Recently, there were incidents of anti-corruption protests started by some national leaders in India. They had started nation-wide awakenings to make the people alert and aware for corruption free India and curbing the use of black-money. Such efforts may be appreciable to some extent but they are not perfect as far as wiping out of corruption from a state is concerned. The people are in general attached to sense gratificatory propaganda, and such protests can’t withdraw sinful tendencies from the minds of the public. Consequently, people are again taken up by such tendencies and the nations can’t breathe relief. The recent incidents of mass killings, terrorism, and rape-incidents are a proof that any attempt to curb corruption by artificial means by above leaders may not be perfect as long as the society is not properly educated in bonafide religion. The Bhagavata vision of anticorruption campaign is in this way different, it is aimed at following four regulative principles and spreading of sankirtana religion. The four regulative principles are no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling and no illicit sex. The history of this fact is corroborated in Srimad Bhagavatam in the event of Maharaj Pariksit curbing the personality of kali-yuga.
When Maharaj Pariksit saw Kali hurling the feet of cow (Earth) and bull (religion), he chastised kali heavily. Kali was about to be killed but as he surrendered he was spared. When he asked for some shelter in the kingdom of Maharaj Pariksit, he was given four places initially.
abhyarthitas tadā tasmai
sthānāni kalaye dadau
dyūtaḿ pānaḿ striyaḥ sūnā
yatrādharmaś catur–vidhaḥ
Sūta Gosvāmī said: Mahārāja Parīkṣit, thus being petitioned by the personality of Kali, gave him permission to reside in places where gambling, drinking, prostitution and animal slaughter were performed. (SB 1.17.38)
punaś ca yācamānāya
jāta–rūpam adāt prabhuḥ
tato ‘nṛtaḿ madaḿ kāmaḿ
rajo vairaḿ ca pañcamam
The personality of Kali asked for something more, and because of his begging, the King gave him permission to live where there is gold because wherever there is gold there is also falsity, intoxication, lust, envy and enmity. (SB 1.17.39)
So, in the above mentioned five places where regulative principles are not followed and where gold is used illegally are the places meant for Kali. If such places are promoted, then the age of kali gets strength. If such places are curbed the power of Kali is diminished. Often people say “Age of kali is meant for degradation and it will further go down, so what can we do in it”, but Prabhupada answers to them “Just like when it rains, everything is soaked. But we do take the umbrella and save ourselves. Similarly thoughtful men must also save themselves from the onslaughts of kali”. Bhagavatam mentions Maharaja Pariksit after meeting the above incident was very alert and he practically banned all the places in his kingdom where regulative principles were not followed. In this way, he gave no chance to kali to infiltrate in his kingdom. This is an ideal example for the modern politicians who hope to see a corruption free state.
Therefore, whoever desires progressive well-being, especially kings, religionists, public leaders, brāhmaṇas and sannyāsīs, should never come in contact with the four above-mentioned irreligious principles. (SB 1.17.41) Another issue is how to curb the illegal use to gold, the fifth place where kali is allowed residence. In this regards Prabhupada says – “According to Śrīmad–Bhāgavatam, gold encourages falsity, intoxication, prostitution, envy and enmity. Even a gold-standard exchange and currency is bad. Gold-standard currency is based on falsehood because the currency is not on a par with the reserved gold. The basic principle is falsity because currency notes are issued in value beyond that of the actual reserved gold. This artificial inflation of currency by the authorities encourages prostitution of the state economy. The price of commodities becomes artificially inflated because of bad money, or artificial currency notes. Bad money drives away good money. Instead of paper currency, actual gold coins should be used for exchange, and this will stop prostitution of gold. Gold ornaments for women may be allowed by control, not by quality, but by quantity. This will discourage lust, envy and enmity. When there is actual gold currency in the form of coins, the influence of gold in producing falsity, prostitution, etc., will automatically cease. There will be no need of an anticorruption ministry for another term of prostitution and falsity of purpose.” (SB 1.17.39)
