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If you are slaughtering animals and you are comparing that killing of the vegetables and the killing of the animals is the same, then killing your son and killing an animal is also the same. Why do you discriminate?

Expressions researched:
"But just like jivo jivasya jivanam, then why don't you eat your own son? He is also jiva. Why do you discriminate" |"If you think killing of an animal and killing a vegetable is the same, then killing of your son and killing of animals or vegetable is the same. Why do you discriminate" |"suppose there is potato and there is your child. So would you like to kill your child in preference of potato"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam. That we also accept. But just like jīvo jīvasya jīvanam, then why don't you eat your own son? He is also jīva. Why do you discriminate? Therefore discrimination is the better part valor. We should know, we are also eating the vegetables. What kind of jīva, living entity we shall eat, that is to be discriminated. Not that because one living entity is food for another living entity, it does not mean I shall eat my own son.
Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- Mayapura, June 20, 1973:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is giving us chance, this human form of life, that "I give you all facilities, all the supplies, necessities of your life. The river will serve you, the hills will serve, the mountains will serve you, the ocean will serve you, the forest will serve you, the vegetables will serve, the animals will serve you, everyone will serve you. Now you have got human form of life. You take service from them, live peacefully, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." This is the arrangement. But these rascals, they'll not chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. They want to predominate over these hills, mountains, rivers, animals. In the Bible, it is said the animals are given under the control of human beings, man. Is it not? They have taken it. And because the animals are given under the control of man, therefore man should open slaughterhouse and eat them? Suppose if somebody gives his son, "Sir, will you take my son? Keep him under your control." Does it mean I shall eat him? These rascals interpret in that way. Because the animals are given under the control of man, therefore there should be slaughterhouse, the animals will be killed, and they will eat. This is their interpretation of the Bible, is it not? Who knows Bible? Anyone? Nobody knows Bible? Have you forgotten? Anyway...

Devotee: In the Koran it is also said.

Prabhupāda: Huh? In the Koran also it is said, yes, that animals are under the control of man. That is naturally. Just like...

Devotee: They say it is for the purpose of eating, fish(?) are created for the purpose of eating.

Prabhupāda: That is also in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, that jīvo jīvasya jīvanam. That we also accept. But just like jīvo jīvasya jīvanam, then why don't you eat your own son? He is also jīva. Why do you discriminate? Therefore discrimination is the better part valor. We should know, we are also eating the vegetables. What kind of jīva, living entity we shall eat, that is to be discriminated. Not that because one living entity is food for another living entity, it does not mean I shall eat my own son. I am father. We do not do that. Because we use our discrimination.

Similarly, in the human form of life there should be discrimination. We have to eat. We have to eat. Discrimination means (indistinct), that what kind of food I shall eat. Suppose the hogs, they eat stool. Does it mean because the stool is also food, I shall eat that? That is discrimination. If you say that everything is food, then why don't you eat stool? One man's food, another man's poison. That is... What is to be eaten, what is not to be eaten, that is discrimination. Now our discrimination is, because human life is meant for becoming God conscious, Kṛṣṇa conscious, we have to act in God consciousness. We have taken vow that we shall eat the remnants of foodstuff, prasāda, from Kṛṣṇa. Now, what Kṛṣṇa wants? Kṛṣṇa says patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Kṛṣṇa says "Give Me vegetable, water." "Anyone who offers Me in devotion." So we have to eat Kṛṣṇa prasādam. Although animals are meant for eating by the man. That is stated in the (indistinct). Ahastāni sahastānām apadāni catuṣ-padām. Ahastāni, they haven't got hands(?). Ahastāni. (indistinct) sahastānām, they are food of the human being. So ahastāni sahastānām apadāni catuṣ-padām. Just like the creepers, grass, and vegetables. Catuṣ-padām. They're food for the four-legged. Phalgūni jīvo jīvasya jīvanam.

