Lecture on BG 1.4-5 -- London, July 10, 1973:
Translation: "There are also great, heroic, powerful fighters like Dhṛṣṭaketu, Cekitāna, Kāśirāja, Purujit, Kuntibhoja and Śaibya."
Prabhupāda: Practically in the Battle of Kurukṣetra great personalities, warriors, from all parts of the world they came and joined. Some of them joined with this party and others joined with the other party. So far we have studied... just like Śaibya, he belonged to Śibya. So all these personalities, we did not get their full description, it would enhance the pages. But these big personalities, we have got their information. There is a book, The Personalities of Mahābhārata. Bhagavad-gītā is part of Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata means greater India. Mahā means greater, and bhārata means India. So this whole planet was Bhārata-varṣa. There was only one flag. The whole planet was being ruled by one king. That is the king of this Hastināpura. The fight is that, that who would be the king, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira or Duryodhana. But a king... It is not a democratic; it is monarchy. So Kṛṣṇa is deciding, "No, Duryodhana is unfit. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is fit." This is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Therefore this fight is there. Kurukṣetra. Kṛṣṇa wanted to wipe out all unwanted demons from the face of the world and enthrone Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira because he is the exact representative of Kṛṣṇa.
So monarchy or dictatorship is welcome. Now the Communists, they want dictatorship. That is welcome, provided that particular dictator is trained like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Not that simply by votes of some rascal population one becomes dictatorship, another rascal comes. Another big rascal comes. Just like in the Communist country the Stalin was their dictator. And in the historical record it is said that he is the greatest criminal in the history of the world. Greatest criminal. He would not tolerate anyone going against him. As soon as he finds that "This man is going against me," immediately call him, "Now here is poison and here is resignation." Or kill him. "You take poison or I shall kill you." This was his policy. In this way he killed so many enemies. He not only killed the Czar family. So his business was killing. Not that kind of dictatorship wanted. Dictatorship wanted that by his direction the citizens will be so happy that even they will not have any anxiety.
Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:
The supreme leader is Kṛṣṇa. Leader of the leader, leader of the leader. There are various types of leaders. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām, eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). These are the wordings in the Vedas. So He is the supreme leader. We are following some leader. Some leader is following Stalin, somebody Hitler, some leader is following Gandhi, somebody's following somebody, somebody. There must be some leader. But why not the supreme leader, who will never misguide you? He will give you actual path of happiness. Then you will become happy.
Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- Mayapura, September 30, 1974:
So you cannot overcome the ruling, or the control, of the material nature. That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So asura, to kill the asuras, however powerful they may be... We have seen. There were so many asuras in this world. There were Lenin, there were Stalin, there were Hitler, there were Hiraṇyakaśipu. So many. But they could not survive. It is not possible. They'll be finished.
Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974:
Just like in the society, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness society, you accept me as the chief. So you have to accept one chief. Either you are a political party or social party or religious party or Communist party... Just like Communist party, they have got their chief men. Lenin, Stalin.
This question I asked... (aside:) Don't be sleeping. Professor Kotovsky. I asked him that "Where is the difference of philosophy between your Communist philosophy and our Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy? You have to accept one chief man, that Lenin or Stalin, and we have also selected one chief man, or God, Kṛṣṇa. So you are following the dictates of Lenin or Stalin or Molotov or this or that. We are following the philosophy or the instruction of Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 3.25.23 -- Bombay, November 23, 1974:
So this devotional service, this line of action, is so nice that if we practice, if we make advance, then even in this material world, staying, there will be no more suffering. That is called jīvan mukta. Jīvan mukta means although he is in this body, but he is not suffering the bodily miserable condition. It is a question of absorption of thought. I have read in some paper that Mr. Stalin, the communist leader, he had to undergo a surgical operation of operating on the belly. But doctor wanted to, what is called, chloroform, but he said, "No, there is no need. You can go on with your operation." So even in ordinary life it is possible.
Lecture on SB 5.5.34 -- Vrndavana, November 21, 1976:
One who forgets this bodily conception of life, he is liberated. So how we can forget bodily conception of life? It can be forgotten. Just like one big person Sometimes we have seen practically. We have, of course, heard, we have not seen, that Mr. Stalin, the great Communist leader, he was to undergo a surgical operation of the intestine. So the physician, the doctor, surgeon, he wanted to give him anaesthetic, chloroform. He refused: "There is no need of. Let the operation go on. I shall see what is there within the belly." Strong-minded, here, even in material conception, he was, he undergo, underwent the surgical operation without any chloroform.
Lecture on SB 5.5.34 -- Vrndavana, November 21, 1976:
It is on the highest stage it is possible to forget completely, and he is liberated. Deha-smṛti nāhi yāra saṁsāra bandhana kāhāṅ tāra. He is no more conditioned by the material nature.
