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Senator

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 15.41, Purport:

There are different kinds of men, beginning with the brāhmaṇa and going down to the lowest platform, known as caṇḍāla. Whatever one's position, everyone in this Age of Kali needs to be enlightened in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the greatest need of the day. Everyone is acutely feeling the pangs of material existence. Even in the ranks and files of the American Senate, the pinpricks of material existence are felt, so much so that April 30, 1974, was actually set aside as Prayer Day. Thus everyone is feeling the resultant pinpricks of Kali-yuga brought about by human society's indulging in illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. Now is the time for the members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to distribute kṛṣṇa-bhakti all over the world and thus follow the orders of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Lord has ordered everyone to become a guru (CC Madhya 7.128): āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa. Everyone in every town and village should be enlightened by the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be distributed to everyone indiscriminately. In this way, the entire world will be peaceful and happy, and everyone will glorify Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as He desires.

CC Madhya 15.41, Purport:

There are different kinds of men, beginning with the brāhmaṇa and going down to the lowest platform, known as caṇḍāla. Whatever one's position, everyone in this Age of Kali needs to be enlightened in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the greatest need of the day. Everyone is acutely feeling the pangs of material existence. Even in the ranks and files of the American Senate, the pinpricks of material existence are felt, so much so that April 30, 1974, was actually set aside as Prayer Day. Thus everyone is feeling the resultant pinpricks of Kali-yuga brought about by human society's indulging in illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.8-12 -- Los Angeles, November 27, 1968:

Can you say anywhere there is agreement between two parties? No. You go, study. In the state, in the family, in the community, in the nation, there is no agreement. Even in the assembly, even in your country. Suppose there is Senate, everyone has got country's interest, but he's thinking in his individual way. One is thinking that "My country's welfare will be in this line." Otherwise, why there is competition during election of president. Everyone is saying that "America needs Nixon." And another person, he also says, "America needs me." So, but why two? If America you, and you are both... No. There is individuality. Mr. Nixon's opinion is something else. Mr. another candidate's opinion is something else. In the assembly, in the Senate, in the Congress, in the United Nations, everyone is fighting with his individual view.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

Just like in your country and Russia, they are spending millions of dollars for one crazy thing, going to the moon planet. Just see. Simply wasting time and money. That's a fact. Three or four years ago, some press representative asked me, "What is your opinion," in, I think, San Francisco, "about this moon expedition?" So I asked the reporter, "Shall I flatter you or shall I tell the truth?" So he said, "Tell the truth." "Simply wasting time and money, that's all." This is the truth. Now I think they have realized, and your senate is denying any money for moon expedition. Is it not? Somebody was telling me.

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

Otherwise he is animal. Unless you accept some institution of making progress in spiritual life, you are animal. That is the difference between animal and man. Man has got some institution, some social structure, religious structure, political structure. Otherwise what is the difference between animals? The animals, they haven't got any president or senate house or parliament or church. That is the difference.

Lecture on SB 1.15.49 -- Los Angeles, December 26, 1973:

And we are willingly, against the principle of religion that "Thou shalt not kill," we have opened so many thousands of slaughterhouse, giving a nonsense theory the the animal has no soul. Just see the fun. And this is going on. And we want to be in peace. Therefore your Senate house has issued some injunction order, that on the 30th of April, 1974, there will be a mass prayer. Who will explain it? Just explain. What is that?

Lecture on SB 1.15.49 -- Los Angeles, December 26, 1973:

Karandhara: Well, one senator made a resolution that on April 30th there would be a national observance of prayer because of the state of the nation's moral decay.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So you might have seen that. It is good that at least the managers of the state, they are coming to their sense, but this sentiment will not help. One must be serious. The sinful activities, as we have forwarded or manifested, that no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. But I think they will not agree to this the state. And what prayer will do? No. God is not so foolish that you go on doing all nonsense, and simply by prayer you become out of it, punishment.

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

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?

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: If you spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness and if you make your president Kṛṣṇa conscious, then actually you will be God's empowered nation. Let the president become Kṛṣṇa conscious man. Why not? You are American, you can also capture the post. You can become senator, you can be congressman. So educate the American public (in) Kṛṣṇa consciousness, elect Kṛṣṇa conscious president and actually you will be God's favored nation is there. You have got the opportunity and the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is also in your hand, now it is up to you to utilize it and become actually the leaders of the world. That was my mission: "I shall go to America, and educate them, and they, if they follow, the whole world will follow." And that is coming to be true.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Religious Group -- July 27, 1968, Montreal:

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. Convince means you have to convince me with your reasoning power or presentation. That is not very difficult thing. Two lawyers are fighting in the court. They are convincing. Now the judgement is there. So that fighting means for convincing, not only in law court, in everywhere. In assembly, in Parliament, in Senate house. That is a regular thing. Now the majority is accepting. Now this shall be... What is that?

