Prabhupāda: Just like still, animal sacrifice . . . not only the followers of Vedas, every religion—animal is killed or sacrificed under certain religious rituals, in the lower stage. In the higher stage there is no such animal sacrifice. Just like this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, there is no ritualistic process as animal sacrifice. But the Vedas, they will include everyone. Suppose one is addicted to fish-eating or meat-eating.
So the Vedas do not reject him also. He gives him direction that, "You . . . all right, you can eat meat, but not you can start slaughterhouse. You can sacrifice one goat in the presence of Goddess Kālī, and then you can eat." That means restriction. Goddess Kālī cannot be worshiped daily. So at least he is forbidden to eat daily meat. That is the idea.
Just like liquor shop is allowed by the government because there are drunkards. They must drink, but under restriction. You cannot keep liquor or wine more than the necessity. There is restriction. In India especially, there is very strict restriction. So similarly, the Vedic principle is to restrict sense gratification under certain rules and regulation. So the animal sacrifice is also restricted in that way.
But when people become too much animal-eater and simply giving the evidence of Vedas, "In the Vedas it is sanctioned," but without caring for the ritualistic process, at that time Lord Buddha appeared. It is said about Lord Buddha that sadaya-hṛdaya-darśita-paśu-ghātam (Daśāvatāra-stotra 9).
The Lord appeared as Lord Buddha, being compassionate on the poor animals, unrestricted.
So this animal-killing, no religion sanctions. In your Christian religion also, it is clearly stated, "Thou shall not kill." But who is caring for that? Nobody is caring. They are killing. Their killing process is increasing, and there is reaction also. Every ten years you will find one war, killing process upon you. How you can avoid?
There must be reaction. You cannot violate the laws of God. As you cannot violate the laws of the state, similarly, if you violate, you have to suffer. You cannot expect peace and you go on killing animals. That is not possible. If you want peace, then you must think for others also. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is God consciousness.
How you can kill another animal? He is also as good a child of God. A father has got some dozens of children. It may be one is useless, but that does not mean father will allow it to be killed . . . allow him to be killed. If the very intelligent child says: "My dear father, your . . . this son is useless. Let me kill him," the father will sanction? No, never. Similarly, the animal may be less intelligent. They cannot make protest. They are also nationals.
What do you mean by national? One who is born in America is national. Are the animals are not born in America? Are they not American nationals? But because they cannot make protest, they cannot make meeting, you are killing them. You see? Is that humanity? And you expect peace? That is not possible.
Violation of God, laws of God, one has to suffer, today or tomorrow. Today or tomorrow. Just like if you contaminate some disease germ, it may not be manifest immediately, but it will act someday. Similarly, if we contaminate sinful activities, it may not be immediately manifest, but you must wait for the reaction.
So Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to understand these things. It is not a bogus propaganda that, "You meditate fifteen minutes and you become God," nonsense. This is not such a movement. You have to understand your constitutional position. You have to understand what is God, what is law of God, how it is functioning. These are there. These are meant for human study. They are not meant for animals.
So when there are discrepancies of this violation of law, there is incarnation of God. So Lord Buddha appeared in that way.