Actually our position is servant of Kṛṣṇa. Now, at the present moment, every one of us, we are trying to become master. If not master of Kṛṣṇa, at least we are trying to become equal with Kṛṣṇa. This is our position. That is called māyā, "which is not possible." God is not so cheap that you can become equal with God or greater than God. You must always remain subordinate to God. That is your position. Actually we are subordinate. We have no meeting with God. We have no knowledge of God. But practically we see that we are subordinate to the material nature. That's a fact. Everyone knows.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Address -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

We are nitya, eternal; God is also eternal. We are living being; God is also a living being. 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? Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kaman. So in this way, if we realize ourself, that is self-realization.

And then the next question will be, "Then what is our function?" When we understand our relationship with God, that is called sambandha. And if the sambandha, if the relationship is established, understood properly... Just like in Christian religion they go to the church. Or every religion, generally, people go to temple, church, mosque, to pray, to offer prayer to the Supreme, and generally we ask for our necessities of life because eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān: He is supplying the necessities. But in higher standard, He is already supplying the necessities, but then why shall I bother Him for supplying the necessities? He is already supplying without asking.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

Govindam ādi-puruṣam tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. (devotees respond, repeats several times) Thank you very much. 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. Then it was divided into four, Sāma Veda, Atharva Veda, Ṛg Veda, Yajur Veda. Then the Vedas verses were explained in Upaniṣads. There are 108 Upaniṣads. Then the whole conclusion was made shortened, cream. That is called Vedānta-sūtra. And again, this Vedic knowledge was, I mean to say, compiled in simple way for understanding of less intelligent class of men. That is called Mahābhārata. And in the Mahābhārata there is one chapter which is called Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is only a chapter of the great history of India, Mahābhārata. And then Vedānta-sūtra is described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

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. And he must be a person. So you can judge from this how God can be imperson? He's person. And Vedic literature informs that He's a person like you and me. And your Bible also says that man is made after God. Not that God is made after man. Your feature, your two hands, two legs, one head, nice eyes, nice face, everything, this is imitation of God's feature. Therefore man is made after God. Not that because we have got two hands, two legs, or one head, therefore artists have imagined a God like us. No. Actually, this version of Bible is truth. Any scripture, there is truth. So the Vedic literatures also say that He is the supreme living entity above all other living entities, every individual living entity.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

Try to understand that personality cannot be imagined at any circumstance. Somebody has to be found out. So the Vedas gives us the information that you accept the leadership of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then everything, all questions, all problems will be solved.

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. So we have no arrangement for chairs. You'll please excuse us. It is just developing. (people apparently getting up and leaving)

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

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.

So those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by philosophical speculation, they can reach up to the impersonal Brahman effulgence of the Absolute Truth. Similarly, those who are trying to find out the Absolute Truth within the heart... Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). They are generally called yogis. And the philosophical speculators, they are called jñānīs. So jñānī, yogi. So the jñānīs, they reach up to the impersonal Brahman effulgence, and the yogis, they reach up to the localized aspect of the Supreme Person. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61).

Philosophy Discussions

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 B. F. Skinner and Henry David Thoreau:

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?

Hayagrīva: Mr. Rose. You met him once, I recall.

Prabhupāda: Oh. He is not initiated?

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: At least, you follow the leadership of Buddha.

Buddhist Monk (1): Leadership, that's correct.

Prabhupāda: So that is, I am pointing out. Leadership,... God means "the leader." According to Vedic injunction, God means "the supreme leader." Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He is the chief living entity. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). God means the Supreme Leader. So leader you have to accept. That is the conception of God. Either you select Buddha or Lenin or somebody else, you have to accept one leader and follow. That is your business. So our philosophy is that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, He's the Supreme Leader. And we are to obey His orders. This is our philosophy. So if you do not obey the orders of Kṛṣṇa, if you obey the orders of Lord Buddha, or somebody obeys the orders of Lenin, the principle is there that you have to follow the orders of somebody. Now, you select Lenin, Kṛṣṇa or Buddha or Gandhi or anyone. That is a different thing. But the principle—to accept one leader and follow his leadership—is there everywhere. That nobody can change. That is not possible. So the professor could not give me any satisfactory answer, you see. The leadership you have to accept.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- December 20, 1976, Bombay:

Indian lady: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: So why you shall go to so many leaders? Why not go to the supreme leader, Kṛṣṇa?

