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Vote (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Introduction to Gitopanisad (Earliest Recording of Srila Prabhupada in the Bhaktivedanta Archives):

Under the circumstances, we can see that a friend serves another friend, and the mother serves the son, or the wife serves the husband, or husband serves the wife. If we go on searching in that spirit, it will be seen that there is no exception in the society of the living being where we do not find the activity of service. The politician present his manifesto before the public and convinces voters about his service capacity. The voter also gives the politician his valuable vote on expectation that the politician will give service to the society. The shopkeeper serves the customer and the artisan serves the capitalist. The capitalist serves his family and the family serves the head man in terms of the eternal capacity of eternal being. In this way we can see no living being is exempted from the practice of rendering service to other living being, and therefore we can conclude that service is a thing which is the constant companion of the living being, and therefore it may be safely concluded that rendering of service by a living being is the eternal religion of the living being.

Lecture on BG 1.1 -- London, July 7, 1973:

The definition of mahātmā is there: mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanty ananya manaso (BG 9.13). This is mahātmā. Mahātmā means he has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa cent percent, and his only business is to worship and glorify Kṛṣṇa. That is mahātmā. So Gandhi never believed that there was Kṛṣṇa, but he became mahātmā by popular vote. That's all. That kind of mahātmā is not accepted by the śāstra. Mahātmā is, first symptom of mahātmā is that he must be a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is mahātmā. That is.... Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). And he is not under any material world. He is in the spiritual world. Daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ. And what is the symptom? Bhajanty ananya-manaso. Ananya-manaso, without any diversion, he's simply devoted to Kṛṣṇa. This is mahātmā. Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, therefore I request you to study Bhagavad-gītā thoroughly as it is. Then you become perfectly powerful, spiritual. Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Lecture on BG 1.4-5 -- London, July 10, 1973:

So monarchy or dictatorship is welcome. Now the Communists, they want dictatorship. That is welcome, provided that particular dictator is trained like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Not that simply by votes of some rascal population one becomes dictatorship, another rascal comes. Another big rascal comes. Just like in the Communist country the Stalin was their dictator. And in the historical record it is said that he is the greatest criminal in the history of the world. Greatest criminal. He would not tolerate anyone going against him. As soon as he finds that "This man is going against me," immediately call him, "Now here is poison and here is resignation." Or kill him. "You take poison or I shall kill you." This was his policy. In this way he killed so many enemies. He not only killed the Czar family.

Lecture on BG 1.28-29 -- London, July 22, 1973:

Even in European countries, the royal orders were trained up. Nowadays it is constitutional, democratic government. The king has no power. But this is not good for the people. The democracy is a farce. At least, I do not like it. Because so many rascals, simply by getting votes, go to the government, and what do they know how to rule over? Therefore, at the present moment, all over the world there is no good government. There is no good government. The America was considered to have very good government. Now we can see the behavior of Mr. Nixon. It is not possible. Formerly the kṣatriyas, they were trained up how to govern. They were trained up by military men, just like Droṇācārya trained Arjuna, Duryodhana. All the royal princes were trained up how to kill. Not only killing, also, according to śāstra, how to rule over.

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

And because the monarchs did not do so, therefore now monarchy is abolished everywhere. So again the monarchs, where there is monarchy, little, at least show of monarchy, just like here in England there is, actually if the monarch becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, actually becomes representative of Kṛṣṇa, then the whole face of the kingdom will change. That is required. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for that purpose. We don't very much like this so-called democracy. What is the value of this democracy? All fools and rascals. They vote another fool and rascal, and he becomes prime minister, or this or that. Just like... In so many cases. That is not good for the people. We are not for this so-called democracy because they are not trained. If the king is trained... That was the system of monarchy. Just like Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja or Arjuna or anyone. All the kings. Rājarṣi. They were called rājarṣi.

Lecture on BG 2.22 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

Just become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Offer your respects..." You have to offer your respect to anyone. You are not supreme. You have to flatter somebody to get some service. That is an... Even if you get nice position, you have to flatter. Even if you get a president, become president of the country, you have to flatter your countrymen: "Please give me vote. Please... I shall give you so many facilities." So you have to flatter. That is a fact. You may be very big man. But you have to flatter somebody. You have to accept some master. Why not accept Kṛṣṇa, the supreme master? Where is the difficulty? "No. I shall accept thousands of masters except Kṛṣṇa." This is our philosophy. "I shall accept thousands of teachers except Kṛṣṇa. This is my determination." Then how you can be happy? The happiness can be achieved only by accepting Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 2.55-56 -- New York, April 19, 1966:

He's not poor man like me that He wants some contribution for eating. No, no, no. He's not poor man like me. He is feeding everyone. His name is Bhūta-bhṛt. Bhūta-bhṛt. Bhūta-bhṛt means one who feeds every living being. Perhaps you know it. You can practically see it. Now, besides human beings, there are innumerable living beings. If you take votes, then the number of human beings will be very small all over the world. It is four to eighty. If living, I mean to say, human beings, including all civilized, uncivilized, any, any number of whatever, Indian, American, and European, anything, take altogether, they will be four, four parts, and all other living creatures, they'll be eighty parts. The proportion is so big. But in the human society you'll find that we have got some occupation for our livelihood. Either one is doing business or one is working or one is engineer, one is a lawyer, or one is a daily worker, some way or other, we are doing all these things for having our livelihood. But, but we are these only four.

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

Prabhupāda: They haven't got to do anything. They are all perfect. But still, they do. Similarly, those who want to be leader of the society, they should be ideal persons, they should be Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Then the whole world will be happy.

Otherwise, these nonsense, simply by manipulating votes if they become leader, what they can do? They have no education. They have no training how to do good to the people. They cannot do. Only those who are devotees, those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious or God conscious, they can do actual benefit to the society. Others cannot do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Everything being in full opulence in the Personality of Godhead and naturally existing in all truth, there is no duty for the Supreme Personality of Godhead to perform.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

Formerly the emperors and kings were familywise. Just like... At least, in England you have got the king by familywise. In every country it was... Now monarchy is abolished. So these kṣatriyas, they were qualified. There was no question of democracy. At the present moment, by democracy if somebody can some way or other acquire some votes he becomes the chief man, but formerly the practice was that a qualified man who is trained, a king, he was on the seat. They were called rājarṣi. Rājarṣi means practically they were sages. Just like Mahārāja Janaka. There were many kings, ideal kings. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Mahārāja Rāmacandra. Many kings. Even Mahārāja Parīkṣit, five thousand years before he was so responsible king that when he was on tour he saw that one cow was being attempted to be killed, and the cow was crying. At once the king stopped, "Who are you? In my kingdom a cow is crying? I shall immediately kill you."

Lecture on BG 4.2 -- Bombay, March 22, 1974:

He's advanced. And because he's chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, he's creating nuisance. This is the government. Therefore the first teaching of Bhagavad-gītā should be taken by the persons who are going to be elected in the government service. The public should be aware of this. If somebody comes to canvass for votes, you should first inquire, "Whether you have read Bhagavad-gītā? Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi showed Bhagavad-gītā. Why should you not? Do you know what is Bhagavad-gītā? Then I shall give you vote. Otherwise get out." Rājarṣayo viduḥ. This is required now, if you want to be saved from the crisis that is coming very gradually. Crisis means there will be... Now in black market you can get things, means eatables, rice, wheat. But if you don't take to Bhagavad-gītā, there will be no more even if you pay black price. Just time it... That time is coming. There will be no more available. There will be no milk. There will be no more sugar, sugar. There will be no more rice. There will be no more wheat. No more fruits.

Lecture on BG 4.2 -- Bombay, March 22, 1974:

Do you know what is Bhagavad-gītā? Then I shall give you vote. Otherwise get out." Rājarṣayo viduḥ. This is required now, if you want to be saved from the crisis that is coming very gradually. Crisis means there will be... Now in black market you can get things, means eatables, rice, wheat. But if you don't take to Bhagavad-gītā, there will be no more even if you pay black price. Just time it... That time is coming. There will be no more available. There will be no milk. There will be no more sugar, sugar. There will be no more rice. There will be no more wheat. No more fruits. Then you have to eat meat. Oh, beef shop. Then that will go on. Then human shop also. Gradually come. You have to eat the human being also. Carnivores. So it is therefore a great necessity that rājarṣayo viduḥ, rāja, those who are government men, they must study Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise don't give them vote.

