Expressions researched:
"butcher"
|"butcher's"
|"butchered"
|"butcherhouse"
|"butchering"
|"butchers"
|"butchery"
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
The butchers, they may say that "Then why do you complain that we are killing?" They're killing the body, but you cannot kill when there is injunction "Thou shall not kill." That means you cannot kill the body even without sanction.
Lecture on BG 2.19 -- London, August 25, 1973: "For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain."
So, in different ways, Kṛṣṇa is trying to convince us how the soul is immortal. Different ways. Ya enaṁ vetti hantāram (BG 2.19). When there is fight, so if one is killed or... So Kṛṣṇa says that if one thinks that "This man has killed this man," so, or "This man can kill this man," this kind of knowledge is not perfect. Nobody kills nobody. Then the butchers, they may say that "Then why do you complain that we are killing?" They're killing the body, but you cannot kill when there is injunction "Thou shall not kill." That means you cannot kill the body even without sanction. You cannot kill. Although the soul is not killed, the body is killed, still you cannot kill the body without sanction. That is sinful. For example, that a man is living in some apartment. So some way or other you drive him away from that, illegally, you drive him away. So the man will go out and will take shelter somewhere. That's a fact. But because you have driven him away from his bona fide position, you are criminal. You cannot say, "Although I have driven away, he'll get some place." No. That's all right, but you have no power to drive him away. He was in his legal position to live in that apartment, and because you have forcibly driven him away you are criminal, you should be punished.
So this argument the butchers or the animal killers or any kind of killer, they cannot put argument. That "Here, Bhagavad-gītā says that soul is never killed, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), even after destroying the body. So why you are complaining that we are killing?" So this is the argument, that you cannot even kill the body. That is not allowed. That is sinful.
The butcher must have chance of killing. So that is not law, "Oh, butcher must have also employment." No. "Therefore slaughterhouse must be maintained." Not that.
Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973: Formerly, the judgement was given by the king. Every day, king would sit. Just like we are sitting. So if there is... Formerly, there was no criminal, practically. If there was any criminal, if... It was very difficult to find out a criminal. Because these four things were forbidden. What is that? No illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, no meat-eating. So if one follows these four principles, naturally he is sinless automatically. And if the whole population is sinless, then where is the possibility of judging or bringing the criminal? When Kali was awarded four places. He was first of all ordered by Parīkṣit Mahārāja. As soon as he saw that this black man is going to kill one cow, "Oh, who are you in my kingdom? You are trying to kill a cow?" He took his sword, "I shall kill you," immediately. So he fell down. "Sir, I am also your subject, and this is my business, killing. So what can I do? I must have some means of livelihood." Just like this butcher. His means of livelihood is to kill animal. So if the animal slaughterhouse is closed, then there will be so much unemployment. The butcher must have chance of killing. So that is not law, "Oh, butcher must have also employment." No. "Therefore slaughterhouse must be maintained." Not that.
If I become Kṛṣṇa conscious and if I work as a butcher, that will not be.
Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968: Just like if you have achieved the quality of a medical practitioner, then your work shall be a medical practitioner. Similarly if one has achieved the quality of a brāhmaṇa or Vaiṣṇava, then his activities should be like that. If I become Kṛṣṇa conscious and if I work as a butcher, that will not be. You have to work just like a Vaiṣṇava. So guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. You have to acquire the qualities and work like that. Then it is perfect.
Suppose if you want to learn engineering, so you cannot go to a butcher. You must find out an engineer.
Lecture on BG 4.34-39 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1969: Suppose if you want to learn engineering, so you cannot go to a butcher. You must find out an engineer. You must admit yourself into the engineering college, learn how to practice engineering. Suppose if you want to become a medical practitioner, so you have to admit yourself in some medical college. Similarly, if you want to know about spiritual matter, then you must approach a spiritual master who knows the things. How you can learn it from anywhere and everywhere? One must be expert in spiritual knowledge. From him you have to learn. Therefore it is said here, "Just try to learn the truth by..."
