CRUEL DOCTORS

Tamala Krsna: Oh, one girl now . . . There’s a devotee named Madhusudana. You may remember one of your disciples, his name is Madhusudana. Anyway, his cousin has joined us in New York. So this boy, he’s married to a girl who was the chief nurse for the biggest neurosurgeon in America, who operated on Kennedy. A very big man. So she told us something about the medical profession, some examples. She said the American doctors are extremely cruel, and one time she . . .

Prabhupada: Cruel they must be. They’re eating meat, raksasas.

Tamala Krsna: She was describing that one time they were all looking at this x-ray of one of the patients who had had severe pain. And inside the x-ray they saw that during the operation they had left the scissors and scalpel in the man’s body. And all the doctors were standing there laughing, as if it was a big joke. They thought it was a big joke. For a long time this patient had had much pain in the side, and he did not know why. Then they took x-ray, and they found a scissors and a scalpel left inside, and the doctors thought it was a big joke.

Prabhupada: Then again operated.

Tamala Krsna: Yes, another operation. Then another thing they were describing that there was a patient who was dying. There was no chance of his recovery, but still, in order to get . . . The man was a big man. So the television was covering because he was an important political figure. So the doctor performed this big brain operation, even though there was no purpose whatsoever, so that he could get advertised on the television as a very important doctor. And at one point he said, “Now bring in the television,” and he cut the man’s head and did a whole operation for no purpose at all. The person died anyway. But he was given advertisement that he was the most important surgeon. And they talk amongst themselves. She knew all this.

MERCY KILLING – HOW MUCH JUSTIFIABLE IS IT?

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda

Old men also should be taken care of. Nowadays the philosophy is coming: “mercy-killing.” “Old man should be killed to show him mercy because he is burden in the society.” The communistic theory. “Old man does not do anything and simply eats; therefore to show him mercy, he should be killed.” “Mercy-killing.” Just see the philosophy: “Killing is mercy!” But this is going on. If somebody comes (and says) that “I shall kill you for your benefit” – That he will be afraid of. But he is philosophizing, “mercy-killing.” This is going on. So one should be respectful also to the old men.

I AM TRYING TO TEACH WHAT YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krṣṇa Consciousness

Reporter: What do you try and teach, sir?

Prabhupāda: I am trying to teach what you have forgotten.

Devotees: Haribol! Hare Kṛṣṇa! (laughter)

Reporter: Which is what?

DO ANIMALS HAVE A SOUL OR NOT?

In Conversation with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Most religious people say, “We believe…” But what is the value of this belief? You may believe something which is not actually correct. For instance, some of the Christian people say, “We believe that animals have no soul.” That is not correct. They believe animals have no soul because they want to eat the animals, but actually animals do have a soul.

Mike Robinson: How do you know that the animal has a soul?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: You can know, also. Here is the scientific proof: the animal eats, you eat; the animal sleeps, you sleep; the animal has sex, you have sex; the animal also defends, you also defend. Then what is the difference between you and the animal? How can you say that you have a soul but the animal doesn’t?

Mike Robinson: I can see that completely. But the Christian scriptures say…

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Don’t bring in any scriptures; this is a commonsense topic. Try to understand. The animal is eating, you are eating; the animal is sleeping, you are sleeping; the animal is defending, you are defending; the animal is having sex, you are having sex; the animals have children, you have children; they have a living place, you have a living place. If the animal’s body is cut, there is blood; if your body is cut, there is blood. So, all these similarities are there. Now, why do you deny this one similarity, the presence of the soul? This is not logical. You have studied logic? In logic there is something called analogy. Analogy means drawing a conclusion by finding many points of similarity. If there are so many points of similarity between human beings and animals, why deny one similarity? That is not logic. That is not science.

Mike Robinson: But if you take that argument and use it the other way…

Śrīla Prabhupāda: There is no other way. If you are not arguing on the basis of logic, then you are not rational.

