Hari-śauri: Well, I understood that that verse, yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas (BG 3.21), that was referring to Lord Rāmacandra.
Prabhupāda: Everyone is referred, but whatever Rāmacandra says, you should do that. You should not imitate. There are two words: "following" and "imitating." Imitation is not good. Following is good. Yad yad ācarati śreṣ . . . You can . . . That I have already explained. Can you construct a bridge on the ocean? You are claiming, yad yad ācarati. Can you do this? Then why do you say like that? You cannot imitate. You can follow only. "Because Rāmacandra ate meat, so I am eating meat. I become Rāmacandra." And why don't you construct a bridge on the ocean?
Akṣayānanda: So actually, perfect kings, they may have eaten meat? Perfect kings . . .
Prabhupāda: No, perfect king must follow the Vedic injunction.
Akṣayānanda: They would never eat meat, even though they are kṣatriyas.
Prabhupāda: No, kṣatriyas are allowed. That is by hunting, not otherwise. Or yajña. Everything is there in the śāstra. (break) . . . candra, even He was eating meat, is there any instance in the temple Rāmacandra is offered meat? Then why do you claim, "Rāmacandra used to eat meat, therefore I shall eat"? All rascals. Kṛṣṇa, He ate fire, khāṇḍava-dāna. But what He asked you to offer? Does He say that "You offer Me fire"? He says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Does He say that "You give Me fire. I shall eat"?
Akṣayānanda: You mean He eats fire in His representation as the fire-god?
Prabhupāda: No representation. As He is. He never assumed as fire-god. He was boy, and playing, and there was fire and He ate it. That is God, not that He became a fire-god. What is fire-god? Thousands of fire-gods are staying on the nail of His feet. Why He should become a fire-god? Mahat-padam. Kṛṣṇa's another name is mahat-padam. The whole energy of material world is on His feet. Samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ (SB 10.14.58). So they attend maṅgala-arati?
Guṇārṇava: Yes.
Prabhupāda: They do?
Devotee: Yes, they do.
Prabhupāda: Very good. (break) . . . them there are cycles. The cycles are more dangerous than the motorcar.
Haṁsadūta: Because you can't hear them.
Prabhupāda: No, no, hear . . . Gives you dash. You see? From the behind. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa.
(break) . . . God, they do like that. They give this example, "In such and such yajña, ṛṣis were eating meat; therefore we shall eat meat." In the Ramakrishna Mission, sannyāsīs, they say like that.