Thou Shalt Not Kill

Bloodthirst

Food for Life Hansadutta das

"Of what use are all your sacrifices to Me? I have had enough of the roasted carcasses of rams and of the fat of fattened beasts. I take no pleasure in the blood of calves, lambs and goats . . . When you spread out your hands, I close My eyes to you; despite however much you pray, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood! Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before My eyes and stop doing evil." (Isaiah 1:11, 1:15-16) more

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Pradyumna: [reads:]

Translation
"Factually, this is all due to the supreme will of the Lord, the Personality of Godhead. Sometimes people kill one another, and at other times they protect one another."

Prabhupada: Now read the purport also. [SB 1.15.24]

Pradyumna: [reads:]

"According to the anthropologists, there is nature's law of struggle for existence and survival of the fittest. But they do not know that behind the law of nature, there is the supreme direction of the Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead. In the Bhagavad-gita it is confirmed that the law of nature is executed under the direction of the Lord. Whenever therefore there is peace in the world, it must be known that it is due to the good will of the Lord, and whenever there is upheaval in the world, it is also due to the supreme will of the Lord. Not a blade of grass moves without the will of the Lord. Whenever, therefore, there is disobedience of the established rules enacted by the Lord, there is war between men and nations. The surest way to the path of peace is, therefore, dovetailing everything to the established rule of the Lord. The established rule is that whatever we do, whatever we eat, whatever we sacrifice, whatever we give in charity, must be done to the full satisfaction of the Lord. No one should do anything, eat anything, sacrifice anything, or give anything in charity against the will of the Lord. Discretion is the better part of valor, and one must learn how to discriminate between actions which may be pleasing to the Lord and those which may not be pleasing to the Lord. An action is thus judged by the Lord's pleasure or displeasure. There is no room for personal whims. We must always be guided by the pleasure of the Lord. Such action is called yoga-karmasu kaushalam, or actions performed which are linked with the Supreme Lord. That is the art of doing a thing perfectly."

Prabhupada: So the Fifteenth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita, the statement is there by Krishna,

sarvasya chaham hridi sannivishto
mattah smritir jñanam apohanam cha
vedaish cha sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedanta-krid veda-vid eva chaham [Bg. 15.15]

Actually, everyone is suffering or enjoying. There is no enjoyment, only suffering. But the struggle for existence, to counteract the suffering, we take it as enjoying. Actually there is no enjoying.

In the Bhagavad-gita you know... In the Bhagavad-gita Enjoying and suffering. Bhagavad-gita, Krishna says that "This place..." The supreme authority says, "This place, this material world, is duhkhalayam ashashvatam: [Bg. 8.15] it is the place for suffering." That is a fact. One person is trying to accept suffering as enjoying, and another person is trying to end actually suffering. This is the difference between sane and insane person. I'll give you a practical example, that in the prison, government prison house, there are some prisoners who are called first-class prisoners. They are given special favor by the government. So... And there are third-class prisoners also. But both of them are prisoners. And prison is not meant for comfortable life. It is meant for suffering. The Bhaktivinoda Thakura therefore sings, anadi karama-phale parii' bhavarnava-jale taribare na dekhi upaya. One who is sane person, he knows that "I may be first-class prisoner, that does not mean I am not prisoner. I am prisoner." The suffering of the prison house, that I have no independence to do anything, that is prison life.

We are, everyone is thinking that we are independent, but that is not the fact.

prakriteh kriyamanani
gunaih karmani sarvashah
ahankara-vimudhatma
kartaham iti manyate [Bg. 3.27]

Actually, everybody is being carried by the laws of material nature, but a foolish person is thinking that he is doing himself. So here it is said that prayena etad bhagavata ishvarasya vicheshtitam. We cannot do anything without the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like in state you cannot do anything without the sanction of the government, similarly the supreme state, the supreme order-giver, Krishna or God, without His sanction we cannot do anything. But here it is said that mitho nighnanti bhutani bhavayanti cha yan mithah. Sometimes by His will we kill one another, and sometimes we give protection one another. So does it mean that in different time Krishna is giving different intelligence? No. Krishna's action is daiva, superior. Just like the high-court, the judge is... Somebody condemning somebody that "This man should be hanged," and other man, "Yes, he must get the degree. He will get the millions of dollars from that person." Now, is he partial? He is giving somebody millions of dollars and somebody is ordered to be hanged. Is he partial? No. He is not partial. He is simply administering the law. That's all. This man has created such a situation that he should be condemned to death, and this man has created such situation that he will be rewarded by ten thousand and millions of dollars. It is his action.

