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Government and management (Books)

Expressions researched:
"govern" |"governed" |"governing" |"government" |"governmental" |"governments" |"governor" |"manage" |"managed" |"management" |"managements" |"manager" |"manager's" |"managerial" |"managers" |"manages" |"managing government" |"managing"

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Preface and Introduction

Modern government, especially democratic government, is impersonal to some extent, but ultimately the chief executive head is a person, and the impersonal feature of government is subordinate to the personal feature.
SB Introduction:

The conception of God indicates the controller, whereas the conception of the Absolute Truth indicates the summum bonum or the ultimate source of all energies. There is no difference of opinion about the personal feature of God as the controller because a controller cannot be impersonal. Of course modern government, especially democratic government, is impersonal to some extent, but ultimately the chief executive head is a person, and the impersonal feature of government is subordinate to the personal feature. So without a doubt whenever we refer to control over others we must admit the existence of a personal feature. Because there are different controllers for different managerial positions, there may be many small gods. According to the Bhagavad-gītā any controller who has some specific extraordinary power is called a vibhūtimat sattva, or controller empowered by the Lord. There are many vibhūtimat sattvas, controllers or gods with various specific powers, but the Absolute Truth is one without a second.

SB Canto 1

There are administrative demigods in charge of departmental service of cosmic management, and there are tiny administrative gods in the state service.
SB 1.11.26, Purport:

There are administrative demigods in charge of departmental service of cosmic management, and there are tiny administrative gods in the state service. They are always afraid of other competitors, but if they take shelter of the arms of the Lord, the Lord can protect them always from the attacks of enemies. A faithful servant of the Lord engaged in the service of administration is the ideal executive head and can well protect the interest of the people in general. Other so-called administrators are symbols of anachronisms leading to the acute distress of the people who are governed by them. The administrators can remain safely under the protection of the arms of the Lord.

It is the king only by whose good government the citizens can live peacefully and without any fear.
SB 1.18.41, Purport:

In the Vedic way of life, the king is trained to become a rājarṣi, or a great saint, although he is ruling as king. It is the king only by whose good government the citizens can live peacefully and without any fear. The rājarṣis would manage their kingdoms so nicely and piously that their subjects would respect them as if they were the Lord. That is the instruction of the Vedas. The king is called narendra, or the best amongst the human beings.

SB Canto 2

The demigods are as factual as we are, but they are much more powerful due to their being engaged in the direct service of the Lord in managing different departments in the universal government.
SB 2.3.11, Purport:

Actually human life is meant for making a solution to the problems of life. One can never solve such problems by satisfying the different demigods, by different modes of worship, or by so-called scientific advancement in knowledge without the help of God or the demigods. Apart from the gross materialists, who care very little either for God or for the demigods, the Vedas recommend worship of different demigods for different benefits, and so the demigods are neither false nor imaginary. The demigods are as factual as we are, but they are much more powerful due to their being engaged in the direct service of the Lord in managing different departments in the universal government. The Bhagavad-gītā affirms this, and the different planets of the demigods are mentioned there, including the one of the supreme demigod, Lord Brahmā. The gross materialists do not believe in the existence of God or the demigods. Nor do they believe that different planets are dominated by different demigods.

The temporary creation of the material manifestation is an exhibition of the material energy of the Lord, and to manage the whole show the Supreme Lord incarnates Himself as the Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu just as a magistrate is deputed by the government to manage affairs temporarily.
SB 2.6.42, Purport:

The living entities are constitutionally eternal servitors of the Lord, but some of them, because of misusing their independence, do not wish to serve; therefore they are allowed to enjoy the material nature, which is called māyā, or illusion. It is called illusion because the living beings under the clutches of māyā are not factually enjoyers, although they think that they are, being illusioned by māyā. Such illusioned living entities are given a chance at intervals to rectify their perverted mentality of becoming false masters of the material nature, and they are imparted lessons from the Vedas about their eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa (vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15)). So the temporary creation of the material manifestation is an exhibition of the material energy of the Lord, and to manage the whole show the Supreme Lord incarnates Himself as the Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu just as a magistrate is deputed by the government to manage affairs temporarily. This Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu causes the manifestation of material creation by looking over His material energy (sa aikṣata).

