The public will understand that "I also eat meat, I also drink, do the same thing. Why the leader should be something, saintly person? After all, he is our leader. So we are of the same character. So why the leader should be something different?"

Riding on Scandal

Ideal character is not representative of the people

YOGESVARA: Isn't the kshatriya qualities that he is to be trustworthy?

PRABHUPADA: No. When there is political game, everyone does everything to gain his victory. In politics, these things are allowed. Just like killing, fighting, kshatriyas fighting. That killing is allowed. But killing is not allowed generally. Krishna has killed so many. If you take from moral point of view, He's sometimes immoral. He has killed His maternal uncle, Kamsa, and Shishupala, his cousin brother. And Balarama killed Rukma. Once He saved him, and another time, that Aniruddha's marriage, or something like that... Balarama killed Rukma, the brother of Rukmini. They were family relatives. But there was some misunderstanding in chess playing that other party, Rukma, he was cheating by tricks. The Balarama became so angry, they killed him. So in politics amongst the kshatriyas, these things are not uncommon.

DEVOTEE: But isn't that not good because the politicians nowadays, when they are running their campaign, they say so many lies and everything to the public, that "When I am elected I will do this and I will do that," and they do so many... They pay off so many people in order that they can become elected. So always the good persons are... I guess they also have to cheat in order to get in position, but usually the...

PRABHUPADA: Therefore we have stopped our political activities. It is not good. It will be hampering to our spiritual understanding.

DEVOTEE: Because we will also have to do that.

PRABHUPADA: If you want to dance, you cannot be shy. There is a Bengali proverb, nate vase gunthana tana. You understand Bengali? No. That when you are going to dance... A girl, or a lady is supposed to dance on the platform, on the stage, and when she came, she saw thousands of people. Then she drew her veil, ...became little ashamed. So you are going to dance. What is the use of veiling yourself? So similarly, when one takes part in politics, if you don't take all the tactics of politics, then you cannot gain ground.

DEVOTEE: But more and more the people, especially in America, they are seeing how these politicians are cheating. Because every year, in every campaign, the same politician is saying, "I will do this, I will do that," and when he gets into office, he never does anything. But maybe now this time, when our Krishna conscious devotees are running and they are showing the people what rascals... Just like Balavanta on TV, he was saying "How can these people be leader, when they are themselves permitting slaughter, drinking, smoking, having illicit sex life."

PRABHUPADA: That is a fact. That is a fact. But why the leader? The public also drinks. They also encourage slaughterhouse. So if you say to the public that they cannot be leader, then there is no leader. They cannot find out any leader. The public will understand that "I also eat meat, I also drink, do the same thing. Why the leader should be something, saintly person? After all, he is our leader. So we are of the same character. So why the leader should be something different?" They cannot understand it.

DEVOTEE: Therefore we must cheat.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. Suppose I am thief and somebody accuses you that "He is a thief." So I don't take it seriously because I know, "I am also thief." Means these appeal, that does not appeal because "It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss." If everyone is thief, if you point out somebody that "He is thief, he cannot be trusted," then he knows that "I am also thief. It is not a big problem. I am also thief." Unless the whole public is sinless, he cannot appreciate a sinless leader. This is natural. If I am thief, so what is the use of accusing you by other, "He is also thief." You'll take that "We all are thieves, all cousin brothers; so why this man should be only accused?"

PUSTA-KRSNA: Is it not a vicious circle, though? Without a pure leader, they cannot be pure themselves.

PRABHUPADA: But they cannot understand. The vicious circle—they will not be able to understand. Because he is also vicious. ...The difficulty is, "It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss." Better you keep yourself ideal character that people can see that "Here is an ideal group of men." Otherwise, in politics... They are feeling the necessity of an honest leader, but they are themselves dishonest, the people. So when you point out that "This leader is dishonest," they do not very much appreciate.

There is a story in this connection I will tell you, that one man was drunkard. So his friend said, "You are drinking. You will go to hell." "Oh, my father also drinks." "Oh, he will also go to hell." "My mother also drinks." "Oh, she will also go to hell." In this way, all the family members, they scrutinizingly studying, that all of them were drunkards. You see? Then the man who was accused of drinking, he said, "If everyone is going to hell, then hell is heaven. [laughter] Because my father is going there, mother is going there, my brother is going there, I shall go there. It is heaven. Where is hell?"

DEVOTEE: Heaven is where all my friends are.

PRABHUPADA: So this is the position. As soon as you point out, "This man is dishonest," and you scrutinize, everyone is dishonest, then where is dishonesty? It is all honesty. Because if the whole business is dishonesty, so there is no question of honesty? Let it go on. That is the public opinion. Why one should be unnecessarily honest? If the whole world is dishonest, and the dishonest world is going on, then where is the harm? What is the use of becoming... The same thing: "It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss."