A Sober Man

“As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.21)

The mistreatment of animals is often a bone of contention between the followers of the different religious traditions of the world. Though the Bhagavad-gita, the Song of God and ultimate synopsis on Vedic teachings, informs us that the soul can never be killed by anyone, mankind still does not have license to go on an unnecessary killing spree. Not only should our fellow man be afforded the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but so should the animal community. When one is free of the effects of intoxication and unnecessary animal slaughter, they can take the necessary steps towards the ultimate objective in life: reviving one’s dormant God consciousness.

When Lord Krishna – the Supreme Personality of Godhead and all-attractive, original form of the Lord – declares in the Bhagavad-gita that the sober person, the self-realized soul, is not bewildered by the various changes of the body, it would stand to reason that avoiding intoxication would similarly play an important role in the acquisition of knowledge. For example, most of us would agree that performing the essential functions of life would be made much more difficult if we were intoxicated while performing them. Drunk driving is a perfect illustration of this. Driving is a dangerous enough activity, but when the motor functions of the driver are impaired due to inebriation, the car essentially turns into a loose cannon, the most dangerous of weapons. Not only do drunk drivers harm themselves, but they often kill other innocent drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. Therefore we can logically conclude that the importance of sobriety only increases with the difficulty of the task.

“Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 8.6)

The most difficult task in this world is the altering of consciousness. The Bhagavad-gita states that whatever consciousness we possess at the time of death is the state we will attain to in the next life. This information provides much more clarity in explaining the different circumstances that we are born into. The plight of the poor and the downtrodden is often bemoaned by the kind-hearted and noble souls whose ultimate aim is to enjoy life. After all, the neophyte understanding of religion follows the conclusion that man is put on earth to enjoy while at the same time pledging allegiance to a specific spiritual figure. After enjoying for some time on earth, the individual goes to heaven automatically at the time of death.

Such a mindset represents an immature thought process because it fails to account for the individuals who don’t even make it out of the womb of their mothers. If the point of life – a life which apparently can only be instantiated once through all of history – is to enjoy, how does that square with those who are born in rotten circumstances? How does this purpose of enjoyment explain all the suffering that is endured? Moreover, the methods of enjoyment certainly do vary, so what can actually be deemed as an enjoyable life experience? For example, one person may be very wealthy but at the same time always miserable due to worries of losing their savings, business, or lavish lifestyle. On the flip side, another person may be a simple farmer who sits quietly all day in peace, not bothering anyone. According to the angle of vision of those who subscribe to the material enjoyment philosophy of life, the farmer is deemed to be less satisfied than the wealthy businessmen; yet in reality just the opposite situation is seen.

Enjoyment and happiness come from consciousness rather than simple acquisitions, relationships, and personal circumstances. Moreover, this consciousness is perpetual; it remains with the individual at all times. Since the individual goes through many lifetimes on earth, its identity comes from the soul rather than the body. The soul has consciousness, a mindset which carries it to its next life.

“The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air carries aromas.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 15.18)

These are facts of science and not just dogmatic principles exclusive to the Bhagavad-gita. Indeed, evidence of the effects of consciousness are already visible in our daily lives. Not only does consciousness determine our happiness and distress, but it also drives our activities. Since our activities lead to interactions with nature, the outer covering of the soul, or the body, must go through changes. So we see that the changes to the body are actually driven by consciousness. At the time of death, this mindset, which is full of desires, is measured, and a commensurate new body is immediately provided for the soul.

Since consciousness is more important than the activities the body takes up, the aim of life is to purify our way of thinking. Simply enjoying the senses surely isn’t enough to provide ultimate satisfaction, for it does little to purify our consciousness. If our mindset is not purified by the time of death, we are guaranteed to receive a new body in the next life and start all over again in our attempts at purification.

