We have no quarrel with the nonvegetarians, because vegetable also has got life. The plants, the grass, the trees, the fruits, the flowers, they have also life. They are not dead. So simply becoming vegetarian is no great qualification. Somebody is taking meat and somebody is taking vegetable, it does not make any difference. But we are taking vegetables not as vegetarian; we are taking as kṛṣṇa-prasādam, remnants of foodstuff offered to Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that:
- patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
- yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
- tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
- aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ
- (BG 9.26)
Kṛṣṇa said that, "If somebody offers Me some foodstuff prepared from vegetables and fruits and grains"—grains are also fruits—"so with love and devotion, then I eat." Therefore we offer these things to Kṛṣṇa. Just like here, we have offered fruits. Not that because we are vegetarian, but Kṛṣṇa wants this. Just like if you invite some of your friend, you ask him, "My dear friend, what do you like to eat?"
So if he says: "I like this," so you immediately supply. This is the sign of love. Similarly, because Kṛṣṇa says: "If somebody offers Me fruits, flowers, grains, milk with devotion and love, I eat," so we are pledged to Kṛṣṇa, I offer these things to Kṛṣṇa, and we eat. That is our process.