Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Politics (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"politic" |"politics"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- Rome, May 27, 1974:

Śrī Vyāsadeva first of all described the Vedas in four Vedas, and describes further in Upaniṣad, further in Purāṇas. The Purāṇas... Some of the rascals says that Purāṇas are not written by Vyāsadeva. They are rascal. The Purāṇas are also, explained further, supplementary. Purāṇa. Purāṇa means "which completes." Another Purāṇa means "the very old, historical." So Purāṇas, they are mentioned, "the Vedic instruction through the history." Just like Vedic instruction, Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata is history, but the whole Vedic literature is there, ideal king, how kingdom... Politics, practically it is politics. But it is based on Vedic literature. And the Bhagavad-gītā is introduced in the Mahābhārata. So the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the essence of all Vedic literature. Śruti-sāram ekam. This is the only one. You cannot present another. Ekam. As God is one, similarly, to understand Him, there is only one literature. That is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhagavad-gītā is the preliminary study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śruti-sāram ekam. Adhyātma-dīpam.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Edinburgh, July 17, 1972:

Pradyumna: With a future of Kṛṣṇa consciousness there wouldn't be any more political maneuvering, because the leaders would be willing to accept advice from the learned sages and brāhmaṇas and devotees. There wouldn't be any politics, and there would be understanding from the scriptures.

Prabhupāda: This is social improvement, ah, political improvement. What is the social improvement?

Revatī-nandana: The social improvement would be that when the people become Kṛṣṇa conscious under good leadership, then they would be satisfied. Then they would simplify the lives of the people, everyone would become happy, and...

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

We read Bhagavad-gītā, but by reading Bhagavad-gītā I become a politician. So what kind of reading Bhagavad-gītā? Politician is there, of course, but the real purpose of reading Bhagavad-gītā is to know Kṛṣṇa. If one is Kṛṣṇa, if one knows Kṛṣṇa, he knows everything. He knows politics, he knows economics, he knows science, he knows philosophy, he knows religion, he knows sociology, everything. Tasmin vijñāte sarvam etaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti, that is the Vedic injunction. If you simply understand God, Kṛṣṇa, then everything will be revealed to you because Kṛṣṇa says, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. If Kṛṣṇa gives you intelligence from within, who can excel Him?

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14), but anyone who surrenders unto Me, he can get out of this entanglement. So here it is stated that sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, the whole human civilization is trying to get freedom from some inconvenience. The state, politics, sociology, humanity, religions, so many things. So ultimately it is taken religion is the path of vimukti, religion. Because other things are being tried by the animals. The animals also have their ways of getting out of inconvenience. They know how to do it. Just like a bird, he knows that on the land I am in danger. As soon as there is some danger, immediately flies up to the tree. He knows.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- New Vrindaban, September 6, 1972:

Just like you have come here out of faith and respect. So here they're talking about God. There is temple of God, let us go there. This is faith and respect. Ādau śraddhā. This is the beginning. Now, after coming here, when you hear about God, because we, our only business is, we don't talk here politics or sociology or anything. That comes automatically as subordinate things, but our business is to talk about God. So those who talks about God, they are called saintly person. There are two kinds of men within this world. Materialistic person and transcendentalist, or man interested in spiritualism.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- New Vrindaban, September 6, 1972:

And those who are materialistic person, they also talk. They talk about this body, how to keep this body nicely. There are politics, sociology, welfare activities, so many things, all concerning to the body. So there are many talks, just like in the newspaper. In your country especially, bunch of newspaper. So many talks, advertisement, fashion, this news, that news, full up. So the materialistic person, they read the newspaper, but we read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That is the difference. We are also reading. They are also reading. So nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ, śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2).

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Everything is going on under the influence of different modes of material nature. Just like in our country, when Gandhi was living, he got sva-rājya, but still, he was thinking he had to do something, he had to do something. And he did not separate from politics. He was old man. He should have retired, but he did not, unless he was killed by somebody. This is the attachment for material things. All these leaders, they think, "Without me, the country will go to hell." But so many leaders came and gone. The country is going on. Therefore, in the Bengali it is said, rāja mare, rājya acara. "Because the king has died, therefore kingdom will stop." That is not the... It, it will go on. Why do you bother? That is knowledge. Kṛṣṇa is taking care. You just engage yourself in the service of Kṛṣṇa. That is your duty.

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Delhi, November 16, 1973:

If you are interested... Caitanya Mahāprabhu was requested by His confidential devotee to allow a meeting with Mahārāja Pratāparudra. Oh, He immediately refused, "No, no, I cannot see a king." He was so strict. "A king is simply interested with politics and money, so what shall I do by meeting him? No, no, I cannot meet him." Refused. So in that connection He composed one śloka, verse, bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava-sāgarasya: "Those who are interested to go to the other side of the spiritual world," bhava-sāgarasya jigamiṣoḥ, "that such person, for such person," viṣayiṇāṁ sandarśanam atha yoṣitāṁ ca, "to see the viṣayīs interested in simply eating, sleeping, mating, such persons, and yoṣit, and woman," hā hanta, hā hanta viṣa-bhakṣaṇato 'py asādhu, "oḥ, for him, this kind of action is more abominable than drinking poison."

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They are trying to make adjustment, political situation, social situation in so many problems. The United Nations, they're trying to solve the problems of whole nation, but still the war is going on between such and such party, such and such party, and everyone busy in politics and diplomacy. This way, the problems of life cannot be solved. If there is any solution of the problems of life, it is actually this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Those who are intelligent, they should study the purpose of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and try to apply in all fields of activities—political, social, religious, anything, economical. Everything can be solved. Jīva, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. This is called inquiry, inquisitiveness about the Absolute Truth.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa comes here. He takes His incarnation here to canvass, "My dear sons, please come back home. Why you are suffering here?" Kṛṣṇa comes, Kṛṣṇa canvasses. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). "Why you have created so many rascaldom, politics and economics and this and that, So many things are encumbered. Please come to Me. You'll be happy." This is the whole instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. He comes. He shows His vṛndāvana-līlā, that "You can dance also with Me. You can play with Me just like cowherds boy. And I shall give you protection. There are so many demons. They're coming to attack us. But I'll give you protection." Jolly life. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:

Therefore we see sometimes, big, big sannyāsīs, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, they give up this world, take sannyāsa, but after some time they come to politics, to sociology. Why? If the jagat is mithyā, why you are interested in politics and sociology an welfare acts? That means anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: He could not get ānanda without being in touch with the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they come this ānanda. Ānanda. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa. This is practical.

So simply Brahman realization is not perfect. Simply Paramātmā realization is also not perfect. When you realize Bhagavān, then you realize Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān simultaneously. That is ānanda. That is ānanda. That is available as it is. Paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā.

Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:

So if we actually try to understand Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is solution for all the problems of society, of government, and everything. It is not a sentimental movement. Vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ. One must increase the taste for understanding Kṛṣṇa. Just like Kṛṣṇa came. He came not only to dance with the gopīs. He took part in politics. He killed so many demons. He established good government. He showed how householders' life. Kṛṣṇa It is all described in our Kṛṣṇa book, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He was lying with His beautiful queens, and as soon as there is cock crow, immediately He would rise, early in the morning, three o'clock. The queens will be disgusted: "Now it is early in the morning.

Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:

He will give in charity every day thirteen thousands of cows to the brāhmaṇas. Read all these things. Don't think that Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is simply dugdughi.(?) Not dugdughi. It includes everything, all-pervasive. Kṛṣṇa is ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8), Kṛṣṇa is the root of everything. Therefore anything you conceive of, politics, sociology, philosophy, religion, anything, there is adjustment if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

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

It is not sentiment. It is full of scientific knowledge. So when we understand the truth, the Absolute Truth, scientifically, that is called bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam. That bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam is understandable by a person who is liberated. One who is very busy, anxious with politics, sociology, humanitarianism, one who is very busy always in politics, how he can become interested or how he can understand bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam? That is not possible.

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

Therefore these are the tests to understand. A politician may pose himself that he is very advanced in spiritual life, but when we see that he is more interested in politics than in Kṛṣṇa, then we can understand what is his position. These are the tests. Or politics or sociology or anything, a pure devotee is always interested how Kṛṣṇa would be satisfied. Just like Arjuna. Of course, when one is interested in that way, all other things, subordinate things, they come within. Just like Arjuna was a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa, but at the same time he was a politician also. So, but the first interest is to become Kṛṣṇized, how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, not that "For political purpose I love Kṛṣṇa." No.

Lecture on SB 1.2.26 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:

They do not know what is liberation. The Darwin's theory, bodily concept of life, but..., and, and anthropology. That is going on in the university. A false theory, without any idea.

So here it is said, mumukṣavaḥ, "desiring for liberation." But the people do not know what is liberation. They are thinking liberation in terms of politics. Just like we have become liberated from the British rule. What sort of liberated? Liberation? During British rule, people were free to move, free to spend their money. Now you are so liberated that you cannot move, you can (not) spend your money. This is liberation. Formerly there was no restriction for going outside.

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

You have to give evidence, what is your father's name. Just see. This is called śāstra. Any rascal comes, "Oh, I am Kṛṣṇa. I am this avatāra and that avatāra," but where is the evidence from the śāstra? We cannot accept. Just like any gentleman comes, we want to see the credential. Just like in politics, when some ambassador comes to a new country, then he has to officially present his credential so that he will be accepted that "This gentleman is representative of such and such country." That is nice. Unless you give credentials, identity, how I can accept you? So... But people have become rascal. Anyone comes, he says that "I am incarnation of God," because the people are rascals, they accept another rascal. But if you follow the śāstras and scriptures, then there you will find all the avatāras, their credentials are there—What is the father's name, what is the name of the place he takes birth or appears, what is his business. So... What is the time. Everything is given there.

Lecture on SB 1.5.1-8 -- New Vrindaban, May 23, 1969:

Just like Mahābhārata. That's a great epic. But there are politics. So many politics, sociology, fight, this, that, but in the middle there is a little glories of God, Bhagavad-gītā. So the book is not full of the glories of the... Kṛṣṇa is there, but that is a partial representation. Now Nārada Muni says that "Not as sidelight. Completely you have to write one book simply glorifying the Supreme Lord. Then you'll be satisfied." Not sidelight. Completely. Bhavatānudita-prāyam (SB 1.5.8). Here it is said, parāvareśa... Anudita-prāyam, anukta-prāyam. A sidelight. People take... Just like, "All right, yes, we accept God. But we cannot devote our whole time for God. We shall go weekly once or fortnightly once, or one hour in a day, partial. Our business is another.

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

The Mahābhārata, the basic principle of Mahābhārata is the fighting between the two groups of royal family and on that politics, sociology, religion... But those who have read Mahābhārata, they will be surprised how elevated knowledge are there in Mahābhārata. But they were meant for śūdras and, I mean to say, less-intelligent class of men. So you can imagine how intelligent at that time people were that Mahābhārata was... Mahābhārata is even at the present moment they can(not) understand rightly Mahābhārata. Say, for Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is part of Mahābhārata. But the philosophy is not understood properly even by the greatest philosophers. They commit mistake.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

Just like if your ship is on the ocean and it is being tossed by heavy wind, you cannot sit very nicely. I have got experience when I was coming to your country. So it is moving like that. "Similarly, those who are too much disturbed by these material affairs... Mahābhārata is the history. So there are politics, sociology, intricacy, so many nonsense things, in which you have given Bhagavad-gītā, little portion. That's all right. But that will not help very much."

Lecture on SB 1.5.28 -- Vrndavana, August 9, 1974:

Mahātmās are not interested within this material world. They are not under the influence of the external energy. Of course, nowadays it is... Sometimes politicians are called "mahātmā." But that is not the purpose of mahātmā. Mahātmā is not interested with politics or sociology or... They are all material things. Or philanthropy. They are interested with the Supreme: Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). They're interested. Especially mahātmā is he who is interested with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.7.2-4 -- Durban, October 14, 1975:

Guest (3): What I would like to ask the Swami a question on... Western world (indistinct) utopia (indistinct) economics or politics. What I would like to understand (indistinct) especially India is the best (indistinct) utopia...

Prabhupāda: Why you are bringing in India? Kṛṣṇa is speaking not for India—for everyone. What is his question?

Devotee: What is the Eastern or Indian understanding of utopia?

Prabhupāda: Utopia?

Devotee: Perfect society.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Perfect society is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you accept Kṛṣṇa as the center... Just like in a family if you accept the head of the family, your father, as the guiding principle, the family's happy. And if you disrupt with the opinion of the father, somebody goes away, somebody's not happy, the family is disturbed. Similarly, if you agree with the instruction of Kṛṣṇa and God, the whole human society will be peace and prosperity.

Lecture on SB 1.7.43 -- Vrndavana, October 3, 1976:

We have got many examples how to train woman. They are very soft-hearted. They can be molded in any way. And Bhīṣmadeva has advised... When Bhīṣmadeva was in the bed of arrows, śara-śayyā, so the Pāṇḍavas, the Kurus, they took many advices about politics, sociology. Many things—religion, king's duty, so many instruction was taken. In that instruction he also confirmed the Vedic injunction that woman should be always protected very carefully. There is one quality of shyness. If you break that shyness of woman, it will be very dangerous. It will be very dangerous. That is the one verb,(?) (word) to check.

Lecture on SB 1.7.43 -- Vrndavana, October 3, 1976:

Body's nothing; it is dead matter. When Kṛṣṇa began His instruction and Arjuna was lamenting on the basis of this body... "If we kill our brothers their wives will be widowed and they'll be bhraṣṭācāra(?), the varṇa-saṅkara will be there." Everything he was calculating on the basis of this body. All politics, sociology, they are going on the basis of this body. But Kṛṣṇa, as soon as He was accepted by Arjuna as guru... Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "Now, Kṛṣṇa, I accept You as my guru. Not as friend." Because friendly talking is useless waste of time. He accepted Him as guru. When guru speaks, you cannot argue. That is not the process. You should accept a guru who is infallible. Otherwise it is useless. He accepted guru Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa is infallible. If we accept guru, a bogus guru, then it is no benefit. Guru means Kṛṣṇa's representative. Not that everyone can be guru.

Lecture on SB 1.8.24 -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1973:

I have constructed a very nice house. You can go and live there." Vidura informed that "This is the policy: Dhṛtarāṣṭra wants you to burn into ashes by going that house." Duryodhana could understand that Vidura had already informed. Therefore he was very angry. These are politics. So although they knew that "This is the plan of my uncle to send into that house and set fire," but they agreed, "Yes," not disobedient to the order of the superior. In this way the house was set into fire, but they digged a subway within that house, and they escaped.