The first requirement for understanding these basic concepts of spiritual life is sobriety. While intoxication hampers our attempts to understand high philosophy, another activity is equally as inhibiting. This activity is the unnecessary killing of innocent animals, which manifests today through the existence of slaughterhouses. In the Vedic system, amongst the highest class of transcendentalists, the brahmanas, if another person is known to be a meat-eater or a regular drinker of alcohol, they are referred to by derogatory terms such as mleccha and yavana. Notice that the brahmanas don’t apply these labels based on a person’s wealth, social standing, or physical appearance. A person could be living in the most downtrodden of circumstances and still maintain their purity, provided that they refrain from these two most damaging of activities. A brahmana, a saintly man who understands the spiritual equality of all forms of life, strictly refrains from eating meat and drinking alcohol because of the effects these activities have on consciousness and the ability to understand the differences between matter and spirit.

“The word yavana means ‘meat-eater.’ Anyone from a meat-eating community is called a yavana. One who does not strictly observe the Vedic regulative principles is called a mleccha.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Madhya, 18.213 Purport)

Ironically enough, some of the world’s most prominent religious traditions see no problem with slaughterhouses. It is one thing for people in general to not have issues with meat eating, for the majority of meat eaters don’t have to personally kill the animals. If they did, many of them would not be able to do so. It is much easier to eat the flesh of an animal that somebody else killed rather than to actually take the knife to the animal’s throat yourself. The heart of the issue lies with the religious leaders. As mentioned before, bona fide brahmanas – those who exhibit the qualities of peacefulness, knowledge, forgiveness, and devotion to God – expressly refrain from meat eating. Since they know that all forms of life have a soul in them, they understand that there is no reason to take to unnecessary animal killing. Moreover, adherence to this restriction is not dependent on the actions of others. For instance, if ninety-nine percent of society were to take to animal killing and intoxication, the true brahmana still wouldn’t budge on the issue. It is for this reason that the brahmanas are deemed as the spiritual leaders of society, the standard bearers for purity in religious practice.

“Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 3.21)

In the same vein, if a spiritual leader has no problem with unnecessary animal killing, others most certainly won’t either. A good leader is one who sets the bar high so that others will have lofty expectations and goals to shoot for. Surely giving up meat eating would be difficult for those who are accustomed to it, but there is no chance of the practice stopping if the leaders of a particular spiritual movement are staunch meat eaters themselves. A Christian is one who believes in and follows the teachings of Lord Jesus Christ. One would be hard pressed to imagine Jesus ever opening up a slaughterhouse where innocent cows were killed by the millions each year. Yet this is precisely what occurs today, with the intellectually vacant argument of animals not having souls given as justification. The idea of animals being soulless is directly contradicted by the leaders themselves. For example, the killing of cats and dogs is strictly prohibited on the grounds of inhumane treatment of animals. Michael Vick, the infamous NFL quarterback, was vilified in public and eventually sent to jail for his violent behavior towards dogs. Moreover, the killing of infants, who are less intelligent than many animals, is also prohibited. If cats and dogs are without souls, then what is the harm in killing them?

The flawed arguments are put forth out of the strong desire to satisfy the tongue. As mentioned before, the aim of life is to purify one’s consciousness, so strict rules and regulations don’t always have to be followed to achieve a higher level of understanding. But at the same time, when stumbling blocks are encountered, especially by those who are accustomed to sense gratification, they must be removed. The demands of the tongue represent one of the greatest hindrances towards the acquisition of spiritual knowledge. For this reason teachers in the Vedic tradition advise everyone to put forth their best effort at controlling this vital organ, the tongue. By abstaining from eating animal flesh, not only does one’s karma improve, but so does their sobriety. A person who respects innocent forms of life will have a clearer mind that is more capable of understanding the constitutional position of the soul, the differences between matter and spirit, and the ultimate favorable condition in life.

The Vedas inform us that the Supreme Divine Entity is a person who has a transcendental and blissful body. Not only does He possess a form, but He has a transcendental realm, a kingdom of Godhead if you will. One whose consciousness is fixed on this Divine Entity at the time of death immediately ascends to the spiritual sky. Just as there is variety in the present world amongst different life forms which all take their identities from the spirit soul within, so the spiritual world is full of transcendental variegatedness. In Krishna’s favorite abode, Goloka Vrindavana, there are many transcendental species besides human beings. Cows are especially prominent in this land, as are deer, butterflies, and a host of other animals. In this way, we see that the Supreme Lord Himself has respect for all forms of life. If we follow His teachings and His example, we can reach the ultimate destination. The first step is to refrain from the most sinful activities of meat eating, intoxication, gambling, and illicit sex life. Following these simple and straightforward restrictions, the rest of our time can be spent in devotional service. When the aim of life is taken to be Krishna’s satisfaction, one’s consciousness is sure to be purified. By respecting innocent forms of life and by regularly chanting “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, we can reach the final destination of the spiritual sky.

