Category:God's Citizens
Theme Analysis
The philosophical essence of this category establishes the absolute standard for ideal government and civic responsibility as demonstrated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His empowered representatives. When the Lord descends as an ideal king, like Lord Rāmacandra, the relationship between the government and the citizens operates entirely on pure, paternal love. The King rules exactly like an affectionate father, and the citizens, trained in the system of varṇāśrama, act as obedient and devoted children. The category also highlights the transcendental nature of the Lord's citizens in spiritual hubs like Dvārakā; they were not ordinary conditioned souls, but liberated members of His eternal entourage who were constantly immersed in His loving thoughts. Furthermore, an ideal ruler like Mahārāja Pṛthu is elected to completely uproot the miseries of his citizens, providing such supreme protection that he could sustain them even if the planet itself were destroyed. Ultimately, the goal of such divine civic administration is not merely material prosperity, but to engage every citizen in devotional service so they can return back home, back to Godhead.
- The Paternal Ruler: An ideal government mimics the relationship between a loving father and his children. Lord Rāmacandra perfectly exemplified this by treating His citizens as His own sons, which inspired perfect obedience and harmony.
- Liberated Civic Associates: The citizens of Dvārakā were not ordinary human beings. They were liberated souls who descended as the Lord's eternal entourage, demonstrating pure devotional attachment to Him at all times.
- The Supreme Protector: Empowered rulers like King Pṛthu completely uproot the miseries of the people. Because they operate under the power of the Supreme Lord, their ability to protect the citizens is independent of material circumstances.
- The Ultimate Civic Duty: The true function of a godly state is to facilitate self-realization. By engaging their minds, words, and bodies in devotional service, the citizens are prepared for ultimate liberation.
- Returning to Godhead: The supreme perfection of being a citizen in the Lord's kingdom is liberation. Anyone who associated with the Lord as a citizen, friend, or servant during His reign on earth successfully returned to the spiritual world.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: God's Citizens - The Ideal Government of the Supreme Lord.
Pages in category "God's Citizens"
The following 18 pages are in this category, out of 18 total.
A
- All the citizens of Dvaraka awoke from a state of slumber because of the sunrise of Krsna, and they all hastened towards Him just to have an audience. The devotees of the Lord know no one else as protector
- All the inhabitants of Ayodhya who saw Lord Ramacandra as citizens, served Him as servants, sat and talked with Him as friends or were somehow or other present during His reign went back home, back to Godhead
- All were offered to the Lord, and the remnants of the foodstuff were distributed amongst the gathering citizens. So it was not like a dry reception of these modern days
- As already explained, the citizens of Dvaraka who lived at the time of Lord Krsna's presence there were all liberated souls who descended there along with the Lord as entourage
- As indicated here (in SB 9.10.50) by the words sva-dharma-nirata varnasrama-gunan-vitah, the people were good citizens (of Lord Ramacandra's kingdom) because they accepted the institution of varna and asrama
L
- Lord Ramacandra ruled His kingdom exactly as a father takes care of his children, and the citizens, being obliged to the good government of Lord Ramacandra, accepted the Lord as their father
- Lord Ramacandra, thought that "My citizens are criticizing Me." Immediately He separated, Laksmi-devi, Sita. This is ideal king, no criticism from the citizen, even Lord Ramacandra. This is called rajarsi
T
- The brahmanas, the intelligent men or great sages, would control the monarchical powers. Here (SB 4.17.9) we have an indication of how the brahmanas elected King Prthu to the throne as the protector of the citizens
- The citizens began to speak in ecstatic language to receive the Lord, just as wards welcome their guardian and father
- The King (Lord Ramacandra), being magnanimous and perfect in His duty, performed many sacrifices and treated the citizens as His sons, and the citizens, being trained in the varnasrama system, were obedient and perfectly ordered
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead is holding millions of planets in space without any support; similarly, Prthu Maharaja would not have had any difficulty supporting all his citizens and himself in space without the help of the planet earth
- The word utpatita-loka-salyah indicates that Maharaja Prthu completely uprooted all the miseries of his citizens. The word salya means "piercing thorns."