Devotee: (inaudible)

Prabhupāda: No, no. Show it now.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 14, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That's all. They don't want to see people very enlightened. "It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss." But at least how to become wise, that injunction has been given to you. Now you try to save the country, how to do it. These people will not be. You'll have to educate the people, and they'll vote you to the senators, president, and then your country will be nice. Just like by Kurukṣetra, Kṛṣṇa smashed all Duryodhana and company, and He posted Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja. That is the Kṛṣṇa's politics. He wanted to smash all these demons and have His own men posted on the royal throne. When Kali could not penetrate into the daily behavior of the people, he planned killing of Parīkṣit Maharaja.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- December 11, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: But these rascals, they won't accept it, although it is fact. Although it is fact. But they will not accept it. Therefore preaching is required, education required, to bring him into sense. This is fact. This portion of the ocean does not belong to any nation or any person; it belongs to God. This moon belongs to God, the sky belongs to God. But they're thinking, "It is mine." And therefore there is trouble. Just like government. The Senate is there, so they sit down together, and if there is any problem they discuss together to find out the solution. Similarly, they have got this United Nation. Why do they not consider, "First of all let us settle to whom this planet belongs"?

Morning Walk -- December 18, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prajāpati: If we were there and we could make one speech in front of that assembled Congress and Senate, the main government of the United States, what were the main points we would stress?

Prabhupāda: Yes. The main point is that "In God we trust," on this slogan... So the same point that, "What do you mean by God and what do you mean by trust? That you do not know." So you have to explain what is God and what is trust, thoroughly, from our books. Our point of propaganda should be that "It is very good that you write this slogan, 'In God we trust,' but nobody has got clear conception of God; neither they do not know what is the meaning of trust.

Morning Walk -- December 18, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: They are rascal. They are rascal. Maybe some of them are innocent also. But mostly they are rascal because without being first-class rascal, one cannot go into politics. Just like if somebody says... Now, election. Somebody says that "You become vice-president." So why shall I become vice-president? Because I know I shall not be able to do anything. So why shall I waste my time? So another rascal, he will be ready. "Oh, offering vice-president?" But I know that if I want to manage the state, I have to make the people sinless. So if I propose that "Stop this slaughterhouse," so who will accept me? So why shall I go there? Nobody will accept me. Senate, senators, they will say, "Oh, this is business. This is impractical. You have no experience." He will immediately reject.

Morning Walk -- December 18, 1973, Los Angeles:

Devotee: They would lose too much money if they closed the slaughterhouses. Many of the senators and congressmen have much money from the slaughterhouses and intoxication. They own big ranches of cows and bulls.

Prabhupāda: Just see. And they are leaders. The most sinful man is the leader. So how you can be happy?

Prajāpati: We would get support from the people who make imitation meat made of soybeans and vegetables that taste like meat. They would be in favor.

Girirāja: No, they will say that "It is not against our religion to eat meat."

Morning Walk -- December 20, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: April 30th. So on that date arrange a meeting of the senators. And I will go and speak and have kīrtana, what is actually life. Approach them that "We are spreading this. So why not arrange meeting?" Or any day, on 30th or any day. (break) ...office here in Los Angeles?

Karandhara: The local senator does. For this area.

Morning Walk -- December 20, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So see him. You and you go and arrange, and explain to him that "This is our movement, simply how to make people pure, moral, sinless, and advanced in God consciousness." Just take this opportunity. "You come and see how God consciousness we are executing, and then arrange a meeting in the Senate. And try to understand, 'It is simply sentiment or how it will help me?' " (break) ...so much money, and still they are crying, "Degradation." So they should come to their senses. This kind of understanding will not help. They must understand scientifically.

Morning Walk -- December 20, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So it is our duty to help them. Those who are... Just like here is an opportunity. Go, see them immediately, the person. It is our duty. (break) Sometime I can go and see. Who is the senator, local?

Karandhara: I'm not sure.

Prabhupāda: Find out and arrange some meeting. I shall go personally.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: How many senators here in California?

Karandhara: Two per state. (break)

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 12, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Oh. Senator?

Prajāpati: Well, congressman. There's two offices of the legislature: the Senate and the House of Representatives. For each state there are two senators, no matter what the population, and for the house of representatives, every so many hundred thousand people, there is one representative.

Prabhupāda: That's like in England, House of Commons. And senator, House of Lords.

Morning Walk -- January 12, 1974, Los Angeles:

Umāpati: People will ask us, if we get into office. What are we going to do? What is the first thing we are going to do? What can we do? Since there are many, many other legislators and many other senators, they say, "You are only one man. How you can possibly change the country if we elect you?"

