Can devotees enter into politics?

Hare Krishna. Question, can devotees enter into politics? Answer, why not? Actually, the whole process of Krishna consciousness is not just a process to withdraw from the world. It is to engage in the world.

And if one is to engage in the world, there are various professions. So, we could say that Kshatriyas were engaged in politics. And Kshatriyas were the primary recipients of spiritual knowledge.

Krishna gave knowledge to Arjuna, who was a Kshatriya. And Krishna says this knowledge has been earlier given to the Rajarishis, who were actually Kshatriyas. So, definitely the politicians in today's culture are among the most influential members in society.

Not necessarily influential in terms of being role models for people, but influential in terms of making policies and having powers. So, now some people feel that politics is filled with such stink, such dirt. There is so much corruption, there is so much degradation, there is so much criminality associated with it, that one should not touch with it.

And when it comes to politicians, that person is becoming degraded. Well, that may be the reality today in many parts of the country. But how is that reality going to change? If some devotees have the ability, have the inclination, then they can take the blessings from their senior devotees and then decide to enter into politics also.

So, this is of course an entirely individual decision. And it's just like a person may choose any other career, then the person can choose this career also. Now, should one enter into politics for the sake that, yes, I will change the world and I will share Krishna consciousness, make policies that are more God conscious, the practicalities will vary.

Now, one should know that in every career there is a risk, and in every career one has to do adjustment with respect to one's principles. Adjustment is not necessarily compromise. There is a difference between a principled compromise and a compromised principle.

Principled compromise is what Krishna talks about when he says that, He says, just as fire is covered by smoke, similarly every endeavor is covered by fault. So, one may, because of today's materialistic, secular, Godless environment, if one is entering into politics, one may have to make some adjustments. So, the important point is, whenever we pursue any service, if it is not directly involved breaking the four Ayodhya principles, then one can pursue it.

And if one pursues it, how one will be able to do it, one has to know that ultimately it's my responsibility. I have to take the risk. And there will be complications which I'll have to deal with.

And if one can get the blessings of senior devotees and have them accessible for periodic guidance, then that is also very helpful in keeping one on track. So, actually Prabhupada himself at one time wanted devotees to enter into politics and he had started in America as well as in Australia a party called In God We Trust. But the financial implications, the financial demands of running a political party were so high that Srila Prabhupada decided that it would not be a prudent use of the funds, of the Lakshmi that had come to Krishna through book distribution and other sources to be diverted to funding devotees in their political careers.

So, Vallabhant Prabhu was another person whom Prabhupada had encouraged to enter into politics. And Srila Prabhupada stopped funding, stopped providing funds. And then Vallabhant Prabhu asked, Prabhupada, are you not eager for devotees to be in politics? Prabhupada said, yes, I am very eager.

But just don't ask me for money. And then at that time the devotees couldn't generate the resources. So then they couldn't continue.

So certainly as an institution, Lakshmi is coming for Krishna's sake and Lakshmi is coming for propagating Krishna's message, that Lakshmi shouldn't get diverted to politics. So politics involves a significant amount of money. There's propaganda that has to be done and so many other things are involved.

So at an individual level, if devotees would like to enter into this field and they have the talent, they have the inclination and they have the blessings, then they can surely go ahead and try, according to employee circumstance, to have principles that are at least compatible with broad principles of God consciousness. Even if they may not be directly Krishna conscious, even if they do not directly or explicitly promote Krishna consciousness, even if there is an overall rising in the morality level of people, overall rising in the God consciousness level of people, there are broad principles of religion, which actually most religions will agree to. And many people who have even secular morales, if they are not anti-theistic, they will also agree to with a little persuasion.

So how one will enter into politics and how one will be able to have an influence, one has to see according to the time and place circumstance. But in principle, there is nothing wrong for a devotee entering into politics, especially if that devotee has the resources and the talents. But, of course, one has to be aware that the lure of power is great.

And it can well happen that instead of re-changing politics, politics changes us. That's why one has to be well rooted in one's own sadhana and siddhanta. And one should be able to give adequate time to study of scripture, to chanting the holy name, to associating with devotees.

Even if one may not be able to associate with devotees visibly, one may have to do it discreetly also. That is OK. But the point is that whatever environment we put ourselves in, it can contaminate us.

And this environment especially can contaminate a person a lot. So therefore, one has to be cautious. But in principle, the Kshatriya dharma is an important dharma.

And for a devotee to enter into that in one of its modern forms, that is politics, is compatible with the principles and the teachings of bhakti yoga and Bhagavad Gita. Thank you. Hare Krishna.