Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Murder (Letters)

Correspondence

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Pope Paul VI -- Montreal 3 August, 1968:

The human society is gradually degrading in the matter of religiosity, and justice; and "might is right" is gradually taking the place of morality and justice. There is practically no more family life, and the union of man and woman is gradually degrading to the standard of sexuality. I understand it from reliable sources that people are trying to get Your Holiness' sanction for contraceptive method, which is certainly against any religion of the world. In the Hindu religion, such contraceptive method or abortion is considered equivalent to murder.

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 19 November, 1968:

Regarding propaganda against animal slaughter in BTG. Please do not print any picture showing how a cow is being murdered in our BTG. This will pollute the whole atmosphere. We are not meant for moving anyone's sentiment against animal slaughter, we are neither Buddhists or Jains, whose main propaganda is against animal slaughter. Even the so-called vegetarians who do not take Krishna prasadam are as much sinful as the non-vegetarians. Our propaganda is different, to make people Krishna Conscious, which automatically makes them sympathetic against any kind of animal slaughter.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Tittenhurst House, England 31 October, 1969:

In another place he says in discussing the Ten Commandents of the Bible about the sanctity of (human life). Instead of exactly quoting the commandment "Thou shalt not kill," he replaces by his own words "Thou shalt do no murder". But he does not know how his own words reflect to the then society wherein Lord Jesus Christ was preaching. To say to his audience, "Thou shalt do no murder" means they were very much accustomed to commit murder. So what is the position of that society where the members are accustomed to commit murder, and what class of preaching can be made to such persons? As we see in another religious principle there is instruction that henceforward you shall not co-habit with your mother. So we have to judge such societies where there are murderers and those having sex life with their mothers, what kind of men they are. In the Bhagavad-gita the religious principles are divided into three categories: in the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. Generally, all so-called principles are in the modes of passion and ignorance. Maybe there are some moral instructions, but moral instructions without God-consciousness is impossible to follow.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Tittenhurst 2 November, 1969:

Regarding books like Aquarian Gospel or even the Testiments, we cannot accept them as authorities because sometimes it is learnt that the words are not actually spoken by Christ, but they are so set up by the devotees. For example, in the Ten Commandments it is clearly stated "Thou shalt not kill", but some Bishop in Boston has changed it to "Thou shalt do no murder". This means the Bishop wants to keep hold for animal slaughter. So don't bother about all these literatures. We have all respect for these great preachers, but we do not require to study books save and accept for some reference. We must push on our philosophy how to love God.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Tittenhurst 2 November, 1969:

After all, Krishna Consciousness philosophy is as old as 120 million years at the least. So nothing can be compared with our philosophy either in the matter of antiquity, philosophy, ethics, science, morality, etc., all in correct vision and approved by great stalwart acaryas. So far others are concerned, they cannot be compared even. For example, if Lord Jesus Christ said "Thou shalt not kill", or "Thou shalt do no murder" to the people, it does not reflect very good social structure of the audience. Our philosophy is above all these things. Just like we prescribe to our students no illicit sex-life, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling, but they are not ends in themselves. The real end is how to serve Krishna and sacrifice everything for Him.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Citsukhananda -- Nairobi 12 October, 1971:

One thing is that all translations should be checked by you and Candrabali because those who are not our students, if they write some wrong conclusion, the whole thing will be murdered.

Letter to Rayarama -- Bombay 22 October, 1971:

If you want to preach the gospel of Lord Jesus Christ on the principles of Bhagavad-gita you will find so many differences. Those who are following Jesus Christ, let them follow strictly to the principles of the Bible. "Thou shalt not kill" is now being misinterpreted by Christian priests. Now they say "Thou shall not murder." This means trying to save themselves from the crime of animal killing. So you cannot teach such unscrupled followers the message of Bhagavad-gita.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Dasarha -- Bombay 4 March, 1972:

Accepting the Lord or His representative as one's savior means to render loving devotional service to Him, and in return he will give you all protection. But the foolish Christians they think God is their order-supplier so that simply by performing some religious ceremonies they are entitled to receive all benedictions for enhancing their material life. First of all, to be saved by God means that one must obey what God orders or His laws of commandments. But in the Bible God says "Thou shall not kill," but where is the Christian who does not kill animals and eat? They have changed the meaning of kill to mean "murder," and for them, murder means only other humans. So unless you find out some Christian who is actually intelligent, it is useless to try for convincing them of these points. Simply show them by example that we are finding great spiritual joy in serving Krishna, sell them some literature, give them prasadam, and invite to the temple, and if they cannot understand from the point of view of philosophy, at least they will be able to appreciate our wonderful and enlivening activities and that we have proved ourselves the most upright, moral persons and the best examples of enlightened souls for the general improvement of all the citizens.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Bhakta dasa -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 3 August, 1973:

I have met with so many Christians and when I ask them why Christians are killing they cannot answer. The first principle of spiritual life is non violence. They will say Killing in this matter means actually Murder, but accepting even this argument, it means that the society in which Christ was preaching were composed of Murderers, so what kind of men they were, and practically we see it is a fact that because they murdered Lord Jesus Christ.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Alfred Ford -- Los Angeles 16 July, 1974:

Now this question may be raised why are so many cows being killed in the slaughterhouse. The answer is that those who are killing cows, according to the decision of karma kanda, these killers of cows will in the next life be cows, and the cows who are killed will become men and kill the killers. The word flesh is called mansa which means the animal in future will kill me and eat. This is called karma bandhanam, bound up by the laws of karma. If you kill some living being, he will kill you in the next life. According to Manu samhita, the Vedic lawbook, a murderer is hanged and thereby released from sinful activities so that in the next life he may not be killed. Life for life sentence is given to end the result of sinful activities in this life instead of waiting for the next life. Unfortunately people at the present moment do not know what is the next life, what is this life, what is karma, how one becomes entangled, how one becomes free. The modern education is void of all this enlightenment.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Alanatha -- Vrindaban 1 September, 1975:

I am very glad that you are getting so much interest from persons coming from the Eastern Europe countries. You should give the two devotees from there all facility in translating. Now I am requesting Hamsaduta and Bhagavan to make vigorous propaganda in Eastern Europe. In the latest issue of Back to Godhead English edition there is my discussion about Marx philosophy. It will appeal to any sane man. Lenin has murdered the Czar, that was his only accomplishment, but any gunda could do that. This article should be read and translated.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Dr. Chittaranjan Mohapatra -- Mayapur 21 March, 1976:

Sacrifice does not mean murdering. The real work is yajna. Yajna means Visnu. In the Bhagavad-gita, yajna is prescribed. Yajnarthat karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam Karma-bandhanah . . . (BG 3.9). "Work done as a sacrifice for Visnu has to be performed, otherwise work binds one to this world." Yajna is prescribed in Vedic literature. Yajna means satisfying Lord Visnu. Lord Visnu's another name is Yajna-purusa. One must satisfy Him anyway that He likes. "Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati . . . (BG 9.26). If one offers Me in devotion a leaf, flower, fruit or water, I will accept it." Not that whimsically offer.

Page Title:Murder (Letters)
Compiler:Labangalatika
Created:25 of Sep, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=12
No. of Quotes:12