Satsvarūpa: Under what conditions would Kṛṣṇa sanction violence?
Prabhupāda: Violence? Kṛṣṇa does not sanction violence, but if there is absolute necessity, then violence is required. Yes. Kṛṣṇa wanted to mitigate the misunderstanding of two groups of cousin-brothers. So Kṛṣṇa personally induced, "All right, they are . . . your brothers are kṣatriyas.
Kṣatriyas, they cannot do any business or take the profession of a Brāhmin. So you give them five villages. They will be satisfied." And they replied, "Oh, what do You call five villages? I cannot spare even that land which can hold the tip of this needle." Then Kṛṣṇa says, "You must fight."
So Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's devotees, they are not fight . . . they are not after fight, but if there is absolute necessity of fight, then they can fight also. Because they are prepared to do anything. Just like in Rāmāyaṇa also, the same subject matter. Hanumān . . . Hanumān is a devotee of Lord Rāmacandra.
So he fought with Rāvaṇa not for his personal self, but Rāma wanted that, "He has kidnapped the queen of Rāma. She must be delivered," and there was fighting. That is the principle. When one does not agree to the religious principle or to the moral principle or any instruction, he is adamant, then there must be fight.