In the Purāṇas we'll find, "All right, if you want to eat meat, you just worship goddess Kālī and sacrifice a goat before the goddess. And you can eat meat. You cannot eat meat or flesh by purchasing from the slaughterhouse or butcher shop. You have to eat in this way." That means restriction.
Lecture on BG 6.6-12 -- Los Angeles, February 15, 1969: Just like a person is attached to eat meat. Now if all of a sudden if he is instructed that meat eating is not good. Or a person is attached to drink liquor. If he at once said that liquor is not good, he cannot accept. Therefore in the Purāṇas we'll find, "All right, if you want to eat meat, you just worship goddess Kālī and sacrifice a goat before the goddess. And you can eat meat. You cannot eat meat or flesh by purchasing from the slaughterhouse or butcher shop. You have to eat in this way." That means restriction. Because if you want to perform the sacrifice before the goddess Kālī, there is a certain date, there is a certain paraphernalia, you have to arrange for that. And that pūjā, that worship is allowed on the dark moon light. So dark moon night means once in a month. And the mantras are chanted in this way; the goat is advised that "You are sacrificing your life before the goddess Kālī. So you get immediately promotion to have a human form of life." Actually it happens. Because to come to the standard of human form of life one living entity has to pass through so many evolutionary process. But the goat who agrees or who is by force sacrificed before the goddess Kālī he gets immediate promotion to the human form of life. And the mantra says, that "You have got the right to kill this man who is sacrificing." Māṁsa. Māṁsa means that you will also eat his flesh, next birth. "Why eat this flesh? Then I'll have to repay with my flesh. Why shall I do this job?" You see. The whole idea is to restrain him.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Animal killer means not exactly those who are butchers, or ordinary man who kills animal and eat. But even a person who does not take care of his self-realization, he is also animal-killer. He is killing himself.
Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969: Who can be aloof from this chanting or hearing about the activities, pastimes of the uttama-śloka, Supreme Personality of Godhead? Vinā paśughnāt (SB 10.1.4). The only person: who is paśughnāt. Paśughnāt means animal-killer. A person who is animal-killer, he'll not be interested. The animal-killer, you can, I mean to say, analyze the meaning in two ways. Animal killer means not exactly those who are butchers, or ordinary man who kills animal and eat. But even a person who does not take care of his self-realization, he is also animal-killer. He is killing himself. He is also animal-killer. Because this life is meant for self-realization, but he's not taking interest in self-realization. He is taking pleasure only just like animal. So I am also an animal. I am killing myself. If I don't take interest in self-realization and if I glide down again into the cycle of birth and death, then I am killing myself. Suiciding. That is our willing, killing ourself willingly. If I know that "If I do this, I will be punished like this," and if I still do this, then I am killing myself.
Aśvatthāmā, he's born of a brāhmaṇa father, but his work has been proved just like a butcher. Therefore he is called brahma-bandhu.
Lecture on SB 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976: So here, Aśvatthāmā, he's born of a brāhmaṇa father, but his work has been proved just like a butcher. Therefore he is called brahma-bandhu. He's called not a brāhmaṇa: brahma-bandhu. Brahma-bandhoḥ śira ātatāyinaḥ. Ātatāyinaḥ, aggressor. A brāhmaṇa does not require to kill a person with weapon. No. That is kṣatriya's business. If one is actually a brāhmaṇa—of course, in the Kali-yuga such brāhmaṇa is not to be found—his simply curse is sufficient to kill a man.
Aśvatthāmā, he is son of a brāhmaṇa, but he is fallen to become a butcher because he's a living being, he's different from God.
Lecture on SB 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976: The Māyāvādī philosophers, they foolishly say that when God becomes entangled by māyā, He becomes a living entity-jīva-bhūta. Jīva means when He forgets that He is God, then he becomes a jīva, living entity. This is Māyāvādī philosophy. But how God can degrade to become a man or an animal? He is Acyuta; He never falls. Otherwise how He is God? If God also falls... Just like we fall down... Aśvatthāmā, he is son of a brāhmaṇa, but he is fallen to become a butcher because he's a living being, he's different from God. In another place we find Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna that both Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa was present when the Bhagavad-gītā instruction was given to sun-god millions of years ago. Kṛṣṇa said that "You have forgotten. I did not." So this is Acyuta. He never falls down from any standard. He is always perfect, complete.