Lost in Ignorance

“Arrogance, pride, anger, conceit, harshness and ignorance—these qualities belong to those of demonic nature, O son of Pritha.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 16.4)

All individual souls are equal in their constitutional position. Similar to how we are advised to not judge a book by its cover, the outer dress of the spirit soul is misleading with respect to identification and attribute possession. The spirit soul – an entity which is anatomically independent and yet dependent on the divine will at the same time – forms the basis of identity in all forms of life. This soul is so amazing that its presence can only be realized through outwards symptoms such as the movements and growth cycles of material bodies. The presence of the soul is best exhibited during the events of birth and death, wherein the soul respectively enters and exits its temporary apartment. Once this dwelling is entered, it starts to grow and leave byproducts. Upon the exit of the soul from the dwelling, the same body immediately starts to decay. Therefore it can be concluded that the soul itself is the master of the house, the guiding force behind the changes we see around us.

Though the soul is powerful and naturally knowledgeable, when it gets placed into one of these temporary homes, its natural splendor is hidden. This is similar to how darkness prevails over the land when the sun sets. The sun really hasn’t gone anywhere, for the earth’s rotation has caused it to be temporarily taken out of sight. Darkness is simply the absence of light, the covering up of the immense spark known as the sun. When the soul is covered up by material elements, the natural propensity for knowledge is similarly shrouded, with the most obvious indication of this cloak being the false identification that is adopted by the majority of the conditioned souls. This false identification can take many forms but it begins with the use of the terms “I” and “Mine”. “I” is taken to be the body, and anything it interacts with and enjoys is considered to be “Mine”. In reality, these external objects are merely manifestations of material elements, those created by divine beings. The soul has no more possession of these objects than does the matter itself, which is by constitution lifeless and incapable of action. One may own a particular car, but it would be silly to say that the person is the car. Saying that “I am the car” is as silly as the car saying “I am you.” Yet this is precisely what occurs with the false identifications that manifest through the practices of nationalism, racism, and sectarianism.

In its constitutional position, the soul is a lover of God. The spiritual spark is simply an emanation from the original source of energy that is God. Since the energy and the energetic are linked in terms of makeup, there is an inherent relationship between the two entities. Naturally the more powerful entity will take on a prominent role in the relationship, with the inferior entity offering its service and loving sentiments. This isn’t to say that either party is superior in the grand scheme of things, for if both parties adhere to their roles, there is oneness in the emotions that are exchanged. The energetic party, represented by God, never changes its makeup, but the energy expansions have a choice in where they reside. When the consciousness of the spiritual spark is pure, the individual remains in the company of the energetic and thus takes part in the bliss experienced through sharanagati, or complete surrender. When the individual instead takes to pleasing itself, the connection with the Divine Being is broken, and the soul is cast off into a temporary realm where knowledge of its relationship to its eternal lover is forgotten.

Dharma, or religiosity, is instituted in the temporary realm as a way to allow the wayward soul to reassume its natural position in the spiritual sky as servitor of the Supreme. Abiding by dharma is not easy, so steadfast dedication to rules and regulations, along with adherence to the practice of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, is required. The highest dharma, or system of religion, is a discipline involving positive and negative activities, with the restricted activities often receiving more attention than the assertive ones. The positive activities of devotional service involve hearing, remembering, worshiping, and surrendering unto the lotus feet of the Lord, who appears in the temporary world in various non-different forms. Of all His forms that are perceptible to the conditioned entity, none is more powerful than the sound vibration representation. This audible form can be regularly created and honored by chanting, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”.

