750406 - Morning Walk - Mayapur

Morning Walks by Date, 1975

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture

750406MW-MAYAPUR - April 06, 1975 - 13:12 Minutes

Prabhupāda: . . . not within the Vedic culture. Vedic culture means this varṇāśrama-dharma: four varṇas, four āśrama. And those who are lower than the śūdras, they are not in the Vedic culture, they are called caṇḍālas. Amongst these caṇḍālas, the mleccha, yavana, are also. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). They are also caṇḍālas, fifth status. Fourth status, up to śūdra, and then all fifth status. So amongst the fifth status, there are all meat-eaters, without any restriction. And there are dog-eaters. So amongst them, the fifth status, one who eats dog, he is considered most abominable.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Would a Vedic king try to prohibit such persons from eating . . .

Prabhupāda: No.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: . . . animals of any kind? Would a Vedic king try to prohibit the fifth-class men from eating the animals?

Prabhupāda: No. Animals, you can eat if you like. But there was no slaughterhouse. If you like, you can kill your own animal and eat. That was open. But the state did not maintain any slaughterhouse. And the third-class, fourth-class men, they would eat. So simply by saying that "You don't eat," they will not accept that. They're free, but the state would not maintain the slaughterhouse. At the present moment also, if the slaughterhouse are closed, then immediately seventy-five-percent meat-eating will be stopped. They maintain slaughterhouse, that is the most sinful activity.

Pañcadraviḍa: That was Nehru's contribution?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Pañcadraviḍa: Nehru started that slaughterhouse?

Prabhupāda: No, it is British contribution, the mlecchas. Before British period, even in Muhammadan period, there was no slaughterhouse, neither the public used to take cow's flesh. Still in Muhammadan country, Afghanistan, these places, they do not take cow's flesh. Lamb, goats. In the Vedic culture, the cow is recommended to be protected, not other animals. Other animals, the meat-eaters can eat.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Even the buffalo.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Buffalo.

Prabhupāda: Yes, buffaloes. Cow is very important animal. Therefore it is recommended to protect it. From social benefit point of view, it is essential that cow should be protected so that you can get lots of milk preparations and keep your health very nice. So many nice preparations can be made from milk. In New Vrindaban, the other farmers, they come, they are surprised to see: "Oh, so many nice preparations!" They are appreciating. They do not know. It is the industrialist who has introduced this meat-eating. Because they are attracting men from village to work in the factory, so they have made it a policy that "We shall eat cow's flesh. That's all. We don't require . . ." In Russia, practically, they eat only cow's flesh. They do not know anything else to eat.

Jagadīśa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, in your books you've stated that the position of the cow is as important as the position of the brāhmaṇa.

Prabhupāda: Hmm? Yes. Go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. We offer respect to Kṛṣṇa as the well-wisher of the cows and the brāhmaṇas. Brahminical culture and preparation from milk makes a man perfect for spiritual understanding. Therefore they are two very important items, go-brāhmaṇa hitāya ca. In the society, if there is no brahminical culture and no cow protection, that is animal society. That is not human society. We are trying to bring the animal society to human society to fulfill the mission of human life. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Prasādam distribution is very important?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: We find that when people taste the Sunday feast, it's so nice that they want to give up meat-eating.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: When people taste the Sunday Love Feast at the temple, it's so nice that they want to give up their meat-eating.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: At least, they express that sentiment.

Prabhupāda: No, they'll do if they are continually eating.

Jayādvaita: In New York so many people are coming, they want to start a Saturday feast also.

Prabhupāda: Do it.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Jaya.

Prabhupāda: Yes. There is no harm. We want to distribute all the days prasādam. Yes, if possible, give them all.

Nalinī-kānta: We've heard in America that they are eating their own children. They perform abortion, and then they take that fetus and they . . .

Brahmānanda: Yes.

Bhagavān: Who is that?

Brahmānanda: Some hippie cults.

Pañcadraviḍa: Andy Warhol . . .

Rāmeśvara: It's not widespread.

Brahmānanda: Eh?

Rāmeśvara: It is not widespread.

Nalinī-kānta: We've seen in the newspaper that . . .

Rāmeśvara: Hippies.

Prabhupāda: That will increase, this idea. They'll put forward some scientific method . . . (laughter) Yes. Now for the abortion the so-called scientists, they're explaining in a scientific way that "This is very good action." That I was talking with that Indian scientist. I gave him slaps: (laughter) "Rascal, you are scientist." The government engages that "Write scientific book for killing your own child." And they will accept: "Oh, it is scientific." That's all.

Pañcadraviḍa: Now the scientists . . .

Prabhupāda: Anything nonsense you do, that is scientific, artist.

Pañcadraviḍa: Now the scientists have another plan for changing all the plastic to eatable foodstuffs.

Prabhupāda: No.

Pañcadraviḍa: There's something they put on the plastic so you can now eat it.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like the Germans, they extracted fat from stool. And that was used as butter. This is scientific. They'll have to eat stool even. They have eaten. In the last war, concentrated camp, they have eaten their own stool. There was no food. So nature will punish them in that way. They'll eat everything. This godless civilization will lead people to such condition of life. Kadharya bhakṣaṇa kare, tara janma adho pate yaya. This life they will eat everything, all nonsense thing, and next life they become pig, cats, dogs. That's all. This will be.

Nalinī-kānta: The scientists are saying that milk is the major cause for heart attack. Milk is a very harmful food. It causes heart attack.

Prabhupāda: Just see. Milk is the miracle food, and they are condemning it by a scientific process.

Pañcadraviḍa: These Chinese people, they hate to drink milk. They like to take yogurt and butter and things, but they won't drink milk.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Is yogurt as healthy as milk?

Prabhupāda: No. Yogurt is healthy when you cannot digest properly. One who can digest, for him, milk is better.

Pañcadraviḍa: (heavy wind static) Even now the . . .

Prabhupāda: Where? (end)