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Because the living entities, they are trying to exploit the resources of this material nature. That is going on all over the world. A country is supposed to be very rich which has become able to exploit the material resources

Expressions researched:
"Because the living entities, they are trying to exploit the resources of this material nature. That is going on all over the world. A country is supposed to be very rich which has become able to exploit the material resources"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Because the living entities, they are trying to exploit the resources of this material nature. That is going on all over the world. A country is supposed to be very rich which has become able to exploit the material resources. So this is the . . . going on.

Kṛṣṇa, after analyzing the material elements—earth, water, fire, air, mind, intelligence, ego—he concluded that, "These eight kinds of prakṛti, energy, they are My separated energy. But above this energy, there is another, superior energy." Apareyam. Aparā means inferior. This matter is inferior, and the living entity, on account of having life, it is superior energy. Because the living entities, they are trying to exploit the resources of this material nature. That is going on all over the world. A country is supposed to be very rich which has become able to exploit the material resources. So this is the . . . going on.

The material nature and the spiritual nature . . . there are two natures. So spiritual nature, the living entities, although they are to be enjoyed . . . enjoyed by whom? Enjoyed by God, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that bhoktā, bhoktā aham, "I am the enjoyer." Just like in this temple, who is the enjoyer? Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer. We are helping to Kṛṣṇa's enjoyment. Kṛṣṇa will eat something very nice. Our business is to prepare it nicely and offer to Kṛṣṇa. He is enjoyer. He is enjoying His flute in the company of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. So His very position is enjoyer. And we are servants. We don't claim that we are on the equal level of Kṛṣṇa. That is not our philosophy. We claim to become servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of servant of Kṛṣṇa (CC Madhya 13.80). This is our position.

We don't say that . . . just like Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that he is God. Their self-realization means when one realizes by their philosophy so 'ham, "I am God. I am the same." That is their philosophy. And our philosophy is so 'ham, "I am the same quality. I am not the same person, but I am the same quality." We are the samples of Kṛṣṇa, very small particle. Just like if you take a drop of ocean water and you taste it, you can understand what is that ocean, what is the taste of the ocean. But you, as a drop of the ocean, you are not equal to the ocean. You are in quality the same, but in quantity we are different.

Therefore it is common sense, one who is smaller or weak, he is enjoyed by the stronger. That is the nature, you will find. In our daily dealings, what we are doing? That . . . ahastāni sahastānām (SB 1.13.47). Ahastāni. There are animals who have no hands. They have got legs. So ahastāni sahastānām. Both of we are animal. The goat, the cows, and there are many others, they are animals. We are also animals, or living entity. But those who have got hands, they eat the animals who have no hands. Ahastāni sahastānām, apadāni catuṣ-padām. And the living entities which cannot move, or who have no legs to move, just like trees, plants . . . they have also got legs, but that leg is meant for eating. Therefore the trees and plants are called pāda-pa. We pour water on the leg of the tree because they eat water through their legs. But that legs cannot move. Apadāni.

So apadāni, those living entities which cannot move, they are food for the catuṣ-padām, those who have got four legs—just like cows, goats and others. Phalgūni mahatāṁ tatra. Those who are weak, they are foodstuff for the strong. Phalgūni mahatāṁ tatra jīvo jīvasya jīvanam (SB 1.13.47). In this way, one living entity is food for the another. Then these animal killers, they may not be encouraged, "So then we are doing nice. Because one living entity is food for another, so we are eating every, anything. Any moving animals we can eat—bird, beast, goats, cows, horse, ass, whatever is available." Yes, you can eat. But that is the natural law for the animals and uncivilized man, not for the civilized man. Because one living entity is food for another living entity, you cannot eat your father, mother or children. Why? Because you are human being, you have got discrimination. Of course, in the human form of life, in Africa, they are cannibals. They eat their grandfather as a feast. They make a feast. And, you will be not surprised, they like to eat white man. Yes. In some parts of the Africa, they, whenever they get opportunity to kidnap a white man, they like to eat very much. (laughter)

So although the nature's law is like that—one animal or one living entity is the foodstuff for another—but that should be . . . there should be discrimination. So, so far we are concerned, Kṛṣṇa conscious men, we are not animals. We are perfect beings. We don't eat any living entity. Those who are lower-grade living entities, they are . . . this is the struggle. One living entity is the food for another living entity. That is lower-grade life. In the higher-grade life, no, they cannot kill anyone for eating purposes. Therefore in the Bible the First Commandment is, "Thou shall not kill." But all these Christians, they are violating the First Commandment. That is their business. Simply engaged in killing, big, big slaughterhouse. And they give the example that, "Others are eating vegetable. That is also killing." Yes, that is also killing. But that I have already explained, that because one living entity is foodstuff for another living entity, that does not mean you shall eat your family members or any human being. No. There must be discrimination. But so far we are concerned, we are not killing anybody for eating purposes. We are eating kṛṣṇa-prasāda, foodstuff which is offered to Kṛṣṇa, and then we eat. The remnants of foodstuff we eat.

Page Title:Because the living entities, they are trying to exploit the resources of this material nature. That is going on all over the world. A country is supposed to be very rich which has become able to exploit the material resources
Compiler:SharmisthaK
Created:2023-02-16, 07:11:36
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1