Śrī Caitanyadeva and Communism

This Bengali article, ‘Śrī Caitanyadeva and Communism’ by Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda was first published in Śrī Gauḍīya Patrikā, Vol.5, Issue 8 in 1953. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains how any man-made conception for the good of society is doomed to fail, and only the ‘Communism’ expounded by Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Caitanya Mahāprabhu will truly give benefit to society at large.

Several concepts such as a ‘society for the good of all,’ ‘classless society,’ ‘socialism,’ and ‘communism’ etc. have been presented for the welfare of human society. However, within all these concepts, there remains a defect which we do not have the capability to grasp. Humans alone are prone to the four defects — bhrama (the tendency to commit mistakes), pramāda (the tendency to be illusioned), vipralipsā (the tendency to cheat) and kāraṇāpāṭva (imperfect senses) — therefore, each of the aforementioned concepts are inherently incomplete and flawed, and it is necessary for us to directly perceive this. Every political leader should not conceive any idea for the welfare of human society based solely on their own capabilities. They must remember that due to the influence of the aforementioned four faults, each of their concepts is only a partial or momentary shadow of the truth. They cannot achieve complete universal auspiciousness. Therefore, each idea is as fleeting, temporary, and impermanent as the other, and not eternally effective.

The concept that Mahatma Gandhi presented to the world is also not free from these four defects – this should be understood through our own comprehension. The late Mahatma Gandhi, who was an honest worker, a theist, and a person of spotless character, is exceedingly rare in the modern world. Yet even his ideas, due to the four aforementioned defects, have been proven to be incomplete and temporary. The ‘mūla-mantra’ of Mahatma Gandhi’s concept was Hindu and Muslim unity in India, and the achievement of the principle of non-violence. However, due to some reason, both these objectives have unfortunately ended up becoming unclear and ultimately led to a predominance of violent policies, and due to the separation of the Hindu and Muslim communities, the opposite vision of Mahatma Gandhi is being seen. At the end of his life, he could not achieve happiness even after gaining independence – this is our true estimation. Our conclusion is that due to the faults of the four defects, no matter how many ideas are made for the betterment of human society, the result will be that they will never work. Communism, universal welfare, or a classless society can only be achieved when the human race is free from these fourfold defects, and in this liberated state, wisdom can be attained as described in the Bhagavad-gītā:

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini

śuni caiva śvapāke ca paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

A wise man sees a learned and humble brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog, a lowborn person and all other living beings as equal. (Bhagavad-gītā 5.18)

When within society a wise and humble brāhmaṇa, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and an outcaste are seen with equal vision, then it will be understood that a society of social welfare or a classless society has been achieved. People who are contaminated by the aforementioned four-fold faults will never be able to think that the Prime Minister Sri Jawaharlal Nehru or Dr. Rajendra Prasad are the same as the beasts, birds or outcastes of this country in any way.

Do we ever think about the communism mentioned in the aforementioned verse from Śrī Bhagavad-gītā? The Lord Himself says that all the various kinds of living beings in this world – animals, birds, aquatics, those in the sky or on the land etc. that have life – He is the father who gives birth to them all. Leaving aside the words of the Lord, when we think about such an imaginary society where there is universal welfare, and we think about our countrymen, does it embody such a universal way of thinking? Do we consider that apart from the handful of human beings in our country, hundreds and hundreds of other living entities —whether insects, birds, or animals — are also taking birth here in this country? Just as we have the right to sustain our lives on the crops of our country, similarly, they also have that right. The Lord declares that He is the father of all living beings, and in this way, He has provided food for all. We maintain numerous systems such as governors, local administrators, industries, commerce, prohibitions, politics, and violence against other creatures only for a few persons in our country. Yet apart from a handful of human beings, we hardly ever speak or think about all the other children of God. However, because they cannot form groups like us, they cannot speak like us, and they are helpless and defenseless, then we freely kill them and fill our bellies while we make plans for a society for the so-called ‘good of all.’ This kind of fragmented society for the ‘good of all’ can never bring auspiciousness to the world. If we wish to succeed with the concept of a society for the good of all, if we wish to establish proper or complete communism in the world, we must follow the path shown by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrī Caitanyadeva presented the concept of a society for the good of all which is beneficial for all beings, regardless of whether they are humans, animals, or birds. He alone can bestow equal compassion upon all living beings and awaken their good fortune. Therefore, those who are in favour of a society for the good of all should not be influenced by their four defects, but rather follow in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanyadeva. After having taken darśana of Śrī Caitanyadeva, Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī Ṭhākura humbly appealed to everyone, and grasping their feet, spoke the following words:

*dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya

**kṛtvā ca kāku-śatam etad ahaṁ bravīmi

**he sādhavaḥ sakalam eva vihāya dūrād

*caitanya-candra-caraṇe kurutānurāgam

Having placed a straw between my teeth and falling at your feet a hundred times, I say, “O sādhu! Leave everything aside and attain love for the feet of Caitanya-candra.” (Caitanya-candrāmṛta 120)

Śrī Caitanyadeva propagated, jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya-dāsa (‘by constitution, the living entity is an eternal servant if Kṛṣṇa’). Whatever type of plan there may be, we must sign our commitment as servants. When we attain independence, we renounce servitude to foreigners and accept servitude to our own countrymen. Whenever we become subject to any plan, we are obligated to sign ourselves over as servants at the feet of its originator. When I see myself writing in such a servile manner, it becomes inconvenient for me — then I follow another plan and sign myself over as a servant to that! In this way, we transform our natural service mentality into a mere fragment of servitude only to get freedom from Māyā’s plans. No matter how influential one is, he has no other choice but to serve. One who is the owner of a house may nicely occupy it, but indirectly he serves everyone in the house. If any mistake occurs in the family, he is held responsible, and if there is a lack of equal servitude amongst everyone, then he cannot continue to exercise his authority for long. It can also be seen in the field of politics – one who is the chief minister today, is the main enemy of the country and a convict tomorrow! This is because there is a defect in his servitude. The shopkeeper is the servant of the customer, and the customer is the servant of the shopkeeper. The husband is the servant of the wife, and the wife is the servant of the husband. The employee is the servant of the employer, and the employer is the servant of the employee. If there is no employee, the employer cannot function, and if there is no employer, the employee cannot function. If we analyse in this way, we will see that every living being is practically a slave of another living being. But under the influence of illusion, he always thinks, “I am independent” or “I am the master.” We can achieve full independence if we engage our eternal mood of servitorship in serving the Lord, the Complete Enjoyer. This is the instruction of Śrī Caitanyadeva. It is our sincere request that all those leaders who desire the benefit of the world, enlighten themselves by following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanyadeva and deliberate upon scientifically based communism.

Śrī Abhaya-caraṇāravinda Bhaktivedanta

(Translated into English by Swami B.V. Giri)

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Further Reading

A Vaiṣṇava Householder’s Hospitality to Guests by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura The Livelihood of Householder Vaiṣṇavas by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura The Brāhmaṇa and the Vaiṣṇava – Both are Completely Vedic by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura The Savings of a Vaiṣṇava by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura Begging Alms by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura Brāhmaṇism and Vaiṣṇavism by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura The Marriage System of Bengal by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura