In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find.
- vidyā-vinaya-sampanne
- brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
- śuni caiva śva-pāke ca
- paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ
- (BG 5.18)
One who is paṇḍita, one who is learned, he sees every living entity on the equal footing. Therefore a Vaiṣṇava is so compassionate. Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. They can actually do the beneficial work to the human being. They are seeing, actually feeling that all these living entities, they are part and parcel of God. Someway or other, they have fallen in the contact of this material world, and, according to different karma, they have assumed different types of bodies. So paṇḍita, those who are learned, they have no discrimination that: "This is animal, they should be sent to the slaughterhouse, and this is man, he'll eat it." No. A actually Kṛṣṇa conscious person, he's kind to everyone. Why the animals should be slaughtered. Therefore our philosophy is no meat-eating. No meat-eating. You cannot. So they'll not hear us. "Oh, what this nonsense? This is our food. Why shall I not eat?" Because edhamāna-madaḥ (SB 1.8.26). He's intoxicated rascal. He'll not hear the real fact.
Just like in the state, because a man is lying street, poor man, has no help, can I kill him? Will the state excuse me? "No I have killed one poor man. He had no necessity. There was no need for him in the society. So why should he live?" Will the state excuse me that: "You have done very nice work."? No. That poor man is also the subject of the citizen of the state. You cannot kill. Why not expand this philosophy, that the poor animal—the trees, the birds, beasts—they're also sons of God. You cannot kill. You'll be responsible. You'll be hanged. Just like by killing one poor man on the street you'll be hanged. Never mind it is poor. Similarly in God's eyes, there is no such discrimination. What to speak of God, even a learned man's vision, there is no such discrimination, "This is poor, this is rich, this is black, this is white, this is..." No. Everyone is living entity, part and parcel of God.
Therefore Vaiṣṇava is the only benefactor for all the living entities. They try to elevate. A Vaiṣṇava tries to elevate all living entities to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, Gosvāmīs. Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau tri-bhuvane mānyau śaraṇyākarau. A Vaiṣṇava has no such view that this is Indian, this is American, this is... Somebody questioned me somewhere that: "Why you have come to America?" Why not I shall come? I am servant of God, and this is kingdom of God. Why shall I not come? It is artificial to check me. If you check me, then you'll commit sinful activities. Just like government servant, police, has got right to enter any house, anyone's house. There is no trespass. Similarly a God's servant has got the right to go anywhere. Nobody can check. If he checks, then he'll be punished. Because everything belongs to God.
So in this way we have to see things as they are. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not a crippled idea. Therefore Kuntī says: janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhir edhamāna-madaḥ pumān (SB 1.8.26). Those who are increasing intoxication, such persons cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Such persons cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Edhamāna-madaḥ. Because they're intoxicated. Just like a intoxicated person, he is now fully intoxicated and talking nonsense. If somebody says: "My dear brother, you are talking nonsense. Here is father. Here is mother." Who cares for it? He's intoxicated. Similarly all these rascals, intoxicated rascals, if you say: "Here is God," they cannot understand. Because intoxicated. Therefore Kuntī says: tvām akiñcana-gocaram. So it is a good qualification, when one becomes freed from these intoxicants. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī... Good birth, good opulence, good education, good beauty. They can be used. When the same person becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious... Just like you American boys and girls are doing. You were intoxicated. But when the intoxication is over, you are doing better service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like when you go to India, they're surprised how these American boys and girls have become so mad after God. Because that, that teaches them that: "You rascal. You learn. Because you imitate from the Western countries. Now see here, the Western country boys and girls are dancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now you imitate." That was my policy.
So it is being fructified now. Yes. So everything can be utilized, Good parentage, if you utilize. If you remain intoxicated, do not utilize it, then it is not very good asset. But you can utilize it for good purpose. If you asset, if you utilize the asset for Kṛṣṇa's purpose, it will be better position. The same example. Just like zero. Zero has no value. But as soon as you put one before zero, it becomes ten immediately. Immediately ten. Another zero, hundred. Another zero, thousand. Similarly these janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī. So long you remain intoxicated with, it is all zero. But as soon as you put Kṛṣṇa, it becomes ten, hundred, thousand, millions. Yes. That is the opportunity. So you have got this opportunity. You American boys and girls, you have got this opportunity. You have got zeroes. Put Kṛṣṇa. You become ten. Yes.
Thank you very much.