Karmana daiva-netrena [SB 3.31.1]. We are acting, and daiva-netrena, by superior administration, daiva-netrena, we are getting different types of body, and suffering or enjoying the consequence. This is our position. It is said in the Bhagavad-gita, samo 'ham sarva-bhuteshu: [Bg. 9.29] "I am equal to everyone." Otherwise how He is God? God is not partial, that somebody should be killed and somebody should be rewarded with ten thousand dollars. No. It is our own work, we create such situation. That you should know. We forget. Now, somebody I kill in my last life. Just like here, if I kill somebody, then I shall be killed also, by the law, nature or law of God. Similarly, I forget that because I kill somebody, now that somebody is killing me. So forget. But Krishna reminds, "Now this person killed you," or "This child killed you last life. Now you can kill in the womb. Now you kill." Vicheshtitam. He reminds. Because Krishna is described: anumanta. Anumanta upadrashta. He is witness. Now this man has killed this man. Now he gets the opportunity to kill him again. And Krishna reminds you, "Kill him. Here is opportunity." This is the position. Don't think when it is said that ishvarasya vicheshtitam, it is by the will, that will, because He is equal to everyone, so everyone should get chance to retaliate. That is going on.

So God is not partial, He is impartial. Samo 'ham sarva-bhuteshu na me dveshyo 'sti na priyah [Bg. 9.29]. Nobody in the material world... Just like jail superintendent or the government. The government is not partial. Government is equal to everyone, but everyone is enjoying or suffering according to his own work. So that is reminded. That is reminded and sanction given that "This body, this being, killed you in your last life. Now I give you sanction, you can kill him." This is called nighnanti. Mitho nighnanti. And "This man gave you protection, so you give him protection." So what is the wrong there? There is nothing wrong. It is equal justice. Because... Don't think that because God or Krishna gives sanction, vicheshtitam, therefore He is partial. No. He is always impartial. We are suffering our own activities. Karmana daiva-netrena [SB 3.31.1]. We are getting different types of bodies, suffering.

Now therefore we should always try to understand the will of God. That is our duty. That will of God we can understand in the human form of life. That is an opportunity. Will of God is expressed very clearly. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is said already. Nobody can say "What is the will of God? I do not know." No, you know. He says, God says, Krishna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. "You give up all other business. You just become surrendered to Me." [posing objection for sake of argument] "And then how shall I pull on?" [Krishna says:]Aham tvam sarva-papebhyo mokshayishyami: "I shall give you protection. I will give you protection and I shall release you from the effects of all sinful activity."

Because we suffer on account of sinful activities. And we enjoy by pious activity. That is the law. If you become nicely educated, cultured, then you get good position in the society. But if you are a rascal, then you suffer. Similarly, we are creating our position. But that... That is called karma-bandhana. Karma-bandhana means so long we do not know what is our duty, we create our position differently and therefore sometimes we suffer, sometimes we enjoy. Therefore we must know what is our duty. That we have forgotten. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi vishnum [SB 7.5.31]. In this material condition of life we have forgotten what is our actually aim of life. Therefore Krishna comes. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, tadatmanam srijamy aham [Bg. 4.7]. Our duty, when we forget our dharma, that is called dharmasya glanih. Dharma is not a religious sentiment. Dharma means our occupational duty, real meaning. I think I have given in Srimad-Bhagavatam. So when we forget our duty, that is called dharmasya glanih. Glanih means deterioration of our real occupational duty.