Lecture on SB 1.8.40 -- Mayapura, October 20, 1974:

How can I give up their company at times of danger?" That is also another consideration. So similarly, Droṇācārya, although he's guru, teacher of military art, he also went to Duryodhana's side for money. So therefore... Karṇa... Nobody came to this side. So Kṛṣṇa was doing justice, that He was... This is politics, "Tit for tat." This is politics. Śaṭhe śāṭhyamācaret.(?) Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says. "If somebody is śaṭha"—śaṭha means very cunning—"so you should be also cunning." This is politics. You should not be, at that time, a brāhmaṇa, liberal. No. So the idea is that in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa teaches everything very rightly, properly. The whole Vedic literature is meant for that, not one-sided.

Now here, he's (she's) speaking.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Mayapura, October 21, 1974:

So always remember that if somebody takes us as religionists, yes, we are religionists, but pure religionists. If somebody says socialist, we are pure socialist. If somebody says we are diplomats, poli..., yes, we are pure politicians. What is pure politicians? Politics requires violence. So annihilate the demons and give protection. The politics means two things. The state, government, what is that? Government gives protection to the good citizen, and those who are rogues, punish them. Law and order. Two things are there: maintenance and law and order. So similarly, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness is also the same thing. But so far we are concerned, because we are not in political power... Otherwise we have, would have followed the principles of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Los Angeles, May 4, 1973:

Therefore we see so many sannyāsīs, they say brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. They give up, take sannyāsa, but after taking sannyāsa, after a few days or few years, they come back again to this material world to open hospital, philanthropic work, school. Why? If you have left this world as mithyā, as false, why you are again coming to politics, to philanthropy, sociology and so on? Why you are coming again? That is bound to be. Because we are living entity, we are active. If we simply become inactive out of frustration, then it will be failure. We must engage with activities. That activity is devotional service. This is Brahman activity. The Māyāvādīs, they do not know.

Lecture on SB 1.8.45 -- Los Angeles, May 7, 1973:

Although the Vedic literature is meant for to find out Kṛṣṇa, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ... (BG 15.15). All knowledge... Vedic, veda means knowledge. So any department of knowledge, you may pursue, the business is how to find out Kṛṣṇa. That is real business. Either you take chemistry or physics or politics or sociology, anything, medicine, everything—all departmental knowledge—the aim is to find out Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973:

So you cannot understand what you have done? You have always misguided people." I told him. So he was not very happy to hear this straight answer. (laughter) But he admitted...

Anyway... So for kṣatriya, just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit... If kṣatriya becomes nonviolent... Just like our Mahatma Gandhi started nonviolence in politics. So that was a political policy, but in politics there is no question of nonviolence, in politics. That is foolishness. Actually, India gained independence not by nonviolence. That is a great history. India gained independence... Gandhi was fighting with nonviolence for thirty, thirty-five years; there was no result.

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973:

So in politics there is no question of nonviolence. So a king, a protector, kṣatriya... Kṣatriya means kṣat... Kṣat means injury, injury. And tra, tra means deliver. So a kṣatriya's business is to deliver a person who is going to be injured. That is kṣatriya. Just like this cow was going to be injured, and as soon as Mahārāja Parīkṣit saw it, he immediately took his sword to kill him. So this is kṣatriya.

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

Present fighting, the politicians, out of their whims, they declare war, that is not religious fighting; that is abominable. That is to serve their political ends. When the politicians cannot control the mass of people being dissatisfied, they make a clique to declare some war so that all their attention may be diverted. This is politics.

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

That is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā. So... But still, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira did not like that so many people would be killed for the sake of enthroning him, but Kṛṣṇa desired. Kṛṣṇa desired. Kṛṣṇa wanted it, that... Duryodhana, they were demonlike, simply making politics and diplomacy. Their only business was... Dhṛtarāṣṭra along with his sons, they were simply making diplomacy how to kill the Pāṇḍavas and catch over the kingdom. That was their policy.

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

So the political head, executive head, of course, he should be intelligent to understand diplomacy and politics, but his only business is to see how people in general are in happiness. That is his business. Nowadays political parties, they are simply engaged how to keep up their position. All the political parties—I have seen personally—simply they are making plan how to keep their position in the government so they may not be dethroned, other party may not come. The whole time is wasted. When they will think of "No, the people are suffering for want of food. The people are suffering for unnecessary increase of price, although things are available in the black market. How to manage this?"

Lecture on SB 1.8.51 -- Los Angeles, May 13, 1973:

So children, brāhmaṇa, and here it is said strī, woman. According to Vedic politics, the children and brāhmaṇa, old men and woman, they have no fault. They are out of all laws of the state. Their fault will never be taken as seriously. They are innocent. They require protection. Now the agitation is that woman should have equal rights with man. So that is not Vedic idea. Vedic idea is that woman should be always protected. She is not independent. Just like child. All these children, their mother is always attentive. Child is going here; she is taking care. So that dependence is required. If the child says, "I am independent," that is not for his profit. The child must be taken care of. That is good.

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

This is king. So in the Bhāgavata you will find everything, politics, sociology, religion, culture, philosophy, science, everything you will find. It is not that simply dogmatic, something saying, some miracles. No, it is not like that. It is a great science, scientific. Therefore in the beginning it is said, nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam idam (SB 1.1.3). Nigama. Nigama means the Vedic literature. Nigama. So the essence, the quintessence of Vedic literature, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... Veda means knowledge, I have several times explained. So Veda contains all kinds of knowledge. Āyur-veda, the knowledge about medical science. Dhanur-veda, the military science. Āyur-veda, Dhanur-veda, Yajur-veda. Veda means knowledge.

Lecture on SB 1.10.11-12 -- Mayapura, June 25, 1973:

They do not..., they have no knowledge. Still they are going on as human being. They're like animals. Even big, big professors in Europe, they say, "Swamiji, after death, everything is finished." You see. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Even these plain words, the first instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, they do not understand. Not only they. Here, also. So many politicians, so many rascals, they take Bhagavad-gītā, but they do not understand. They're busy with politics.

Lecture on SB 1.10.11-12 -- Mayapura, June 25, 1973:

Political leaders teach the people that there is birth after death. Have you heard, any politician? But take the Bhagavad-gītā and stands with photograph: "Oh, he's a very great reader of Bhagavad-gītā." But one who understands Bha... "He's a rascal." If he understands Bhagavad-gītā, why he's in politics? And even if he's politics... These, all these kings, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Kṛṣṇa, they were also in politics. But they know things as they are. That is the difference. Who can be greater politician than Kṛṣṇa? He's giving this instruction: dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). So in human life, if they do not know what is the process of living condition, how we are changing, how we are accepting birth and death, how to stop it, then what is the meaning of this human being?

Lecture on SB 1.15.34 -- Los Angeles, December 12, 1973:

So there are so many diseases. Therefore eating is so important thing. And the germs, they come out from the mouth very easily. Very easily. Formerly there was politics. They were called viṣa-kanyā, "poison girl." The politicians used to keep. I do not know whether nowadays the politicians keep. But we find from Vedic literature, viṣa-kanyā. Viṣa-kanyā means a girl, from the childhood, is injected poison, little by little, little, little, little, little. So when she is grown up, she, whole body is poisonous. So the politician used to engage such girl to kill his opponent politician. Very nice, beautiful girl, and (s)he will go, and as soon as the kissing will be there, he will die. Just like poisonous.