So, in this way, there is order that one life is meant eaten by another. That is nature's law. But we should use discrimination what kind of foodstuff, what kind of living entities we shall eat. That Kṛṣṇa... (?). We have taken vow to eat only Kṛṣṇa's prasādam. There is something. Whatever Kṛṣṇa orders. So that is a fact that each and every living entity is meant for another living entity for eating. When we get human form of life, the animals, they, just like, another eat vegetables. Similarly, the cows. Nature's law is there. Although one animal is meant for by another these animals, they use their discrimination by nature's law. Tigers will never come to your garden to eat fruits and vegetables. No. By nature, they have got teeth and jaws to kill another animal. They want to eat, drink blood, fresh blood. Nature has given them all the provisions for that. Similarly, we human beings, this is scientific. Our teeth are meant for eating fruits. That is one Dr. Cooney, in your Germany. He said that... And actually, if you eat fruits and milk, you will have never any kind of sickness. That's a fact. So they're also life.

So we should use our discrimination. We... We, our only business is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. So under Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we cannot eat anything which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa says: patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Kṛṣṇa does not say that "You give me meat, eggs and fish." Kṛṣṇa does not say.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Now, suppose there is potato and there is your child. So would you like to kill your child in preference of potato? Why this discrimination? You are to kill, but you have to discriminate what kind of killing you shall do.
Garden Conversation with Mahadeva's Mother and Jesuit Priest -- July 25, 1973, London:

Jesuit Priest: No, but... By, fa..., er, look at it this way. You've just said a few minutes ago there are eight million different kinds of life. Would you agree that the potato, the cabbage...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jesuit Priest: ...and what have you also has a life?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jesuit Priest: Because there's vegetative life, there's sensitive life, there's rational life...

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Jesuit Priest: :...there's supernatural life, and there's a life of God.

Prabhupāda: Yes

Jesuit Priest: All right. And therefore—I'm not being facetious—when you boil those potatoes, you are taking away the life of that potato.

Prabhupāda: So what is your philosophy? That you can take any life?

Jesuit Priest: But you said, "Thou shall not kill."

Prabhupāda: No, no. Yes. "Thou shall not kill." That's all right.

Jesuit Priest: But you kill the potato.

Prabhupāda: Now, suppose there is potato and there is your child. So would you like to kill your child in preference of potato?

Mother: No, no.

Jesuit Priest: You've not answered my question.

Prabhupāda: Why this discrimination?

Jesuit Priest: Why you've not answered my question?

Prabhupāda: Yes, I am answering you, that you are to kill, but you have to discriminate what kind of killing you shall do.

Jesuit Priest: Well, I've just said that. I gave the example of the chap who comes to you with a revolver. I can maybe protect myself. You said... You're implying...

Prabhupāda: No, no. When somebody comes with a revolver, you defend. That is another thing. But if somebody's innocent, why you should kill?

Jesuit Priest: And I say I shouldn't. God said, "Thou shalt not kill."

Prabhupāda: Then why you are killing animals?

Jesuit Priest: Well, you're doing it when you eat your potatoes.

Prabhupāda: No, the potato is not animal.

Jesuit Priest: It's a vegetable, life.

Prabhupāda: No.

Jesuit Priest: It starts with a little tiny seed. That's life.

Prabhupāda: No, no, no.

Jesuit Priest: It grows.

Prabhupāda: Potato is not animal. It is fruit.

Jesuit Priest: Is that tree alive?

Prabhupāda: It is a fruit.

Jesuit Priest: Is that tree alive?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jesuit Priest: Has it got life?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jesuit Priest: Are you doing anything wrong when you cut it down...?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jesuit Priest: ...to provide...?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jesuit Priest: ...to provide...?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, yes.

Jesuit Priest: You are doing something wrong?

Prabhupāda: We don't cut down trees unnecessarily. Unnecessarily.

Jesuit Priest: No, but, but, uh, but, uh, but, uh... I don't kill...