SB Canto 3

As some of the old prisoners in government jails are entrusted with some responsible work of prison management, so the demigods are improved conditioned souls acting as representatives of the Lord in the material creation.
SB 3.5.51, Purport:

The expansions of Vedic wisdom also give the nitya-baddhas, the conditioned living entities, a chance to improve, and those who take advantage of such transcendental knowledge gradually regain their lost consciousness of rendering transcendental loving service to the Lord. The demigods are amongst the conditioned souls who have developed this pure consciousness of service to the Lord but who at the same time continue to desire to lord it over the material energy. Such mixed consciousness puts a conditioned soul in the position of managing the affairs of this creation. The demigods are entrusted leaders of the conditioned souls. As some of the old prisoners in government jails are entrusted with some responsible work of prison management, so the demigods are improved conditioned souls acting as representatives of the Lord in the material creation. Such demigods are devotees of the Lord in the material world, and when completely free from all material desire to lord it over the material energy they become pure devotees and have no desire but to serve the Lord.

As there are many departmental heads of governmental affairs, so there are many heads of management of the universal affairs.
SB 3.9.16, Purport:

The Lord expands Himself into three—Viṣṇu, Brahmā and Śiva—for maintenance, creation and destruction respectively. Of the three principal agents controlling the three modes of material nature, Viṣṇu is the Almighty; even though He is within material nature for the purpose of maintenance, He is not controlled by the laws of material nature. The other two, Brahmā and Śiva, although almost as greatly powerful as Viṣṇu, are within the control of the material energy of the Supreme Lord. The conception of many gods controlling the many departments of material nature is ill conceived of by the foolish pantheist. God is one without a second, and He is the primal cause of all causes. As there are many departmental heads of governmental affairs, so there are many heads of management of the universal affairs.

Just as the government has many different departments, so, within this material world, the government of the Supreme Lord has many departments, and all these departments function in proper order out of fear of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB 3.29.44, Purport:

The three modes of material nature, namely goodness, passion and ignorance, are under the control of three deities—Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Lord Śiva. Lord Viṣṇu is in charge of the mode of goodness, Lord Brahmā is in charge of the mode of passion, and Lord Śiva is in charge of the mode of ignorance. Similarly, there are many other demigods in charge of the air department, the water department, the cloud department, etc. Just as the government has many different departments, so, within this material world, the government of the Supreme Lord has many departments, and all these departments function in proper order out of fear of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Demigods are undoubtedly controlling all matter, animate and inanimate, within the universe, but above them the supreme controller is the Personality of Godhead. Therefore in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Undoubtedly there are many controllers in the departmental management of this universe, but the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa.

SB Canto 4

Mahārāja Uttānapāda was a rājarṣi, saintly king. Although he was busy in his political affairs and duties of government management, he was very anxious for self-realization.
SB 4.10.1, Purport:

It appears that Dhruva Mahārāja married after being installed on the throne of his father and after the departure of his father to the forest for self-realization. It is very important to note in this connection that since Mahārāja Uttānapāda was greatly affectionate towards his son, and since it is the duty of a father to get his sons and daughters married as quickly as possible, why did he not get his son married before he left home? The answer is that Mahārāja Uttānapāda was a rājarṣi, saintly king. Although he was busy in his political affairs and duties of government management, he was very anxious for self-realization. Therefore as soon as his son Dhruva Mahārāja was quite worthy to take charge of the government, he took this opportunity to leave home, just like his son, who, without fear, left home for self-realization, even at the age of five years.

The government gives everyone the facilities for governmental action and management, but by one's own choice one creates a situation which obliges him to exist under different types of consciousness.
SB 4.11.20, Purport:

Everyone is created, everyone is maintained, and everyone is ultimately killed. As far as these three things are concerned, the Lord is equal to everyone; it is according to one's karma that one suffers and enjoys. The living entity's higher or lower position, his suffering and enjoying, are due to his own karma. The exact word used in this connection is anīśāḥ, which means "dependent on their own karma." The example is given that the government gives everyone the facilities for governmental action and management, but by one's own choice one creates a situation which obliges him to exist under different types of consciousness. The example given in this verse is that when the wind blows, particles of dust float in the air. Gradually lightning occurs, and then torrents of rain follow, and thus the rainy season creates a situation of varieties in the forest. God is very kind—He gives everyone an equal chance—but by the resultant actions of one's own karma one suffers or enjoys this material world.