Mike Robinson: Yes, OK, but let’s start from another hypothesis. Suppose we assume that a human being has no soul…

GODLESS CIVILIZATION MEANS PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR COMMON SENSE

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Just like in your office you want to satisfy your boss. In your school or college you want to satisfy your teacher or principal. Similarly, the supreme teacher, the supreme boss, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). This is the sum and substance of bhāgavata-dharma, that one has to test the success of his activities. It doesn’t matter what it is.

Now at the present moment in a godless civilization, if some great scientist proves… Just like Professor Einstein, he also said that as we are making advance in science we find that there is a big brain behind this cosmic manifestation. That is acceptance of God. What is that big brain? That big brain is God. The Vedānta-sūtra says, janmady asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Just like when you see a wonderful bridge or wonderful engineering work, you must think that there is a brain behind it. This nice construction, there is a brain behind it.

PRIMARY QUALIFICATIONS WHICH A KING OR A LEADER MUST HAVE

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

The brāhmaṇas are the religious preceptors for all other castes, and the sannyāsīs are the spiritual masters for all the castes and orders of society. So also are the king and the public leaders who are responsible for the material welfare of all people. The progressive religionists and those who are responsible human beings or those who do not want to spoil their valuable human lives should refrain from all the principles of irreligiosity, especially illicit connection with women.

Srila Prabhupada giving spiritual advice to a government official

If a brāhmaṇa is not truthful, all his claims as a brāhmaṇa at once become null and void. If a sannyāsī is illicitly connected with women, all his claims as a sannyāsī at once become false. Similarly, if the king and the public leader are unnecessarily proud or habituated to drinking and smoking, certainly they become disqualified to discharge public welfare activities. Truthfulness is the basic principle for all religions. The four leaders of the human society, namely the sannyāsīs, the brāhmaṇa, the king and the public leader, must be tested crucially by their character and qualification.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOING TO THE HEAVENLY PLANETS AND GOING TO KRISHNA’S PLANET

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

If you want to go to the higher planetary systems by pious activities, then you can go there, yānti deva-vratā devān. You can go to the planet where Lord Brahma lives or where Indra lives or Chandra lives. Through the modern process, you can go to the moon planet by taking a sputnik or jet. But by (the sputnik or jet) you can go – whether you can go or not, that is up to you (to believe) – but you cannot stay there. That is not possible.

Krishna tends the cows in His Supreme Abode, Goloka Vrindavan

If you want to stay there, then yānti deva-vratā devān. You have to prepare yourself by worshiping that particular deva, or deity, demigod; then you will be admitted. Just like if you want to go to a foreign country you have to take the permission of the immigration department, visa, then you can go. If that law is there in this planet, why not for other planets? How can you go abruptly, by force? That is not possible. Yānti deva-vratā devān. You have to prepare yourself to go.

You can go there, but after this life. If you are sufficiently prepared to enter that particular type of planet, you can go there. Similarly, you can go to the planet where Krishna lives. Mad-yājino ‘pi yānti mām [Bg. 9.25]. So what is the difference between going to the higher planetary systems, heavenly planet, and going to the planet where Krishna lives?

WHY IS MEAT-EATING PROHIBITED?

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Five thousand years ago Krishna came to kill some of the demons. (At that time) not all of them were demons. But the next time, when Krishna will come, there will only be demons. Only demons.

Kalki avatāra. What is that stotra? Keśava dhr̥ta-kalki-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. So at that time Krishna will not preach Bhagavad-gītā. Kalki avatāra will simply come to cut the throat only. That will be the preaching. That will be preaching. Mleccha-nivaha-nidhane kalayasi karavālam, karālam. Karālam means death personified. Mleccha-nidhane. Mleccha means meat-eaters. Those who are meat-eaters, fish-eaters, they are mlecchas. Mleccha-yavana, they are called, according to Vedic…

Kalki Avatara

So people are becoming meat-eaters nowadays. There is no secrecy. Formerly, at least in India, the meat-eaters used to eat meat very secretly. We had seen in our childhood. If somebody will eat meat, it was not allowed within the house. They, formerly, rich men, they used to keep Muslim servants as the caretaker of the horse or the carriage driver. So in the horse stable they would secretly cook some meat, and the so-called Babu, Zamindar, would eat. It was not allowed. And those who were not rich — poor men, śūdra class—they would go to Kālī-ghāṭa, and get one goat, sacrifice there, and cook there and eat, then come back. Meat-eating was not at all allowed. The higher caste, especially the brāhmaṇas, they would never touch. Still in some provinces, in Maharastra province, in Madras… Of course, they are now taking.