Prabhupāda: No. But the... I have asked this question to so many people, that "Why you are killing although it is prohibited, 'Thou shall not kill.'?" They cannot give me any satisfactory answer.

Jesuit Priest: Well, I think I've given you one. I'm just thinking in a way...

Prabhupāda: Innocent animal killing and taking a potato from the tree, you are making equalized. It is not very...

Jesuit Priest: Oh, no, I'm not (indistinct) and saying. All I'm saying is if you're logical and accept different...

Prabhupāda: This is logical. Now...

Jesuit Priest: ...kinds of life.

Prabhupāda: I have to live. We agree that we have to live by eating another living entity. Jivo jīvasya jīvanam. But if I eat this grass, taken some grass, and if I eat some animal, do you think they are equal?

Jesuit Priest: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Equal? Then why don't you kill your child, own child?

Jesuit Priest: Because there's a, I mean, a... That's, that's... Logical. I just tried to show you the difference between...

Prabhupāda: Now, we don't agree that...

Jesuit Priest: ...vegetative life, sensitive life and rational life.

Prabhupāda: ... that innocent... That... That's all right.

Revatīnandana: Rational? Animals have got rationality.

Jesuit Priest: No they haven't. Omnia animalia intelectu carent.(?) (Latin)

Revatīnandana: Even your...

Jesuit Priest: This is bringing out exactly...

Revatīnandana: Even your own psychologists will display to you rational life in the monkeys.

Jesuit Priest: No, no.

Revatīnandana: And so many other animals. Rats.

Jesuit Priest: No.

Revatīnandana: They make rational decisions.

Jesuit Priest: No they don't.

Revatīnandana: Oh?

Jesuit Priest: Well, I mean it's been accepted. ...

Revatīnandana: Your own psychologists will display that to you.

Jesuit Priest: Well, all I can say is it's been accepted in the teaching of not many western philosophers...

Revatīnandana: Not eastern philosophers.

Jesuit Priest: But all eastern philosophers... Omnia animalia intellectu carent.(?) (Latin) And now, as Mrs. Christie just said, if you've done a bit of study...

Prabhupāda: So because, because some animal is not intelligent, you are right to kill?

Jesuit Priest: No, no, no. We're not talking about killing. He, his theme now, that there's no difference between us and the dog.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Yes.

Revatīnandana: You're more intelligent than a dog—to some degree.

Prabhupāda: No, if...

Jesuit Priest: So in other words, if we are, all of us here...

Prabhupāda: Even the animal is not intelligent, you cannot kill. Because your child is also not intelligent, so that does not mean you can kill your child.

Jesuit Priest: Oh, but nobody, I'd, nobody'd, nobody'd, master, nobody'd for one second would think about killing a child.

Prabhupāda: No, no. That is not a very good reasoning, that because the animal is not intelligent, they may be killed. That is not very good reason.

Jesuit Priest: Oh, no, that isn't the reason. That isn't the reason why we kill it. We kill the animal because we need it for a means of living.

Prabhupāda: No...

Jesuit Priest: As food.

Prabhupāda: You need it... Just like if you can get nice fruits, grains, milk, why do you need animal? You have to eat. You have to eat and live. Not to kill. Similarly, that if you can get nice foodstuff from food grains, from fruits, from flowers, from vegetables, from milk, why you should kill the animals?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

It is a fact that an animal is eating another animal. It may be vegetables or animals, but they are disturbing. Therefore it is said, "As it is allotted." You should eat such and such. Not that indiscriminately you can eat everything. If you think killing of an animal and killing a vegetable is the same, then killing of your son and killing of animals or vegetable is the same. Why do you discriminate?
Morning Walk -- May 7, 1975, Perth:

Gaṇeśa: Some people say that in our philosophy, if we do not wish to slaughter the animals, what about the trees? We are killing the plants. They are also living entities.

Prabhupāda: If you compare the animals and the trees as the same, then why not kill yourself, your brother? Why do you distinguish? Why don't you slaughter your own son? Why do you distinguish?

