Welcome to the Purely Prabhupada channel. This video series is called “Reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all.” My name is Kamra devi dasi, and I am a disciple of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.
This is the 26th, and final, video of this series. It is called “The Golden Age- What Our Leaders Need to Know.”
There is much talk in the United States about the coming “Golden Age.” It possibly has to do with a return to the gold standard of currency, but it definitely is in reference to the economy and material prosperity. The considerations of this “Golden Age” have nothing to do with anything spiritual in nature.
At the same time, there is also the Vedic insight about a spiritual Golden Age, one that began 500 years ago with the appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and that will last for the next 9,500 years. During this time period, there will be an awakening of virtually unprecedented.spiritual opportunity, directed by the transcendental literatures given by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.
There is a small book entitled “Chant and Be Happy.” It is based on the teachings of His Divine Grace. In the 4th chapter of this book, it is stated, “The Vedic scriptures predict that although the Age of Kali is the most degraded of all, the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra will dramatically alter the present war-torn, hate-filled atmosphere of the world. These most ancient, timeless writings forecast a golden age, beginning with the widespread chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, during which the painful disturbances of this age will gradually be mitigated and people everywhere will be economically, politically, socially, culturally, and spiritually happy.
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains, ‘Kali-yuga continues for 432,000 years, of which only 5,000 years have passed. Thus there is still a balance of 427,000 years to come. Of these 427,000 years, the 10,000 years of the saṅkīrtana movement inaugurated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu 500 years ago provide the opportunity for the fallen souls of Kali-yuga to take to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, and thus be delivered from the clutches of material existence and return home, back to Godhead.’”
At the time when Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu was present on this planet, about 500 years ago, there was concurrently what is known as the Renaissance Period. Even though history noted this Renaissance Era as a time of great developments in art and music and materialistic culture, it was actually a time of great moral and spiritual degradation in the civilizations that embraced it. In opposition, in India, where there was the heralding of the movement of love of God that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to introduce, there was a contagious tsunami of devotional awakening that was quickly spreading and becoming the greatest of spiritual movements.
Without a proper spiritual foundation, an economic “golden age” offers nothing of any lasting benefit. People take birth, get so-called educated, or rather indoctrinated, try to enjoy material pleasure, and get frustrated without a spiritual purpose and taste, accruing the karmic reactions to their sinful activities as they go. They strive for what they consider convenience, but the cost is great in terms of neglecting their relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. Material prosperity without spiritual education leads to both material and spiritual inertia.
Real progress is that which we can take with us at the time of death and which is never lost. Real progress means the development of devotional service to God. No material acquisition, no mansion, no diploma, no luxury car, can accompany us as we leave this temporary material body. But any progress on the spiritual path is never lost, and even if we have to take birth again, we can begin from where we left off, and gradually progress to spiritual perfection, even if some more future births are required in order to do so.
We recognize the intent of the current administration in this country, and have a deep appreciation for its efforts. The general population has become so degraded that it hardly deserves good government and has almost disqualified itself from spiritual progress by the level of sinful activity. But by the desire of the Lord, He has placed many individuals for His purpose of making the people ready to hear the message of Godhead and become truly happy. He has personally overruled the lack of qualification of the citizens and made them qualified, by His mercy only, to achieve the highest benefit. He has placed people in strategic leadership positions to clean up the criminality and communist influence that make it very hard to preach love of God. So it seems that everything is working hand-in-hand, the military and government attempt to return this country to what was envisioned and put into place by our Godly Founding Fathers, and also the efforts of those of us who are humbly presenting, as servants of Srila Prabhupada, that real, lasting progress can only be there when moral and spiritual components are solidly in place. This is not a criticism of the government, but rather a plea to our well-meaning leaders to also embrace the spiritual concepts that will invite perfection to the entire picture and bring real and lasting happiness to the entire population of this country and the world. I see the efforts of the honest world leaders and those of us who are spiritual proponents as running two parallel tracks for the welfare of all souls. Both tracks are required for success. The Lord has arranged perfectly.
Even though we have mentioned this verse in previous presentations, I will bring it up again, as a humble request to the leaders of the world to also embrace their spiritual duties to the citizenry for whom they have taken responsibility.
In Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, we read in chapter 3, text 21-
Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.
Srila Prabhupada explains in his purport to this verse-
“People in general always require a leader who can teach the public by practical behavior. A leader cannot teach the public to stop smoking if he himself smokes. Lord Caitanya said that a teacher should behave properly even before he begins teaching. One who teaches in that way is called ācārya, or the ideal teacher. Therefore, a teacher must follow the principles of śāśtra (scripture) to reach the common man. The teacher cannot manufacture rules against the principles of revealed scriptures. The revealed scriptures, like Manu–saṁhitā and similar others, are considered the standard books to be followed by human society. Thus the leader’s teaching should be based on the principles of the standard rules as they are practiced by the great teachers. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also affirms that one should follow in the footsteps of great devotees, and that is the way of progress on the path of spiritual realization. The king or the executive head of a state, the father and the school teacher are all considered to be natural leaders of the innocent people in general. All such natural leaders have a great responsibility to their dependants; therefore they must be conversant with standard books of moral and spiritual codes.”
Many of these literatures are available on our website, PurelyPrabhupada.com. Please take them seriously. Then, your role as leaders of the citizenry will be perfected.