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

He comes for the welfare of the whole world. So sometimes it is necessary to take part in the politics. But unless one is perfectly free from all designation, he will be implicated in politics. If I become an American politician or Indian politician, then I will be implicated. But if I become a politician on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, then I will not be implicated. If my aim is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa's mission is that He said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So if we teach people this philosophy, that "You surrender to God, either by politics or by philosophy or by culture or by anything," that is perfection. If you teach people that "You feel like American," "You feel like Indian," "You feel like Hindu," "You feel like Christian, " this will never give you happiness, because it is polluted. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena... (CC Madhya 19.170). Therefore Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was exalted.

Lecture on SB 1.15.39 -- Los Angeles, December 17, 1973:

Because I was thinking of preaching this Bhagavad-gītā. So I thought that "Gandhi's position is better. If he takes up this job, preaching of Bhagavad-gītā, many people will give attention. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ (BG 3.21). He is a recognized good man, so people will follow." But he did not do so. He stuck up to the politics. And unless he was killed by another opponent party, he did not give it up. Similarly, I have seen other politicians also, Jawaharlal Nehru, Panth,(?) they would not give up. Panth(?) was so weak, I have seen. He could not stand even. He was doing like this, always. Still he would not give up. Similarly, Jawaharlal Nehru, he was paralyzed. Unless he was dead, he could not give up.

Lecture on SB 1.15.39 -- Los Angeles, December 17, 1973:

We have referred to the politicians, because king means he is also politician. As soon as we speak of king, he is in politics. So these are the example. Although he was also great politician, he had to fight in the Battle of Kurukṣetra, he had to adopt diplomacy, everything, but not that he would forget his real duty. This is perfect civilization, that one should not forget the real duty. The real duty is to fulfill the mission of the human life. The mission of human life is to understand God. And God is there, you cannot deny, God is there. But we do not know what is God, what is our relationship with Him. That we do not know. Just like in your country, the currency notes are advertised, "In God We Trust."

Lecture on SB 1.15.47-48 -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1973:

So the Pāṇḍavas, always they were thinking of Kṛṣṇa. While they were eating, they were sitting, they were sleeping, they were talking, they were fighting-Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When Arjuna was fighting, so there was also Kṛṣṇa. When they were dealing in politics with Duryodhana, there was Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is his friend, always talking with him, staying with him, sleeping with him, eating with him.

So anyone can do that. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. If in our ordinary life we deal with Kṛṣṇa as Arjuna did and the Pāṇḍavas did, so where is the difficulty for us? There is no difficulty. Simply we have to practice it. And that practice is bhaktyā. This is only possible through devotional service. Kṛṣṇa was so near to the Pāṇḍavas on account of their devotion. Nārada Muni eulogized the Pāṇḍavas that "Jñānīs and yogis, they cannot reach even, but by your devotion, He is living with you as friend.

Lecture on SB 1.16.5 -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1974:

Therefore, the first condition was that we are interested to hear about Mahārāja Parīkṣit's punishing the Kali provided it helps us to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise we have no interest. This should be the principle of devotees. We can take part in everything—politics, sociology or philanthropism, altruism, there are so many things they have discovered—provided by taking part in that department of activities we advance our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise reject. Don't take part. You'll be implicated. There, that, that philosophy, technique: dhari' mācha nā choṅya (?) pāni, that we should fish, but don't touch the water. If on the plea of fishing, you become fall down in the water and you are gone, washed away, then what is this?

Lecture on SB 1.16.5 -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1974:

So sometimes we say that you take part in politics. Our business is not to take part in politics for acquiring big post like president or secretary or attorney general. What you will do that? We have no meaning for this post. Because for a devotee what are these posts? Even the post of Lord Brahmā or Indra, the heavenly king, it has no meaning. Vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate. That is stated by Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. He says that kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. Kaivalyam, the monism, to merge into the effulgence, the Absolute Truth, to become one, that is called kaivalyam, only spirit, that's all. So for a devotee this kaivalya perfection, monism, is as good as hellish condition of life. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate.

Lecture on SB 1.16.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1974:

If it is..., suppose two millions of dollars required, or, say, five millions of dollars. If we cannot do that, we shall not attempt. That is prayāsa, unnecessarily endeavor. Which is within your control, you should act. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaḥ. And prajalpa. Prajalpa means talking all nonsense. Suppose politics. "What Mr. Nixon did yesterday, or what did he say?" So what interest we have got in Mr. Nixon? We shall not waste our time talking this politics, that politics, this sociology, this cinema, this affair, no. We have nothing to do with that. That is called prajalpa, unnecessary talking. Talking means decreasing your duration of life. Talking. So why should you decrease your life unnecessarily? Every moment you have to utilize, "Whether it is used for Kṛṣṇa?" This is sādhana. This is sādhana, practice. Unnecessary talking, unnecessary making enemies. Unnecessarily, "You are my subordinate; I am your master."

Lecture on SB 1.16.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1974:

They became very big, big mahātmās or great men, but they tried for this body, which is to be finished. Antavanta ime dehāḥ. Nobody tried for that thing which will never be finished, that is eternal. You find from their life, they never instructed about the soul. They dealt with politics very nicely, to give bluff that "Within one year I shall give you liberation and this and that," about the... What is the value of this liberation? Because they did not know the thing which is not perishable, they are after this body, which is, liberated or not liberated, will perish. They are busy. They are busy with the activities of this body, which is surely perishable.

Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1974:

So in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you will find everything, whatever is necessity, for the advancement of human civilization, everything is there described. And knowledge also, all departmental knowledge. Even astronomy, astrology, politics, sociology, atomic theory, everything is there. Vidyā-bhāgavatāvadhi. Therefore if we study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam very carefully, then you get all knowledge completely. Because Bhāgavata begins from the point of creation. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Vedānta. It is the explanation of Vedānta-sūtra. Vedānta means the essence of cream of Vedic knowledge. That is Vedānta. That cream of Vedānta knowledge is further explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Lecture on SB 1.16.25 -- Hawaii, January 21, 1974:

Some big politician some years ago, he visited India. You know. He is Mr. Lloyd George, British politician. So he was asked by somebody that "Why you are not truthful?" So he answered that "Truthfulness is the qualification of an ass." He replied like this. Truthfulness, especially in politics, he said, that "In politics, truthfulness is the qualification of an ass." So here the first thing is recommended, satyam, truthfulness. Satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1). And the biggest politician says, "This is the qualification of an ass." Just see how much opportunity we have got to make spiritual progress. The first beginning is satyam, and our leaders says, "This is the qualification of an ass." So just see our position.

Thank you very much. (devotees offer obeisances) Questions? We are dealing with satyam, the qualification of an ass. This is difficulty.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-6 Excerpts -- Los Angeles, July 2, 1970:

Those who are not interested what is self, for them there are different thousands and millions of topics. Śrotavyādīni rājendra (SB 2.1.2). Everyone is hearing. Somebody is talking, somebody is hearing... Even there is politics, conspiracy, there is also hearing and talking. But these talkings, thousands and thousands of talkings of different subject matter, for whom? For them who are unable to see what is soul. For them. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). Why they have become so? Gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. They want to be packed up within this material package and they have made their life in that way. Gṛheṣu. Just like ordinary man, he is interested with his apartment, family.