Lecture on BG 6.46-47 -- Los Angeles, February 21, 1969:

Servant of the servant (CC Madhya 13.80). Just opposite. There is no question of demanding to become the Lord or the President or this. I want to serve, that's all. And that is the crucial test. Service is the original nature. Now in this material world also you are serving. If you want to become the President then I have to promise so many times to the voters that "I'll give you service." Without promise of service, there is no question of presidentship. So actually my position is to render service. Either I become President or Minister or this or that. That they cannot understand. In spite of my becoming the highest executive person, President—Oh, I have to give service to my people, otherwise immediately they dethrone me. Therefore my real position is service. But service here is so dangerous, if there is little discrepancy of service, the President is immediately fired. Why your President Mr. Kennedy was fired. Because some people did not like that you are rendering nice service. That is the root fact. So you cannot satisfy here by service.

Lecture on BG 9.11-14 -- New York, November 27, 1966:

"Everything belongs to God, and I also belong to God. Therefore the supreme proprietor is God. Everything should be engaged in His service..." This is the qualification of mahātmā, broader. "God is great," and his heart is also has become great for serving the great. He's mahātmā. Mahātmā, not a stamp, a political leader, mahātmā. Don't misunderstand. "I stamp you mahātmā by votes, and you become God. You become mahātmā." These are not accepted in Bhagavad-gītā. Mahātmā's description is there, that mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ: (BG 9.13) "He has taken the shelter of the superior, spiritual energy."

As we have discussed many times, God has got many energies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). There are unlimited energies, different varieties of energy. Out of that, those who are in the knowledge, they have divided the whole energy into three divisions. What is that? Material energy, spiritual energy and marginal energy. This material energy, you are seeing.

Lecture on BG 9.18-19 -- New York, December 4, 1966:

Śaraṇam means to take shelter of somebody. Especially in these days, however educated I may be, with an application I take shelter of a big man: "Please give me some employment." However great I may be... I may be very intelligent man to become the ruler of this country. Oh, I will have to, I mean to say, place flatters on the street: "Please vote for me. Please vote for me. Please reelect me." So I am taking śaraṇam. I am flattering. I am taking shelter in every moment. Why not God? Oh, when I say, "Oh, what do you say? Why do you say, Swamiji, about God?" So they will take shelter of dog but not God. You see? This is going on. Śaraṇaṁ suhṛt. Suhṛt means well-wisher. Who can become more well-wisher than God? Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. He is... I can be friend, well-wisher, to a limited circle, but God is friend and well-wisher of all living entities. I can take care of my family members, how they are happy, how they are eating, but God is taking care of innumerable living entities. You see?

Lecture on BG 9.23-24 -- New York, December 10, 1966:

I am thinking that "I am head of the family." But I am being controlled by the family members. I want to satisfy my wife. I want to satisfy my children. And if they are unsatisfied, then there is disruption in my family. Suppose I want to become the president. So my business will be to keep the citizens satisfied. Otherwise, next vote, I shall not get the post. So I am being predominated by the voting power. But I am thinking that "I am predominator." This is called illusion. Nobody is predominator. He's predominated by some other principle. Therefore, one who knows this, one who does not know, na tu mām abhijānanti, one who does not know, tattvena ataś cyavanti te, they fall down, under the illusion, cyavanti te. And one who knows that "I can never become the predominator, I shall always remain the predominated..." If I do not become predominated voluntarily by the Supreme Lord, if I do not surrender unto Him and voluntarily agree to be predominated by the Lord, then I shall be predominated by the elements of material nature, this kāma, krodha, lobha, lust, desire, anger, enviousness, so many things. They'll predominate me.

Lecture on BG 18.41 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

Administrator class. Kṣatriya, kṣatriya means those who are in the governmental power. They should be śauryam, very powerful, and very influential. Śauryaṁ tejaḥ. Nowadays, without seeing these qualifications, a third-class, fourth-class man is voted, and therefore we find out that Mr. Nixon, he's attacked now so many... Because he has no kṣatriya qualification. These are the kṣatriya qualification, administrator. Śaucam, śauryaṁ tejo dhṛtiḥ. He must be determined, dākṣyam, he must very expert, yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam, and he should not flee away from fighting. When there is... Nowadays, when there is... the politicians and diplomats, they sit down very safely in their room and poor people, they are, by force, sent to fight. This is not kṣatriya, this is not administration. The kṣatriya is, he must come forward first of all. Then others will follow. Yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam. And dānam, he must be very charitable. That is another qualification of the administrator.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

Political meeting was not necessary because there was no democracy. It was monarchy. The kings, they were so trained up that there was no necessity of democracy. Actually, the modern government, democracy... We are experiencing, especially the great democratic country, America. So the democracy, the president elected by popular vote, is now being condemned. So what is the value of this democracy? You elect somebody by your vote, again condemn. That means the electors, the voters, have also no experience, and neither the man who is voted, he is also very good man. Otherwise, why you should change your opinion once you have elected a person to act as your head executive? So the democracy has proved a farce. It has no meaning, because people are not educated. People are mostly śūdras. There must be four classes of men. So brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, first class, second class, third class, fourth class. So at the present moment there is no first-class men, neither second-class men. All third class, fourth class.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

All of them. So on the votes of third-class and fourth-class men, how you can expect good government? That is not possible.

So there was no need of this democratic meeting, but there was meeting of the first-class brāhmaṇas. For the benefit of the whole human society they used to meet sometimes, and that meeting is still continuing in India. It is called Kumbha-melā. Kumbha-melā. Recently this meeting took place in Haridwar. All the saintly person used to come and in four places: one at Prayāga, Allahabad, one at Vṛndāvana, and one at Haridwar, and another at Rāmeśvaram, something like that. Four places. So similar meeting was held at Naimiṣāraṇya. Naimiṣāraṇya, that place is still existing, very nice place.

So the question was that "After departure of Kṛṣṇa, who was guiding the fates of the human being?" The last question was this.

Lecture on SB 1.2.20 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:

So the Absolute Truth is scientific knowledge. It is not sentiment—"I accept somebody as God by votes." That is not bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam. One must know what is the definition of God. It is not that somebody comes forward with a long beard and says, "I am God," and we rascals accept him as God. No, not like that. It is vijñānam. Vijñāna means science. Without scientific knowledge, one cannot understand what is God. Bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam. And who can understand this vijñāna, this scientific knowledge? Mukta-saṅgasya. One who is liberated from the contamination of the three modes of material nature, he can understand.

Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

And śūdra does not require any... Everyone is śūdra. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. By birth, everyone is śūdra. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. By training, one becomes vaiśya, one becomes kṣatriya, one becomes brāhmaṇa. Where is that training? All śūdras. And how can you expect good government, śūdra government? All the śūdras are taking vote by hook and crook. And they are occupying government post. Therefore their only business is..., Kali, in this age especially, mlecchā rājanya-rūpiṇaḥ, eating and drinking, eating flesh, drinking wine. Mlecchas, yavanas, they are accepting government post. What good government you can expect? Forget, forget good government for millions of years, unless you establish this varṇāśrama-dharma. There is no question of good government. There must be first-class kṣatriya who can take charge of the government. Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja.

Lecture on SB 1.2.34 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

So the fact is that there are innumerable incarnations of God. As it is said here: līlāvatārānurato deva-tiryaṅ-narādiṣu. And we have to accept Him as incarnation not by whims, not by public votes, but... Just like it has become a fashion. If a man is voted, without reference to the śāstra, if some rascals vote that "Here is incarnation of God," we accept? No, we have to accept with reference to śāstra, symptoms given in the śāstra, and then we shall... Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu we accept as incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. It is confirmed in the śāstra. In the Upaniṣads, in Mahābhārata, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Everywhere, there are... If you read Caitanya-caritāmṛta, there are so many quotations from the śāstras. Then we accept Caitanya Mahāprabhu. There are some men here in Vṛndāvana, they do not accept Caitanya Mahāprabhu as incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, but there are... They'll not see... They'll not see to the evidences in the śāstra. They'll blind. They'll make themselves blind.

Lecture on SB 1.3.1 -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1972:

So the professor could not answer, but he was impressed, that actually what is this meaning of Communism? You simply change of, change of master. That's all. And this is going on. All political leaders, they are going from one political leader to another. And he's exploiting. That's all. He, he is giving some manifesto that "If you give me vote, then I shall make you overnight a king." All false propaganda. And these rascals gives him vote and he again remains the same servant. That's all. There is a Bengali song:

tabe kali tomāra baḍa saba bala ke kare āpanāra karma phala yadi phalebi āmāra(?). So if I remain the same servant, then why shall I vote to you? You cannot make me master. But my desire is that I shall become master. That is called illusion. Because I'm not master. I cannot become master. I have to remain servant. I am flattering some men: "Please make me master. Please make me master." That is my position. This political party, that political party.