He also mentions – “Gold is certainly a generator of falsity, intoxication, prostitution, enmity and violence, but under the guidance of a proper king or public leader, or a brāhmaṇa or sannyāsī, the same gold can be properly utilized to reestablish the lost legs of the bull, the personality of religion.Mahārāja Parīkṣit, therefore, like his grandfather Arjuna, collected all illicit gold kept for the propensities of Kali and employed it in the sańkīrtana–yajña, as per instruction of the Śrīmad–Bhāgavatam. One’s accumulated wealth may be divided into three parts for distribution, namely fifty percent for the service of the Lord, twenty-five percent for the family members and twenty-five percent for personal necessities. Spending fifty percent for the service of the Lord or for propagation of spiritual knowledge in society by way of the sańkīrtana–yajña is the maximum display of human mercy. people of the world are generally in darkness regarding spiritual knowledge, especially in regard to the devotional service of the Lord, and therefore to propagate the systematic transcendental knowledge of devotional service is the greatest mercy that one can show in this world. When everyone is taught to sacrifice fifty percent of his accumulated gold for the Lord’s service, certainly austerity, cleanliness and mercy automatically ensue, and thus the lost three legs of the personality of religion are automatically established. When there is sufficient austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness, naturally mother earth is completely satisfied, and there is very little chance for Kali to infiltrate the structure of human society.” (SB 1.17.42)
The citizens of the state must give in charity up to fifty percent of their income for the purpose of creating a spiritual atmosphere (sankirtana-yajna) in the state or in human society, both individually and collectively. They should preach the principles of Bhāgavatam by (a) karma–yoga, or doing everything for the satisfaction of the Lord, (b) regular hearing of the Śrīmad–Bhāgavatam from authorized persons or realized souls, (c) chanting of the glories of the Lord congregationally at home or at places of worship, (d) rendering all kinds of service to bhāgavatas engaged in preaching Śrīmad–Bhāgavatam and (e) residing in a place where the atmosphere is saturated with God consciousness. If the state is regulated by the above process, naturally there will be God consciousness everywhere. (SB 1.17.38)
The principles of Mahārāja Parīkṣit can be still continued, and human society can still be improved if there is determination by the authorities. We can still purge out from the state all the activities of immorality introduced by the personality of Kali if we are determined to take action like Mahārāja Parīkṣit. He allotted some place for Kali, but in fact Kali could not find such places in the world at all because Mahārāja Parīkṣit was strictly vigilant to see that there were no places for gambling, drinking, prostitution and animal slaughter. Modern administrators want to banish corruption from the state, but fools as they are, they do not know how to do it. They want to issue licenses for gambling houses, wine and other intoxicating drug houses, brothels, hotel prostitution and cinema houses, and falsity in every dealing, even in their own, and they want at the same time to drive out corruption from the state. They want the kingdom of God without God consciousness. How can it be possible to adjust two contradictory matters? If we want to drive out corruption from the state, we must first of all organize society to accept the principles of religion, namely austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness, and to make the condition favorable we must close all places of gambling, drinking, prostitution and falsity. These are some of the practical lessons from the pages of Śrīmad–Bhāgavatam. (SB 1.17.43-44)
Where wealth and strength are not engaged in the advancement of brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection, the state and home are surely doomed by Providence. If we want peace and prosperity in the world, we should take lessons from Srimad Bhagavatam; every state and every home must endeavor to advance the cause of brahminical culture for self-purification and God consciousness for self-realization and cow protection. Foolish men spoil their lives in animal propensities to eat, drink, be merry and enjoy. Such an irresponsible life is adopted by the people in the age of Kali because of a sinful desire to condemn brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection, for which the state is responsible. The state must employ revenue to advance these three items and thus educate the populace to prepare for highest benefit.
Mahārāja Parīkṣit was experienced enough to drive away Kali from his field of activities and thereby make the state receptive to spiritual enlightenment. Austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness, the basic principles of religion, prepare the ground for the reception of advancement in spiritual knowledge, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit made this favorable condition possible. Without state support, no doctrines of philosophy or religious principles can progressively advance. There should be complete cooperation between the brāhmaṇas and the kṣatriyas for this common good. Even up to Mahārāja Aśoka, the same spirit was prevailing. Lord Gautam Buddha was sufficiently supported by King Aśoka, and thus his particular cult of knowledge was spread all over the world. (SB 1.17.45)
In words of Srila Prabhupada –“saner section is eager to drive own corruption. The counteracting process is suggested above and everyone should take advantage of this suggestion.”
By Gaurachandra Das
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