The assertive aspects of devotional service are quite harmless and easy to follow, but the restrictive actions are more likely to be the subject of controversy. Though there are a variety of sins and restricted activities, the Vedic seers have highlighted the four most dangerous ones: meat eating, gambling, illicit sex, and intoxication. These four activities stand out above all the rest because they prove to be the most effective at maintaining the cloud of ignorance that envelops the conditioned soul. Every living entity possesses the same level of knowledge and love for the Supreme Lord. But in the conditioned state, there are differences in the density levels of the clouds that surround the soul. The path to liberation is found through taking to activities which help remove this cloud of ignorance. The four pillars of sinful life are the most dangerous because they help increase one’s ignorance, and thus keep the individual firmly grounded in material life. One’s stay in the temporary realm doesn’t end with the death of the body or the destruction of the universe. Reentry into the spiritual world is not so simple. The conditioned living entity remains separated from its divine lover for as long as it desires to. If this desire remains at the time of death, the spirit soul is again cast into the ocean of nescience, wherein they are again given a temporary body which clouds their natural intelligence.

The sincere souls will gradually make progress in their spiritual pursuits, taking to various aspects of devotional service and making a good-faith effort to refrain from the most sinful of activities. There are others, however, who are so clouded in ignorance that not only will they shun devotional service, but they will actively seek to thwart the activities of those who are trying to return to the spiritual world. Attacking the positive activities of devotional service is a little difficult to do, as they are harmless in and of themselves. How can one argue against chanting and dancing in transcendental ecstasy when similar activities are already adopted by the non-devotees? No, the asuras, the demoniac non-devotees, will focus their criticisms on the restrictive aspects of devotional service, especially that of no meat eating.

Those who are unfamiliar with Vedic traditions will certainly find the restriction on meat eating a little strange at first. Anytime we encounter a new tradition or way of life, we are sure to find it odd. Many people who take to devotional service are actually so enamored by the restriction on meat eating that they will divert their attention towards advancing the cause of vegetarianism. While it is certainly noble to lead the crusade against the practice of unnecessary animal killing, it should be noted that the constitutional position of the soul and its relationship with the Supreme Lord have nothing to do with any positive and negative activities, or the piety and sin related to any action. Rather, the soul’s nature is to be a lover of God, so any activity which can maintain this bond of affection, and which at the same time doesn’t deviate from the Lord’s wishes, is deemed worthy of adopting.

“The animals are also making progress in their evolutionary life by transmigrating from one category of animal life to another. If a particular animal is killed, then his progress is checked. If an animal is staying in a particular body for so many days or so many years and is untimely killed, then he has to come back again in that form of life to complete the remaining days in order to be promoted to another species of life. So their progress should not be checked simply to satisfy one’s palate.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 16.1 Purport)

The restriction on meat eating is simple enough to understand. Since every individual is a soul at the core, all forms of life must be treated with respect and love. This includes the animals. A cow or a chicken may not be as intelligent as a human being, but it still eats, sleeps, mates, and defends. It has a spirit soul inside of it, and it is simply going through its life cycle of karma, gradually ascending to the human species. Only the human being is capable of understanding the soul, dharma, and bhakti. When an animal is killed unnecessarily simply for the satisfaction of the taste buds of the killer, the activity certainly can’t be considered a religious one. Not only is the natural progress of the animal checked, but the laws of karma will force the killer to suffer in the future. While a government may be lax in its administration of justice and fairness, karma spares no one. It is completely fair and just, so if we kill another entity without cause, we will surely suffer the same fate in the future. In addition, eating meat keeps one attached to the sense demands brought forth by the taste buds. If this attachment remains at the time of death, liberation cannot be achieved.

The asuras, those who don’t believe in a soul or a God, have no problem eating meat. They think that everything begins and ends with the current life, so the natural occupation is to try to enjoy the senses as much as possible. Luckily, this line of thinking, which is completely rooted in ignorance, doesn’t resonate well with others. But the asuras are not so faint of heart; they have a deep attachment to their sinful way of life. In order to convince others of their ways, the asuras will take to criticizing the Vedic traditions and the various incarnations of Godhead who have appeared on earth. One area of criticism focuses on meat eating, wherein the asuras claim that Shri Rama, a famous incarnation of the original Divine Being, roamed this earth and killed many innocent animals and then ate them. Raising this apparent contradiction, the asuras hope to convince others that Rama cannot be God and that meat eating is certainly not a problem. It is not uncommon to find such persons at social gatherings, where wanton talk of all subjects flows very freely. Such people, who are usually unabashed smokers, drinkers, and meat eaters, hold much anger and resentment towards Shri Rama, Lord Brahma, and other popular figures of the Vedic tradition. Their criticisms directed at worshipable divine figures certainly can dishearten those devotees who are not familiar with the full breadth of Vedic instruction. This is precisely the intention of the asuras, for they themselves are lost in a sea of ignorance, and instead of trying to elevate themselves to safety, they would rather take everyone else down with them.