Prabhupāda: That I know. That I know, that I am... Therefore we are, internally, we are not after the office; we are after educating people. Yes. Even if you go to office, you cannot do. Even if give manifesto, that you will stop slaughterhouse, and you are elected a senator, you cannot stop. Because they are majority there. If you say they will laugh, "What this nonsense saying?" So even if you give any manifesto, you will not be able to carry out it, because their majority is there.

Morning Walk -- January 12, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now in the schools, now the senator have fixed up one date for prayer?

Prajāpati: Yes, one day.

Prabhupāda: Some 30th or 31st April. So if the government wants prayer, why they have prohibited in the schools? This is contradiction. Point out. This law was introduced due to inexperience. Now they are coming to experience that it has not helped us. Therefore they are introducing prayer. So why don't you take it?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1975, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: ...the animals. Take, for example, the cows. If the master is Kṛṣṇa conscious they are not killed. And if the master is a rogue, they are killed. They have no knowledge how to protect themself. They take shelter of a master. So if the master is good, then their life is safe. And if the master is rogue, then they are killed. So it requires the leader. Formerly the kings were saintly, rājarṣi. Therefore there was peace. You cannot expect the mass of people very intelligent. That is not possible. They are generally in darkness. They believe that "Somebody, this man, will give us protection." But the man is treacherous. He sits down on the post of giving protection, but he kills. This is going on. Therefore if the leaders become nice, Kṛṣṇa conscious, then everything will be all right. (break) These rogues, by force, by device, they all occupy the government post. Formerly, Vedic, the king was trained up very nicely by the brāhmaṇas, guided by the brāhmaṇas, and they would do nicely. (break) ...now thousands of kings. The president, the secretary, the minister, this senator, everyone is king.

Morning Walk -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That kicking out will convince them. Otherwise, they will not be convinced. So long they are in the post, they will never be convinced. But when they are kicked out, when they are street dog, then they will be... (break) Otherwise, you can pass resolution, the senators. When the senators come for vote, you tell them, "First of all dismiss all these things. Then we shall give you vote. Otherwise no more vote." Then they will be also. And vote has become cheap. Saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. That example I was giving, that small animals and big animal. The lion is a big animal, and he is afraid of by the small animals, jackals, cats and dogs. So out of fear, they are giving vote. But giving vote to whom? To an animal. So how they can be happy?

Morning Walk -- December 10, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Where is equal right? Even in Russia there is no equal rights. They have created some of them are managers, and some of them are workers. Why? If equal rights, then everyone should be manager.

Harikeśa: Well, in America they have women senators now.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Harikeśa: Women senators, women are in charge of companies sometimes.

Indian man: No, in India there are two women. They are high commissioners of India to the foreign countries.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Reporter -- June 4, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That I am not contemplating now. But there is no need of one person. As other things are managed, but by committee, so this can also be managed, and the committee may elect one person as chief. As, just like in the democracy there are senators and there is president, so it may be I may nominate or they can nominate.

Reporter: Do you feel are you in good health now? You look it.

Prabhupāda: Yes. After all, of course I am some eighty, eighty years old. And I complete eighty years next September. So the age is there, although I am feeling not aged by..., the effect of age must be there.

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Mādhavānanda: In a recent issue of Newsweek magazine, there was a very large article about Washington, D.C. politicians-congressmen and senators being exposed by the press for going out with prostitutes and taking money and misspending. Big expose, scandal.

Prabhupāda: What is that sound? Airplane?

Mādhavānanda: There is a very large factory over there. You can see the smokestacks. What is it? What kind of factory? Electrical company.

Prabhupāda: We have got open place, but not very pleasant. You cannot sit down for a long time. The wind is cold.

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: That is the difficulty. The government is rākṣasa. So you have to take charge of the government. First of all make propaganda, the majority of population may (be) in favor of you. Then you'll get vote. This is the easiest process. If majority people likes, that "These Kṛṣṇa conscious men are very nice," then you make a candidate—"Vote for Kṛṣṇa conscious person, such and such." They'll vote. In this way, you'll capture the Senate, then government, then President's office. It is very.... At least, there must be majority of the people sympathizers of this movement. Then it will be successful. So you do everything exemplified, and people will vote. But it is difficult in this way, that "These people are prohibiting intoxication and gambling. How we can live without this?" That is the difficulty.

Prabhupada Inspects New BTG -- June 24, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: "You require brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras. Just as when you want to construct a building you require engineers. You don't want sweepers. Isn't that so? What will the sweeper do? No. There must be engineers. So if you follow the division of varṇāśrama, only kṣatriyas are allowed to govern. And for the legislative assembly, the senators, only qualified brāhmaṇas. Now the butcher is in the legislative assembly. What does he know about making laws? He is a butcher. But by winning votes he becomes a senator. At the present moment, by the principle of vox populi, a butcher goes to the legislature. So everything depends on training. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness society we are actually doing that.

Morning Walk -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Very peaceful.

