Room Conversation – May 19, 1976, Honolulu

Room Conversation
-
May 19, 1976, Honolulu

760519R1-Honolulu [13:27 Minutes]

Why don't you kill your own child? Why discriminate?

[audio very indistinct throughout]

Prabhupada: ...[indistinct] going to be new form, this human form, you get immediately. Your sacrifice means [indistinct], special place you get immediately. This is the process. So he is not loser. And you have the right to query.

Siddha-svarūpa: [laughing] The fool who would choose…, say that, consciously [indistinct], really is not very intelligent.

Prabhupada: This is the process. Man is the one who takes all this risk. All right. Suffer. But the animal-killed, he is not...

Siddha-svarūpa: Yeah.

Prabhupada: He is not loser. This man who is killing, because, he is taking the risk of being killed by him.

Paramahamsa: What if the Christian says that killing plants would also then be prohibited?

Prabhupada: That is not your business. If you are Christian, your business is first to obey the orders of Christ. That is not your business.

Paramahamsa: You mean if, if… Well, see, he'll, he'll…, see, if I say that Jesus says "Don't kill," he doesn't say "Don't kill humans," he says "Don't kill." And if you're killing the animals for food, then actually you're going against this law because you're killing. But then he'll say...

Prabhupada: Does he think that the killing of animals and killing of the plants, the same? He thinks like that?

Paramahamsa: Uh, no. But he, he might...

Prabhupada: That he might, but that on the basis that he thinks like that...

Paramahamsa: Yes.

Prabhupada: ...that killing of a big cow and killing of the plant is the same. Does he think like that?

Paramahamsa: Uh, he would think like that.

Prabhupada: So that is also another nonsense. Why in your state, when you kill a man, you are hanged, and when you are killing an animal you are not? Why? Why? You are Christian. If you say killing of animal and killing of man is the same, then why you are hanged? Huh? Why you discriminate? Why don't you kill your own child? Why discriminate?

Paramahamsa: Yes. So they have to learn discrimination.

Prabhupada: Yes. Discrimination is the difference between a man and an animal. You can eat. Nature's law: that one life is food for another. And then you eat. There is no prohibition. That is the nature's law. And you have to obey the order of the Supreme. That is your business. Now, so far we are concerned, we are not killing anyone, either vegetable or animal. We are offering Krsna. So if Krsna orders that "Give Me patram puspam phalam [Bg 9.26]," and by His order I kill... This, this is not killing. If I take a fruit, if I take some flower, take some plant, this is not killing. You may accept it that it is killing; then it is Krsna's order. I am not ordering. Krsna is the Supreme. Just like the commander says to kill; therefore he kills [indistinct], for duty, and he will, and he [indistinct] to the [indistinct], commander says, "Come on, take this medal." But that does not mean that you kill at your whims, and want to get a medal. "Sir, you give the medal I kill this man." Now, give this medal." "No medal. Now you will be hanged. Now you will be hanged, that you wanted by your own." So we have to carry out the order. Then you can kill anyone. That is battle. Even Arjuna. Arjuna and Krsna... He did not want to kill, but Krsna said, "Yes, you must kill." "I shall kill my grandfather?" "Yes!" "I shall kill Dronacarya, my teacher?" "Yes! You must kill!" That was the whole argument, Bhagavad-gita. He hesitated. He is Vaisnava, no violence. He did not like. But Krsna: "Must kill! Must kill!"

So we have to carry out Krsna's order. Even if you think that these vegetables are being killed, it is not killing. If I take the fruit from the [indistinct]. But for argument's sake, if you say it is being killed, but that is not our responsibility; it is Krsna's responsibility. And so far Krsna is concerned, in the Vedas, apapa-viddham . He is never contaminated by any sinful reaction. Even superficially He is not. Literally killing His own uncle Kamsa. Does it mean that He is committing sin? To kill one's kinsmen, relative, father, like that, there is sin. And He is killing His uncle, maternal uncle, mother's brother. So you have to abide by the order.

That is your duty. Krsna says that to kill a cow and to kill a human being is the same sin. [indistinct] Krsna does not say. Krsna could have killed so many cows-they are tending cows, daily in 3 lakhs. He said go-raksya. Krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam [Bg 18.44]. And He actually protected cows. So we have to follow Krsna's order, we are Krsna consciousness. We shall give protection to the cows, and we shall prepare foodstuff, Krsna's order, and we take the prasadam. Is that troublesome? We are declaring Krsna conscious society. We do not do anything which is not ordered. Always do everything by His permission. This is our… Krsna ordered that drink cow's milk; we are taking. So what is your religion? Your religion: that "Thou shall not kill." As we follow Krsna's order, you should follow Christ. Then you are Christian.

Paramahamsa: There's...

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Paramahamsa: There's no possibility of people's understanding Jesus. Simply a matter... Because there's no, there is...

Prabhupada: They have no knowledge.

Paramahamsa: Yes.

Prabhupada: They are foolish. Everyone. Real difficulty all rascals. By this process wine, and intoxication and illicit sex, gambling, their process is that. They cannot understand. Therefore the only process is that let them hear Hare Krsna and take prasadam. Then gradually they will be cured. Then they will. First of all business, medicine and diet, medicine is Hare Krsna mantra and diet, encourage them, and they will come to Krsna Consciousness. [indistinct] That is Krsna Consciousness. Just like fire was spreading, [indistinct], they understand what is to be done.

Paramahamsa: Did Yogi Bhajan write you back? Did he respond to your letter to them? Not yet?

Prabhupada: No.

Siddha-svarūpa: Can I be excused? I've…, I have a…, I caught an influenza...

Prabhupada: Oh.

Siddha-svarūpa: ...so I have a slight fever. I will try to break it. Thank you very much.

Prabhupada: Hare Krsna. [end]