SB Canto 5

The distinction between rajo-guṇa and sattva-guṇa is explained in this verse. Although the King was very upright and advanced in political science and governmental management, he was nonetheless in the mode of passion, and therefore, due to a slight agitation, he became angry.
SB 5.10.5, Translation and Purport:

King Rahūgaṇa could understand the speeches given by the carriers, who were afraid of being punished. He could also understand that simply due to the fault of one person, the palanquin was not being carried properly. Knowing this perfectly well and hearing their appeal, he became a little angry, although he was very advanced in political science and was very experienced. His anger arose due to his inborn nature as a king. Actually King Rahūgaṇa's mind was covered by the mode of passion, and he therefore spoke as follows to Jaḍa Bharata, whose Brahman effulgence was not clearly visible, being covered like a fire covered by ashes.

The distinction between rajo-guṇa and sattva-guṇa is explained in this verse. Although the King was very upright and advanced in political science and governmental management, he was nonetheless in the mode of passion, and therefore, due to a slight agitation, he became angry. Jaḍa Bharata, despite all kinds of injustice endured because of his deaf and dumb display, remained silent by the strength of his spiritual advancement. Nonetheless his brahma-tejaḥ, his Brahman effulgence, was indistinctly visible in his person.

When the king or governmental head does not follow the proper principles, nature deals out the punishments in the forms of war, famine and so forth. Therefore if the governmental head is not aware of life's goal, he should not take charge of ruling the people.
SB 5.12.7, Purport:

The Lord incarnates and sets things in order when things are mismanaged by so-called kings and heads of government. As Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Of course this takes many years, but the principle is there. When the king or governmental head does not follow the proper principles, nature deals out the punishments in the forms of war, famine and so forth. Therefore if the governmental head is not aware of life's goal, he should not take charge of ruling the people. Actually the supreme proprietor of everything is Lord Viṣṇu. He is the maintainer of everyone. The king, the father, and the guardian are simply representatives of Lord Viṣṇu, empowered by Him to look after the management and maintain things. It is therefore the duty of the head of the state to maintain the general populace in such a way that people will ultimately know the goal of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Unfortunately the foolish governmental head and the general populace do not know that the ultimate goal of life is to understand and approach Lord Viṣṇu. Without this knowledge, everyone is in ignorance, and all society is crowded with cheaters and cheated.

As a government officer is sometimes accepted as the entire government although he is actually but a departmental manager, so the demigods, having achieved power of attorney from Viṣṇu, act on His behalf, although they are not as powerful as He.
SB 5.20.3-4, Purport:

When the cosmic manifestation is annihilated, these different expansions of Nārāyaṇa's potencies will merge into Nārāyaṇa. In other words, all these demigods will die. Their living force will be withdrawn, and they will merge into Nārāyaṇa." Therefore it should be concluded that Lord Viṣṇu, not Lord Brahmā or Lord Śiva, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As a government officer is sometimes accepted as the entire government although he is actually but a departmental manager, so the demigods, having achieved power of attorney from Viṣṇu, act on His behalf, although they are not as powerful as He. All the demigods must work under the orders of Viṣṇu. Therefore it is said, ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa, āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). The only master is Lord Kṛṣṇa, or Lord Viṣṇu, and all others are His obedient servants, who act exactly according to His orders. The distinction between Lord Viṣṇu and the demigods is also expressed in Bhagavad-gītā (9.25).

SB Canto 6

In modern times, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to introduce the right principles of management for human society, but unfortunately the governments of Kali-yuga do not properly support the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement because they do not appreciate its valuable service.
SB 6.2.4, Purport:

Although Ajāmila was not punishable, the Yamadūtas were insisting on taking him away to Yamarāja for punishment. This was adharma, contrary to religious principles. The Viṣṇudūtas feared that if such irreligious acts were allowed, the management of human society would be spoiled. In modern times, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to introduce the right principles of management for human society, but unfortunately the governments of Kali-yuga do not properly support the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement because they do not appreciate its valuable service. The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is the right movement for ameliorating the fallen condition of human society, and therefore governments and public leaders in every part of the world should support this movement to completely rectify humanity's sinful condition.