Just like in Calcutta you'll find so many butchers, they have kept one Goddess Kālī deity so that people will think now it is not sinful.
Lecture on SB 1.10.13 -- Mayapura, June 26, 1973: The real purpose is to restrict. Just like meat-eating. Meat-eating is recommended in Vedic literature. There is kālī-pūjā. Kālī-pūjā. By sacrificing one goat before Goddess Kālī. Goddess Kālī's worshiped on the amāvasyā. Amāvasyā takes place once in a month. Therefore these rascals who are meat-eaters, they'll be restricted. If they accept the śāstra, "No, no, if we eat meat from the butcher's place, then we shall be sinful. Let us eat meat..." Just like in Calcutta you'll find so many butchers, they have kept one Goddess Kālī deity so that people will think now it is not sinful. Here the māṁsa, the meat is not..., it is sanctified. Hindu-brāhmaṇa-kati(?). So these things are going on. Actually, it is restriction. And even when there is bali, the sacrifice is given, the mantra means, the mantra says that "This man is killing you. You'll get next life a human being. But you have the opportunity, option, to kill him." This is the mantra. Now, if somebody's responsible, he'll certainly think that "I am going to be killed by this goat again?" Māṁsa khadati. Mām: "He will eat me." That is māṁsa. So no responsible man will take that responsibility, that "I will kill this animal. Again he'll become a man and he'll kill me. No, no. Stop this business."
Butchers, butchers cannot be intelligent class of men, brāhmaṇa. A brāhmaṇa is not butcher. Neither a kṣatriya. Kṣatriya fights, kills, but in regular religious fight. Not that by whimsically he'll fight and kill men.
Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974: So this black man was dressed like a king, and what was he, was he going to do? Ghnantaṁ go-mithunaṁ padā. He was trying to kill a pair of cow and bull. So naturally he could understand. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was going on tour, and on his way he saw that this rascal is dressed like a king and he's trying to kill cows and bulls. Oh, he immediately chastised him. Nṛpa—he has dressed like a king, but his business is like śūdra or less than śūdra. Butchers, butchers cannot be intelligent class of men, brāhmaṇa. A brāhmaṇa is not butcher. Neither a kṣatriya. Kṣatriya fights, kills, but in regular religious fight. Not that by whimsically he'll fight and kill men. No. So, here it is said, nijagrāhaujasā vīraḥ. A kṣatriya must be vīra, hero. Whenever there is injustice, he must immediately come forward. "Why injustice? These poor animals, they are also my subject. How you can kill them? He's also born in this land." "National" means one is born in that particular land. So they are also born in this land. Why he should be treated differently?
Now you will find all over the world these things are very prominent-clubs and butcherhouse and liquor house and gambling house. Therefore the whole atmosphere is Kali.
Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974: The Kali begins with this animal killing. That is Kali-yuga. Meat-eating. Therefore, to avoid the influence of Kali we have to give up this habit. The four things are Kali's disciple, friends. We have already discussed this. So one friend is this meat-eating problem, the butchers, Kali's friends. And the liquor distiller, he's also Kali's friend. And the gamblers or the gambling house maintainer. And prostitute house maintainer. These are friends of Kali. Now you will find all over the world these things are very prominent-clubs and butcherhouse and liquor house and gambling house. Therefore the whole atmosphere is Kali.
The cruel butcher, he is advised, mā jīva mā māra: "You don't live and don't die."
