108 Srila Prabhupada`s Leadership Pearls

Servant Leadership

So many people are suffering for want of good leader throughout the whole world. Morning Talk -- April 25, 1977, Bombay

Leader means authority. His instruction is followed, and actually it happens. That is leader. December 16, 1973, Los Angeles

You can become perfect if you follow a perfect leader. That's all. Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura

Although we are imperfect, because we are following the perfect, our proposition is perfect. Morning Walk -- December 12, 1973, Los Angeles

Qualified leaders. That is wanted. Morning Walk -- January 7, 1974, Los Angeles

Leader means better qualified man to lead others. That is leader. Morning Walk -- January 7, 1974, Los Angeles

A leader means one that if someone follows him, he's benefited. Morning Walk -- July 9, 1974, Los Angeles

Roles of a leader   

   

Example Support Inspiration Guidance Training Challenge Action

EXAMPLE

Everyone is trying to keep his position by hook and crook. How he'll think of the people? How they will be happy? He is thinking of his own happiness. Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -November 6, 1976, Vrndavana

Our business is to raise ourselves to the highest status of life as preachers of Krsna's message, and one should behave himself rigidly, then he should instruct others. Letter to: Name withheld -- 17 December, 1972

Two things: Be himself exemplary, then teach others to be exemplary. Letter to: Name withheld -- 17 December, 1972

Only those who are above suspicion can judge others. One must himself act in such a way that he is always above suspicion. Then he can judge, then he can preach. Letter to: Name withheld -- 17 December, 1972

One who is not following himself, how he can instruct others? Letter to: Name withheld -- 17 December, 1972

Yad yad acarati sresthas tat tad evetaro janah [Bg. 3.21]. If the srestha, the leader, is ideal, then others will follow. Room Conversation with Mr. Tombe (M.L.A.) -- December 25, 1976, Bombay

If the leader is not ideal, if he is not in the awareness of things, then people will be misguided. Room Conversation with Mr. Tombe (M.L.A.) -- December 25, 1976, Bombay

Criteria 

The four leaders of the human society, namely the sannyasis, the brahmana, the king and the public leader, must be tested crucially by their character and qualification. Before one can be accepted as a spiritual or material master of society, he must be tested by the above-mentioned criteria of character. SB 1.17.41

Our leaders must be very good. Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India

We must have a solid foundation of chanting and following the regulative principles. Then one is fit to lead others. Letter to: Jagajivana: -- Vrindaban 6 September, 1974

He is leader. ... One who is perfectly following ... Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana

Leader means one who has become first-class disciple. Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana

To become leader is not very difficult, provided one is prepared to follow the instructions of a bona fide guru. Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana

Real leader means who does not commit mistake, who is not illusioned, who does not cheat and who has no imperfect senses, who has, or, other words, one who has got perfect senses. So if you say, "How it is possible for the conditioned soul?" "Yes, it is possible if you follow the perfect." Morning Walk -- December 12, 1973, Los Angeles

Tamala Krsna: Srila Prabhupada, what are the qualifications of a perfect leader? Prabhupada: No mistake, no illusion, no cheating, no imperfection. Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura

By becoming a servant of the senses, one becomes a great material hero, and by becoming master of the senses, he becomes a gosvami, or spiritual hero. SB 4.25.25 P

In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated that when a woman comes to serve you, you must be very careful, especially for sannyasis and brahmacaries. Letter to: Name withheld -- 17 December, 1972

SUPPORT

Politics means planning for one's own happiness. That is politics. So in our society there should be no diplomacy, no politics. Everyone should be eager how to do good to others. That is Vaisnava. Morning Walk -- March 15, 1974, Vrndavana

Leader means he must... He's always busy how to make you happy, how to make without any cares, anxiety. Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974

There must be some leader. But why not the supreme leader, who will never misguide you? He will give you actual path of happiness. Then you will become happy. Bhagavad-gita 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968

Those who want to be leader of the society, they should be ideal persons, they should be Krsna conscious person. Then the whole world will be happy. Bhagavad-gita 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968

Supreme leader, perfect leader, without any mistake, without any illusion, without any cheating, and without any imperfection of the senses. We have to take direction from such a leader, then our life will be

successful.

