Guest, Los Angeles, December 27, 1968: How do you account for the fact that man sometimes takes animals and feeds them and protects them, whereas otherwise these animals might have died of starvation or exposure or something?
Prabhupada: Why you are anxious about the animals being starvation? You take care of yourself. You don’t be philanthropic, “Oh, they’ll starve. Let me eat.” What is this philanthropy? Krishna is supplying food. If he dies out of starvation, it is Krishna’s responsibility.
Nobody dies of starvation. That is a false theory. Have you seen any animal dying of starvation? Have you got any experience? Have you seen any bird died of starvation? There is no question of starvation in the kingdom of God. We are manufacturing these theories for our own satisfaction, sense satisfaction. There is no question of starvation in the law of God.
Elephant eats hundred pounds at a time. Who is supplying foodstuff? There are millions of elephants in the African jungle, in Indian jungles. They require one hundred pounds at a time to eat. Who is supplying food? So there is no question of starvation in the kingdom of God. Starvation is for the so-called civilized men. Yes?
Guest: If man wasn’t meant to eat meat, why in nature do the other animals kill to eat?
Prabhupada: Are you other animal?
Guest: Well, we’re all animals.
Prabhupada: You count amongst the animals? You classify yourself with the animals?
Guest: Well, we’re all animals.
Prabhupada: No, not all. You may be, but we are not. Do you like to be classified with the animals?
Guest: You don’t?
Prabhupada: No, no. Do you like yourself, do you like to be…
Guest: I don’t feel that I’m better than the animals, no.
Prabhupada: Why? Why are you talking then?
Guest: Because I have respect for all of God’s creatures.
Prabhupada: Why you have come here? You respect for all and you kill animals?
Guest: I didn’t say that I kill animals.
Prabhupada: Then why do you say that? What is your question?
Guest: I said why, if man is not meant to eat meat, that in nature the animals eat meat? They eat each other.
Prabhupada: Other animals, they eat meat, but they follow the nature’s law. They don’t eat grain.
Guest: We don’t follow nature’s laws?
Prabhupada: No. You don’t follow.
Just like a tiger. A tiger eats meat, but tiger does not come to eat grains and fruits. But you eat meat and grains, fruits, milk, whatever you can get you eat. Why? Is that natural? Tiger will never come to claim on the grains, “Oh, you have got so much grain. Give me.” No. Even there are hundreds bags of grains, you don’t care, but he’ll pounce upon a… That is his natural instinct.
But why do you take grains, fruits, milk, meat, and whatever you get. What is this? You are neither animal or human being. Misusing your humanity. You should think that what is eatable for me? A tiger may eat meat. It is a tiger. But I am not tiger. I am human being. And if I have got sufficient grains, fruits, vegetables, and other things, God has given, why should I go to kill a poor animal?
This is humanity. You are animal plus human. If you forget your humanity, then you are animal. So we are not simply animal. We are animal plus humanity. If we increase our quality of humanity, then our life is perfect. But if we remain in animality, then our life is imperfect. So we have to increase our human consciousness. That is Krishna consciousness. That is Krishna conscious.
What is the purpose of eating? To live. If you can live very peacefully, very nicely, with good health, by eating so many varieties of foodstuff given by Krishna, why should I kill an animal? This is humanity. Why should I imitate an animal? Then what is the difference between animal and human being? If you have no discretion, if you have no consciousness.
Besides that, scientifically, your teeth is meant for eating vegetables. The tiger has teeth for eating meat. Nature has made it like that. It has to kill another… Therefore he has got nails, he has got teeth, he has got strength. But you have no such strength. You cannot kill a cow like that, pouncing like tiger. You have to make slaughterhouse and sit down at your home. Somebody may slaughter, and you can eat very nicely. What is this? You do like tiger. Pounce upon a cow and eat. You cannot do that. You cannot do that.
Guest: What you’re saying, then, you believe that nature’s perfect.
Prabhupada: Nature’s law. That is… A tiger is made by nature’s law in that way; therefore he can do that. You cannot do it. Your nature is different. You have got discrimination, you have got conscience, you are claiming civilized, human being. So you should utilize these things. That is Krishna consciousness, perfect consciousness. So human life is meant for raising oneself to the perfection of consciousness, and that is Krishna conscious. We cannot remain in tiger consciousness. That is not humanity. Yes.
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