Lecture on SB 1.16.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1974: Rāja-putra cirañ jīva, blessing rāja-putra, "You live forever." And muni-putra, the son of a muni, or the disciple of a muni, he says, mā jīva, mā jīva: "You don't live, you die. You die." And that thing... That, what is called? This butcher. Butcher, he is advising the butcher, jīva vā māra vā: "Either you..." No. He is advising butcher, mā jīva mā māra: "Don't die, don't live." And to a sādhu, saintly person, he is advising, jīva vā māra vā, two things. So what is the purport? The purport is that this prince, he is enjoying material enjoyment, but next life he will have to become a dog. "So better you live with your enjoyment. Cirañ jīva. Because as soon as you die, you are going to be a dog. So better you live. So long you will live it is good for you." And muni-putra, a brahmacārī, his business is fasting and go to collect for Guru Mahārāja, and then whatever he takes, he offers to the guru. Then the guru says that "You can eat," he can eat. It is hardship, but by this hardship he is now prepared to go back to home, Godhead. So he says, "You immediately die so you can go to Vaikuṇṭha immediately." And the cruel butcher, he is advised, mā jīva mā māra: "You don't live and don't die. Because your living condition is so horrible that every day, morning, you have to kill so many animals and see bloodshed and this. It is a horrible life. Your occupation is very, very horrible. Therefore you should not live. But at the same time, if you die, then you are going to suffer all this suffering yourself. Then you don't die also." So this is the position. And sādhu, those who are saintly person, devotees, he is advised, jīva vā māra vā: "Either you live or either you die, your business is to serve Kṛṣṇa. You are serving Kṛṣṇa now, and after death, you will serve Kṛṣṇa. So there is no question of your death, neither there is no question of your birth." So these are some moral instructions.
The butchers, the cow slaughterers, or their supporters, they say wrongly that the animal has no soul. This is a rascal philosophy.
Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Los Angeles, July 9, 1974: Actually the cows... When I was in New Vrindaban, our Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja purchased one cow without calf. (someone says, "Children have to go out") Yes. So that cow was actually crying because the calf was taken away for slaughtering. It is not that they have no soul, they cannot understand, they have no feeling. But they are helpless. Everything is there. The butchers, the cow slaughterers, or their supporters, they say wrongly that the animal has no soul. This is a rascal philosophy. Why animal has no soul? The question should be...
Yamarāja is inquiring the cow because she is very much threatened by the butcher. The butcher was ready to kill, and she was trembling.
Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Los Angeles, July 9, 1974: So here it is said... Yamarāja is inquiring the cow because she is very much threatened by the butcher. The butcher was ready to kill, and she was trembling. So Yamarāja is asking, kaccid bhadre anāmayam ātmanas te. Just like we would ask some friend or relative that "I think you are all right?" The same thing is being inquired. "Why you are appearing so much bereaved? What is the cause?" Ālakṣaye. "It appears that you are within very sorry." Ālakṣaye bhavatīm antar-ādhim. "Some distress within yourself." Dūre bandhuṁ śocasi. Because in this material world we are always distressed. It is not that we are happy. That is an illusion. That is not fact. We are always distressed. So there are three kinds of distresses: Adhyātmika, adhibhautika, and adhidaivika. Here it is inquired that bhavatīm antarādhim. Adhi. And antara means within the body or within the mind.
Under regulative principle one was allowed to eat meat. Not that maintain big, big slaughterhouse and purchase from the butcher shop and eat meat.
Lecture on SB 1.16.20 -- Los Angeles, July 10, 1974: Up to fourth-class, they also abide. From the fifth-class men—they are called pañcama—they are very irregular. They don't care for any rules and regulation or any śāstra, scripture. They do whatever they like, fifth class. So what is legal meat-eating? Legal meat-eating is that you sacrifice one animal before the goddess, deity Kālī, Goddess Kālī, and there are so many rules and regulation. Under regulative principle one was allowed to eat meat. Not that maintain big, big slaughterhouse and purchase from the butcher shop and eat meat. This is illegal.
"You don't live, don't die." What is that? "Now you are hunter, butcher. So nasty life you are living. It was better death. Better for you to death, die. But if you die, then you go to hell. Therefore don't die, don't live."
Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972: Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaun... (BG 4.9). Kṛṣṇa says, anyone who can understand Kṛṣṇa as He is, then after leaving this body he comes to home, back to home, back to Godhead. Mām eva. So saintly persons, their life is so pure that in this living condition, they are in Vaikuṇṭha, and after leaving this body, they are going to Vaikuṇṭha. So jīva vā māra vā. Both ways they are benefited. And the hunter was said, mā jīva mā māra, "You don't live, don't die." What is that? "Now you are hunter, butcher. So nasty life you are living. It was better death. Better for you to death, die. But if you die, then you go to hell. Therefore don't die, don't live." So... (aside:) Don't close your eyes. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja's... This was blessing. Parīkṣit Mahārāja... Don't think that Parīkṣit Mahārāja lost everything. Because he has understood Kṛṣṇa, so according to the statement of Bhagavad-gītā, it is fact that he is going back to home, back to Godhead.
This butchering, this attack by one country by another or by one king to another, that is going on. This is the nature; therefore it is called duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam. This is a place simply for suffering.
Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- London, August 3, 1971: And there were many Kṛṣṇa devotees in that part of the world which is now called Bangaladesh. And millions of Kṛṣṇa devotees, all sons of Kṛṣṇa, are being butchered by the..., and butcher of their family or... I'm talking about west Pakistan. What is your answer to this sort of the genocide or greatest man-made disaster.
Prabhupāda: That is going on since the creation. How can you stop it? The history repeats itself. This butchering, this attack by one country by another or by one king to another, that is going on. This is the nature; therefore it is called duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). This is a place simply for suffering. Therefore everyone's business is how to get out of it. You cannot stop what is going on in Bangaladesh. It may be in Bangaladesh or it may be in Vietnam or it may be in some other places—this is nature's law; it will go on. You cannot stop it. The best thing is to get out of the scene. That is your business.
They want to live in the city without working for producing their food. And there are butchers, they kill innocent animals. And in the city they eat the meat, and to digest they drink and work like hogs and dogs whole day and night. This is civilization.
Lecture on SB 6.1.50 -- Detroit, August 3, 1975: So the present situation of the human civilization is very, very dark, tamasā. They want to live in the city without working for producing their food. And there are butchers, they kill innocent animals. And in the city they eat the meat, and to digest they drink and work like hogs and dogs whole day and night. This is civilization. This is not civilization. This is darkness, darkness of life. So we are in the darkness of life at the present moment because it is Kali-yuga, and... The system is always there so long the material world is there and the living entities are fallen in this material world. So they are implicated more or less. So in the Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, they were not so implicated as they are implicated at this moment, Kali-yuga, because the age of misunderstanding...
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The butchers... I have seen in Calcutta, while passing through, one hotel man was cutting the throat of a chicken, and the chicken was, after being cut, the throat, it was jumping like anything. You see. And he was laughing. He was taking pleasure.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972: Pradyumna: "Every one of us within this world is perpetually engaged in some sort of service, and the impetus for such service is the pleasure we derive from it."
Prabhupāda: Yes. We cannot work unless we derive some pleasure. Just like the, in the Ahmedabad, the dramatic performance, he was killing animal, and he was attracted by killing, that's all. The butchers... I have seen in Calcutta, while passing through, one hotel man was cutting the throat of a chicken, and the chicken was, after being cut, the throat, it was jumping like anything. You see. And he was laughing. He was taking pleasure. It was for me so horrible, but he was taking very nice pleasure: "This half-cut chicken is jumping." And his son was crying. And he was asking, "Why you are crying? Why you are crying?" So it is the question of different qualities. One is attracted, and one, he finds that, that they are detracted.
The butcher is enjoying by killing. Ghastly.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 7, 1973: Pradyumna: Ghastliness.
Prabhupāda: Ghastliness. That means after killing somebody... Just like a butcher. The butcher is enjoying by killing. Ghastly. Just like the hunter was killing every animal. He was also enjoying some rasa.