Bhagavad-gita 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974

Everyone must be a real leader, then people will be happy. Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.29 -- Los Angeles, December 7, 1973

The only opportunity of becoming happy is that you preach this Krsna consciousness movement amongst the people, so if the people become educated in Krsna consciousness, and if they decide that "We shall vote for Krsna conscious leader," then there will be happiness. Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 15, 1972

Everyone is trying to be happy. That happiness is not possible, that peace is not possible unless you have got a leader or king like Bharata Maharaja, after whose name this planet is called Bharatavarsa, this Bharata Maharaja. So we have to find out such leader. Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.29 -- Vrndavana, November 16, 1976

We want to see everyone is happy. That is our mission. Interview -- July 20, 1972, Paris

Everyone will be happy if they take to this movement. We want to see that everyone is happy. That is our mission. Interview -- July 20, 1972, Paris

We don't want to exploit others. Interview -- July 20, 1972, Paris

INSPIRATION

That is the business of leader: He must be himself always enthusiastic and inspire others to be always enthusiastic. Then he is real leader. Letter to: Trai -- Bombay December 27, 1972

If under changing conditions I lose my enthusiasm, if I cannot endure the difficulties of my duty, therefore I go away -- then how I can be leader? Letter to: Satsvarupa -- Vrindaban 5 November, 1972

Enthusiasm and patience, these things required. Letter to: Satsvarupa -- Vrindaban 5 November, 1972

GUIDANCE

Take the best, first-class, perfect leader: Krsna. Then you'll be happy. Otherwise it is not possible. Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.12.4 -- Bombay, April 15, 1976

Here is Krsna, the perfect leader, and they're going this side, that leader, that leader, that leader. Why? Morning Walk -- March 29, 1974, Bombay

We are following Krsna. He does not commit mistake, He is not illusioned, His senses are not imperfect, and He does not cheat. Morning Walk -- December 12, 1973, Los Angeles

The perfect leader is there, His instruction is there, in all fields of life, any field of life. And ultimately spiritual realization. Morning Walk -- March 29, 1974, Bombay

If you learn from Krsna you become perfect leader. But we do not take Krsna's instruction. We manufacture our own ideas. Room Conversation with Mr. Tombe (M.L.A.) -- December 25, 1976, Bombay

If the society is led by real, learned scholars, then it will be nice. Morning Walk -- January 7, 1974, Los Angeles

People will be happy when a trained leader, whether a monarch or a dictator, takes control of the government and rules the people according to the standard regulations of the authorized scriptures. SB 9.13.12 P

Now the Krsna consciousness movement will provide them with good leader if they take it seriously. Letter to: Bhagavan -- Bombay 14 November, 1975

The Westerners have good brains, but they do not have any good leader. Letter to: Bhagavan -- Bombay 14 November, 1975

So far as being leader is concerned, leader means spiritually not materially. This you should understand very clearly. Letter to: Jagajivana: -- Vrindaban 6 September, 1974

If spiritual potency and strength is there, then material intelligence will automatically follow. Letter to: Jagajivana: -- Vrindaban 6 September, 1974

For the most part, the ordinary citizens of the society are innocent enough, they simply require good leaders and everything can be rectified. Letter to: Amarendra -- Los Angeles 12 June, 1972

Because we are taking direction from imperfect leaders, cheater leaders, therefore we are meeting with so many problems. Bhagavad-gita 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974

According to Vedic civilization, the brahmanas guide the ksatriyas how to rule. So our position is to reform the politicians. We are not going to compete with them, we have no business, neither we have time. But because people are suffering - we want everyone to be happy - therefore we want to reform these rascals. That is our goal. Morning Walk -- December 8, 1973, Los Angeles

TRAINING

You have pointed out that you want to train others to be leaders, because you have observed there is at present not very many qualified leaders. That is good proposal. Sudama -- Bombay 23 December, 1972

Find out some intelligent men from schools, colleges, and being always very tolerant try to convince them gradually to utilize their intelligence and education in the service of Krishna. Sudama -- Bombay 23 December, 1972

CHALLENGE

Fresh Challenge 

Our leaders shall be careful not to kill the spirit of enthusiastic service, which is individual and spontaneous and voluntary. They should try always to generate some atmosphere of fresh challenge to the devotees, so that they will agree enthusiastically to rise and meet it. That is the art of management: to draw out spontaneous loving spirit of sacrificing some energy for Krishna ... All of us should become expert managers and preachers. - Srila Prabhupada