Indian lady: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: If you explain, that is another... But interpretation.

Guest: That is the basic...

Prabhupāda: That is already there. What Kṛṣṇa says, you say.

Guest: No, that is all right. Not to go further. As an organization we want to know your views on those points.

Prabhupāda: Now what is the first point?

Jagadisa: "To collect all available materials and survey all institutions in India and abroad who are doing work based on Bhagavad-gītā so that we will have completely up to date library."

Prabhupāda: So I say what is the need of collecting? What Bhagavad-gītās you have got?

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

Mr. Tombe: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes. Then things will be perfect. India, if the whole world can be saved from this chaotic position, India can do. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. But that India leaders first of all make his life perfect. Then it will be all right. Just like our... Of course, I'm not proud, but I am alone. I started this movement alone, without any help. But because I am giving them the perfect information, whole world is taking it. Otherwise, from practical point of view, one man without any help, within ten years he cannot do like this. That's a fact. But I have no difficulty because I am following the Supreme Leader, Kṛṣṇa. People may say that I've done wonderful, but there is nothing magic. Because I am following Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Leader, so far it has become successful. So everyone can do that. Where is the difficulty? Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). If we follow the paramparā system it is not difficult.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: These are all of Prabhupāda's books. Eighty books.

Prabhupāda: Eighty-four books we have, I have written within ten years. And our publication house, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the first in the world for publishing religious and philosophical books. We are selling not less than six lakhs worth books daily.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation with Mr. Tombe (M.L.A.) -- December 25, 1976, Bombay

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Mario Windisch -- Los Angeles 25 February, 1968:

The Srimad-Bhagavatam explains the very beginning of its starting that the Absolute Truth is Sentient, and Person, and Independent. The Absolute Supreme Personality of Godhead is distinct from all other living entities, in His being the Absolute Independent. Therefore, in the Vedas He is described as the Supreme Leader of all living entities.

So if we are very serious to understand sequence of spiritual truth, then we must take advantage of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam completely. Lord Caitanya preached these two as essence of the Vedas. His very life and teachings are embodiment of the principles of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Our attempt to spread Krishna Consciousness is just in the line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; I surmise that you have already learned many things about the life and teachings of Lord Caitanya, because of your intimate association with my God-brother Swami Sadanandaji. I shall be very glad to talk more elaborately on the subject matter when we meet at Montreal in the month of June.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Acyutananda -- Los Angeles 15 March, 1970:

That is religion. Religion without God Consciousness has no meaning. And God Consciousness means that we are eternally related with Him. He is the Father, and everyone of us is the part and parcel or son. He is the Supreme Leader, and we are subordinates. He is the Supreme Maintainer, and we are completely dependent on Him.

Whatever we possess, including our body and our self, everything, belongs to Him. When one is completely in sense of this fact—he is God Conscious. And unless a living entity becomes God Conscious, he cannot be happy. So this is our propaganda. There is no question of sectarianism. Every religion should have this aim in view. But that system of religion which teaches development of God Consciousness is first class. We have to estimate by the result, and not by the formalities. So this movement, Krishna Consciousness, very quickly develops this God Consciousness, and it is very easy to adopt it.

Letter to Subala -- Los Angeles 15 March, 1970:

That is religion. Religion without God Consciousness has no meaning, and God Consciousness means we are eternally related with Him. He is the Father, and everyone of us is the part and parcel or son. He is the Supreme Leader, and we are subordinates. He is the Supreme Maintainer, and we are completely dependent on Him.

Whatever we possess, including our body and our self, everything, belongs to Him. When one is completely in sense of this fact—he is God Conscious. And unless a living entity becomes God Conscious, which is his constitutional position, he cannot be happy. So this is our propaganda. There is no question of sectarianism. Every religion should have this aim in view. But that system of religion which teaches development of God Consciousness is first class. We have to estimate by the result, and not by the formalities. So this Movement, Krishna Consciousness, very quickly develops this God Consciousness, and it is very easy to adopt it.