A butcher, if you advise him that "Animal killing is very bad. It is sinful," he'll not accept it. That is not possible. His heart should be cleansed.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972: So in the beginning we did not impose so many rules and regulations. There is no rules and regulations. First thing required: ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Unless one's heart is cleansed, he cannot accept rules and regulations. That is not possible. Cora nasane dharme khaiḥ (?). If, if a man is thief, and if you give him moral instruction, that "Stealing is very sinful; do not do it," he will not care for it. A butcher, if you advise him that "Animal killing is very bad. It is sinful," he'll not accept it. That is not possible. His heart should be cleansed. Prāyaścittaṁ vimarśanam.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So you must know, if you are so foolish that you go to a butcher shop and ask him to supply diamond or gold, then you'll be cheated.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.103 -- Washington, D.C., July 8, 1976: First of all, select who will be your spiritual master. You must know the preliminary law. Just like if you want to purchase gold, at least you must know where gold is available. If you want to purchase diamond... So you must know, if you are so foolish that you go to a butcher shop and ask him to supply diamond or gold, then you'll be cheated. You must know at least where to go and purchase gold or diamond. These are valuable things. So that requires little intelligence and sincerity. If we are sincere that "I want to purchase gold or diamond..." This is crude example, but the spiritual inquiry..., if one is actually serious about understanding the goal of life, spiritual knowledge, then Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart. He understands how this person is sincerely seeking. Then He'll give direction that "You do this." He is giving direction in every respect. We want to do so many things, so Kṛṣṇa is giving us facility.
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
If you take this Īśopaniṣad and you ask one butcher or a man like that, "Come on. We shall discuss," he'll throw away.
Sri Isopanisad Invocation Lecture -- Los Angeles, April 28, 1970: Satāṁ prasaṅgān. When you form this society, Kṛṣṇa conscious society, and you discuss about this apavarga from the authoritative literature, just we are doing, then it becomes relishable. You cannot discuss all these thing with a storekeeper. That will be not relishable. Satāṁ prasaṅgān, amongst the devotees. If you take this Īśopaniṣad and you ask one butcher or a man like that, "Come on. We shall discuss," he'll throw away. The other day we were coming on this Venice Boulevard. Gargamuni gave one card to a boy. You remember? (laughs) He immediately threw away. They have no taste. So you cannot discuss all this transcendental knowledge with these demons. Satāṁ prasaṅgān.
Festival Lectures
And there was a butcher, the sage blessed him, mā jīva mā mara: "You don't die, don't live."
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 9, 1968: There was a nice story the other day I told you that a sage is giving different kinds of blessings to different types of persons. So to a king's son, a prince, he blessed, rāja-putra ciraṁ jīva: "You are a king's son, a prince. You live forever." And muni-putra, the son of a saintly person, he blessed him, mā jīva mā jīva: "You don't live." Rāja-putra ciraṁ muni-putra mā jīva. And sādhu, devotees, he blessed him, jīva vā mara vā: "Either you live or you die, as you like." And there was a butcher, he blessed him, mā jīva mā mara: "You don't die, don't live." So these words are very significant.
And the butcher, the sage blessed him, ma jīva ma mara: "You don't live, don't die." What he's to do?
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 9, 1968: And the butcher, he blessed him, ma jīva ma mara: "You don't live, don't die." What he's to do? His living condition is so abominable. From the morning, he has to slaughter so many animals, see the bloodstain, the ghastly scene. That is his livelihood. So what a horrible life this is. So "Don't live. And don't die also." Because after death, oh, he is going to be in so much hellish condition, nobody can describe. So both lives, living condition and death, after death, his condition is very horrible.
The butcher is killing animal because he does not know what is the effect of this killing. Similarly, persons who do not know what is the value of this human form of life and simply spoiling it just like animals, they are also butchering themselves.
Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968: We are not envious to anyone. Yesterday I received one letter from Rāyarāma. He wanted my permission to make some propaganda in our magazine Back to Godhead against animal slaughter, butchery. So I replied that why should we be against a class of men who are known in the society as butcher? Actually, everyone is butcher. Actually, so-called gentlemen who are, I mean to say, supporting these butchers, they are also butchers. According to Manu-saṁhitā, there are eight kinds of butchers. The man who is killing the animal, the man who is ordering to kill the animal, the man who is skinning the animal, the man who is purchasing the meat, the man who is cooking, the man who is eating, they are called all butchers. Just like if there is a murder case and there is a conspiracy, so it is not the man who has directly killed some person, he is arrested, but everyone who is in the conspiracy, they are all arrested. That is the common law. So in that sense everyone is butcher. Besides that, because a person is killing some cow or some animal, we are calling butcher, but mostly they are killing their soul. Anyone who is unconscious, who is ignorant of his spiritual identity, identifying himself with this body and misusing this opportunity of human form of life simply for animal sense gratification, they are also butchers. If killing of some living entity is butchery, then how great a butcher is he who is killing himself? He is killing an animal, but he is killing himself. Ātma-hā. Ātma-hā, self-killing, out of ignorance. Everyone is in ignorance. Any sinful activity is done out of ignorance. So ignorance is no excuse. The butcher is killing animal because he does not know what is the effect of this killing. Similarly, persons who do not know what is the value of this human form of life and simply spoiling it just like animals, they are also butchering themselves.
And there was a butcher. The saintly person told for the butcher, mā jīva mā mara iti: "You neither live nor die."
Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968: There is a nice instructive verse in Sanskrit. One saintly person was giving his blessings to different kinds of persons. So he first of all saw one boy, he was a prince, son of a king. So he blessed him, rāja-putra. "My dear prince," ciraṁ jīva, "you live forever." Then he saw one brahmacārī, a disciple of a spiritual master, he said, mā jīva muni-putraka: "Oh, you are the disciple of a saintly person. You do not live. You die immediately." Rāja-putra ciraṁ jīva. "Oh, the prince, son of a king, you live forever; and you are a brahmacārī, muni-putra, a son of a saintly person, so you die immediately." Then there was a saintly person, and he said to the saintly... He offered his blessings to the saintly person, jīva vā mara vā sādhoḥ. Sādhoḥ means saintly person, sādhu. "My dear saintly person, either you live or you die as you like." And there was a butcher. He told for the butcher, mā jīva mā mara iti: "You neither live nor die."
So far the butcher is concerned, he said, mā jīva mā mara: "You don't die, don't live." "Don't live" means, "You are living in such a wretched condition, killing every day. Horrible life. Your living is horrible, and if you die, you are going to the darkest region of the hellish condition. So both life, living or dying, it is very horrible for you. So you don't live, don't die."
Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968: So what is the significance of these four kinds of blessings? The significance is that he blessed the rāja-putra, royal prince, to live forever because whatever enjoyment he's having, this is for this life. Next life is very horrible for him, next life. Just like generally in the opulent countries like America and other European countries, they are materially very opulent, they do not care for anything. They do anything, whatever they like, because they are very much proud of their material opulence. But they do not care what they are going to be next life, you see. Therefore so long they live, that is good for them. As soon as they die, they are going to the darkest region of the hell. Therefore the prince, the king's son, was blessed, "You live forever," and so far the brahmacārī, brahmacārī or the son of a muni, he is undergoing penance, austerities, fasting, not very comfortable life. So he was blessed that "You die immediately." Because by his pious activities he has elevated himself so high that as soon as he dies, he goes to Vaikuṇṭha, kingdom of God. Therefore the sooner he dies is better. So muni-putra, ma jīva muni-putraka. And so far saintly person, sādhu, he said, jīva vā mara vā. A saintly person, "Either you live or die, the same thing. Because you are serving Kṛṣṇa in this life, and as soon as you die, you will serve Kṛṣṇa directly. So it is all the same." And so far the butcher is concerned, he said, mā jīva mā mara: "You don't die, don't live." "Don't live" means, "You are living in such a wretched condition, killing every day. Horrible life. Your living is horrible, and if you die, you are going to the darkest region of the hellish condition. So both life, living or dying, it is very horrible for you. So you don't live, don't die."