Vṛṣākapi: Many senators and congressmen, they live out here.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They ever come to the Sunday feast?

Vṛṣākapi: Some do. One man does. We've been here a short time, only four months. So we have to advertise more so people will come on the Sunday feast. But I think we will have thousands.

Prabhupāda: That is nice. (break) ...trees very long?

Room Conversation -- July 5, 1976, Washington D.C.:

Devotee (2): ...rectifying the senators and congressmen, is there much hope in talking to them?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The politicians in Washington. He would like to know if it's worthwhile talking to them, preaching to them.

Devotee (3): Much hope talking to people like that?

Prabhupāda: He wants to talk?

Devotee (3): Yes, I want to talk to them.

Evening Darsana -- July 7, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Vipina: Used to be a senator.

Prabhupāda: Perfection of knowledge means to understand God. That is perfection of knowledge. Otherwise, it is imperfect knowledge. Therefore it is called Vedānta. Veda means knowledge. (more people enter)

Vṛṣākapi: This is Bill Sauer. He wrote this book, The Fourth Kingdom.

Prabhupāda: Fourth kingdom? What is the idea?

Vṛṣākapi: The idea is that the goal of life should be to...

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: How there can be, because the democracy? You are corrupt, therefore your government is corrupt. You correct yourself, the government will be automatically corrected. If you are rascals, the government will be rascals. The government means elected. So if you are not rascal, you'll not elect another rascal to take charge of the government affairs. But because you are rascal, you'll send another rascal. So how can you expect good government? You do not know whom to select. And besides that, the whole population is rascal, śūdra. So anyone you elect, if he's by qualification he's a śūdra, worker, he's not intelligent person, he's not brāhmaṇa, he's not kṣatriya. Actually, the legislative assembly, or in your country, Senate? They should be all brāhmaṇas. They give advice.

Room Conversation -- November 13, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Take prasādam, see drama, read books, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Bas. And if you like, you can live with us. So where is the difficulty? Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā (Bs. 5.37). (pause) That American politician has predicted that "This Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, within ten years, they will capture our government." (laughs) So do it actually. Then it will be very nice. It is not... Simply take the people in your favor; the government is yours. That they are afraid of. The young boys, they are taking Hare Kṛṣṇa movement seriously, so the government can be changed in their favor. After all, it is democracy. So you can do it. You become president. You become senator. In America it is possible. And if America accepts... What about this new president? Or... Formerly I heard about him that he is religious man.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 4, 1977, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: I had an appointment to speak on education in the university of Bombay as a member of the Senate. And all the members of the Senate simply said, "Well, we could not help it because it has been so planned by the government." That is not ... This is not education that we're giving them. We are just giving them instruction how to read and write. The real education is the education of the mind by which you can discriminate what is right from the wrong and follow the right. That is what for the education. Modern universities are humbugness to me... The way I observed the university of Bombay working for ten years as a member of the Senate is humbug. The curricular is humbug; management is humbug; everything. Mode of examination is also like that.

Prabhupāda: Because they are not conducted by really educated.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: No, election is going on under some rules and regulations, so you can make election under Kṛṣṇa conscious government rules and regulations. That can be done. Legislative assembly, the senators, they must be all first-class brāhmaṇas. Otherwise he cannot be elected. This is should be introduced. Unless one is following the brahminical principles, he cannot be elected. He must give up these four principles of sinful life. He should not accept any salary. Very much learned scholar in Vedic literature. Then he will be elected.

Rāmeśvara: That will happen one day.

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...that the government is actually... It is not the government, but there are various individuals within the government. In other words, it is not the entire government. Just like in this country it is much more of a dictatorial type government. In America what is happening is that because these deprogrammers... What they are doing is called lobbying. They go to Congress, they go to the House of Representatives. They have all of their members write letters to their local state senators, to the local House of Representatives...

Prabhupāda: Hm. They influence.

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Last night I heard on the radio—they were having news-yesterday in the Raja Sabha (Senate of the Indian Government) the Communist leader Bhupesh Gupta, he said that the government should close the Māyāpur center.

Prabhupāda: That is their business. Now you have to take the opposite, that "Why these people are so anxious about this unrest? Let there be further inquiry by the Janata party. And suspend..." No. Yes. "And suspend the Communist government for the time being."

Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:

Rāmeśvara: Yes. It's only about five minutes from the Senate and the main Parliament buildings. Also the biggest museums are very nearby. Very good location. And one man has also joined, a local man who is very intelligent. And he has begun translating Bhagavad-gītā into Parsi. And in three months' time his translation of the entire Bhagavad-gītā will be completed.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Did he come recently to India with Ātreya Ṛṣi?

Rāmeśvara: That's a different man.

Prabhupāda: It will be locally published.

Page Title:Senator
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:11 of Aug, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=2, OB=0, Lec=7, Con=29, Let=0
No. of Quotes:38