A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada
Editorial Note: HH Srila Prabhupada discusses the nature of Democracy in Kaliyuga. With references from the Srimad Bhagavatam , it is amply made clear , the true nature of this imported “western” model of society.
So Kuntī is the aunt, of Kṛṣṇa. Vasudeva’s sister, Kuntī. So when Kṛṣṇa was going back to Dvārakā, after finishing the Battle of Kurukṣetra and establishing Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira on the throne, His mission… His mission was that Duryodhana should be thrown out, and Yudhiṣṭhira must sit down on the throne. Dharma, Dharmarāja.
That is the desire of Kṛṣṇa, or God, that the state executive head should be as pious as Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. That is the scheme. Unfortunately, people do not want that.
They have now discovered this democracy. Democracy… ‘Demon-cracy’. Shortcut of ‘demon-cracy’ is ‘democracy.’
All the demons and rogues, they gather together, somehow or other collect votes, and occupy the seat, and the business is plundering. The business is (all) plundering.
If we talk very much upon this, it will not be very favorable, but according to śāstra…
We, we talk according to śāstra, that the democracy means assembly of rogues and plunderers.
That is the statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Dasyu-dharmabhiḥ (SB 12.2.8).
prajā hi lubdhai rājanyair
nirghṛṇair dasyu-dharmabhiḥ
ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā
yāsyanti giri-kānanam
prajāḥ—the citizens; hi—indeed; lubdhaiḥ—avaricious; rājanyaiḥ—by the royal order; nirghṛṇaiḥ—merciless; dasyu—of ordinary thieves; dharmabhiḥ—acting according to the nature; ācchinna—taken away; dāra—their wives; draviṇāḥ—and property; yāsyanti—they will go; giri—to the mountains; kānanam—and forests.
SB 12.2.8
The government men will be all dasyu. Dasyu means plunderer. Not pickpocket. Pickpocket, somehow or other, if you do not understand, takes something from your pocket, and the plunderer, or the dasyu, he catches you and by force, “If you don’t spare your money, I shall kill you.” They are called dasyu.
So the, in the present age of Kali, the government men will be dasyu. This is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Dasyu-dharmabhiḥ (SB 12.2.8). You can, we can see practically. You cannot keep your money. You earn with hard labor, but you cannot keep gold, you cannot keep jewelry, you cannot keep money. And… They will take it away by laws. So they make law that… etc.. Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja was just quite the opposite. He wanted to see that every citizen is so happy that they are not troubled even by excessive heat and excessive cold. Ati-vyādhi. They are not suffering from any disease, they are not suffering from excessive climatic influence, eating very nicely, and feeling security of person and property. That was Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja. Not only Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja. Almost all the kings, they were like that.