Unfortunately, every one of us is committing butchery without understanding self-realization, what is self, "What I am."
Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968: So that is the blessing to the butcher, "Don't live, don't die." Living condition is also horrible, and after death it is also horrible. But unfortunately, every one of us is committing butchery without understanding self-realization, what is self, "What I am." Therefore Vedānta-sūtra says, "Try to understand yourself." Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This human form of life is meant for searching out, understanding, inquiring, about Brahman. We are all Brahmans. Because we are part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman, therefore we are all Brahman. So if we do not inquire what is Brahman, then that is suicide.
Initiation Lectures
Everyone is giving up meat-eating. The slaughterhouse will be closed. And the butchers are not very much pleased with us.
Initiations -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1973: Come on. So what are the rules and regulation? (girl answers) That's nice. Revatī dāsī. Regulative principles? (boy answers) Everyone is giving up meat-eating. The slaughterhouse will be closed. (laughter) And the butchers are not very much pleased with us. (laughter) Never mind. We have to do this. Come on.
General Lectures
That work is so abominable that he should not live for executing that work. But what is the benefit of dying? Because after death, he will be butchered.
Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973: Guest (1): So when animals are butchered, why the butcher does not get pain?
Prabhupāda: Butcher does not get pain? Do you know that? There is a Sanskrit verse that vyādha mā jīva, mā mara: "My dear butcher, you don't live, don't die." Do you think this butcher, that butchering work is very palatable work? Can you see it, before you, a man is killed, an animal is killed? So he has become accustomed. It pains him. But that work is so abominable that he should not live for executing that work. But what is the benefit of dying? Because after death, he will be butchered. Therefore the śāstra says, mā jīva mā mara: "Don't live, don't die." Yes.
Philosophy Discussions
That conscience is due to practice. Just like a butcher, he has no conscience that killing is bad. That he is practiced to do that, his conscience is not touched by killing.
Philosophy Discussion on Jacques Maritain: Prabhupāda: That conscience is due to practice. Just like a butcher, he has no conscience that killing is bad. That he is practiced to do that, he does not say that... His conscience is not touched by killing. So this conscience is by practice created in a different atmosphere, so it does not act. Unless one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his conscience has no value. It is contaminated conscience. So as you are accustomed, so you have made a particular type of conscience. A thief, a thief, when he goes to steal, his conscience says, "This is all right. This is my livelihood. Why shall I stop it?" So what is value of this conscience?
Just like the butcher killing, he is also speculating, "What is the wrong there? Why people are protesting?" That is also speculating.
Philosophy Discussion on Jacques Maritain: Śyāmasundara: Yes. He says that the speculative faculty is intelligence, that we can understand...
Prabhupāda: Then he is also speculating. Just like the butcher killing, he is also speculating, "What is the wrong there? Why people are protesting?" That is also speculating. But because his background is different, his conscience does not help him.
Those on the lowest platform of material life, just like the butcher, that he is advised, mā jīva mā maro, "Don't live; don't die." Because he is living very abominable life, daily cutting the throats of so many animals. Is that very nice life? So it is abominable, and as soon as he dies, he is going to suffer.
Philosophy Discussion on Plotinus: They sometimes, foolish persons, say that "You are also going to die." Yes, you are going to die, I am also going to die, it's a fact, but a devotee's death means giving up this body and remain in his original, spiritual body. Sometimes it is said, jīvo vā maro vā. A devotee, either he is living or he is dead, his business is the same. And those on the lowest platform of material life, just like the butcher, that he is advised, mā jīva mā maro, "Don't live; don't die." Because he is living very abominable life, daily cutting the throats of so many animals. Is that very nice life? So it is abominable, and as soon as he dies, he is going to suffer. So his position is, "Either you live or you die, his position is very, er, horrible." And a devotee, either he lives or dies, his business is the same—to serve Kṛṣṇa. So jīvo vā maro vā. He is not different from Kṛṣṇa, so living or dead, it hasn't even no meaning for him.