STRUGGLE… A HEAVY STRUGGLE… A HARD STRUGGLE… THIS IS OUR ADVANCEMENT

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Human life is meant for tapasyā (austerities). We know in our Indian history all big, big kings, they went to the forest for tapasyā. King Bharata, Bharata Mahārāja, under whose name this planet is called Bhāratavarṣa, left his kingdom, young wife, children, everything, at the age of twenty-four years, and went for tapasyā. So also the Pāndavas. Everyone. The last stage of life should be especially meant for tapasyā. Not that up to the point of death we shall remain addicted to this worldly life. No.

Srila Prabhupada with Dr. J. Stilson Judah

This life is meant for purifying our existence. That means stop this cycle of birth and death. Janma-mrtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duhkha-doṣānudarśanam [Bg. 13.9]. We should always keep in front. We may be puffed up as very much advanced in material comfort, but, at the same time, you should keep in front, janma-mrtyu-jarā-vyādhi (birth, old age, disease and death).

A CLASSLESS SOCIETY WILL ONLY CREATE CHAOS AND CONFUSION

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

For a kṣatriya, killing is not sinful. For a brāhmaṇa, sacrificing an animal in the arena, that is not sinful. It is all explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: sa doṣam api na tyajet [Bg. 18.48]. Killing is bad, but a kṣatriya’s business is to kill. Without killing, one cannot become perfect kṣatriya. Because he has to give protection, and there are so many demons, rascals. So if the king becomes nonviolent, how other citizens will be given protection? No.

So the king’s business is that as soon as he sees an undesirable element, immediately he would kill him. That is real protection. Just like when Parīkṣit Mahārāja was going on tour, he saw one black man was trying to kill a cow. Immediately saw, “Who are you? You are trying to kill cow in my kingdom? I shall kill you.” He immediately took out his sword. This is king. Not that animals should not be given protection, only man should be given protection. No. Prajā.

Prajā means one who taken birth in the kingdom. That is called prajā. So animal is also American, man is also American, but there is no protection for the animal by the government. So that kind of government, rascal government, was not there. Equal right. Your country talks of equality. Why not equality to the animals? That is defect. It is due to the absence of Krishna consciousness. A Krishna conscious person will not distinguish like that.

The great Emperor Parikshit Maharaja subdues the evil Kali, thus protecting his subjects

For eating animal, they will philosophize that animal has no soul; therefore it can be killed. No. This is nonsense. Everyone has got soul. Even a small ant has got soul. But they have to kill. They have to eat. They are philosophizing in a different way. Lord Jesus Christ said, “Thou shalt not kill,” and now they are interpreting, “Killing means murdering human being.” But that is not in the Bible. So they are manufacturing their own ways of understanding Bible and ethical principles. Therefore it is becoming valueless.

One cannot change the words of the authority. If you believe in Lord Jesus Christ, you cannot make any change to your convenience. This is rascaldom. You cannot be a Christian if you violate the orders of Lord Jesus Christ. But they are doing so…

If kṣatriya becomes nonviolent… Just like our Mahatma Gandhi started nonviolence in politics. So that was a political policy, but in politics there is no question of nonviolence. That is foolishness. Actually, India gained independence not by nonviolence. That is a great history. India gained independence… Gandhi was fighting with nonviolence for thirty, thirty-five years; there was no result. But one of the leaders, when he ensued fighting, then within, I think, within one year the Britishers left. So in politics there is no question of nonviolence. So a king, a protector, kṣatriya… Kṣatriya means kṣat… Kṣat means injury, injury. And tra means deliver. So a kṣatriya’s business is to deliver a person who is going to be injured. That is kṣatriya. Just like this cow was going to be injured, and as soon as Mahārāja Parīkṣit saw it, he immediately took his sword to kill him. So this is kṣatriya.