Lecture on SB 2.3.10 -- Los Angeles, May 28, 1972:

He agitated his political movement against the British rule. So Britishers went away. I requested him that "Now you have got sva-rājya, and you are so respectable in the world. You take this propaganda, to preach Bhagavad-gītā." No. He'll still stick to these politics. Unless he was killed. He was killed, you know. So this is the propensity, sarva-kāmaḥ. There is no end of their desire, no end. They are called sarva-kāmaḥ. So here it is recommended: akāmaḥ... Just the opposite. Akāmaḥ, niṣkiñcana. They have finished all these nonsense, material desires. Vaiṣṇava. Just like you have taken sannyāsa. It is supposed that you have finished all your material desires. This is called akāmaḥ, just the opposite.

Lecture on SB 2.3.14-15 -- Los Angeles, May 31, 1972:

The propaganda that the Lord is impersonal, that He has no activity and that He is a dumb stone without any name and form has encouraged people to become godless, faithless demons, and the more they deviate from the transcendental activities of the Lord, the more they become accustomed to mundane activities that only clear their path to hell instead of return them home, back to Godhead.* Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins from the history of the Pāṇḍavas (with necessary politics and social activities), and yet Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is said to be the Pāramahaṁsa-saṁhitā, or the Vedic literature meant for the topmost transcendentalist, and it describes paraṁ jñānam, the highest transcendental knowledge. Pure devotees of the Lord are all paramahaṁsas, and they are like the swans, who know the art of sucking milk out of a mixture of milk and water.

Lecture on SB 2.3.14-15 -- Los Angeles, May 31, 1972:

What is the meaning? Loka-rañjanam. Loka-rañjanam means you may please some of the people, "Oh, how you are decorating a dead body." But it has no meaning. It is useless waste of time. Similarly very nice arrangement, big nation, politics, everything, minus Kṛṣṇa consciousness is like that.

Aprāṇasyeva dehasya maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam. Therefore your young men, young girls, they have become frustrated, in spite of all this arrangement, nice arrangement. There is no comparison of your country's arrangement. I am traveling all over the world. Such nice roads, such every... Everything nice. But why they are becoming frustrated and confused? Due to this aprāṇasya. There is no life. So life is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, June 12, 1972:

The frogs ... Any living entity, as soon as they will gather, they will talk all nonsense. Don't do that. We have got great assembly, we have got facility for mixing, but if you take advantage of this assembly and talk all nonsense—what is politics, what is this, what is that ... Prajalpa. That is called prajalpa. So atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ (NOI 2). Niyamāgraha means not accepting the rules and regulation. Another meaning of niyamāgraha means simply blindly following the rules and regulations, but he does not know for what he is doing that. Gardalika-pravāha (?). It is called gardalika-pravāha. Everyone is doing this, but he does not understand why he is doing it. There are many stories of this gardalika-pravāha. Sometimes I will tell you.

Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Los Angeles, June 16, 1972:

This is called sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). The designation is ... Freed from the designation. Tat-paratvena nirmalam. When we simply hear about Kṛṣṇa, then we are purified. Hearing. The machine is there. People are hearing as American, the message of the President or some politics or ... They are very much interested, "What my country is advancing, how they are killing in Vietnam, how they are doing this, that?" The whole big, big lump of newspapers, you see. For hearing. For hearing. So when one is interested with this big, big lump of newspaper, lumpy newspaper, for American interest or Indian interest or German interest ... Everyone has demarcated. "This is Germany, this is America, this is ..." Everything belongs to God, and these rascals, they have demarcated "This is Germany. This is ..."

Lecture on SB 2.3.24 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1972:

You have seen the picture of Vyāsadeva. He's writing books just near a cottage only. But he's writing. Nobody can create such literature. But he was leading very simple life, in a cottage. Even, say, 2,000 years ago or little more, there was Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, he was a brāhmaṇa, but great politician. His politics are studied even now in M.A. class. And because he was a great politician, diplomat, under his name in our India, in New Delhi, the capital, there is a neighborhood which is called Cāṇakya Purī, and all the foreign embassies are there.

Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

There is no tiger. That situation is created by dream. Actually there is no tiger. Similarly we have created this material world and activity. People are running, "Oh..., sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh," identifying that "Oh, I am the manager. I am the factory owner. I am this, I am that. We have got his politics. We have to defeat such competitors." All these things are created exactly like that, svapna-draṣṭur ivāñjasā, just like a man is creating his particular situation simply by dream. That's all.

Lecture on SB 3.1.10 -- Dallas, May 21, 1973:

Vidura was a great devotee and great politician also. Not that a devotee should not take parts in politics. They knew everything, but they did not take part. Just like Vidura and his elder brother Dhṛtarāṣṭra. He was politician, Dhṛtarāṣṭra. His whole life was diplomacy and politics. But still, in difficult position he used to consult Vidura. So why a politician should consult a devotee? No. If I want to do something, I must take advice, the best advice, from the best man. That is the principle.

Lecture on SB 3.1.10 -- Dallas, May 21, 1973:

So this is the position of the brahmacārī, that they go to collect alms, all kinds of, for gurukula.

So Vidura... Kṛṣṇa consciousness includes varieties of activities. They, in..., the press representatives they asked me, "Whether your students, do you take part in politics? Is it sanctioned?" Why not? Our Bhagavad-gītā is produced in battlefield, in battlefield. So why should I deride battle? No. When there is need for fighting, there must be fighting. This world is like that. Otherwise there is no need of fighting. But there is a class of men who will fight. Still it is existing. When there is fight, those who are meant for military purposes, they fight. Not the civilians go and fight. No. Similarly, in the society, there must be divisions. Not that everyone should be called, "Come on, you go to fight."

Lecture on SB 3.1.10 -- Dallas, May 21, 1973:

Although stepmother's son, he would like him very much because he was very intelligent. So on every occasion he would consult him, and his consultation was so valuable that later on it became vaidurikam, "consultation as expert as given by Vidura." So he was invited. Diplomacy, politics were going on, how to cheat the Pāṇḍavas. That was his politics, Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Dhṛtarāṣṭra was born blind, although he was eldest son of his father, but he was born blind. So he could not occupy the throne. His next brother, younger brother, Pāṇḍu, the father of the Pāṇḍavas, he occupied. He became king. Now, this Pāṇḍu died at an early age, and the sons of Pāṇḍu, they were minor children.

Lecture on SB 3.1.10 -- Dallas, May 21, 1973:

So anyway, my brother occupied the throne. Now he is dead and gone. So why his sons should be king? My son should be king." This was the politics. So he was trying how to kill the Pāṇḍavas from the very beginning. And Vidura was restricting him, restraining him. So this is the subject matter. He called Vidura, "What is to be done?" Vidura, he disclosed everything to Vidura. Vidura said, "No, you cannot do that." That will be discussed next morning.

Lecture on SB 3.25.7 -- Bombay, November 7, 1974:

"Don't hesitate. Why you are hesitating because you are a gṛhastha or you are in politics or you are a, born a śūdra family? Why you are...? I am learning from you." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching. He did not think anyone negligible. Anyone who is qualified with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can become guru. It doesn't matter where he is born, what is his family and identification. It doesn't matter. He must know the science. It is very practical. Just like when you go to consult an engineer or a medical man or some lawyer, you do not ask him whether he's a brāhmaṇa or a śūdra. If he's qualified, if he can help you in the particular subject matter, you consult with him, you take his help.