Gaṇeśa: He's a relative.

Prabhupāda: You discriminate. If you are slaughtering animals and you are comparing that killing of the vegetables and the killing of the animals is the same, then killing your son and killing an animal is also the same. Why do you discriminate? Just kill your own son and eat.

Paramahaṁsa: He's a human being, though.

Prabhupāda: Ah, therefore there is discrimination. Discrimination is the better part of valor. Whom should we kill? It is all right. Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam. But there is important. If you eat vegetables there is no crisis, you can go on. It is a fact that an animal is eating another animal. It may be vegetables or animals, but they are disturbing. Therefore it is said, "As it is allotted." You should eat such and such. Not that indiscriminately you can eat everything. If you think killing of an animal and killing a vegetable is the same, then killing of your son and killing of animals or vegetable is the same. Why do you discriminate? What is your answer?

Gaṇeśa: So if we discriminate between the animals and the plants, well what about the discrimination between the human beings and the animals? Is it not all right to kill animals and not human beings?

Prabhupāda: No. You discriminate actually. You do not kill human beings, but you kill animals. Similarly you discriminate: instead of killing animals, kill vegetables. Importance. Just like this grass. There is enough supply of grass, but you cannot have enough supply of cows. Therefore discrimination is that it is better to live on grass than on animals. Now, still they are eating seventy-five percent other than animals. They are not eating only animals. Why not twenty-five percent more? In the market they are not eating animal. When the animal-eaters I see, they have got a little flesh, surrounded by salad and these peas and so many other things. Why don't you eat only meat?

Śrutakīrti: Because we require a balanced diet.

Prabhupāda: No, you cannot supply. If everyone eats meat only, then one day all animals will be finished.

Paramahaṁsa: But we want to have a balanced diet with meat, and vegetables and fruit.

Prabhupāda: That balance of diet can be done by grains and vegetables. Why should we kill animals? We know that, the balance can be done. You learn from us that balanced food can be done.

Amogha: But in the Bible it says that God gave animals to the man.

Prabhupāda: For protection. Not for eating. Rascals. Bible does not say that you kill animals. Then Jesus Christ is a hypocrite. His commandment is, "Thou shalt not kill." If he allows killing, then why does he say, "Thou shalt not kill"? Then you prove that Jesus Christ is a hypocrite. Are you following a hypocrite? Nonsense.

Paramahaṁsa: So we understand. We will stop eating meat, but we can still eat fish and eggs. Because there are plenty of fish and plenty of eggs.

Prabhupāda: That is also better than killing animals.

Amogha: Jesus also gave fish to the people in one part of the Bible.

Prabhupāda: When there is no other food, you have to take anything. That is another thing. But when there are other foods, grains and vegetables, why should you eat anything? You have to eat and live. So if you can eat and live innocently, why should you kill? Then, Christ says "Thou shall not kill." Was he a fool, rascal, that he advised "Thou shall not kill"? He had no idea?

Śrutakīrti: But he meant kill other people.

Prabhupāda: No. That is your interpretation, rascal's interpretation.

Amogha: All the priests say that.

Prabhupāda: He says clearly, "Thou shall not kill." And when I cut grass, it is not called killing. You should know dictionary. Because you are uneducated, you do not know the meaning of the dictionary.

Śrutakīrti: But I'm just a common Christian. I'm following my authority. They say it's all right. The Pope.

Paramahaṁsa: He's the supreme authority. The Pope is eating meat.

Prabhupāda: That means from the supreme down to the rascal everyone is rascal. That proves it, that all of you are a set of rascaldom.

Page Title:If you are slaughtering animals and you are comparing that killing of the vegetables and the killing of the animals is the same, then killing your son and killing an animal is also the same. Why do you discriminate?
Compiler:Labangalatika
Created:22 of Aug, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=2, Let=0
No. of Quotes:3