Lord Rama appeared on this earth many thousands of years ago during the Treta Yuga in the guise of a warrior prince, one of the kshatriya order. During His time, pious kings would regularly perform grand sacrifices as a way of blessing their kingdom and its inhabitants. Many of these sacrifices involved the killing of animals. This shouldn’t be mistaken to mean that the kings were avid meat eaters or that they were attached to violence. These animal sacrifices were religious functions, wherein the souls of the animals would automatically be promoted to a higher species in the next life. The kings were also in charge of protecting the innocent, so they had to be expert fighters. In order to become an expert bow warrior, one has to regularly practice. This practice came in the form of hunting, wherein deer and other animals were killed in the forest and then offered up as sacrifice. Again, there was no sense gratification involved in such activity.

There is some controversy as to whether or not Lord Rama and His three younger brothers ate meat or not. From the Valmiki Ramayana, the original composition describing the life and pastimes of Shri Rama, we see that the Lord on several occasions had to shoot deer in the forest. One of the most notable time periods of Rama’s life was His fourteen year exile in the forest, where He had to live as a recluse with no claim to the regal life. Prior to leaving, Rama made mention of the fact that He would have to live without eating nice food, including meat. Taking His younger brother Lakshmana and wife Sita Devi with Him, Rama embarked on His journey. Early on, the group created a cottage in an area pointed out to them by the sage Bharadvaja. Prior to entering this newly erected cottage, Lakshmana went out and shot an antelope with an arrow. The antelope’s meat was then cooked and offered up to various demigods [celestials in heaven in charge of various departments of material nature] so that they would bless the new establishment. Later on in their journey, Rama and Lakshmana met a Rakshasa named Kabandha, who advised the brothers to visit a lake called Pampa. In describing the lake, the Rakshasa said that there would be many wonderful fish in the lake for Lakshmana to take and offer up to Rama.

Based on these descriptions, it would be reasonable enough to assume that Rama and Lakshmana ate meat from time to time. They were after all members of the royal order, so they certainly took part in many sacrifices. Reasonable arguments can also be made supporting the contrary opinion which states that there is no evidence of Rama ever actually eating meat. When He visited the Nishada chief Guha in the forest, Rama was offered every nice type of food and drink available, but He declined to take part in them due to His vow of asceticism. There is also another incident where Shri Hanuman, the eternal servant of Rama, mentions that the Lord had not reduced Himself to drinking liquor or eating animal flesh while residing in the forest.

“Raghava [Rama] is not enjoying animal flesh, nor even giving service to liquor. He always eats in the evening whatever food has been well provided by the forest.” (Hanuman speaking to Sita Devi, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 36.41)

In either case, there is no duplicity on the Lord’s part. Even if Rama did eat meat, there is no violation of the rules against violence towards animals or the eating of animal flesh. God is the object of dharma, the ultimate reservoir of pleasure. Dharma is the set of law codes instituted to allow a person to purify their consciousness. The laws themselves are not the objects of pleasure or ultimate destination. Dharma is simply a guideline for how to do something properly. Just as there are included instruction manuals advising one how to construct an exercise machine or piece of office furniture, dharma provides a how-to guide for spiritual success. Yet the knower of God has no need for the instruction manual; they are already connected with Supreme Spirit. If the pure devotee transcends all rules and regulations of dharma, surely the Supreme Lord must as well.

“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.26)

In addition to refraining from eating meat, devotees are advised to offer food in the mode of goodness to Shri Krishna, the original form of Godhead, or one of His non-different expansions, and eat the remnants of the offered food. These remnants are known as prasadam, which means the Lord’s mercy. It should be noted that Krishna does not accept any meat items. Even during His time on earth as Lord Rama, God never accepted meat offerings from anyone. When He visited the female sage Shabari, Rama accepted the nice berries and fruits offered to Him. The grand animal sacrifices that were performed were all for the benefit of various demigods, celestial figures who are not as powerful as God. A demigod can be thought of as a government minister, a representative of the chief. The representative isn’t the same in power or stature as the chief, and they only concentrate their efforts on various workings of the government. The demigods are in charge of things like weather, good fortune, bad fortune, and illness. Sacrificed animals were never offered to Lord Krishna or His direct expansion of Lord Vishnu.

The asuras, nevertheless, will continue to point to Rama’s activities involving the killing of animals as a sign of contradiction. While these non-devotees are enamored by Rama’s violent activities, they completely ignore all of the Lord’s other features and qualities. If the asuras want to imitate Rama’s purported meat eating, why not imitate His benevolent behavior towards brahmanas and other pious entities? Why don’t the asuras try to take on 14,000 of the most powerful miscreants in the world and come out successful? Why don’t they remain steadfast to dharma and the injunctions of the Vedas? Why don’t they honor their mother and father in every possible way? Why don’t they renounce all opulences and amenities in favor of serving parents and elders? Why don’t they imitate Rama’s equal disposition towards all the citizens that lived in His kingdom of Ayodhya? Why don’t they imitate His behavior towards exalted sages such as Valmiki, Bharadvaja, Agastya, and Atri, wherein the Lord prostrated Himself before them and offered to serve them with every fiber of His being?

Maya, the illusory energy pervading the material world, is certainly a cruel mistress. The demoniac are the most scorned of lovers, for their loveable object is illusion. Unable to derive any happiness from unrequited love, the asuras take to criticizing those who have found the only source of pleasure in both the material and spiritual worlds. The demons will always try to create dissension by raising doubts in the minds of the pure-hearted devotees. The asuras are slaves to illusion, so naturally they will concoct unfounded theories and ideas about Shri Krishna and His various avataras. Yet just as the evil elements headed by the demon Ravana were defeated by Shri Rama and His sincere Vanara servants, the demons of today can be quickly cast aside by regularly remembering the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord and His powerful emissaries like Hanuman.

Animal Sacrifice

“The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 5.18)

One of the four regulative principles of devotional service requires one to refrain from eating meat, fish, or eggs. Meat eating involves unnecessary violence towards animals, so anyone who stays away from such food will avoid the negative karma associated with it. Living a simple, non-violent lifestyle allows us to concentrate our time and energy on God realization.

One will find, however, that the concept of animal sacrifice is very prominent in the scriptures of all major religions. The Christian Bible has a detailed list of which animals can be sacrificed and how they are to be offered. Similarly, the Vedic literature lists many such animal sacrifices which reward the performer with material benedictions. During Lord Krishna’s time on earth, the great king Yudhishthira performed the sacred Ashwamedha sacrifice, which involves sacrificing a horse. Prior to that, during the Treta Yuga, the famous Maharaja Dashratha of Ayodhya also performed the sacrifice. It was performed by many kings with the idea of bestowing good karma on the king and his kingdom. Dashratha’s sacrifice bore fruit in the form of Lord Rama, God Himself, being born as his first son.

