Rogues and Thieves in the Name of Nationalism

Dealing in Stolen Property
excerpt from lecture on Nectar of Devotion, Calcutta, January 29, 1973

The Onus is On Us

You are Corrupt; Therefore Your Government is Corrupt A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

VIPINA: His question is that now the government is corrupt, so what can be immediately done?

PRABHUPADA: How there can be, because the democracy? You are corrupt, therefore your government is corrupt. You correct yourself, the government will be automatically corrected. If you are rascals, the government will be rascals. The government means elected. So if you are not rascal, you'll not elect another rascal to take charge of the government affairs. But because you are rascal, you'll send another rascal. So how can you expect good government? You do not know whom to select. more

Nationality means expanded selfishness. They are very much fond of nationality, but that nationality is also selfishness—by combined effort. Our, in our country [India], Mahatma Gandhi is supposed to be the father of nationality. Not only in our country, in many other countries. But what is that nationality? Mahatma Gandhi wanted that "The Britishers must go away. My countrymen shall enjoy." So this is extended selfishness. In the beginning, I want to enjoy. Then if I, I extend my enjoyment, family-wise, community-wise or nation-wise, that does not change the quality of selfishness. People are going on in the name of nationality, big leaders, but from our point of view, that neither as nation or community or person you are the proprietor of things. Krishna is the proprietor of... So if you expand your selfishness in the name of nationality—"I possess this land"—we do not approve. We say, Ishavasyam idam sarvam [Ishopanishad mantra 1]. Everything belongs to Krishna. Why you are claiming yourself, as nation or individual or community? That's not proper. Just like pickpocket and a gang, gangsters, organized rogues, thieves. It does not change the quality. There was some talk, you know, between Alexander the Great and the robber. The robber proved that "You are a greater robber. That's all. Why you are trying to punish me?" Alexander the Great arrested one robber, and he was going to punish him. So the robber explained that "Why you are punishing me? You are also a robber. You are going under the name of conqueror, and because I am not as great as you are, therefore you are trying to punish me. So why you are...?" So Alexander the Great, he was very highly advanced in... He immediately released him. "Yes. I am also a robber. Why shall I punish you?"

So every instance... Stenayor sa uchyate. Everyone in this material world, one who has no Krishna consciousness, he's a thief, he's a rogue, he's a robber. Everyone. Just like the Americans. They occupied the land of America by killing the Red Indians, and now they are claiming proprietor, and there is immigration department: "Nobody can come here. It is our land." This is going on. The first thing is stolen property, everyone. There is another story. A group of thieves stole some things, and when they were dividing, one of them: "Kindly, morally divide. Morally divide. Honestly divide." The thing is taken dishonestly, and they are dividing honestly. This is going on, whole world. Everything is taken dishonestly, and when there is question of division, the United Nations honestly divides it. The association of the honest men, United Nations. All plunderers, rogues, thieves, and they have made an association, United Nations. You see. Basically they're all rogues and thieves. As soon as there is opportunity, they'll commit all criminal activities. And they're doing. So this is not philosophy. So here happiness by material possession is the happiness of the rogues and the thieves. One who is happy by possessing some material things, he is no better than rogue and thief. And one who is renouncing, brahma satyam jagan mithya, he is a fool. Because how, what you are renouncing? When did you possess it? If you possess something, then you can say, "I renounce it." But if you do not possess, then where is the question of renouncement? So both of them are wrong.

There, there are three kinds of so-called spiritual happiness, brahma-sukha, brahmananda... Three kinds of ananda, jadananda, brahmananda. Jadananda means material. As karmis are trying to possess more and more, more and more—"Let me possess, let me possess"—this is jadananda. Today I have got, say, one lakh of rupees. Idam adya maya labdham imam prapsye punar dhanam. This is stated, the asuric vicara: [demonic propensities] "Today I have got so much money. And tomorrow I am going to increase it to so much. I am the richest." This is karmi's conception. And jñanis, because they're fed up, so they say, brahma satyam jagan mithya: "This world is false." Grapes are sour. You know the story, jackal? He wanted to take the grapes, jumping, jumping, jumping. When he could not get it, he says, "Oh, grapes are sour. I have no necessity. I have no necessity." Similarly these rascals, they renounce the world. What renouncement? What you had? You are renouncing? This is also wrong. The real happiness is seva: "This is Krishna's, and it must be used for Krishna's purpose." That is real happiness. Actually, that is the fact. The same example: If you pick up one hundred rupees' note, if you pocket it, then you are a thief. If you don't touch it, then it will be lost; somebody will take it. You pick up and give to the original proprietor, that will be satisfaction. That is Vaishnava philosophy. We do not say anything bad. We do not say. That is Rupa Gosvami's formula. That is Vaishnava formula.