Lecture on SB 1.3.8 -- Los Angeles, September 14, 1972:

Third incarnation Devarṣi, ṛṣi among the demigods. Just like there are ṛṣis among the kings, they are called rājarṣi. In the Bhagavad-gītā the word rājarṣi is used. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Formerly the kings were just like great saintly persons. They were not ordinary vote collectors. They were so saintly there was no need of electing another president every five years. They are ṛṣis, these words are there. So in the third millennium, they were almost all ṛṣis. They were so enlightened that everyone of the population were just like great saints, saintly persons.

So this Devarṣi means Nārada, saintly sage among the demigods. He is also one of the demigods. So he compiled Vedic principles for executing devotional service, Nārada-pañcarātra. Our method, this devotional service, is according to the Nārada-pañcarātra.

Lecture on SB 1.3.9 -- Los Angeles, September 15, 1972:

Controlling the senses, this is civilization. To become cats and dogs, that is not civilization. Dog civilization, cat civilization, hog civilization, camel civilization, this is going on.

So cats and dogs, they're voting. So what they will vote, cats and dogs? They will vote another big cat, big dog, that's all. So what the big dog, big cat can do? That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). A leader means voted by some hogs, by some dogs, by some camels, and by some asses. This is the position of the society. Suppose there are many dogs in this Los Angeles city... Of course, camels you haven't got, but there are many asses also. At least in Indian cities we find there are many hogs, many dogs, many camels, many asses. So if they are called for votes, "Now we are taking vote for this, for this," what is the value of that election? Is there any value?

Lecture on SB 1.3.9 -- Los Angeles, September 15, 1972:

Of course, camels you haven't got, but there are many asses also. At least in Indian cities we find there are many hogs, many dogs, many camels, many asses. So if they are called for votes, "Now we are taking vote for this, for this," what is the value of that election? Is there any value?

So actually we are collecting votes from dogs, hogs, camels and asses. How? The dog means very obedient servant of his master. That is a good qualification, but after all he is a dog. But to execute the service of his master, he is offending so many people. We have got experience. We have nothing to do with the dog's master's house, but still from the house, we are passing from the street. Unnecessarily offending. Sometimes they come nearer. This is dog's business. He has no sense that "This man, they are not thieves or rogues, they are not coming here." But they will do their business because the master has trained him.

Lecture on SB 1.3.9 -- Los Angeles, September 15, 1972:

So similarly, people at the present moment, those who are serving under some master, capitalist, the master says that you have to vote for that person. They will vote, they have no personal discrimination. The master says, "I will give you some money," they will vote. Or in other words, kalau śūdra sambhava. Śūdra means servant. The dog is faithful servant; that is his only qualification. And hogs means no discrimination of food. So actually at the present moment people have no discrimination of food. Anything they will eat. Actually people are supposed to eat that which is beneficial for him. Not that anything and everything I shall eat. No. So therefore the hog has no discrimination of food. So if people become like that, no discrimination of sex, no discrimination of food, he is hog. He is not a human being.

Lecture on SB 1.3.9 -- Los Angeles, September 15, 1972:

So actually the modern men, without being properly civilized, without being properly educated, they are exactly like dogs, hogs, camels and asses. We take it like that, they are no better than. So what is the votes of them? What will they choose? They will choose another big camel or big cat or big dog, that's all, because he doesn't know. If you are human being, you know who is another human being. But if you are dog, camel and ass, how can you understand who is a human being? Therefore people sometimes misunderstand us, just like the dog comes: bow, wow, wow, wow. Similarly, the society of dogs, they also come, making their chase upon these Kṛṣṇa conscious people. They take away from the street. They do not know that they are the best persons in the world. They are disseminating the message of God, making people men of character. No illicit sex, no gambling, that is character.

Lecture on SB 1.3.25 -- Los Angeles, September 30, 1972:

Rāja, king, or government. So monarchy is now abolished practically all over the world. Now it is democratic government. So this so-called democratic government or Communist government, as they are going on, they will become rogues and thieves, dasyu-prāyeṣu. All the rogues, thieves, plunderers, they will capture. Because it is by vote. So dasyu... Just like plunderers, rogues, they on the point of revolver, they take away your money, so they will take vote on the point of revolver. Actually, it is happening. In Korea it so happened, that sometimes the Communists are coming in power, and sometimes the capitalists coming in power, America and Russia. So poor people, as soon as there is Communist government, they are under the influence: "If you don't do this, then you'll be shot." By force. The people do not know what is government generally. They want to live peacefully. They want a secure place.

Lecture on SB 1.5.2 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1968:

That is not... In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). There is no question of birthright. Anyone, anyone. Just like in our ordinary life, anyone can become your president. It is not that a particular family has to become. One who is intelligent enough, if people like, he will be voted, he'll be elected. Similarly, according to the quality and work, the section of the society is imagined. Not imagined, practically designated.

So this Mahābhārata... Just try to understand that Mahābhārata was originally designed for the less-intelligent class of men. Less intelligent, who are less-intelligent class of men? The woman class, or the laborer class, and those who are born in high family, but their qualities are not so improved. Suppose a boy is born in a brāhmaṇa family, but his quality just like śūdra or laborer class.

Lecture on SB 1.7.34-35 -- Vrndavana, September 28, 1976:

It is said in the Bhāgavatam there was no anxiety. The citizens should feel so much safe, that "We have such a nice king that we have no danger at all. Not being injured, not our property being stolen or injustice given." That is the real government—when the citizens will feel completely safe. That requires kṣatriya. Not these cāmāra, bhangis, and śūdras voted and become the president and minister. That will not be successful. That is not possible. There must be trained-up kṣatriyas, then there will be good government. Trained.

They should be trained means they should be advised by the brāhmaṇas. Therefore four divisions required. The brāhmaṇas have no interest or they have no time. Even a brāhmaṇa is made king... It is not his business. He may do it for some time, temporarily. Just like Viśvāmitra also did. But it is not his business. The brāhmaṇa should give advice to the ministers or the legislators.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Mayapura, September 28, 1974:

That is the desire of Kṛṣṇa, or God, that the state executive head should be as pious as Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. That is the scheme. Unfortunately, people do not want that. They have now discovered this democracy. Democracy... "Demon-cracy." Shortcut of "demon-cracy" is "democracy." All the demons and rogues, they gather together, somehow or other votes, and occupy the seat, and the business is plundering. The business is plundering. If we talk very much upon this, it will not be very favorable, but according to śāstra... We, we talk according to śāstra, that the democracy means assembly of rogues and plunderers. That is the statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Dasyu-dharmabhiḥ. The government men will be all dasyu. Dasyu means plunderer. Not pickpocket. Pickpocket, somehow or other, if you do not understand, takes something from your pocket, and the plunderer, or the dasyu, he catches you and by force, "If you don't spare your money, I shall kill you." They are called dasyu.

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Mayapura, October 26, 1974:

So this monarchy is different. People now, they have taken to democracy. Democracy is also mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that in the Kali-yuga there will be no more monarchy or the kingdom ruled by the kṣatriyas, but amongst the people who will be tricky, some way or other get the votes of the people, he will be seated on the throne. That is stated. Some way or other. So therefore, people are in trouble because so many rascals, they somehow or other manage to get some vote and become the president and minister and... So what they know? They do not know how to govern, how to bring peace in the country. But this monarchy, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, just see. Because for the sake of his personal interest so many have been killed, he was sorry. Just see. Not that some way or other, you divide India: "Let me become Prime Minister, that's all."

Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1973:

So therefore Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja says, aho me paśyata ajñānam: "Just see how much foolish I am. I am foolish, I am." This body... I may be king, but this body, although I am king, if I do not discharge my duties nicely, president or king or very big man, immediately votes will be against me. So I am working for others. I have to keep... Just like recently in your country, the democratic party and... What is the other party? Republic party. So many things are going on, ajñāna. This is ajñāna. Philosophy means to see intelligently, darśana. The translation of philosophy means darśana. Darśana means seeing. Philosophy means to see the actual fact. That is called philosophy. So if we philosophically take all these things, we are working for others out of ignorance, and I am thinking that "It is my interest. It is my self-interest..." Actually, you have to work for others. That is your business. And that other is Kṛṣṇa, not this material world. I have to work for others.

