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Government authorities

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

The cow and bull never placed any complaint before the King for being tortured by the personality of Kali, although everyone lodges such complaints before the state authorities.
SB 1.17.22, Purport: A devotee's conclusion is that no one is directly responsible for being a benefactor or mischief-monger without the sanction of the Lord; therefore he does not consider anyone to be directly responsible for such action. But in both the cases he takes it for granted that either benefit or loss is God-sent, and thus it is His grace. In case of benefit, no one will deny that it is God-sent, but in case of loss or reverses one becomes doubtful about how the Lord could be so unkind to His devotee as to put him in great difficulty. Jesus Christ was seemingly put into such great difficulty, being crucified by the ignorant, but he was never angry at the mischief-mongers. That is the way of accepting a thing, either favorable or unfavorable. Thus for a devotee the identifier is equally a sinner, like the mischief-monger. By God's grace, the devotee tolerates all reverses. Mahārāja Parīkṣit observed this, and therefore he could understand that the bull was no other than the personality of religion himself. In other words, a devotee has no suffering at all because so-called suffering is also God's grace for a devotee who sees God in everything. The cow and bull never placed any complaint before the King for being tortured by the personality of Kali, although everyone lodges such complaints before the state authorities. The extraordinary behavior of the bull made the King conclude that the bull was certainly the personality of religion, for no one else could understand the finer intricacies of the codes of religion.

SB Canto 3

A citizen of the state may be in miseries for want of sufficient supervision by the state authority, but how can it be possible that a citizen suffers from other citizens while the chief of the state is personally present?
SB 3.7.6, Purport: The next question put forward by Vidura to Maitreya is, "Why are the living entities subjected to so many miseries and misfortunes in spite of the Lord's presence in their hearts as the Supersoul?" The body is considered a fruitful tree, and the living entity and the Lord as Supersoul are like two birds seated in that tree. The individual soul is eating the fruit of the tree, but the Supersoul, the Lord, is witnessing the activities of the other bird. A citizen of the state may be in miseries for want of sufficient supervision by the state authority, but how can it be possible that a citizen suffers from other citizens while the chief of the state is personally present? From another point of view, it is understood that the jīva living entity is qualitatively one with the Lord, and thus his knowledge in the pure state of life cannot be covered by nescience, especially in the presence of the Supreme Lord. How then does the living entity become subjected to ignorance and covered by the influence of māyā? The Lord is the father and protector of every living entity, and He is known as the bhūta-bhṛt, or the maintainer of the living entities. Why then should the living entity he subjected to so many sufferings and misfortunes? It should not be so, but actually we see that it happens everywhere. This question is therefore put forward by Vidura for solution.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

Some of the wealth of this so-called brāhmaṇa was taken away by his relatives, My dear Uddhava, some by thieves, some by the whims of providence, some by the effects of time, some by ordinary men and some by government authorities
SB 11.23.11, Translation: Some of the wealth of this so-called brāhmaṇa was taken away by his relatives, My dear Uddhava, some by thieves, some by the whims of providence, some by the effects of time, some by ordinary men and some by government authorities.

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Just like the state authorities. A man is suffering in the prison house, and he's praying to get release or he's very anxious to get release. So he has to follow some government rules and regulation. Then he may be released.
Lecture on SB 7.9.46 -- Vrndavana, April 1, 1976: Dharmasya hy āpavargasya. Āpavargasya. Dharma means, religion means, to accept the path of āpavarga. It is not a religious sentiment. Therefore dharma is defined, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam [SB 6.3.19]. Just like the state authorities. A man is suffering in the prison house, and he's praying to get release or he's very anxious to get release. So he has to follow some government rules and regulation. Then he may be released. So therefore dharma means the rules and regulation or the law given by Kṛṣṇa if you want release from this bondage of material suffering, āpavargasya. Dharmasya hi āpavargasya na arthāya artho upakalpate.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Just the outlaws, they do not accept any authority, government authority, or authority of the law, they're called outlaws. Rejected.
Morning Walk -- December 5, 1973, Los Angeles:

Umāpati: That is trying to be God. He's trying... Then we are always God.

Prabhupāda: Then philosophy becomes null and void. As soon as everyone becomes his own authority, then philosophy becomes null and void. There is no necessity of philosophy.

Umāpati: That is the difficulty of our age.

Prabhupāda: That means they are rascals. Mūḍhāḥ. If you do not accept philosophy, you do not accept authority, that means all rascals.

Hṛdayānanda: You said, "alpa-medhasaḥ..."

Prabhupāda: Outlaws, they are called outlaws. Just the outlaws, they do not accept any authority, government authority, or authority of the law, they're called outlaws. Rejected.

