You accept me as the chief of this institution. There must be one chief. Otherwise there will be no management

Expressions researched:
"you accept me as the chief of this institution. There must be one chief; otherwise there will be no management"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Kṛṣṇa is the chief living being. Just like I am also living being; you are also living being. But you accept me as the chief of this institution. There must be one chief. Otherwise there will be no management. It will be chaotic.

Lecture on SB 1.5.29 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

So therefore, how to understand Kṛṣṇa? That is stated by Kṛṣṇa Himself: after many, many births struggling to understand Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Not foolish person. Foolish person cannot understand. But even jñānavān, who is wise, perfectly wise, learned scholar, such person, even after many, many births struggling to understand Kṛṣṇa . . . so that is mahātmā, one who has understood Kṛṣṇa. He is mahātmā. One who does not understand Kṛṣṇa or verifies himself as Kṛṣṇa, he's durātmā. He's not mahātmā. He's a rascal. Mahātmā is that person who has understood Kṛṣṇa, that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19): "Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, is the cause of all causes." Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). One who has understood this perfectly, that the Supreme Controller, īśvara . . . īśvara means controller. And not only controller, but Supreme Controller. Controller, we are; every one of us are controller. Just like I am also controlling a few of my disciples—or hundred or thousand. But Kṛṣṇa is controller of millions, millions upon millions and millions upon . . . all universes. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Simply to become controller does not become . . . yes, that is also īśvara. You can say. But there is parameśvara.

These words are used in the Vedic language: īśvara, parameśvara; ātmā, paramātmā. So there is one Paramātmā. That Paramātmā is Kṛṣṇa. Ātmā, we are also ātmā, living being, and Kṛṣṇa is also living being. But not . . . we are not equal to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the chief living being. Just like I am also living being; you are also living being. But you accept me as the chief of this institution. There must be one chief; otherwise there will be no management. It will be chaotic. So we are ātmā, and Kṛṣṇa is also ātmā, but He is Paramātmā. We are īśvara; Kṛṣṇa is also īśvara, but He's Parameśvara. Therefore we have named "Godhead" purposefully, not "God." We don't say: "Back to God." We say: "Back to Godhead." "Head" means the chief. Everyone can claim that, "I am God," because everyone has got some power, little power. But not the supreme power. That is Kṛṣṇa.

So when one understands Kṛṣṇa perfectly, he becomes mahātmā. Just try to understand. Not a politician. Not by changing dress, saffron-color cloth. No, that is not mahātmā. One who understands Kṛṣṇa perfectly well, he is mahātmā. Therefore here it is said, munibhir mahātmabhiḥ. The instruction was received from person, munibhiḥ, great philosophers. Not only philosopher, but mahātmā. Because one who has understood Kṛṣṇa perfectly . . . this is the qualification of guru. So that qualification, to attain, is not very difficult. But because we are rascals, we do not try to take the qualification. That qualification is very simple. One . . . who can understand Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is not so cheap thing. He has said already that yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ (BG 7.3). So it not very easy. But it is very easy if you take the process, easiest process. What is that easiest process? That easiest process: you don't talk nonsense; you simply talk what Kṛṣṇa has said. That's all. And many times they give me very great credit that I have done wonderful. Yes, I have done wonderful. But what is the reason? Because I am not a rascal. I speak what Kṛṣṇa has spoken, that's all. Very easy. Everyone can do that. Not only I—any of you, you can do this. Simply speak what is . . . what Kṛṣṇa has said. That's all. Don't make addition, alteration. Then you become rascal. Immediately you become rascal.