Lecture on SB 1.9.49 -- Mayapura, June 15, 1973:

So the monarchy, as soon as it becomes a personal property... The kings thought that "This kingdom is mine. I can do whatever I like, and still, the kingdom is mine." Then the monarchy was failure. Then from the whole world, the monarchy is now wiped out. But the so-called democracy is no good. Because democracy means by votes. So the votes are given by the rascal śūdras. So what is the meaning of electing somebody if the vote givers are also rascal and fool, and the vote-taker is a big food, big rascal, that's all? He manages something, somehow or other to take the votes. Therefore, you see, dacoit is going on. The government is there, and at night you are not secure. You have to take care of yourself, whether dacoits are coming or not. And they are coming. So what is the meaning of this government? If the dacoits are there, rogues are there, thieves are there, miscreants are there, so what is the meaning of government? No.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:

So here is a responsible monarch, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. It is not that some rascal gets some votes and some way or other he sits on the president's chair and secretly doing all nonsense. Just like your President Nixon is now detected, so many things. The monarchy was not like that. Here it is clearly said, pravṛtta-vijñāna-vidhūta-vibhramaḥ. Vijñāna-vidhūta. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was thinking that "For me, so many people have been killed. So I have become very, very much sinful. I am not fit for sitting on the throne, such responsible throne." But his misgivings were dissipated by the words of Bhīṣma.

Bhīṣma, he is authority. Next to Kṛṣṇa, Bhīṣma is one of the authorities. There are twelve authorities. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kapilaḥ kumāro manuḥ, prahlādo bhīṣmo janakaḥ (SB 6.3.20). They are the authorities of piety, religion. They are... Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We cannot decide what is actually piety, religion. But if we follow mahājana, great authorities, then certainly we are unmistaken.

Lecture on SB 1.10.6 -- Mayapura, June 21, 1973:

You cannot complain against the government. Because we select. It is the days of democracy. We elect our representative. So why you should, I mean to say, blame the government? You have created the government. You have sent your representative, a rascal, another big rascal. You are rascal, and another big rascal, you have voted; so how you can expect good government? You send only big rascals. That's all.

So there cannot be. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that in the Kali-yuga, all the people will be rascals, śūdras. Simply by manipulation, if one gets vote, he captures the governmental power. Śūdra. He's a śūdra. He is not a kṣatriya like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, trained up kṣatriya. He is a rascal, third-class man, fourth-class man. He gets the vote and we give vote. So how we can be happy? How we can be carefree or anxiety-free or disease-free? It is not possible.

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

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. It is not... Nowadays, in democratic days, the government by the people, government for the people. So if the government is by the people, yes, you select your representative. If you are a fool, then you will select another fool. So Bhāgavata says, śva-viḍ-varāha uṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ.

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

So the whole population is like that, like dog, like camel, like ass and like viḍ-varāha, pig, the stool-eater, the whole population, at the present moment. So he must elect another big animal who is also in this category. Because he has no knowledge. If you takes votes from the camels, to whom he will vote? Another big camel, that's all. If you take votes from the dog, then whom he will elect? Another big dog. Therefore, anyone who is not a devotee of God, Kṛṣṇa, he is either of these animals. And if he is praised, it is to be understood that he is being praised by the similar type of animals. So if we remain śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-khara, then we must elect another big śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-khara. So how there can be good situation of the state? It is not possible. Therefore the public must be educated so that they may not elect another big dog or big camel or big ass to the exalted post. It is the public's fault. Nowadays it is democratic days.

Lecture on SB 1.15.38 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1973:

Therefore it is said here, sva-rāṭ. Sva-rāṭ means completely independent. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was not dependent on any other king or any other state. He was fully independent. Whatever he liked, he could do. That is king. That is emperor. If the so-called king or the president is dependent on the votes of some rascal voters, then what kind of sva-rāṭ he is? At the present moment, the so-called president is dependent on the votes of some rascals. That's all. The rascals, they do not know whom to vote, and therefore another rascal is elected, and when he is not doing well, they cry. You have elected. Why you are crying now? Because they are rascals. They do not know. So this is going on. But actually, the head of the state should be sva-rāṭ, fully independent. Not on the votes of the prajā. He is only dependent on Kṛṣṇa, just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. All the Pāṇḍavas, they were under the order of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.15.38 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1973:

Therefore it is said here that susamaṁ guṇaiḥ: "By quality, exactly like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira."

So unless one is qualified, highly qualified, how he can be installed as the head of the executive of the state or the world? And this has been given charge to a third-class voters who have no character. So how you can expect the elected persons to be perfect? That is not possible. This is not the system. This is the system. The head of the state should be perfect and the next head should be selected by this perfect head of the state, not by the rascal voters. This is perfection. If the head of the state is perfect, then naturally the citizens will be perfect. Because all the laws are there. If the head of the state says, "No more meat-eating," all slaughterhouses will be closed. If the head of the state says, "No more intoxication," then all the cigarette factories and liquor factories will be closed. Is it not?

Lecture on SB 1.15.46 -- Los Angeles, December 24, 1973:

Therefore nobody wants to marry. Evaṁ prajābhir duṣṭābhir ākīrṇe kṣiti-maṇḍale. In this way, when all the people will be infected by the poison of Kali-yuga, brahma-viṭ-kṣatra-śūdrāṇāṁ yo balī bhavitā nṛpaḥ.

So it doesn't matter whether he is a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra or caṇḍāla. One who is powerful in getting votes, he will occupy the presidential post or the royal post. Just see. Formerly the system was that not the brāhmaṇa, er, vaiśya, or śūdra can occupy the royal throne. Only the kṣatriyas. Now, in the Kali-yuga, there is no such thing, who is a kṣatriya, who is a brāhmaṇa, who is a... Anyone, hook and crook you get your votes, democracy, and occupy... And whatever you may be... You may be rascal number one, but you will be posted on the supreme exalted presidential post.

Lecture on SB 1.15.46 -- Los Angeles, December 24, 1973:

Now, these classes of men, who goes to the government post by votes, mostly they are, their qualification is lubdhai rājanya, greedy government men. Nirghṛṇair dasyu-dhar... Their business is plundering. Their business is plundering you. We actually see that they are, every year they are exacting heavy tax, and whatever money is received, they divide amongst themselves, and the citizens' condition remain the same. In every government we can see like that. Prajā dasyu-dharmabhiḥ. In this way, gradually, all people will be so much harassed, ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā, that they will like to give up their family. Ācchinna. Dāra. Dāra means wife, and draviṇā means money. Ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā yāsyanti giri-kānanam. They will in the forest. Then these symptoms are also there.

Lecture on SB 1.15.51 -- Los Angeles, December 28, 1973:

That's all. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means "You are trying to be dear to so many things." Somebody is trying to be dear to his father, to his mother, or to his family, children, or country, community, society, nation. Everyone is trying to be dear. "I will do such and such thing for you. Please give me vote. Please make me president." They are trying. And after all, the president also is not dear, neither people is not dear. The real fact becomes disclosed after a few days when the, what is called, face covering, aḥ, mask, is over. That's all.

So this kind of trying to become dear is no use. It is simply waste of time. So if you try to become dear to Kṛṣṇa, that is siddhi. That is perfection. You are trying to become dear to so many objectives. At last, to become dear to a dog, ferocious dog. He does not say anything to the master. That means the master has become dear to him. So we are trying to become dear to somebody. That is our desire, dormant desire. But that is being misplaced. We do not know where to become dear.

Lecture on SB 1.16.1 -- Los Angeles, December 29, 1973:

Now United Nations means three thousand flags, three thousand nations. So that is not democracy, or that is not good ruling. The best ruling is monarchy, and monarch means he must be a perfectly trained-up person by the best brāhmaṇas. That is perfect government. Not that this democracy, some rascals and fools they are voting another rascal and fool, and by hook and crook he comes to the post. He does not like to give it up, and makes things very miserable. This kind of government... Now your Senate is proposing, "Let us pray to God how we can get good government." They are coming down to again. But why not train? Now you are going to pray to God, "Please give us good government." Why don't you elect a person mahā-bhāgavata?

Mahā-bhāgavata. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that "People, you become devotees, bhāgavata, and you select one mahā-bhāgavata to be your ruler. Then you will be happy. Not only bhāgavata. Not of your caliber, but still further."

Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974:

Or a man dresses like woman, that is also artificial. So everyone has his original dress and position. There, because a śūdra took the dress of a king, therefore it is called nṛpa-liṅga-dharam. Artificially, he was dressed like a king. That is the position of Kali-yuga. Now the government men, they are elected by votes. People do not consider whether he's a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra. As he likes... People are śūdras. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In the Kali-yuga everyone is a śūdra. Therefore naturally he will elect one śūdra. The śūdra is not fit for government management. As such we find so many difficulties in the government because the head or the head man, they are all śūdras. They have dressed like administrator, but they are śūdras. This is the symptom of Kali-yuga. There is no brāhmaṇa, there is no kṣatriya, there is no vaiśyas. Maybe a few vaiśyas, and all śūdras. A brāhmaṇa means the good quality, first-class quality. That is very, very rare to be found.

Lecture on SB 1.16.11 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1974:

He is actually president. He is not nominated. "Because his grandfather nominated, therefore he has become. He may be a rascal number one." No. The nomination was there, but also on full strength... But if the people are given for nomination, as it is the practice now, by vote, then ordinary people, they are all rascals What is the value of their vote? Therefore another rascal is selected. Because one who is voting, he is a rascal. He does not know whom to give vote. He is not trained up. Simply by number, "Yes, I vote." And that vote you can purchase by bribing, by propaganda. So this kind of democracy is no value. It has no value. If somebody is voted by a number of asses, so what is the value of such vote? Those who elect, they must be very sober. So formerly a king was nominated not only by his father or grandfather, but confirmed by the society of learned brāhmaṇas and saintly persons. So... And he must personally prove that he is actually king.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Vrndavana, March 16, 1974:

He has no other desire. Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīm (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). Everyone is desiring in this material world for riches, wealth, dhanam, and janam, good family, high aristocratic family, or good followers, leader, minister. Janam. They are aspiring popular votes. Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitām. And next is to have a very beautiful, obedient wife. These are the aspirations of material life. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "I do not want all these things." Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīm. This is bhakti life. When one is free from all such material desires, he's fit for executing devotional service. That is mukti.

Therefore we have to cleanse our heart. Our heart is always aspiring how to get money, how to get women, how to get prestige, how to become leader, how to become minister, how to become guru. These are the things, always hankering in our heart.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

We are not concerned with government. We say there is no kṣatriya, there is no government. At the present moment, anyone who has got some artificial power, he is government. That's all. You get some way or other a little vote, and you become government. So government does not mean that. Government is another. Because there is no kṣatriya, and where is government? They are thinking... Government means they should be always thinking how the citizens should be peaceful and happy and spiritually advanced. That is government. And who is caring for the citizens? They are simply exacting tax. That's all. So actually, in the Kali-yuga, because there is no kṣatriya, where is the government? Śūdra government is no government. Śūdra has no right to govern, but by force they are governing. That's all. "Might is right."

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 14, 1972:

"Oh, here is a big man, and... Mr. such and such, such a great politician, great scientist, great... So we must praise." But the Bhāgavata says, "Whether he has given any aural reception about Kṛṣṇa, that is the test." No. He has no knowledge about Kṛṣṇa. Then he must be praised by persons who are like camel, asses, dogs, hogs. That means, "No human being will praise him." If he is voted or praised, the vote must be coming from the asses, dogs, hogs, like that. That is going on. Asses, hogs, dogs, camels, they are giving vote.

How they can select? These animals, any animal, they do not know which person is perfect and should be selected as leader. They do not know. Śūdras. Śūdras, animals, the same thing. So people are being educated like dogs, hogs, camels and asses. So how they can expect any real happiness? That is not possible. The test should be... Public, general public, they may be like cats, dogs, hogs naturally because they have no sufficient education.

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 14, 1972:

You see. Such a nice mentality. But men are also like that. They deserve to be killed. This is going on. So the animal society. You cannot believe a man, just like animal cannot believe another animal. This is... So it is very rightly written, śva-viḍ-varāha uṣṭra khara. Śva-viḍ-varāha uṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. The general mass of people is no better than these animals, and they are voting to select their leader.

So whom they will vote? Another paśu, another animal. Because they have no choice. They are animals and how they can select a man? A man means karṇa-pathopetaḥ, one who is hearing about Kṛṣṇa. He is man. Otherwise all animals. Now, you say, how this charge can be refuted by you. Bhāgavata says, "He is not man." Na yat-karṇa-pathopeto jātu nāma gadāgrajaḥ. He may be in the if form of a man, but if he has not heard about Kṛṣṇa, if he has not given aural reception to kṛṣṇa-kathā, then he is paśu, animal. And what kind of animal?

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 15, 1972:

Hog. So this is the verdict of... That means one who does not know whom to eulogize, whom to give honor, they give votes to these classes of men, without any knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. They are becoming the great philosophers, leaders, scientists. They have no knowledge of Kṛṣṇa, no knowledge of God. Still, they are leading the society. And who praise them? This class of men-dogs, hogs, camels, and asses. This is the verdict. Now you can challenge. You can talk, if it is right or wrong. This is the challenge given by Bhāgavatam, that "Persons who have no knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are praised by these dogs, hogs, camels, and asses." This is the challenge. Now how can you refute it? Can you refute it? This is a great challenge. We are not only... We are accepting some rascal as God, as incarnation of God. So who accept this so-called God? These classes of men. These classes of men: camel, hogs, dogs. So by the vote of camels, dogs, hogs, one cannot become God.

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 15, 1972:

That is not possible. God is a different thing. So we should not be misled. If some incarnation come, "God," who is accepting? These camels, dogs, and hogs and asses. So what is the value? What is the value of their vote? No. Formerly, the votes were taken by highly saintly persons, brāhmaṇas. Just like Pṛthu Mahārāja's father Veṇa Mahārāja. He was disapproved by the brāhmaṇas and the saintly persons, and immediately he was dethroned and killed. Not the public vote. Not vox populi. Vote should be taken from the highly elevated persons, not from the lower-class dogs and asses. What is the value of their vote? What they can select? Vote should be taken... Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted that Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira should be on the throne. That is vote. So nowadays, a vote is franchised. Any common man, any rascal can vote. So how he can elect nice man? That is not possible. Therefore, if you want real government who can lead you back to home, back to Godhead...

That is perfect government. That is the duty of the government. To see the citizens happy in this life.

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 15, 1972:

And the leaders, they were in happy mood in their apartment, ordering and eating very nicely, butter and bread. That's all. This is going on. Therefore the only opportunity of becoming happy is that you preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement amongst the people, so if the people become educated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and if they decide that "We shall vote for Kṛṣṇa conscious leader," then there will be happiness.

Just like Pṛthu Mahārāja, the king. We were discussing. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement comprehends all sides of life. It is not that a stereotype "churchianity," weekly going to the church and come back and do all. No. It is embracing all sides of our life. But the only aim is how to go back to home, back to Godhead. So we have to educate these classes of men, śva-viḍ-varāha-uṣṭra-khara, these class of men: dogs, hogs, camels, and the asses. The world is full of these classes of men, and you have to educate them. Your responsibility is very great.

Lecture on SB 2.9.16 -- Tokyo, April 30, 1972:

Try to understand. Practically it is all bogus. But I give service because I am lusty; I am hungry; I want to satisfy my senses. Therefore I pose myself: "Oh, I will give you service. I will become prime minister, and I will give you so much service." He will canvass. But as soon as he goes to the post of prime minister, he will do nothing. You cannot see, if you want to see him. While taking votes he will come to your door, "Please give me vote." And when he is in the prime minister post, if you want to see him, "Oh, the prime minister is preoccupied. You cannot see him." So on the whole, simply sense gratification in the name of service.

Here in the Vaikuṇṭha the service is not like that. There is nothing to do, and still, the servants are ready, always ready. They are simply waiting for the order. So master is self-sufficient. He hasn't got to order anybody. This is the there.(?) And here, just the opposite. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśāḥ. So we are serving most abominably. Sometimes we do things which I should not have done.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Bombay, December 25, 1976:

And who is speaking? The Supreme Personality of Godhead. He accepted. Arjuna accepted. Arjuna listened to Kṛṣṇa about Bhagavad-gītā, and he understood that "Here is the Supreme Person." Not only that, he admitted that "Not that I'm Your friend." Just like it has become a fashion if I like somebody I make him God. Kṛṣṇa is not that type of God, by meditation or by votes. He is God. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Just like when He was only three months old on the lap of His mother, the Pūtanā came to kill Him. But He killed that Pūtanā rākṣasī. He was that time also God, when three months old. And He had not to undergo the austerities of meditation. He had no time. So from the very beginning up to the time of His departure from this world, He is God. That is God. God is not manufactured. God is always God. Neither God falls down. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is addressed in the Bhagavad-gītā as Acyuta. Cyuta means falling down, and Kṛṣṇa is acyuta.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

So find out guru. Who is guru? Guru means who's coming from the paramparā system. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, evaṁ paramparā prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Rajarṣaya, big, big, learned saintly kings. That means government. Now we are taking, accepting king by democracy, anyone by votes. No. Rājarṣaya. One must be governor, he must be as good as a ṛṣi, saintly person. Rājarṣaya. They must understand the purport of Bhagavad-gītā, the aim of life. Then they will educate, the governor will educate the citizens how to make life successful. But if he does not understand what is the success of life, how he will govern? But it is going on. But Bhagavad-gītā says, imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ. The Bhagavad-gītā is meant for the rājarṣis, saintly kings, saintly governor. Because he has to govern, he must know how to govern: what is the aim of life, how they can be elevated.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 13, 1975:

This is called śānti, "I don't want it." Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye. This is bhukti. Karmīs, they want. They want many followers, many voters, so that "I can become minister or president."

