qualifications
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Imported quote 13143 The personal qualities of Dhruva Maharaja described herein are the exemplary qualities of a saintly king. Not only a king but also the leaders of a modern democratic or impersonal government must be qualified with all these godly characteristics. Then the citizens of the state can be happy. It is clearly stated here that the citizens thought of Dhruva Maharaja as their father; as a child, depending on the able father, is completely satisfied, so the citizens of the state, being protected by the state or the king, should remain satisfied in every respect. At the present moment, however, there is no guarantee by the government of even the primary necessities of life in the state, namely, the protection of the lives and property of the citizens.
(More...) Imported quote 13791 It is clear therefore that a person who is not well versed in the Vedic injunctions (veda-sastra-vit) should not run for election as president, governor, etc. Formerly kings were rajarsis, which meant that although they were serving as kings, they were as good as saintly persons because they would not transgress any of the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures and would rule under the direction of great saintly persons and brahmanas. According to this arrangement, modern presidents, governors and chief executive officers are all unworthy of their posts because they are not conversant with Vedic administrative knowledge and they do not take direction from great saintly persons and brahmanas. Because of his disobedience to the orders of the Vedas and the brahmanas, King Vena, Prthu Maharaja's father, was killed by the brahmanas. Prthu Maharaja therefore knew very well that it behooved him to rule the planet as the servant of saintly persons and brahmanas.
(More...) Imported quote 14897 Following the instruction of his father, Maharaja Priyavrata, Maharaja Agnidhra ruled the inhabitants of Jambūdvipa according to religious principles. These principles are exactly contrary to the modern principles of faithlessness. As clearly stated here, the King protected the citizens the way a father protects his begotten children. How he ruled the citizens is also described here-dharmaveksamanaḥ, strictly according to religious principles. It is the duty of the executive head of a state to see that the citizens strictly follow religious principles. The Vedic religious principles begin with varnasrama-dharma, the duties of the four varnas and four asramas. Dharma refers to principles given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The first principle of dharma, or religion, is to observe the duties of the four orders as enjoined by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. According to people's qualities and activities, society should be divided into brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sūdras and then again into brahmacaris, grhasthas, vanaprasthas and sannyasis. These are religious principles, and it is the duty of the head of state to see that his citizens strictly follow them. He should not merely act officially; he should be like a father who is always a well-wisher of his sons. Such a father strictly observes whether his sons are performing their duties, and sometimes he also punishes them.
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