So how it can be possible? It can be possible. I have given already one crude example. Similarly, why Mr. Stalin could tolerate without any trouble? Because he was a leader. He was always absorbed in the thought of how he could advance the Communist cause. This is the real reason. Similarly, if we take our cause very seriously, our... What is our cause? That is explained by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is explained by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī:
Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972:
The subject matter was freedom, Communism. So my last question was that "You people, Communists, you have surrendered to Lenin, and we have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. Then where is the difference? You have selected a personality like Lenin or Stalin or Marx. We have selected a personality, Kṛṣṇa. Now, so far the principle of surrender is concerned, it is there in Communism and our Vaiṣṇavism. Now it has to be seen whether Kṛṣṇa is good or Lenin or good. That is a different question." So actually we are trying to be free, but we surrender to some rascal, that's all. Instead of surrendering to Kṛṣṇa we prefer to surrender to some rascal or fool. That is māyā. We have to surrender. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109).
Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:
Prabhupāda: That was my mission: "I shall go to America, and educate them, and they, if they follow, the whole world will follow." And that is coming to be true. You are all young men, it is in your hand. Now you make policy in that way. Just like the communists. A few communists, Stalin, Lenin, they formed a big communist party, now it is predominating all over the world. Similarly, you are so many nice, young, flowers, intelligent young Americans you have understood the philosophy, and now it is up to you to spread this "ism". You don't become stagnant—"Now I have understood Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I shall sit down and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa."
Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:
Prabhupāda: One. One with God. That means (indistinct). Here, he could not enjoy. There are so many impediments. Therefore brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. This is all mithyā. So I become one with Brahman. This is jñānī. And karma means that I work hard, I get some result, and I enjoy. Karma-phala. But bhakti means that one should be completely free from all these desires. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy anāvṛtam (Brs. 1.1.11). One should not be covered with the results of jñāna and karma. Then what is bhakti? Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuṣīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). Simply to cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness if favor of Kṛṣṇa. Not in my favor. So long you think anything in your favor, that is not bhakti. So where is this mentality? You give up Kṛṣṇa, you replace Kṛṣṇa with the state, that how you can get your mentality, nothing in my favor, everything in favor of the state. It is impossible, but these rascals try. (indistinct) simply (indistinct). Just like Stalin.
Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:
Prabhupāda: The human well-being means if you don't agree to me, I cut your throat, that's all. This is (indistinct). I am thinking in my way: human well being. Just like Stalin, he was thinking in his own way, human well-being, but anyone who disagrees with him, cut his throat. This is (indistinct). Lenin also (indistinct) like that.
Śyāmasundara: Well-being is relative.
Prabhupāda: Just like he killed all the royal family. So this killing, they will say it is well-being of the (indistinct). So this is not well-being for the royal family. But they theorized, it is well-being.
Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:
Prabhupāda: (indistinct) and it is not possible. Similarly, one cannot give up his religion. And what is that religion? That religion is service. If that is religion, then he wants to give service to the humanity by his proposition, and that is his religion. Why he is giving this philosophy, writing this book? He wants to give some service to the humanity. That is (the) idea. So everyone is trying to give some service. The father is trying to give some service (to) the family, the statesman is trying to give some service to his country. (indistinct) Then he is also trying to give some service to the whole humanity. So this service spirit is always there. Either you become a Karl Marx, or you become Stalin, or you become Gandhi, or you become whatever you may be, the service spirit is there.
Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:
Prabhupāda: So unless one understands that abide by the orders of God is the benefit of man... If there is any, any organization... Even in communistic country there are many men working, but there is one director. In the state also there is one dictator, either Stalin or Lenin. A leader is wanted. So the supreme leader is called God. So the Communist cannot do without leader. Even Karl Marx, he is giving leadership. So, so leadership is wanted. There you cannot change. A person, a society is working under the leadership of God or Kṛṣṇa, and a society is working under the leadership of Marx... What is this? Marx?
Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:
Prabhupāda: No. Our point is that religion is not sentiment. Leadership has to be accepted, either by the Communist or the theist or atheist. There is leadership. So when the leadership is selected and the direction given by the leader, you can take it as some "ism." So religion is the same thing. When we accept the leadership of God and His direction, that is religion. I don't think on principle the Communist can change this idea. The same leader is Lenin or Stalin, and he is giving his direction, and people must follow it. So where is the difference of philosophy? Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is there, His instruction is there, and we are following. So where is the difference in fact?
Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:
Prabhupāda: I, I, I did not see, but I saw some mosquelike building in the, what is called, Red Square. I saw that building, but that is vacant. They are worshiping Stalin, no, Lenin. Yes. They are worshiping Lenin's tomb. That I have seen in the Red Square. And there was a church or mosque, I do not know. The building is, can be called a church or mosque...
Hayagrīva: Church.
Prabhupāda: That was vacant.
Hayagrīva: It's more like a museum.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner and Henry David Thoreau:
Rāmeśvara: It's a type of communism, where the people work together in a communal way.
Prabhupāda: How they will work together? They require Lenin, Stalin, or something like that, to force them to work. Still, in Communist country there are manager class. Not only worker class, the manager class. So this is all utopian theory. It has no practical value.
Hayagrīva: In the United States all of the successful utopian communities have had a strong religious leader.
Morning Walk -- April 29, 1973, Los Angeles:
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Lenin...
Prabhupāda: Not Lenin. Stalin.
Karandhara: Stalin.
Prabhupāda: Stalin. He's estimated to be the greatest criminal in the world. As soon as he'll suspect you... You may be a great friend. Next day you are finished. He'll ask his friend: "Now, here is poison and here is revolver. What do you want? If you want to die yourself, take this poison, and die. Otherwise, you'll be shot." So what he will select? He will take poison. Finish. This was his business. As soon as little suspicion. He'll call him: "Now here is poison. Here is revolver. What do you want?" Yes.
Morning Walk -- December 21, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Ah, so who has become that perfect man? Amongst your Communists? The Stalin is considered the greatest criminal in the world, in the history, Stalin. So how he is perfect man? If he is the greatest criminal?
Jagajjīvana: (break) Mostly Spanish countries. (break) Another town in Puerto Rico we have a center there also.
Prabhupāda: Where it is?
Jagajjīvana: That is on the other side of the island, on Puerto Rico.
Prabhupāda: Rūpānuga Mahārāja went there?
Jagajjīvana: Yes. And...
Morning Walk Excerpts -- May 1, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Germany is the bitterest enemy of Britain.
Dr. Patel: Stalin.
Prabhupāda: No, Germany, whole Germany. They do not like to speak in English also. Yes, I have seen it. Even they know English, they'll not speak. In the bank they could speak a little, little English, but they avoid. Then I took... What is that boy that first went to...?
Bhāgavata: Śivānanda.
Prabhupāda: Śivānanda. Then I... Śivānanda talked in German. (break) ...two wars is due to Germany's hatred to Britain. That's all. There was always competition in colonization between France, Holland...
Morning Walk Excerpt -- March 14, 1975, Iran:
Prabhupāda: ...they assemble together and people are unhappy. They have renounced democracy, eh? Communist?
Atreya Ṛṣi: Well, they have some sort of democracy themselves.
Prabhupāda: No, they are dictatorship. Actually Stalin's dictatorship was going on.
Atreya Ṛṣi: Yes. It's all dictatorship. Democracy is also a dictatorship, but by election. They elect a fool, and then he can be..., do whatever he wants.
Prabhupāda: (chuckles) Yes.
Morning Walk -- March 15, 1975, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Fools, they assemble together and people are unhappy. Democracy. Eh? Communists.
Devotee: But they have some sort of democracy themselves.
Prabhupāda: They are dictators. Stalin's dictatorship was going on.
Devotee: It's all dictatorship.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Devotee: Democracy is also dictatorship. Just by elections. They elect a fool...
Prabhupāda: (laughs)
Morning Walk -- May 8, 1975, Perth:
Prabhupāda: They will be killed.
Paramahaṁsa: Yeah, the government will come out and just shoot them all.
Prabhupāda: Yes, all the Leninists and Stalinists, they kill. It is a country of terrorism. That's all. The government men, they are simply terrorists. That's all.
Paramahaṁsa: Just like in Cambodia they just, the new Communist government, they executed tens and thousands of people just recently.
Prabhupāda: Just see.
Paramahaṁsa: People who were working for the old government. They just killed them all. So this what the people are afraid of.
Room Conversation after Press Conference -- July 9, 1975, Chicago:
Prabhupāda: So what is the value of these votes? If, by vote, if you select a wrong man and again you try to drag him down, then what is the use of this popular vote? Even in Communist country, the, what is called, Krushchev? He was the head. Now nobody knows where he is.
Brahmānanda: Stalin also. He was...
Prabhupāda: Stalin died.
Brahmānanda: But after he died, they completely discredited him. They pulled down his statues and he was completely disgraced.
Devotee: A nonperson, they call him. It's the word they give, like Krushchev also is a nonperson.
Prabhupāda: Non.