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "No, I don't want many voters." Na janaṁ, na sundarīm kavitām, "Neither very beautiful wife." These are material demands, to get money or wealth, sumptuously, to get good a wife and many followers, many workers. Caitanya Mahāprabhu denies, na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye. Then what do you want? Mama janmani janmanīśvare (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4), He doesn't want mukti even. Otherwise how He says janmani, janmani? Mukti means no more janma. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says mama janmani janmani. It doesn't matter. Mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād ahaitukī bhakti. That's all. Therefore if you want to become praśāntā, fully satisfied... Just like Dhruva Mahārāja, he went to the forest and underwent severe tapasya to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on SB 5.5.17 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1976:

Four classes. The most intelligent class, brāhmaṇa, and then next intelligent, the kṣatriyas, and the next intelligent, the vaiśyas, and the last one, who has no intelligence, śūdra. These four classes must be there. Without this division of classes, society, who will guide them? At the present moment, without any class the government has made adult vote. Anyone who is above certain age, say eighteen years or twenty years, he can vote. But there is no class, that "This class can vote; this class cannot vote." There is no such thing. Anyone who is above eighteen years old, he is competent to cast his vote. And people are not educated in this division, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. They are all classless.

Lecture on SB 5.5.17 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1976:

Classless means fools, rascals, śūdra. If you classify... Classify means "Here is intelligent class, here is next class, here is next." If you don't classify, that means śūdras. So śūdras, they have got votes. Similarly, what they will elect? They will elect another rascal, that's all. Big rascal. A small rascal and big rascal, that's all. Therefore in the Bhāgavata it is said, śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). Here is our president. Here is our prime minister. But what is he? He is elected by the śūdras, so he is a big śūdra, that's all. How you can expect nice things? If you say, "Now he is elected President, he is so much honored and he's exalted post, His Excellency," so Bhāgavata says, "Yes. This is all good, but by whom he is praised?" Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. Just like lion. Lion is very strong animal. He is considered to be the king of the forest. So all other small animals, they are very much afraid of, very respectful. But does it mean because he is lion he is not an animal? He is animal. He may be lion, very powerful, very strong, he can subdue others. But that does not mean he is any advanced intelligent person like brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. This is going on. The Bhāgavata therefore says, śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. The next line I just forget.

Lecture on SB 5.5.28 -- Vrndavana, November 15, 1976:

Then this world will be happy. Otherwise it is not possible. Not one sided. "The king is not good. Dethrone him. Kill him," and some rascals and fools in the name of democracy, they occupy the seat. What benefit will be there? The whole thing has to be changed, the prajās and the king. The advantage of democracy is there. By votes you can elect somebody as president. One has to follow the principle, monarch, one man on the head of the government. It may be a monarch or it may be a president—it doesn't matter—but there must be one chief executive officer on the head. That you cannot avoid. That is essential. Therefore if we do not have an ideal president or ideal king on the head and the prajās also, the citizens, they do not follow the varṇāśrama, then there cannot be any peace.

Lecture on SB 5.5.28 -- Vrndavana, November 15, 1976:

So the devotee's business is how to enlighten him to come to the point of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, real smṛti. So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, means it is an endeavor to bring the rascals and fools and atheists to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the most, I mean to say, important welfare activities in the human society. So that Bharata Mahārāja was therefore... He had the power. He had the power to control how to bring the citizens to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore he was selected to become the king, not a rascal by vote and come to the become president and you become happy. That is impossible.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1 -- Melbourne, May 21, 1975:

Either I serve my family or serve my community or serve my nation or serve my government—in this way go on increasing—but your position is to serve. You... Here you will find, therefore, that the so-called master is also servant. Just like President Nixon. He was elected the master, president, but actually he was the servant of the popular vote. As soon as he became unpopular, he was immediately dismissed. So the president of a big state is the position that he is a servant. How you are not a servant? That is our nature. So people are engaged in service generally. "Generally" not. That is the law. If one hasn't got to serve anybody, no family, no children, no wife, then he keeps a dog, to serve him. Is it not a fact? I have seen in the Western countries, old man who has no family, his whole day he is keeping a dog and seeing the television. That's all. (laughter) Because nature is to serve. That you cannot... Therefore pravṛtti-mārga means that we are trying to become false master, sense gratification.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

No, if you can make the people Kṛṣṇa conscious, then everything will be automatically..., because the democracy is there. So if they vote for a Kṛṣṇa conscious person to become president and prime minister, then everything will be saved. So that means you have to create voters, Kṛṣṇa conscious. Then everything will be right. That should be one of your aims, the Kṛṣṇa conscious movement. The government still is under the control of the public. That's a fact. If the public becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, naturally the government will be Kṛṣṇa conscious. But that is up to the public. But they do not want to be. Therefore they want a king—the crane was sent. You know this story? The frogs, they wanted a king from God, and God gave. He gave them one stone. (indistinct) small. So they were expecting a king. Then, when they saw that king is not speaking, somebody jumped over it. Still, the king did not say. "What can be done to the king?" So they accused the God that "What kind of king you have...? He does not speak. He does not move." "All right." Then He sent one crane. So the crane came and began to catch one like that. Then they became, "Oh, what kind of king?" (laughter) So the public is like that. They wanted. They defied this religious system. They defied their...

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1975:

Actually, he is the king in the jungle. Everyone is afraid of him, he is so powerful. Even the elephant is afraid of the lion. So if the lion is praised by some small animals, does it mean the lion is not animal? Has it any value like the human being? No. Still he is animal. Even though the small animals are praising, giving votes, "You become president," (laughter) but who is these voters? Another animal. This is democracy. The small animals are voting the big animal. So how you can expect peace? That much I have already explained. So this is not civilization, that the small animals giving vote to the big animals to occupy the government. That is going on. This will not help.

So according to Vedic civilization, the king or the president or the ruling chief must be representative of God. That is wanted. Therefore you will find in the Bhagavad-gītā, imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ: (BG 4.2) "This Bhagavad-gītā was understood by the rājarṣi." Rājarṣi means... Rāja means king, and ṛṣi means great saintly person.

Lecture on SB 6.1.26-27 -- Philadelphia, July 12, 1975:

The politician or, what is called, leaders, andha, they will promise you that "You will be happy in this way. You give me vote, and I shall bring heaven for you, and let me become minister. That is... You simply wait, and as soon as I become a minister and president, I will give you such and such benefit." So you select Mr. Nixon, and again you become disappointed. Then we request, "Mr. Nixon, you get out." And we accept another fool. This is going on. This is going... But śāstra says you will not be getting right information in that way. These foolish men, they will promise you something, and he is unable to make you happy. You will be again disappointed, again regret. Then what is..., wherefrom I shall get the right information? That Vedas says, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) "If you want right information, then go to the guru." And who is guru? That Caitanya Mahāprabhu explains that āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). He says, "You just become on My order." Guru means who carries the order of Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa. Or who is Kṛṣṇa's servant, that is guru. Nobody can become guru unless he carries the order of the Supreme.

Lecture on SB 6.2.24-25 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

Now state is secular; therefore this is the condition. Formerly the kings and the executive heads were very responsible to protect religion. That is the duty of the king, to protect. Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja, when he was on tour. As soon as he saw that one man is trying to kill a cow, immediately he became fire: "Oh, in my kingdom there is killing of cow? Who are you? I shall immediately kill you." You know this? The kings were taking. The kings were so responsible. But here they have declared... The so-called kings, they are themselves debauch, and they do not know what is religion. Therefore, in the Kali-yuga there is no other alternative than to chant peacefully, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare... There is no protection. And what does the executive heads, the presidents or secretaries? They simply manipulate some votes, third-class men. Who has written that article?