The performance of such sacrifices seems to contradict the principle of no meat eating. However, this type of animal sacrifice bears no resemblance to the violence committed against animals in modern day slaughterhouses. The Vedas are somewhat complex, with different dharmas (religious duty) assigned to different classes of people. Since the material world is a place governed by gunas, or qualities (goodness, passion, and ignorance), every living entity has a different level of intelligence and thereby varying capacities for understanding scriptural injunctions. Though bhagavata-dharma, loving service to God, is the highest form of religion, God is so kind that He provides other forms of religion so as to allow everyone to make spiritual advancement. Below the system of bhagavata-dharma is the religious system involving the four rewards of life. Those who are religiously inclined generally seek the rewards of dharma (religiosity), artha (economic development), kama (sense gratification), and moksha (liberation). To achieve these benedictions, there is a section of the Vedas known as karma-kanda. It is in this portion of the Vedas where one will find the various animal sacrifices performed by kings of the past. The idea wasn’t to allow meat eating for simple sense gratification, but rather to sanction violence in a regulated manner, which would be both beneficial to the performer and to the animal sacrificed. In a sacrifice properly performed by qualified brahmanas wherein mantras were perfectly recited, the living entity inside the animal would immediately be rewarded a higher birth in the next life. The performer would also immediately receive the material rewards they were seeking after. Naturally, such a religious system is subordinate to bhagavata-dharma, but it was nonetheless performed as a way of allowing kings to make gradual elevation in spiritual consciousness. The kshatriyas, or warrior class of men, generally live in the mode of passion, rajo-guna. Due to this fact, they are allowed to gamble and even hunt deer as a way of practicing their defensive skills. Unnecessary violence towards animals was never condoned, and there are many historical incidents mentioned in the Vedic texts of kings being punished for acts of unnecessary violence towards deer or other living entities in the forest. The same Maharaja Dashratha once accidentally shot and killed a young boy with his arrow while ranging the forest. Since the boy’s parents would eventually die from the grief resulting from the untimely separation from their son, they cursed Dashratha to suffer the same fate in the future. For this reason, Dashratha died after the exile of His eldest and most beloved son Rama.

“In the Vedic literature there are numerous prescription of sacrifice. And in some of the sacrifices animal sacrifice is also recommended. So that animal sacrifice does not mean to kill the animal. Animal sacrifice means to prove the strength of Vedic hymns so that one old animal is put into the fire and he’s given again a new life, renewed life, just to show the potency of the hymns, Vedic hymns. But in this age, Kali-yuga, those sacrifices are forbidden." (Shrila Prabhupada, Lecture, 700416LE.LA)

These sacrifices were a means of testing the brahmanas who would preside over them, and was also a way of benefitting the animal being sacrificed. The entire purpose was aimed at providing purification. These sacrifices were performed during previous Yugas, where dharma had a stronger presence in society. According to the Vedas, dharma gradually declines amongst the population as time goes on. The current age we are in, Kali Yuga, is best known for dharma having only a twenty-five percent level of strength, whereas it was at one hundred percent at the beginning of creation. Gradually with this decline in religiosity, came the tainting of these sacrifices. Brahmanas were no longer performing them for purification, but merely as an excuse to eat animal flesh.

“When there was too much animal sacrifice in India, Lord Buddha appeared. And in the Vedas there is recommendation for animal sacrifice in some sacrificial ceremony, not ordinarily. And that sacrifice is meant for testing the power of chanting mantra. An animal would be put into the fire, and it would come again with renewed life. In this way, there is recommendation in the Vedas that some animals… But people misunderstood it. People began to slaughter." (Shrila Prabhupada, Room Conversation, Tokyo, 720422)

Krishna advented as Lord Buddha specifically to stop the degraded process of animal slaughter. In order to justify his message of nonviolence, he preached against the injunctions of the Vedas. In this way, the modern day injunction against meat eating was instituted and the animal sacrifice process was gradually stopped.

Meat eating involves killing another animal, which shouldn’t be done. But God is so nice that He understands that many people won’t be able to give up such a practice easily. Bestowing His mercy upon them, He provided for the rituals of animal sacrifice to allow them to gradually rise up the chain of God consciousness. If one sacrifices an animal before the Goddess Kali, he is at least thinking about God prior to committing such a heinous act. One will find that dishes containing goat meat are very prevalent in Indian restaurants and it stems from the tradition of sacrifice to Goddess Kali. Even a sanctioned sacrifice like that has many stringent rules attached to it. The animal must be a goat and the sacrifice can only be performed once a month. In this way, God is helping people by making meat eating such an arduous task.

"Even though one may be religiously inclined, animal sacrifice is recommended in the shashtras, not only in the Vedas but even in the modern scriptures of other sects…When such people kill animals, they can at least do so in the name of religion. However, when the religious system is transcendental, like the Vaishnava religion, there is no place for animal sacrifice." (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 4.26.1-3 Purport)

The word “Vaishnava” refers to devotees of Lord Vishnu, who is the same as Lord Krishna. By following the principles of devotional service, we have no need for mundane material sacrifices. We should all try and rise to such a platform. Giving up meat eating may seem very difficult, but if we dedicate ourselves to constantly chanting the names of God in a loving way, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, then we will surely succeed.

