Responsibility of Educated Men in Human Society

Education grants influence and leadership, but Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that these gifts must be guided by spiritual understanding. When educated men lack knowledge of the self and the Supreme Lord, their learning becomes a source of pride and confusion rather than illumination. True education culminates in responsibility toward God and humanity.

Education Without Spiritual Knowledge

Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently criticizes education that ignores spiritual identity. Such learning may produce technical skill, but it fails to answer life’s fundamental questions.

• Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, jada-vidya sab, mayara vaibhava, jibake koroye gadha (Kalyana-kalpa-taru). He has said like that, that so far advancement of material education means that so-called educated man is becoming more, more, more an ass.
• One may say that there are so many big, big men, educated, learned. Krsna says, mayayapahrta-jnana. Although they have learned so many knowledge, still, maya has taken. The real knowledge has been taken.

Educated Men and the Illusion of Advancement

Material success, wealth, or social position cannot protect one from the miseries of material existence. Educated men often mistake temporary achievement for real progress.

• Because you are rich man, because you are beautiful man, because you are educated man, because you are born in a aristocratic family, that does not mean that you have avoided death, old age and disease.
• If a man is chopped of his head, and if he has got attraction, then he becomes a ghost without head. So at the present moment, all these so-called educated civilized men are ghosts without head.

The Duty of Educated Men to Lead Society

Śrīla Prabhupāda calls upon educated men to accept Bhagavad-gītā and use their intelligence for uplifting society rather than exploiting it.

• I am calling upon you the big leaders to push this idea forward, namely, to attract some educated men to join us.
• I require the cooperation of the Indian, especially young men, educated men. Come forward. Stay with us. Study Bhagavad-gita. We haven't got anything to manufacture. Nothing to manufacture. And what we can manufacture? We are all imperfect.

Educated Men in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness

When educated men receive knowledge from a bona fide spiritual master, their intelligence becomes purified and effective for real welfare work.

• Although only five years old, Prahlada Maharaja speaks just like a very experienced and educated man because he received knowledge from his spiritual master, Narada Muni.
• You are all educated men. You study this philosophy, try to understand; also join. It is your duty, because you are Indian. Caitanya Mahaprabhu entrusted this mission to the Indians. Indians are meant for doing good to others. That is Caitanya's mission.

Conclusion

Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that education finds its perfection only when it leads to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Educated men hold great power to shape society, but without spiritual knowledge they mislead both themselves and others. When guided by Bhagavad-gītā and devotional service, educated men can fulfill their true responsibility and bring genuine benefit to the world.

Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani

Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Educated Men. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.