So our real occupational duty is to serve the Supreme. That is our real occupational duty. We are meant for serving. But when we forget serving Krishna and we try to serve so many other things... That means... "So many other things" means our lust, our greediness, our illusion, our so many problems we serve. We have to serve. That is our position. Nobody can be free from service. That is not possible. But we do not know where to give our service. That is forgetfulness. Kamadinam kati na katidha na palita durnideshah. Here, the human being in ignorance, they are serving the kama, lust, greediness, moha, anger—so many things they are serving. They are serving. A man is killing another body by lust, lusty desires. Or by illusion. So many other reasons. So we are serving. There is no doubt about it. We are serving. But we are serving our kama, krodha, lobha, moha, matsarya. Lust, desire, avarice, like that.

Now we have to learn that we have been frustrated by serving so many things. Now we have to turn that service attitude to Krishna. That is Krishna's mission. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "You are serving already. You cannot be free from service. But your service is misplaced. Therefore you just turn your service unto Me. Then you become happy." That is Krishna consciousness movement. Kamadinam kati na katidha palita durnideshah. Because we are greedy... Just like a greedy man, he is suffering by eating more. There are so many diseases, just like diabetes or dysentery. There are so many things. These are the diseases for eating more. That's all. So we are suffering; at the same time, we are eating more. Because we are greedy, we are lusty. This is the cause. So therefore kamad... We are serving. We are serving our lust, our greediness, and suffering. This is practical. If you have no hunger, if you eat... If you have no appetite, if you eat, then you suffer. If you infect some disease, you'll suffer. That is practical. So we are associating in, being infected by lust, greediness, illusion, fearfulness, so many things. Sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat [SB 7.5.5]. If you steal, then you will be under fearfulness: "Oh, I may not be arrested; I may be arrested." Because you have done that, asad-grahat, you have done something wrong, therefore you are under the influence of fearfulness. It is very easy to understand.

So we are creating our situation and serving a different type of desire. That's all. Kamadinam katidha na... And sometimes we are doing something which we should not do. Still, we are doing. But doing so, tesham karuna jata. Although we have done so much for to serve the lust, greediness, but they are not merciful. They are still dictating, "Go on doing this, go on doing this, go on doing." He is suffering; still, he is following the dictation of lust and desire. We are creating our own karma. Therefore any sane man will see that "I have served so long, so much, our desires, but I am not happy. I am not happy, neither the desire is happy." The desire is never satiated that "You have killed so many animals. Now you don't..." No, he will go on, go on killing, killing, killing, killing, killing, killing. He is never satisfied, "Now I have killed so many. No more, stop." No, there is no stoppage. That will go on. Kamadinam kati na katidha. The injunction is "Thou shalt not kill," but he will kill and kill and kill and kill, and still, he wants to be satisfied. Just see. The Bible says, "Thou shalt not kill," and they are simply engaged in killing business, and still they want to be happy. Just see the fun. Therefore Krishna says, "Yes, you be killed by occasional world war. You must be killed. You have created this situation. You must be killed. You may be American or Englishman or German or this or that. You may be very proud of your nationality. But you must be killed." This is the position. Ishvarasya vicheshtitam. "You have killed so many animals. Now wholesale killing, one bomb. One atom bomb. Be killed."

So these rascals they do not know how things are going on. Ishvarasya vicheshtitam. "Tit for tat." There must be. If in ordinary laws, in the state laws, that if you have killed somebody you must be hanged, so do you think you can simply bluff the Supreme Authority, Krishna, that you are going, killing, killing, killing, and you will be saved? No. You will be killed in pestilence, in famine. Even within your mother's womb, you will be killed, where it is supposed to be good protection, there also you will be killed. The human nation being degenerated in such a way, the killing business is increasing daily, daily, daily. Ishvarasya vicheshtitam.

So we therefore must submit to Krishna. Sarva-dharman parityajya... [Bg. 18.66]. Because we cannot become free. We cannot go out of the laws of God. That is not possible. Therefore we must surrender that "Krishna, God, I have acted freely so many births. I did not become happy. Neither I am happy at the present moment. So now I surrender unto You. You say that 'I give you protection.' So kindly give me protection." This is Krishna consciousness movement.