Lecture on SB 3.25.16 -- Bombay, November 16, 1974:

Just like here in this meeting, I am talking, you are hearing. Both of us are being benefited. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Kṛṣṇa wants this, that "These rascals may begin to hear and chant about Me." That's all. Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām (BG 9.14). Mām, Kṛṣṇa. Not others. You don't talk politics, or don't talk sociology, or this or that, nonsense. This is all dirty things. Don't waste your time. There is no need of reading so many rascal novels. They are called tad vāyasaṁ tīrtham. Tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavaḥ, na yad vacaś citra-padaṁ harer yaśaḥ (SB 1.5.10). Any literature which does not glorify the Supreme Lord Hari, that is vāyasa-tīrtham. Vāyasa-tīrtham means the place where the crows enjoy. Vāyasa-tīrtha.

Lecture on SB 3.25.29 -- Bombay, November 29, 1974:

He appears to be very foolish. Not foolish, but superficially animal. He was simply carrying out, dāsyam. Arjuna, simply he took Kṛṣṇa as his most intimate friend, that's all. He was not a Vedantist; he was a fighter, he was a kṣatriya. He had to deal with politics. No time to become Vedantist. But still he's the greatest devotee. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3). Kṛṣṇa says, "My dear Arjuna, you are My very dear friend and devotee." So people may say, "Oh, he is not a Vedantist, he is not even brāhmaṇa, he is not a sannyāsī. How Kṛṣṇa accepts him as bhakto 'si?" That is called bhakti. Bhakti is ahaituky apratihatā. If you become a devotee there is no impediment. No material condition can check your progress of bhakti, if you are a bhakta.

Lecture on SB 3.25.31 -- Bombay, December 1, 1974:

Just like in political activities you accept some party, Congress party or this party or that party. That is the system, even in politics. Similarly, you have to accept a party of devotee. There are not different parties; they are of the same party. Just like the political parties may be different, but their aim is how to improve the condition of the country or the people. The aim is the same, but they may be a little different in their ways. Similarly, there are four āmnāya party. Āmnāya means disciplic succession. One party is coming from Lord Brahmā, and one party is coming from Lakṣmī, goddess of fortune, or the consort of Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu. That is called Brahma-sampradāya and the Śrī-sampradāya. Śrī. Śrī means Lakṣmī. Śrī means beauty. Śrī means fortune.

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

There is no difference. When you worship Kṛṣṇa—man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), mām evaiṣyasi—so he has already gone. There is no difference, the worshiping of the Lord here and there. Just like in politics sometime. These are some of the examples, that in a foreign country, when you are staying in your ship, then you are not subjected to the rules of that country. You are subjected to the rules of your own country. Similarly, so long you are in devotional service, you are not subjected to the rules and regulation of this māyā. Māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Māyām etām... Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Anyone who is not devotee, who is not engaged in the service of the Lord, he is under the control of māyā.

Lecture on SB 3.26.30 -- Bombay, January 7, 1975:

Therefore on account of absence of ānanda, they come down again to enjoy this material ānanda. We have got many experience of persons. The Māyāvādī sannyāsī, they take sannyāsa, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, but after some time they come to take parts in politics. Why? Is (If) jagan mithyā, why you are taking to politics? Because they could not get ānanda. Nirviśeṣa, nirākāra—simply philosophizing, but there was no ānanda. "Therefore let me go to the jail by political activities. There is ānanda." (laughter) Yes, they do practically, yes. So they will take ānanda in the jail, not with Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore, śāstra says, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32).

Lecture on SB 3.28.1 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1975:

Just see Caitanya Mahāprabhu's pastimes. He gave him the position of instructor and He took the position of student, listener.

So Rāmānanda Rāya was feeling a little agitation, that "How is that? I am a gṛhastha, householder, not even born in high family, brāhmaṇa family. And I am engaged in politics, I am governor, and He is a sannyāsī, renounced order of life. How is that that He is asking question and I am replying? The question is enquired by the student, and the answer is given by the spiritual master. So how is that?" He was feeling little agitation. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately encouraged him, "Don't hesitate." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's example.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Tittenhurst, London, September 12, 1969:

Up to the end of this life he'll stick to the family life. Many, many politicians... In our country we have seen many old politicians, seventy-five years old, eighty years old. Not only in our country, in other countries also. In your country, Great Britain, Mr. Churchill, unless he was forced to death, he would not give up politics. Our Gandhi, he was killed by another political group. Then he was forced to retire. When Gandhi attained independence, I requested him in a letter, "Mahatma Gandhi, now you started your struggle with the Britishers, that they should go and Indians should have their independence. Now you have attained independence and Britishers have gone. Now you preach Bhagavad-gītā. You have got some influence.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Tittenhurst, London, September 12, 1969:

You have got some influence. You are known throughout the whole world a very great saintly person, and you also pose yourself that you are a great scholar of Bhagavad-gītā. Why don't you take up Bhagavad-gītā and preach?" There was no reply. And he was still meddling with politics, so much so that his own assistants became disgusted. And it is said that he was planned to be killed. Just see how much intoxication of this materialistic way of life. He was considered a mahātmā, a great personality, and he got his svarājya. The Britishers left India. Still, he would not give up politics.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Tittenhurst, London, September 12, 1969:

This is the disease. He cannot give it up. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). The māyā is so strong that even an old man advertising to be very pious man, he cannot give up politics. Because māyā is so strong, he's thinking, "If I leave political field, my countrymen will suffer, and so many disaster will happen." He's thinking like that.

But actually, things will go on. Many politicians came and gone. In your country there were many, many great politicians; they came and gone. But your country people are still living and they are going on. In Germany also, many Hitlers came and gone. Similarly, in India also many Gandhis came and gone.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- London, August 30, 1971:

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is universal. It is meant for everyone, and the process is very simple. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. But if you think that "I am not satisfied by..., for accepting this simple process. I must go through science, philosophy, logic," yes, we have got dozens of books, four hundred pages each, at least. We have got twelve books. You can read them. Go through science, philosophy, logic, sociology, politics, anything. You will understand what is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:

The Candragupta was during the time of Alexander the Selkar(?) in Greece. He also visited India to conquer. That history is there. So at that time Candragupta was the emperor of India, and he had his prime minister Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. And he was not charging a farthing. And he was vastly learned man. You see. His politics is studied in the M.A. class in India university. And those who are the students of politics, they might have known this gentleman's name, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. And in India, New Delhi, there is a quarter where foreign ambassadors are supplied place. So that quarter is known as Cāṇakyapuri. Cāṇakyapuri.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975:

They may rise up to the paraṁ padam, brahma-pada, but anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ, because they could not take up the service of the lotus feet of the Lord, they fall down. There are many instances, many sannyāsīs. They give up this world as mithyā and again come to politics, again come to philanthropic work. Why? If jagat is mithyā, why you are coming to politics and philanthropic work? That is āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Again they fall down.

