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Sat

23

May

2009

Q&A: Not eating eggs a dogma?

Hare Krishna, Prabhus.
Please accept my fallen obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

 

Recently one of my friends accused the Vedas of dogma, when I was trying to explain to him why I would not purchase and distribute to him egg and cheese(possibly containing rennet), orientated foods. I told him that it is bad karma to even be involved in the distrubution of such foods as meat, fish, eggs and that there would be karmic reaction. He understood that but he then went on to argue that what if there was only eggs left to eat, he was starving and could not reach them and I could easily pass them to him. Would I pass them to him? I was thinking "no better to die chanting Hare Krishna than, eat some eggs at the last minute, die and become a chicken." But I replied "I don't know" because I sensed he would reject me if I said no. I went on to say I would like to know what would be the bona fide way of dealing with that situation too, and he said "what your following blindly, it just sounds like dogma!" I then tried to explain again- The discussion moved onto the topic of me not being able to fully understand unless I had contact with a practicing devotee who could help me understand the scripture fully, he then argued " I'm a Muslim (example), and it says here in the Q'uran that I should go out and kill loads of people, I don't have anyone around to help me understand what that really means. But I kind of feel its right and the truth, so I'm going to do it anyway (example)". He was comparing this to me not giving him eggs to eat on the basis of the Vedic scripture advising me not to do this. I was completely taken back by this and had become rather shaken, so he stopped. And I could not answer. I was amazed by his intelligent challenges but I had not the strength nor the knowledge to challenge this. But I would like to know what would be good answers to these challenges?

1. If there were only eggs left to eat, would you distribute them to the starving?
2. If the scripture says you should "not do like this" or "you should do this", how can that be proven to be the truth? (on the basis of the muslim Q'uran argument)

Thankyou,

Hari Bol!

 

Bhakta Sean, England

 

Hare Krsna, dear Sean prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

 

The only way how to know who your father is is to ask your mother. There's no other way. Because we are imperfect, we are meant to accept a superior authority. This is the first point to understand. There's no meaning of proving, because when we say prove we usually mean verify by these imperfect senses, or to be more specific accept the authority of our imperfect senses. Now, that does not mean we should accept any nonsense. One should accept a perfect authority, because if he accepts perfect authority than his conclusion will be perfect. But a person who accepts the authority of imperfect senses or someone who poses as a guru and is under the control of material nature will always remain on the level of ignorance. That is the difference between the inteligent and the asses. Perfect authority is Krsna, because no one is more perfect than God. If you think that Krsna is imperfect, or that He's not God you prove it. Take for example the Bhagavadgita, if he can find any flaw in the philosophy and logic Krsna has spoken than he can speak. But if he can't than his challanging is simply envy. Now the issue with eggs, yes if it's an emergency like for example you will die of hunger you can take it. The Vedas also say that one living entity eats another living entity and that's how the material world works. But that does not mean we should eat our children. There should be discrimination. We Krsna conscious devotees are not hung up on vegetarianism. Whether you eat meat or vegetables you are sinful because you are taking life : The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin. Bg.3.13 So we offer all the foods we take to Krsna beforehand according to His liking and He takes the sinful reaction. This is the main point. You can also ask your friend that if there are only eggs left in the planet, what does the chicken eats to give the egg?

 

PRABHUPADA SPEAKS OUT

Parivrajakacarya: You cannot get nim in Iran. I have never seen a nim tree in Iran.
Prabhupada: No tree. In the desert, where is tree? All desert. All this Middle East, desert. So they can be allowed to eat meat. Otherwise, what they'll eat? So everyone must eat something. So if there is no vegetation, if there is no sufficient, they can be allowed.
Parivrajakacarya: I visited some of these small villages in the south of Iran, and the tents of nomads who kept sheep, that was their life. They had a tent and they had hundreds of sheep, and they would move the tent every month. They would take the tent, for one month they would live here, next month they would move.
Prabhupāda: Why they're changing?
Parivrajakacarya: Because they're desert people. The sheep eat all the little green, and then they have to move on.
Pradyumna: Same thing as the Bible. When the sheep eat up all the green in that place, then they have to go to another place with their sheep. In the Bible the same thing. All that Abraham, Joseph...
Prabhupada: Bible was produced here, in this desert. Jerusalem is not far away. Mecca, (indistinct), Arabia.

Morning Walk
and Room Conversation
--
August 9, 1976, Tehran

 

Prabhupada: We therefore submit our statement as it is stated in Bhagavad-gītā. You cannot say that we are cheating, because we are presenting something authorized, which is accepted. That's all. So we are not cheater. You may accept or not accept; that is your business. But we are presenting something standard. That's all.
Harikesa: And it works.
Prabhupada: Works or not works... Suppose it does not work, but still, it is standard. You cannot deny it. Bhagavad-gītā is read all over the world.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Even the scientists are not in agreement over Darwin's theory.
Harikesa: Actually that's why they say we are dogmatic, because it never changes. It doesn't develop.
Prabhupada: How it can change? If it is correct, how it can be changed?
Harikesa: They have no experience of anything...
Pusta Krsna: They have no experience of any truth which lasts.
Prabhupada: Yes, that's it.
Harikesa: So they say we are dogmatic.
Prabhupada: It is not dogmatic. When I say, "Next February will be very nice season," it is not dogmatic. It is by experience. Last February or many other Februarys I have experienced. Therefore I say, "Next February will be like this." That is not cheating, neither dogmatic. That is experience. That example I gave many times, that a child asks from the father, "Father, what is this?" The father says, "My dear son, it is microphone. If you speak, it will be recorded." So I take it from my father this is microphone. So I may be child, but when I say, "It is microphone," that is correct because I have taken from the authority. If a child is asked, "What is this? Do you know?" if I say, "Yes, it is microphone," that is correct. And if he, the man, says, "How do you know it is microphone?" "My father said." Then he is correct. I may be disqualified as a child, but because I have taken the words from my qualified father, it is correct. That is our process. I don't claim that I am very big man, but we repeat only what we have heard from Kṛṣṇa. That's all. You may accept it, not accept. That is your business. Therefore I named it Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are speaking simply what Krsna has said, and we are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is. This is our business. Now, in the market so many things are being sold, not that everything has got all customers. Our Krsna consciousness may not be accepted by all. That is the case in everything. But what we are presenting, that is standard. We are not cheating.
Puṣṭa Krsna: Na danam na janam na sundarim. We are not simply looking for followers.
Prabhupada: Neither we are after false followers. If you agree, then you come. If you agree-"No illicit sex, no... Yes..." Why? There is no "Why?" You have to accept it. Then you come to me. That's all. If you like, you come; if you don't like, go away. I don't care for you. This is our policy. There is no "why?" You may say, "dogmatic," but it is not dogmatic but it is standard from Bhagavad-gītā, from Vedic literatures. Striya-suna-pana-dyuta yatra papas catur-vidhāh: "Wherever there are these four kinds of sinful activities, oh, that is very dangerous place." So we have taken it. [break] Now everyone, when there are so many cars... I saw one advertisement, Ford car, that "Bring all '79 cars and compare. Ours is the best." You cannot condemn him. It is advertisement. "Bring all '79 cars, others, and compare with our car." You can have your consent. That is not cheating. So we say like that, that "Bring all knowledge and compare with Bhagavad-gita's knowledge." Now it is up to you if you accept this or don't accept it. That is not cheating. But these rascals, they are simply placing some bogus theory without any authorized statement: "All of a sudden monkey once gave birth." And where is that authority?

Room Conversation
--
October 14, 1975, Johannesburg

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