The Four Regulative Principles

The Mahabharata tells us that addiction to hunting, dice playing, women, and wine are the four things that lead to a man’s downfall. These four activities translate into the pillars of sinful life; meat eating, gambling, illicit sex, and intoxication.

We usually associate the idea of sins and sinful life with holier than thou preachers pointing their fingers at people telling them they are going to hell or what not. In truth, sinful life doesn’t have such a direct correlation. Sinful activity really means anything that will keep us bound in the material world. According to Vedic philosophy, we are all spirit souls, who are part and parcel of God. We have entered the material world due to our desire to enjoy it and to think of ourselves as God. Our souls are constantly transmigrating between different bodies in different lives due to our desires and the work we perform in this life, or our karma.  Lord Krishna, or God, states that our next life is determined by our consciousness at the time of death in our current life.

“In whatever condition one quits his present body, in his next life he will attain to that state of being without fail” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita).

Committing sins really means performing activities that will cause us to be attached to the material world and to cause us to return as human beings or other species in our next life. Lord Krishna also states that one who thinks of Him at the time of death is guaranteed to permanently return back to Godhead, or back to Krishna’s spiritual abode.

On a material level, meat eating is bad for our karma since it involves the killing of innocent animals simply to satisfy the tongue.  God is very fair, so if we kill unnecessarily, we are bound to suffer for it eventually. On a spiritual level, meat eating binds us to this material world since we become addicted to satisfying our senses, namely the tongue and the stomach. The best way to purify one’s eating habits is to eat Krishna prasadam as much as possible.

Gambling is bad for us since it entangles the mind in the mode of passion. When playing dice or betting on sporting events, we are constantly on edge. We anxiously await the result of the next game to see what our potential payout might be. If we lose a bet, we are quick to wager again, hoping for a different outcome. If we win, then our egos get puffed up and we wager again, raising the stakes in order to increase the excitement. In this way we get bound up into material activities which are in actuality a waste of time. We can achieve an even greater thrill simply by constantly chanting the Holy name of God in a loving way.

Sex life is the highest material pleasure and also the root cause of most of our grief. Illicit sex life, namely any sex outside the bounds of marriage or for any purpose other than to create progeny, leads to the most trouble. Teenage pregnancy, single parenthood, abortion, sexually transmitted diseases, divorce, domestic violence are a few of the common problems that are rooted in illicit sex life. God knows that the desire for sex is very strong, so that’s why he gave us marriage. Marriage is God’s institution where regulated sex life is allowed, so that the husband and wife can focus on their primary duty of serving God together.

Intoxication is one of the more obvious sinful activities because so many people develop addictions to it. Whether it be alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, or caffeine, addiction to intoxication is very common. Considering the fact that our senses are impossible to satisfy, it is no surprise that many take to intoxication in an attempt to break free of the senses. Instead of trying to escape the senses, the Vedas tell us to purify them through practicing devotional service to God, or bhakti yoga.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the foremost teacher of Vedic wisdom in our time, instructs us to completely abstain from the four pillars of sinful life. This seems like a very difficult regulation, but it is not meant as a punishment. In Sanskrit, these penances are referred to as “tapasya”. Tapasya doesn’t mean ordinary everyday penances. It means austerities performed with the intent of improving spiritual life. Success in spiritual life requires training and austerities from us just like in any other discipline. In order to attend college, we had to suffer through twelve years of grade school. Practicing medicine is not allowed until one undergoes the long training and passes many exams. Olympic athletes train rigorously for four years in order to perform at their peak.  Similarly, we have to train ourselves now so that we may think of God at the time of our death.

These regulative principles may seem difficult, but why not give them a try? Don’t be discouraged if you are not successful right away. The easiest way to refrain from these activities is to always keep yourself engaged in God’s service wherever you are and whatever you may be doing. Keep chanting “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare” and you will be guaranteed of success.

 

Krishna’s Mercy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to delivering Krishna prasadam to one and all.

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