SB4-11-8 - Страница 4

they could not understand,

they could not hear. That`s exactly what Pariksit Maharaja describes, that it

is very difficult for a butcher to hear good instruction. One who engages in

killing animals or one who pays for others to kill animals for him, or indulges

in eating the flesh of animals Х it is very difficult for them because of all

of this violence, to actually conceive that there is no need to kill. But yet,

a trully relligious person, he cannot tolerate the thought of a living entity

being unnecessarily killed. Without fail, whenever the argument is being

offered about killing animals for eating, then the arguments always come back,

"Well, what are you supposed to eat?" Because they cannot conceive that

actually one can subsist on grains, fruits and vegetables. They think, it`s

fully justified. And how do they justify? There are various ways of

justification. But we even see sometimes religious people, they justify it.

Just like once Srila Prabhupada had that conversation with Cardinal Danelu (?).

Here is a Cardinal. He`s supposed to be a very religious man. And Srila

Prabhupada was trying to convince him, "How can you kill your mother?" He was

using an argument how everyone has seven mothers. And cow is considered one of

our mother. She`s giving us milk. And this Cardinal is supposed to be a very

religious man? He uses so many statements from his scriptures, and he finds the

way to justify his behaviour. In the name of religion! So, even those who try

to justify their behaviour in the name of religion, they cannot understand the

proper path of religion. Being too addicted to sense gratification, they cannot

understand, they cannot hear. Even though a very good instruction is given,

they find a way to justify, that "It`s okay, God gave us animals to kill. It

sais in the Bible that the man has dominion over the animals. That means, we

can kill animals." But a man has dominion over his children. Why don`t you kill

your children? "Well, animals don`t have soul." This is another argument. And

then, when you try to show them that, "What is the simptom of life, of the

presence of the soul? Because a human being, when he is killed, or when his

body is pierced Х blood comes out. A human being expresses fear, when he is

attacked. He has consciousness. Look at the animal." (...) Srila Prabhupada

argues, "No, you say, that Jesus Christ didn`t know how to use his words

properly? If he said `human beings`, he would have said, `Thou should not

murder.` But he said `Thou should not kill.` So, therefore, no animal or any

species of life should be killed." In other words, one who is truly religious

person, or truly a sadhu, he will never justify his actions simply because of

his desire for sense gratification, which is what so many people do in the name

of religion. They justify their activities to which they are most attached to

simply because they are attached to sense gratification. In the name of

religion! Prabhupada explains right here, in the purport, "Why should a person,

who is already engaged in the service of the Lord, engage in personal sense

gratification?" In other words, Prabhupada is making an argument. Dhruva

Maharaja is engaged in the service of the Lord, "So now, why should you reduce

your devotional service in the name of sense gratification, and unjustifiably

kill and cause harm to others?" So, this is what Svayambhuva Manu is trying to

convince Dhruva Maharaja. Although, as we said, Dhruva Maharaja`s actions were

appropriate in the sense, because he should have punished those who had

unrightfully taken the life of his brother. But when he began seeking his

revenge, he could not controle his anger, and therefore he began killing

thousands and thousands of Yaksas. In his mind it was justified. He was

thinking, "They have killed my brother." So, he was justifying his actions in

this way. But Svayambhuva Manu came to correct the situation. He said, "Yes,

it`s proper for you to be angry, because a ksatriya should be angry. But it is

enough. Stop this killing." In fact, I think, Prabhupada even tells a story. He

sais, how Dhruva Maharaja should`ve behaved. When Svayambhuva Maharaja was

instructing him to stop killing, he said, "You`ve already been successful.

You`ve scared them enough. Your purpose has been accomplished." And the

Prabhupad tells a story of a serpant who was once preached to by Narada Muni.

Because a serpant by nature always bites. And when one is bitten by a serpant,

he is killed. But Narada Muni once, in his efforts to preach, he convinced a

serpant to stop biting. So, the serpant was very very anxious to execute the

order of Narada Muni. But many people would see him, and as soon as one sees a

serpant, they mistreat a serpant. So, sometimes they would throw rocks at him,

sometimes they would try to beat him with