Lecture on SB 5.5.18 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1976:

So when we agree to serve Kṛṣṇa, then that is mixing up of the devotees. Tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa, that is mixing up. When you assemble together with the same purpose... That's why we can understand nation. What is that nation? Everyone is individual, but the purpose is how to improve the condition of the politics, or the combination of men. Similarly when you agree... Here in the material world we are individual, and in spiritual world we are also individual, but what is the difference between material world and spiritual world? In the material world we are individual to serve my own senses. Therefore there is fight. Everyone is trying to satisfy his own senses. I am trying to satisfy my senses, you are trying... So there is clash. That is material world. And the spiritual world: when all of them agree to satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa. There is like Vṛndāvana.

Lecture on SB 5.6.4 -- Vrndavana, November 26, 1976:

So things are changing nowadays everywhere, not only in India, in other countries also. But this is the psychology. So all these examples are given. Why? Just to control the mind. In Hindi there is a proverb that money and wife you should always keep in control. There are so many examples.

So the real purpose is... We are not talking of the sociology or politics. The example is given that we should not give freedom to the mind. That is the real purpose. If you give freedom to the mind, then mind will create so many ideas. I have practically seen in our society. As soon as one is in charge, immediately he invents something new: "This should be broken, and this should be done." Then another man comes. He breaks the same thing again.

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

Give up your all business. I will give you relief from all sinful reaction immediately." So it requires one minute. "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I was forgotten. Now I understand. I fully surrender unto you." Then you become immediately free from all sinful reactions. Without any reservation, without any politics, if you fully surrender, Kṛṣṇa is assuring, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ. He reassures, "Don't worry whether I will be able to give you relief from all reaction." Mā śucaḥ. "Finished, guaranteed. You do this." So how much time it requires to surrender to Kṛṣṇa? Immediately you can do that. Surrender means you surrender and work as Kṛṣṇa says. That is surrender. What Kṛṣṇa says to do? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Four things: "You always think of Me, and you become My devotee, you worship Me, and offer your respect, full obeisances unto Me."

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Sydney, February 17, 1973:

This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the summit of all knowledge. Vidyā bhāgavatāvadhiḥ. Amongst the Vedic scholars, the topmost knowledge means to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Everything is there. (aside:) This noise has to be stopped. So in all subject matter—physics, chemistry, astronomy, religion, politics, sociology—everything has been fully described, and above all, the science of God is also described. Therefore it is called Bhāgavatam. Bhāgavatam, the word is derived from bhagavān, bhāgavatam. Bhagavān is the first nominative case from the word bhāgavata, and from bhāgavata-Bhāgavatam. Bhāgavatam means in relationship with God and in relationship with the devotees of God.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973:

Devotional activities. Devotional activities mean the first beginning of devotional activities is to hear, śravaṇaṁ. Śravaṇam. Just like you are kindly hearing. This is the beginning of devotional life. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam (SB 7.5.23). Śravaṇam about whom? Sravanam not of politics. If there is political meeting, thousands of men will go to hear. That is also śravaṇam. Therefore in the śāstras it is recommended, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, to hear about Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa, not other thing. If you say, "Yes, I am śravaṇam. I am hearing a politicial meeting," not that hearing. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Everything pertaining to Viṣṇu.

Lecture on SB 6.1.26 -- Chicago, July 11, 1975:

"Let us divide it so that India may not become a strong power." So that still, it is going on, the animosity between Pakistan and Hindustan. It is British plan. That is politics.

So similar plan is always there, that we are struggling for existence and accumulating so many things. Just like you have got this nice city, Chicago. Not only Chicago; there are many others in America. But the people are not thinking that "How long I shall remain American and enjoy this? Maybe fifty years, twenty-five years or utmost hundred years. But everything will be taken—my American citizenship, my body, my wealth—everything will be taken by death. So what insurance I am doing for that purpose, that it will not be taken, I shall enjoy it?" Therefore mūḍha. There is reason why they are called mūḍhas, rascals.

Lecture on SB 6.1.28-29 -- Philadelphia, July 13, 1975:

"You go to Droṇācārya and tell him the lies." "What is that?" "Now, tell him that 'Your son Aśvatthāmā is dead.' " Because Droṇācārya had some benediction that unless he is shocked by the death of his son, he will never die. So Kṛṣṇa had to take this diplomatic, because it is politics. So Kṛṣṇa... Because Droṇācārya will not believe anyone. He knew that Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is a most pious man; he never tells lies. So if Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira goes and says that "Your son is dead," then he will believe. Otherwise, Kṛṣṇa could have gone personally, but He knew that people do not believe Him. (laughter) He is very tricky. (laughter) So therefore no tricky man can excel Him. A man may be very tricky, very intelligent, but he will not be able to excel Kṛṣṇa. He is more tricky. Just like in His childhood, Kṛṣṇa was naughty, so mother wanted to bind Him. So Kṛṣṇa also became tricky.

Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- Honolulu, May 31, 1976:

This is foolishness. It is not... This place, either ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokān punar āvartino... Wherever you go, you read from the śāstra, the demigods, they're supposed to be very happy in the upper planetary systems—they are also not in happiness. There is fight between the demons and the demigods and so on, so on. The same politics, same (indistinct), the same..., so many things. Here in the small scale, just like two birds, they fight also. You've seen them. So their fighting you neglect. But your fighting—there is atom bomb. And similarly there is fighting in upper planets also.

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1975:

He had to rule over the kingdom. But because he was devotee, he was very respectful. So Durvāsā Muni, he was a great yogi. He became very much envious of this king, Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, that "He is ordinary gṛhastha, dealing with politics, and I am a great yogi, known all over the universe, and he is more respected than me?" So he wanted to punish him to show him his yogic power. Sometimes the yogis, they get some power and misuse it for personal sense gratification. That is the pitfall of yogic perfection. Aiye. When one gets little power he misuses it and thereby falls down. So this Durvāsā Muni also, what to speak of other paltry yogis, even Durvāsā Muni, he became envious.

Lecture on SB 6.2.12-14 -- Allahabad, January 17, 1971, at Kumbha-mela:

Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, a sādhu. Formerly the kings were all sādhus, rājarṣi. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā, you have heard, imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Formerly the kings were so exalted and they were so nice that they were, although they were sitting on the throne, they were dealing in politics, still, they were sādhu, just like ṛṣi. There are many instances.

So if there is one sādhu, he can make many other sādhus. Sādhu. Sādhu does not mean that he is alone enjoying the fruits of his spiritual life. Sādhu means who is trying to make others sādhu. He is sādhu. Kṛṣṇa likes such sādhu, as He has described in the last portion of Bhagavad-gītā, na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ (BG 18.69).

Lecture on SB 6.2.14 -- Vrndavana, September 17, 1975:

Our nature is to search after ānanda. So simply Brahman realization will not give you ānanda. Therefore we see sometimes big, big sannyāsīs, they gave up this world as brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, but because they could not get ānanda, they come down again. Again they become busy in opening hospital and school and philanthropic work, politics, because they could not get ānanda. That is the defect of the impersonalists. They can simply understand ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am not this body. I am not matter. I am spirit." But that much understanding will not help. It may be helpful for some time, but because he is bereft of ānanda, he will fall down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Ānanda you cannot get without being a servant of the Supreme Lord. That is ānanda, reciprocation(?).

Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja was a devotee and he was a child. So his father thought that "He is taking good education in politics, in diplomacy." So one day he asked the boy, "My dear boy, will you kindly say what nice things you have learned from your teachers?" Prahrādānūcyatāṁ tāta svadhītaṁ kiñcid uttamam: "My dear son Prahlāda, will you kindly explain what you have learned very good thing from your teacher?" Svadhītaṁ kiñcid uttamam: "Very selected best things what you have learned," ucyatam, "please explain." Kālena etāvatā āyuṣman yad aśikṣad guror bhavān: "You have taken lessons from your teachers." Hiraṇyakaśipu appointed some special teachers for teaching Prahlāda Mahārāja. "So tell me what you have learned."

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:

And so many times the father of Prahlāda Mahārāja called the teachers, "So, what education you are giving to my child? Why he is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa? (laughter) Why you are spoiling my boy?" (laughter) You see? So don't think that I am spoiling these boys and girls by teaching them Hare Kṛṣṇa. So that teacher said, "My dear sir, I teach your son very nicely about politics, economics, and as you want, to become very clever man in the material world. But unfortunately I do not know wherefrom your son has learned this Hare Kṛṣṇa. So please excuse me. I am trying to make your son forget this nonsense Hare Kṛṣṇa, but I do not know. By nature, he chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, and not only he's spoiling himself, he's spoiling my whole school. (laughter) Because as soon as he chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, all the boys join with him and they clap and they dance. So this is going on." So he's teaching his classfellows now. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1).

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

Now modern botanists and medical men and there are so many people, they are scholars, interested to understand, biologists. But here we get the correct information from the Vedas. Similarly, not only of this information, all departmental knowledge, namely this science, geography, philosophy, religion, sociology, politics, whatever you want, you can learn from the Vedic information. There is perfect information. So it is compared with a tree. So that tree, and the ripened fruit is this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Nigama kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam idam (SB 1.1.3). Galitaṁ phalam idam. A fruit, if you take from the tree, if it is not ripened, you can keep in a store and it gets by temperature...

Lecture on SB 7.6.4 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

And as soon as this body's finished, another body's waiting. That you do not know what kind of body you are going to get. That you have to know by your work. Urdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ (BG 14.18). Now if this time, this life I may become a prime minister and big, big man. But when I come in politics I have to deal with so many people in so many nefarious ways and lives that out of my karma, I'll get the next body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapatti (SB 3.31.1). You'll get the next body according to your karma. Now if I've acted just like menial animal, then next life animal. If I become a dog... This life I am minister, prime minister, and next life I become a dog, then what is my profit? But that is nature's law.

Lecture on SB 7.7.25-28 -- San Francisco, March 13, 1967:

That was the beginning of misunderstanding between the father and mother..., father and the son. The father expected that Prahlāda Mahārāja will explain something diplomacy, politics, technology, something like that. "Oh, what is this foolish boy is explaining, that one should go away from the scene and take shelter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Oh. The teacher has taught them all nonsense." So he became angry, and the misunderstanding between the father and the son began from that point. But he was devotee, fully Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So he told the plain thing, "Yes, unless one comes to this platform, that that platform, the material platform to the spiritual platform, there is no question of peace and prosperity."

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Calcutta, March 5, 1972:

Because they could not engage their service to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, therefore, these so-called sannyāsīs again come down to this material platform and engage their service to the mithyā. Because they rejected this world, mithyā. Why they come down again to this mithyā platform-politics, sociology, humanity—if this is mithyā? But our philosophy is not that... We don't say that this world is mithyā. Why shall I say? It is creation of Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa is truth, His creation is also truth. We employ everything to the service of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, anyone who is engaged in the service of the Lord is always situated in the transcendental platform.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1977:

What is that? Sa vai manaḥ... Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor (SB 9.4.18). Practice this very simple thing. Kṛṣṇa is here. We see the Deity daily and see the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Fix up your mind in that way. Then you are safe. Very simple thing. Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, he was also a great devotee. He was king, very responsible person, politics. But he practiced in such a way that he fixed up his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. This practice. Don't talk nonsense. (noise again) (aside:) What is the trouble? Take out.

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

Guest: But if I were to enter politics and..., and suppose I were to attack some people who have actually the leadership of foreign powers or something like that, and newspaper man would tell my opponents that that man has... (break)

Prabhupāda: Newspaper man has poor vision. He's seeing "Indian" and "American" and "Canadian." So his vision is poor. If anyone thinks that "This Swamiji is coming from India, and the Americans or Canadians, they are offering their respect in that way," so he has to expand his vision in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 7.9.11-13 -- Hawaii, March 24, 1969:

He has got nice brain, that simply egglike bomb, if you throw, immediately the whole island of Hawaii will be finished. Just like you dropped your atomic bomb on the other side, Japan, Hiroshima... They attacked your Pearl Harbor, and the retaliation was atom bomb on Hiroshima. So these are politics. So this invention of atomic bomb, certainly it requires good brain. But Bhagavad-gītā says that this genius, or this brain, intelligence, has been used... (aside:) Stop that. ...has been wrongly used.

Lecture on SB 7.9.54 -- Vrndavana, April 9, 1976:

This was the question by Sanātana Gosvāmī to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "You asked me to join Your movement. I was minster in Nawab Hussain Shah's government, chief minister. Now I have... On Your word I have given up. So You have kindly brought me from this hellish condition, simply politics and pounds, shilling, pence. So it is a great mercy for me of Your Lordship. But my first question is ke āmi: 'What I am?' " This is the first question. It must be... Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Here the same word is used, śreyas-kāmāḥ. Śreyas-kāmāḥ. Anyone who is dhīra, he'll inquire about the ultimate goal of life, śreyas. There are two things, śreyas and preyas. Preyas means immediately very nice. Suppose somebody says that "Oh, there is a very nice dancing girl singing, and why you are here, saṅkīrtana? What you'll enjoy? Come here.

Lecture on SB 7.12.2 -- Bombay, April 13, 1976:

This is the way. Then ubhe sandhye ca yata-vāk. You should not talk nonsense. Mahāprabhu has very strictly forbidden, grāmya kathā nā karibe. We talk. That has become our training. As soon as we assemble, a few persons, immediately we talk all nonsense-politics, this politician, that politician, this is that, this is that—and waste our time. You talk something substantial. You talk about the śāstra. Talk about the aim of life, the problem of life. But they are described in the śāstra as the croaking of the toads, "Kakaka kakaka kakaka." Don't talk nonsense. Simply be engaged in talking about Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18).

Lecture on SB 11.3.21 -- New York, April 13, 1969:

One should be very much eager to understand, to know the science of Brahman, which is beyond this material existence, and then he should very seriously seek after a spiritual master.

Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ. Jijñāsuḥ means inquisitive. What kind of inquisitiveness? Not that we are inquisitive about politics or economics or some football result or some... So many things we have got. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that there are many questions by the conditioned soul. There are many questions by the conditioned soul living within this material existence without any knowledge of the self-realization. There are many questions. So that sort of question is not required to be solved by the spiritual master.

Lecture on SB Lecture -- Melbourne, May 19, 1975:

Forget that. Why you are thinking that you cannot rule over; therefore others cannot? You are thinking in your term. But there are. That is possible. So that is not our field of activities. It is others', politics and... But let us... Our business is how to improve our spiritual condition of life. Even if you don't rule over the world, it doesn't matter. So why you are anxious to rule over the world? It is not our business. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take prasādam.

Page Title:Politics (Lectures, SB)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:12 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=98, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:98