So the ideal is Rāma . . . Lord Rāma. He acted as the king. He was a very ideal king, ideal king in such a way . . . I'll give you one example, that one man's son died before the father, and the man approached the king and asked him explanation that, "Why it . . . such unnatural things have happened, that before the presence of the father a son is dying? You are responsible." King said: "Yes, I am responsible. I shall find out what is the cause." That was the monarchical responsibility.
So up to five thousand years ago Parīkṣit Mahārāja was the emperor of this planet, and when he was touring all over the world he found somebody attempting to kill a cow. Immediately he took his sword and wanted to kill that man, "Who are you that you are killing cow in my kingdom?" He said: "Sir, I am Kali. I am the head man of this age. My business is this, cow killing."
So he said: "Anyway, you get out, out of my kingdom. You cannot do this." So he surrendered, but he said: "Sir, where shall I go? Everywhere is your kingdom. Tell me where shall I go." Then he was given place that, "You can stay in four places—where unnecessary animal killing is going on, or slaughterhouse, you can stay there. Where prostitution is going on, you can stay there. Where indulgence in intoxication is going on, you can stay there. And where gambling is going on, you can stay there." But this Kali found it very difficult to find out a place like that. That was the condition.
So this is the short history of the world, and when there was Kṛṣṇa consciousness, people were very happy. Even there was no extreme cold, extreme heat and any unnecessary disease also. These are stated in the śāstras. If you believe . . . that is, you can believe; but we believe, because our source of knowledge is śāstra. We don’t accept any source of knowledge which is not authorized. So according to Vedic culture the Vedas are the authorities. Therefore among the learned circle even at the present age, if you can give evidence from the Vedas, then the truth is accepted.
So our . . . this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on the Vedic śāstra. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo (BG 15.15): by studies of all Vedas, one has to come to the conclusion that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So what is our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. First of all we must know what is our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7): "All the living entities, they are My parts and parcels."
We are all parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa, just like you are part and parcel of the body of your father, parents; similarly, we are parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord. He is the Supreme Father. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā also:
- sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya
- sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ yāḥ
- tāsāṁ mahad yonir brahma
- ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā
- (BG 14.4)
Kṛṣṇa claims not only Indians or the Hindus or the human society. No. He says: "In all forms . . . in all species of life, as many forms are there are, I am their seed-giving father." So Kṛṣṇa's relationship is so expansive. So do not try to misunderstand that Kṛṣṇa is Indian or Kṛṣṇa is a Hindu God or Kṛṣṇa is speaking something for the Indians. No. That is not the fact. Kṛṣṇa is for everyone.