Lecture on SB 6.3.18 -- Gorakhpur, February 11, 1971:

That is not possible. Therefore we are in trouble. This very mentality, that "I shall lord it over..." Everyone in the material world... And so long this, "I shall serve Kṛṣṇa, not lord it over..." Just the opposite. This is material mentality: "I shall lord it over." The whole world is struggling. Everyone is thinking, "I will lord it over. I shall be over everyone. My votes shall be the largest number. I shall become..." And our business is not to lord it over but to serve Kṛṣṇa.

So the Viṣṇudūta... We have to become Viṣṇudūtas. Our preachers are Viṣṇudūtas, just to give protection to any person who is slightly inclined to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is pañcarātra-vidhi. We shall give all help, all assistance, to such persons. That is our business. It is not sleeping business, it is not lazying business. We should be always active. We shall always make plan, think how to protect this miserable condition of the material... They cannot understand. They are fools. They are rascals. So you have to give them knowledge.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10-11 -- Montreal, July 14, 1968:

Prabhupāda: But as you are thinking that they should not, they are thinking that you should. (laughter) As you are thinking they should not do like that, they are thinking you must do that. Then what is it? Difference of opinion. Your vote is single and they are so many. So you have to follow the greatest majority vote.

Guest: Unless I am given a very good reason to do so...

Prabhupāda: No, I am answering your question. As you are thinking in that way, they are also at liberty to think otherwise. So you cannot encroach upon their thinking.

Guest: I will not do that.

Prabhupāda: So therefore as you are thinking that they should not have done, they are thinking you should have done. The real question is that they are following a system. So in that system the spiritual master is offered respect in that way. There is a system. And they don't feel any uneasiness by doing that.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

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

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.

So anyway, the kaniṣṭha adhikārī is just learning how to become devotee and he is, by regulative principles, engaged in Deity worship, and gradually he's raised to the platform of madhyama adhikārī. And madhyama adhikārī means he knows what is the position of God, Kṛṣṇa, what is the position of devotee, what is the position of people in general, and what is the position of a, of an atheist. Atheists, there are.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 7, 1973:

This is the explanation of big scholar, big swami. So in this way, we are being misled. Take it, Kṛṣṇa, as He is. Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the Supreme." Accept it, supreme. Actually He's supreme. Who can be bet..., more supreme than Kṛṣṇa? Prove it by śāstra, by history, by incidences, by action—everything. By votes also. If there are so many rascal Gods, but if you take vote, still in this age, the vote for Kṛṣṇa will be greater. Still. Although we are so fallen. So how we can escape Kṛṣṇa? And śāstra says, confirm, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). If you want the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvara means controller. So everyone is controller, but nobody's supreme controller. That is not possible. Even the so-called Gods, they also, when there is some toothache, they go to the doctor. They cannot control even toothache. So these kind of Gods will not help you. Take to Kṛṣṇa.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

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

Then our misunderstanding of existence will be cleansed. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni (CC Antya 20.12). And we have created a civilization which is blazing fire, blazing fire. Everyone, all politicians, even ordinary citizens, they are now suffering. The politicians cannot give them enough food. They simply take vote, and the price of foodstuff is increasing. This is a very precarious condition. It is called saṁsāra-dāvānala, "the blazing fire of material existence." We may extinguish for the time being, but again... Dāvānala is used for this purpose. Nobody sets fire, but it takes place. That is called dāvānala. In the forest nobody goes to set fire, but it takes place by dealings. So when we deal in a different way than Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then there will be fire immediately. This dealing will produce fire. That has come already. So this is the only remedy, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's process:

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

People are crying for votes (loudspeaker heard from outside). So... But they are not inclined to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. You see. Crying, "Give me vote, give me vote, give me vote, give me vote." You see? How wasting their time. What they'll do, getting votes? How long they will remain a minister? But mandāḥ sumanda-matayo (SB 1.1.10). Their opinion is very bad, sumanda-mati, or they do not take any right conclusion. And Bhagavad-gītā says, tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām, antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām (BG 7.23). These activities, they are temporary, will end within some years, but still, they are so much busy with this business. Therefore this kind of occupation is for the alpa-medhasaḥ, those who have got very little brain substance. Medhaḥ means brain substance.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.108-109 -- New York, July 15, 1976:

"If I could become the President." That is everyone's desire. But those who are not so fit, they do not stand for election, but those who are little fit, so they stand, make competition, "I am the President." If you are President, why you require election? The simple truth. If you are actually President, then why do you depend on other's vote? You become President. No. Artificial President. Simply by votes he is President. Actually he is not; he is the servant of the voters, but he's thinking, "I am President." This is called māyā. Everyone is servant of Kṛṣṇa. He's servant. Every one of us, we are servant. So take this example. Actually the President means the servant of the voters, and as soon as the voters do not like him... Just like Nixon is drawn back.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.119-121 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

What you are? Your human, human being, they are very few. If you compare with other animals, other living entities, you are most insignificant number. Your number is very little, especially for the civilized. If you search out a hole in your room, you'll find millions of ants coming out. Even in your room you'll find. You'll be over-voted. So who is supplying their necessities? Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. In the Vedic language we can understand that one singular entity... God is also a living entity. He's not void. He's just like a person, like you and me. But He's so powerful. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. One single number, He is providing so many, innumerable living entities. So our business is... And the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham: (BG 10.10) "I supply whatever he needs. Who is constantly engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I supply it. I take the goods personally and deliver there."

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971:

If you take a census of the living entities in different categories, how many human beings are there in this city, how many sparrows are there, how many pigeons are there, how many dogs are there, how many trees are there, how many insects are there—they're all living entities—the number of other-than—human-being will be far, far greater. The votes will be smaller in number. If the municipality, city, or the government said, "Everyone can vote, all living entities," then your vote will be lost, because you are very small in number. Other living entities, they are very great. Even from the holes of your room, many thousands of ants will come. They are also living entities. Why don't you, why do you say that they are not living entities? They are living en... They are also eating; you are also eating. They're also sleeping; you are also sleeping. They're also mating; you are also mating. They're also defending. The small ants, they are defending. They enter into the hole of your room. You do not know where the ants live, but they defend.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- Bombay, January 3, 1973:

So "Vyāsadeva accepts You, Nārada accepts You, and Asita, Devala, big, big, great sages accepts You. You are personally speaking, and I have realized that You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead." This is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is not manufactured, as nowadays it has become a fashion to manufacture God by votes. No. God is never manufactured. God is God. Not by mystic power one becomes God or by so-called meditation or magical arts. No. God is God. Nobody can become God. Asamaurdhva. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa is described as asama urdhva prapitāmaha ca (BG 11.39). In the Eleventh Chapter, you'll find these words. Because Brahmā is considered... He's called pitāmaha, because the father of the father. If you search out the genealogical table of this universe, especially of the human society, then you go on searching. I am begotten by my father; my father is begotten by his father, his father, his father, his father—you go on.

Festival Lectures

Sri Rama-Navami, Lord Ramacandra's Appearance Day -- Hawaii, March 27, 1969:

How one becomes God? God is not manufactured by vote. There are definition who is God. God must be the proprietor of all the riches. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya. Samāgra means all. Nobody can compete with Him. Here, in this world, material world, I am rich man, and there is another rich man who can compete with me. There is another rich man who can compete with him. But nobody can compete with God in richness. That is one qualification of God. Nobody can say that "I am richer than God." You can say "I am richer than Ford or Rockefeller" or this or that. You can say. But nobody can say that "I am richer than God." Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat asti kiñcid dhanañjaya. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Dhanañjaya is a name of Arjuna, and Kṛṣṇa said that, "My dear Arjuna, there is nobody greater than Me." So if anyone claims that he is God, he must prove by practical example that nobody is richer than him. That is the first. But unfortunately, we are accepting so many Gods. A rascal in the street, he also claims that "I am God."

Sri Vyasa-puja -- Hyderabad, August 19, 1976:

Now I must explain my position because in these days, a person being worshiped as most exalted personality is something revolution. Because they like democracy, by vote somebody should be elevated however rascal he may be. But our this system, guru-paramparā system, is different. Our system, if you do not accept the Vedic knowledge through guru-paramparā system, it is useless. You cannot manufacture an interpretation of the Vedic language. Just like cow dung. Cow dung is the stool of an animal. Vedic injunction is that if you touch cow dung..., any stool of an animal, you have to take immediately bath and purify yourself. But the Vedic injunction is also that cow dung can purify any impure place. Especially we Hindus, we accept it. Now by reason it is contradictory. The stool of an animal is impure, and the Vedic injunction is cow dung is pure.

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- Bhagavad-gita 18.5 -- London, September 5, 1973:

So he was also imitation of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Where is the reference in the śāstra? So far Caitanya Mahāprabhu is concerned, there are so many innumerable references, in Mahābhārata, in Bhāgavata, in Purāṇa, in Upaniṣad. Therefore we accept Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Not by rascal's vote that "Let us vote this man is God; then he becomes." So kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam (SB 11.5.32). He associated with other devotees—Nityānanda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu, then Gadādhara Prabhu and Śrīnivāsa. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. Whenever Caitanya Mahāprabhu is present, there are so many devotees. Gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. So sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. This is the incarnation of Kali.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, SB 6.3.24 -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

That power, another power. That power is sun, and that is called saura, worshiping the sun. Just like there is a Parsi community in India. Fire worship is recommended in the Vedas. So that powerful sun, sun-god, they worship the sun. That is the stage of saura, saura stage. And then, next is the power vox populi, the power of the votes. That is the stage of Gaṇapati. Gaṇa... Gaṇa means the number of people. Just like in nationalism they are counting upon the power. In this way, they realize some sort of power, I mean to say, moving force or the soul. That is the stage of... They say, śivo 'ham. Śivo 'ham. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is the stage of śaiva. And when they expand that, that "This power, this spiritual power, soul, is all over, all-pervading, impersonal Brahman," that is... They, sometimes they accept Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu means all-pervading. But their realization of Viṣṇu is impersonal.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival -- Chicago, July 3, 1975:

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. Hm, then?

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968:

The candidates for presidency, they are presenting their different manifestations..., no, manifesto, that "I shall serve the country very nicely. Please give me your vote." But the real idea is that "Some way or other, I shall become the master of the country." So this is māyā. So if we understand this small philosophy, that constitutionally I am servant... There is no doubt. Nobody can say that "I am free, I am master." Nobody can say. If he thinks like that, that is māyā. It is false. Can anybody say in this meeting that he's not servant of anybody or anything? He must be, because that is his constitutional position. But the difficulty is that by serving our senses, there is no solution of the problem, of the miseries. For the time being, I may satisfy myself that I have taken this intoxication, and under the spell of this intoxication I may think that "I am nobody's servant. I am free," but that is artificial. As soon as the hallucination is gone, he comes to the point, again servant. Again servant.

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

So, andhā yathāndair upanīyamānā te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. They're promising, "My dear citizens, my dear countrymen, if you give me vote, because the country needs me at the present moment, then I shall give you all comforts, all solutions." But he is īśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. By the laws of God, by the laws of nature, he is tightly packed up. You see? If your hands are tightly knotted, if your legs are tightly, then how you can work? 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.

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

This bhajan, that is the sign of mahātmā. You cannot create a mahātmā by rubberstamp or by votes. Mahātmā's symptom is that he's fully surrendered unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead and always engaged in glorifying His activities. His activities. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). He's always very much careful about executing devotional service. Namasyantaś ca mām. He's always offering obeisances. Tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca. In this way they enjoy, tuṣyanti, and they're satisfied. These are the signs of mahātmā.

So to become mahātmā and liberated... There are so many theories how to become liberated, how to become mahātmā, how to become religionist, how to become philosopher. There are many thoughts and theories, but real success of life is to become a mahātmā, broader, broad-minded. Mahātmā means broader-minded. They are not, I mean to say, short-minded, that "I am this," "I am that"—"I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am Indian," "I am German,"

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

So that supreme controller means He has nobody else to control Him. Here, in this material world or anywhere, we find one controller, he is controlling, but he is also being controlled. He is not absolute controller. Here we find some, say, a president, he's controlling the state, but he's also being controlled by popular votes. If the popular votes are against him, he cannot control any more. So here, you just analyze anyone; he may be controller, but at the same time he is controlled. Not that absolute controller. Nobody you can find. So if in this way you go on searching out where a person is not only controlled, controller, but He is not controlled by anyone, that is God. This is the simple definition of God. God controls everyone or everything, but He is not controlled by anyone. That is God. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1).

Lecture at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan -- Bombay, October 18, 1973:

That service attitude, when it is misunderstood, it is applied to māyā, and we are not happy. When it is applied to Kṛṣṇa, then we are happy. Service you must render. That is your position. You cannot become master. Even the politicians, they promise, "I shall give you such and such service. Please give me vote." So the service is promised, because we have to serve.

So this definition given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇa nitya-dāsa: "The real, original characteristic of the living entity is to serve Kṛṣṇa." That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ: (BG 15.7) "All these living entities, they are My parts and parcels." Just try to understand. What is the duty of the parts and parcel? Suppose this finger—they are the parts and parcel of my body. What is the duty of the finger? The finger has to catch the foodstuff or prepare the foodstuff and put into the mouth.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Jeremy Bentham:

Śyāmasundara: His idea is that the standard is decided by the majority of the people.

Prabhupāda: Majority of people, they are asses. Then what is the help of that votes of the asses. Why don't you take votes from so many animals? Why you take votes from the human beings? In the country, the animals are also there. Therefore a standard of happiness, he must know and if we take that type of happiness, that is Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Śyāmasundara: We derive our standard from authority.

Prabhupāda: Yes, and actually we feel it is so. Not only accept, in the preaching work, the theory is there; but when actually takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he understands that here is the standard of happiness. I receive so many hundreds of letters daily how they are feeling happiness.

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Viṣṇu... In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa, it is said that varṇāśrama-dharma. Varnāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān (CC Madhya 8.58). Any man who executes this varṇāśrama-dharma, he satisfies Viṣṇu. The varṇāśrama-dharma is there, and the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas, and the śūdras. So according as they are prescribed, how the brāhmaṇas should live, how the kṣatriyas should live, how the..., then there is no trouble. The whole problem is solved. But they have killed the varṇāśrama-dharma. They are now all śūdras. The śūdras, how they can make solutions? Śūdras means nonintelligent persons. So what they can do? They are running on democratic government voted by the śūdras. So what these rascal śūdras will do? They require... Śūdras are meant for serving the higher sections—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya. And if the śūdras are given government... Just like we are seeing, in Africa they have been given independence, but they have not improved. The Englishman is still controlling, the Indians are still controlling. And what is the meaning of their so-called self-ruling? We have seen it, still they are poor, because they are śūdras. Śūdras have no brain. In America also, the whole America once belonged to the Red Indians.

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Prabhupāda: Na bhajanti (Sanskrit) nainad bhrastha (Sanskrit). If you do not follow the principles... Just like the administrative class is there all over the world. The class of men who is interested in administration, they are taking vote, they are coming to governmental high, high post, but they are not following the principles of administrative class: na bhajayante avama bhṛtya (?).

Śyāmasundara: Is this the result of a lack of education?

Prabhupāda: Lack of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The so-called education is there. Lack of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The administrative class is forgetting that they are belonging to the arms of Kṛṣṇa. Mukha bāhu rūpa (?). So the administrative class is supposed to be the arms of Kṛṣṇa, but they are not thinking in terms of Kṛṣṇa, that "I am part and parcel of the body of Kṛṣṇa." That is forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are in trouble. They are separated from Kṛṣṇa. This hand is my arm, but if it is separated from my body, it will be called the arms or the hand, but it has no value.

Philosophy Discussion on Plato:

Prabhupāda: Anywhere.

Hayagrīva: ...Athens was the biggest, and everyone got together and the wisest men spoke, and they voted on their decisions.

Prabhupāda: That is the beginning of Parliament.

Hayagrīva: Parliament.

Prabhupāda: So in monarchy also there was council of learned men, brāhmaṇas, great saintly persons. Even Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was guided like that. Lord Rāmacandra was guided. That is the system. Even monarchy was there, still he was advised by learned scholars and brāhmaṇas and saintly persons, and he would do according to their decision. And Vena Mahārāja, he was not ruling. The brāhmaṇas came, advised him, "My dear King, you are not doing nicely. You should do like this." And when he refused, then he was killed, and his son Prthu Mahārāja was give charge. So-called democracy is ludicrous, that's a fact. All fools and rascals bribing, and this way and that way they have taken post, and when they go to the post, simply squander money, that's all. Just they take bribes from big, big men, that "I will give you, repay you ten times, you give me money."

Page Title:Vote (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:29 of Sep, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=90, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:90