Morning Walk -- October 7, 1975, Durban:
Prabhupāda: Ahaṅkāra vimūḍhātmā. Rascal. Not only ahaṅkāra vimūḍhātmā, no knowledge. Such a big, very big rascals, Stalin, Lenin, when nature ordered, "Die now. Finish your business..." And still, they are proud. I am doing all these things, and where is the guarantee that I shall stay here? At any moment I shall be asked to go away. No sense. First of all make it assured that you shall be able to remain here. "No. That is not... I shall... When I... I'll go away. Let me do it."
Morning Walk -- November 29, 1975, Delhi:
Prabhupāda: Then? Then another rascal. If matter is supreme, why don't you combine matter and let it move. So what is that supreme which is moving this matter? If they do not know, then again a rascal, in spite of so much philosophy and so much communism. Why, when Stalin and Lenin died, they simply remained matter? Why it was not moving? Where is that matter?
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: That they are working on.
Prabhupāda: Again the same rascal. Again another rascal. They are working; therefore we must be satisfied. Postdated check. How you say all these things?
Room Conversation -- May 7, 1976, Honolulu:
Prabhupāda: Because Russia was afraid of another revolution. People were preparing. So much pressure, intolerance, after all they are Europeans, so there was a chance of revolution.
Hari-śauri: Especially after Stalin. So many people were killed and sent to prison camps. That was the way that they enforced...
Prabhupāda: Stalin is calculated to be greatest criminal in the world. He has killed so many men. All rogues. We were taken through the neighborhood of all aristocratic men who were killed in the revolution.
Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York:
Indian man (1): But don't you think it will be a bad thing, because there are some bad people in the world, like Hitler and Stalin and others, they may be the first people to use the technology to prolong their life?
Prabhupāda: The thing is, bad or good, everyone will be taken away by death. Is it not a fact? Hitler is no longer existing, neither Stalin nor Gandhi. Gandhi was supposed to be very good man. He's also taken by death, and Hitler is also taken by death. And Stalin also taken. And I'll also, you will be also. So death will take away everyone. There is no doubt about it. Therefore discover something which will stop death. That is real discovery.
Room Conversation -- November 3, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Yes I have already told...
Haṁsadūta: Did you notice? They were built in the time of Stalin.
Prabhupāda: Hm. Not Stalin.
Haṁsadūta: Or in the years before, sorry.
Prabhupāda: That is during the Czar. They could not build any.
Haṁsadūta: That university, very old, that university and all the big buildings, very old. And like you say there is no taxi.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Conversation During Massage -- January 23, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: You are not killed. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, "Who kills and who is killed?"
Satsvarūpa: But, say for political reasons, Stalin would kill.
Prabhupāda: No, that is politics, that.
Satsvarūpa: But Gandhi would say, "No, don't kill because..."
Prabhupāda: Gandhi's a rascal. Therefore he is failure. "In politics there is no violence"—that is another rascaldom.
Morning Walk -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: Actually one who is serious going back to home, back to Godhead—for such person, one should be niṣkiñcana, no connection with these material woman and money. Niṣkiñcanasya. (break) But I am not collecting money for sense gratification. For preaching work. Kṛṣṇa-sambandhe... Kṛṣṇa sabaya yāhā haya anukula, viṣaya boliyā tāhā haya phul.(?) The anything which is favorable to my preaching work, that is not viṣaya. Ta phul.(?) Then that is mistake. Why the air is misty? That... (break) Similarly, you can kill. You have to see it, what for they are killing. Stalin was killing for his own sense gratification. He wanted to maintain himself in the position, and anyone going against him, he would kill. That was not for the citizens' benefit.
Room Conversation about Mayapura Attack Talk with Vrindavan De -- July 8, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: It is... It must be failure.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now in Russia they seem to be tending more and more to give up all of this false philosophy. They're allowing churches again.
Prabhupāda: Lenin, Stalin, they were guṇḍās. Guṇḍā philosophy.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What about Marx?
Prabhupāda: He was a rascal. What is his philosophy?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Economic philosophy.
Prabhupāda: No, no, what is that, basic principle?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Basic principle is that the...
Letter to Madhudvisa -- New York 28 July, 1971:
Yes, even an ordinary man absorbed in some other thought forgets his bodily pains and pleasures. So why not in Krishna Consciousness? I learned from an intimate friend of Stalin that he underwent surgical operation of the abdomen without any anesthetic. It was in the papers. He saw it that his own abdomen was being operated on. He was so strong minded. So when one is in Krishna Consciousness, he no more feels any bodily pains and pleasures. After all, we are not this body. But we should make progress steadily by following the rules and regulations, not making experiment. Just like Haridasa Takhur was beaten in 22 market places and he felt no pain. Prahlada was boiled in oil. So we have to take instruction from them, but not to imitate.
taken from: https://vaniquotes.org/wiki/Stalin