In governmental management there may be departmental officials to give justice to different persons, but the law must be one, and that central law must control everyone.
SB 6.3.6, Purport:

In governmental management there may be departmental officials to give justice to different persons, but the law must be one, and that central law must control everyone. The Yamadūtas could not imagine that two judges would give two different verdicts in the same case, and therefore they wanted to know who the central judge is. The Yamadūtas were certain that Ajāmila was a most sinful man, but although Yamarāja wanted to punish him, the Viṣṇudūtas excused him. This was a puzzling situation that the Yamadūtas wanted Yamarāja to clarify.

SB Canto 9

The entire monarchy was so opulent and peaceful that the government was even able to sprinkle the street with perfumed water, what to speak of other management.
SB 9.11.26, Purport:

As we have seen from the previous chapter, varṇāśrama-guṇānvitāḥ: the citizens were trained according to the varṇāśrama system. A class of men were brāhmaṇas, a class of men were kṣatriyas, a class were vaiśyas, and a class were śūdras. Without this scientific division, there can be no question of good citizenship. The King, being magnanimous and perfect in His duty, performed many sacrifices and treated the citizens as His sons, and the citizens, being trained in the varṇāśrama system, were obedient and perfectly ordered. The entire monarchy was so opulent and peaceful that the government was even able to sprinkle the street with perfumed water, what to speak of other management. Since the city was sprinkled with perfumed water, we can simply imagine how opulent it was in other respects. Why should the citizens not have felt happy during the reign of Lord Rāmacandra.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Madhya-lila

Formerly this city of Vidyānagara was situated on the southern side of the river Godāvarī. At that time King Puruṣottama-deva managed to control Orissa and appoint a government.
CC Madhya 5.119, Purport:

This city of Vidyānagara is situated in Trailaṅga-deśa, South India, on the bank of the river Godāvarī. The place where the Godāvarī flows into the Bay of Bengal is called Koṭadeśa. The Orissa kingdom was very powerful, and Koṭadeśa was the capital of Orissa. It was then known as Vidyānagara. Formerly this city was situated on the southern side of the river Godāvarī. At that time King Puruṣottama-deva managed to control Orissa and appoint a government. The present city of Vidyānagara is on the southeast side of the river, only twenty to twenty-five miles from Rājamahendrī. During the time of Mahārāja Pratāparudra, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya was the governor there. Vijaya-nagara is not identical with Vidyānagara.

The office of viśvāsa-khānā was a secretariat office in which only the most reliable people were employed. They were elected from the kāyastha community, a community that is still very expert in managing business and government affairs.
CC Madhya 16.175, Purport:

The word viśvāsa refers to a secretary. This title is generally found among the kāyastha caste in the Hindu community. In Bengal, the title viśvāsa is still used by the kāyasthas. The word viśvāsa means "faithful," and a viśvāsī is a person in whom one can place faith. Śrī Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura states that during the Muslim reign in Bengal, there was a secretariat entitled viśvāsa-khānā. The office of viśvāsa-khānā was a secretariat office in which only the most reliable people were employed. They were elected from the kāyastha community, a community that is still very expert in managing business and government affairs. The secretariat, or viśvāsa-khānā, is generally a very reliable and faithful servant. Whenever some confidential service was needed, these officers were employed.

CC Antya-lila

The members of the kāyastha community in India are generally very intelligent and expert in business management. Formerly they were mostly government officers.
CC Antya 6.23, Translation and Purport:

Indeed, the caudhurī was afraid of Raghunātha dāsa because Raghunātha dāsa belonged to the kāyastha community. Although the caudhurī would chastise him with oral vibrations, he was afraid to beat him.

Raghunātha dāsa belonged to a very aristocratic family of the kāyastha community. He had substantial influence with the local people, and therefore the caudhurī, or minister, was afraid to beat him. Superficially he would chastise Raghunātha dāsa with threatening vibrations, but he did not beat him. The members of the kāyastha community in India are generally very intelligent and expert in business management. Formerly they were mostly government officers.

Page Title:Government and management (Books)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Alakananda
Created:20 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=16, CC=3, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:19