ACTION

Simply ruling the land cannot solve man's problems unless the leader has spiritual capabilities. He must be like Maharaja Yudhisthira, Pariksit Maharaja or Ramacandra. Then all the inhabitants of the land will be extremely happy. SB 6.14.10 P

It is our great responsibility to become very serious in the matter of executing Krishna consciousness, and if we are sincere and go on expanding this movement all over the world, gradually we shall induce the leaders to accept our philosophy more and more. Letter to: Amarendra -- Los Angeles 12 June, 1972

Good leadership means you must learn how to lead people. Room Conversation with Mr. Tombe (M.L.A.) -- December 25, 1976, Bombay

Why we select one leader? The leader should be such a leader that he shall make happy and prosperous persons who follow him. That is the question of leadership. Bhagavad-gita 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966

They are not leader; they are jackals. So jackals cannot anymore rule over. That should be our propaganda. Not only scientific, all political things, social things, everything. Morning Walk -- May 3, 1973, Los Angeles

They should be all kicked out. They should be replaced by Krsna consciousness. Then people will be happy. This should be our program. Morning Walk -- May 3, 1973, Los Angeles

Our, this propaganda means to make people happy. Morning Walk -- May 3, 1973, Los Angeles

Because God has favored them, so many things. And this movement has been started from America. I started this movement from New York. So it should be taken very seriously by the government. Morning Walk -- December 11, 1973, Los Angeles

“You must find out a leader who is free from these sinful activities. Then you will be happy. And you also give up. Otherwise, how you will be able to select such a leader?" This should be our real propaganda. Morning Walk -- January 12, 1974, Los Angeles

Everyone should be expert. The leaders must be expert and the worker must be expert so that they may follow the instruction of the leader. If the leader says something and the workers, "Hm, I shall consider it, later on," then how the leader will execute his leadership? Both of them should be cooperating and know that "We are all working for Krsna." Morning Walk -- March 14, 1974, Vrndavana

Sarve sukhino bhavantu. This is Vedic civilization. "Let everyone be happy." That is Vedic civilization. And the demonic civilization, they're: "Let everyone suffer; I become happy.“ Morning Walk -- March 15, 1974, Vrndavana

If he's planning something, that "I shall be leader," "I shall be doing something," that is not Vaisnavism. Morning Walk -- March 15, 1974, Vrndavana

It is the duty of the leader, government, father, teacher, gurus, to see that the subordinates are very, very happy. Press Conference -- April 18, 1974, Hyderabad

It is the duty of the leaders of the people and the government to see that the citizens are perfectly happy in their occupational duties and they are advancing in spiritual knowledge. Press Conference -- April 18, 1974, Hyderabad

Everyone should be employed. Everyone should be engaged in some service. That should be the policy of the government. Room Conversation with Richard Webster, chairman, Societa Filosofica Italiana -- May 24, 1974, Rome

Everyone should be happy, without any anxiety. That is good government. Room Conversation with Richard Webster, chairman, Societa Filosofica Italiana -- May 24, 1974, Rome

This Krsna consciousness movement should be taken very seriously. It is the finishing touch of American advancement of material comforts. Then people will be very happy, and America is already leader of the world. They will be first-class leader. The world will be benefited, and you will be benefited. And my endeavor will be also successful. Press Conference at Airport -- July 28, 1975, Dallas

It is very much favorable to our advancement in spiritual life if we are engaged in some service for Krishna which is also pleasing to us to perform. Letter to Saucarya, Vrindaban 23 October 1972

So if you have got some special talent or experience you may discuss with Jagadisa how to engage yourself in that way. That is his duty as leader, to give you good engagement. Letter to: Saucarya -- Vrindaban 23 October, 1972

Real attitude of devotional service is, whether I am here or there, whether I am doing this or that, it doesn't matter, just give me little prasada, little service, or if you make me big leader, that's all right -- that is devotee, satisfied to serve Krishna in any circumstances of life. Letter to: Satsvarupa -- Vrindaban 5 November, 1972

That enthusiastic mood is maintained when everyone is always without fail chanting 16 rounds daily, rising early for mangala aratrika, reading books, preaching - in this way, by observing strictly the regulative principles of devotional life, that enthusiasm or great eagerness to have Krsna will come out. Letter to: Trai -- Bombay December 27, 1972