Umāpati: Yeah, well, this is a nation of outlaws.

Prabhupāda: So they are rejected. If anyone, everyone becomes his own authority, then it is chaos.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

If the government authorities give us facilities for this business, that we hold mass saṅkīrtana, Hare Kṛṣṇa, and give them little prasādam, then we are sure the whole place will change.
Room Conversation with Lt. Mozee, Policeman -- July 5, 1975, Chicago: Prabhupāda: Yes. Everywhere. This is the age of forgetting God. We say it is Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga means the age of misunderstanding. And that is, I said, dirty things within the heart. So God is so powerful that if we chant the holy name of God, then we become purified. So our movement is based on this principle, chant the holy name of God. We give all facilities to everyone without any distinction that "You come with us. Come in our temple, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and take little prasādam, refreshment, and gradually you become purified." So if the government authorities give us facilities for this business, that we hold mass saṅkīrtana, Hare Kṛṣṇa, and give them little prasādam, then we are sure the whole place will change.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

You keep this. We shall have to show to the Indian government authorities.
Room Conversation -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: (reading) "Asked how he produced ash and other objects out of nowhere, Dr. Kavoor indicated that one of the methods was by concealing the objects to be materialized inside of his coat. The rest was pure sleight of hand. Photographs of him [Sai Baba] exposing his coat have been published both in the national and international press, he said. Reporting that haṭha-yogī L.S. Lal had confessed to him that his much-vaunted show of walking on water had been pure trick designed to make some money, Dr. Kavoor said, 'How long can the government of India tolerate such hoaxers who claim to have supernatural powers and exploit the ordinary men?' "

Prabhupāda: You keep this. We shall have to show to the Indian government authorities.

Correspondence

1969 Correspondence

It is hoped that the government authorities will cooperate with our Sankirtana parties in enabling us to perform Sankirtana on the streets.
Letter to Unknown -- Tittenhurst 1 October, 1969: It is hoped that the government authorities will cooperate with our Sankirtana parties in enabling us to perform Sankirtana on the streets. To do this it is necessary that we be able to chant the Names of Krishna, dance, play the mrdanga drum, request donations, sell our society's journal, and on occasion, sit down with the mrdanga drum. As devotees of Lord Krishna it is our duty to teach the people how to love God and worship Him in their daily life. This is the aim and destination of human life.

1972 Correspondence

We are world-wide organization, and we must have the cooperation of the government authorities, so we shall not create any unnecessary misunderstandings by avoiding government requirements.
Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 3 December, 1972: I have heard from Syamasundara. that there may be some difficulty with tax. That must be corrected. We are world-wide organization, and we must have the cooperation of the government authorities, so we shall not create any unnecessary misunderstandings by avoiding government requirements. That will not be good for our movement. Of course, Lord Caitanya led civil disobedience movement against the government because they used show of force to stop Him performing sankirtana movement. So if there is forcing us to stop this sankirtana movement, that much we must protest. But the government of your country is very nice, I think the best in the world at present moment, and they have not made any objection, even they are allowing our boys as ministers to be given relief from this drafting system. So we shall give them all cooperation. Now that requires proper accounts in all our temples.
Especially you should try to approach the government authorities who are against us and try to pacify them and convince them about our Krishna Consciousness movement.
Letter to Madhudvisa -- Bombay 11 December, 1972: Another think is, I can understand there is some great difficulty in New Zealand temple, that boy Tusta Krishna has telephoned to Bombay that he must soon leave from there and he is having trouble in so many ways, so I have sent Siddhasvarupananda there to help him, and you may also go there at once and work cooperatively to try to rectify the situation. I am very much worried the whole thing will collapse if Tusta Krishna must go away. You go there and send me full report. There is such good potential. I like that place very much, it will be great disaster if things are in confusion. Especially you should try to approach the government authorities who are against us and try to pacify them and convince them about our Krishna Consciousness movement.

1975 Correspondence

They have given me a very nice report of your activities and I am glad to know that the government authorities are taking interest in our movement.
Letter to Sanat Kumara, Daniel, Yudhisthira -- Los Angeles 24 June, 1975: Please accept my blessings. You have been recommended for initiation by Brahmananda Swami and Cyavana Swami, and I am pleased to accept you as my initiated disciples. They have given me a very nice report of your activities and I am glad to know that the government authorities are taking interest in our movement. It is a good sign. So you go on with your preaching and be very careful to follow the rules and regulations, chanting 16 rounds daily and abstaining from eating animal flesh, intoxicants, gambling, and illicit sex.
Page Title:Government authorities
Compiler: Siddha Rupa, Visnu Murti, Labangalatika
Created: 19March08,
No. of Quotes:11
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=3, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=3, Let=4