Question 1: In our religion it is stated that we should not eat meat. However what is the difference between eating plants and eating animals? Either way we are killing a living entity. The only difference I see is that animals can voice their agony while plants cannot.
Answer by Romapada Swami: One living entity is food for another – that’s the law of material nature. One’s mere existence in the material world involves some unavoidable ‘himsa’ or violence. This does not entitle us to reckless killing, however. As human beings with higher intelligence, we are meant to follow higher religious principles and avoid unnecessary violence.
By nature’s arrangement, human beings can lead a healthy life by taking fruits, vegetables, grains and milk. Also, by nature’s way plants are in a dull state of consciousness although they have life and do not experience much agony. Besides, for most part we do not kill a plant or unduly cut short the lifespan of a plant but only use the products of a plant. Considering all this, animal killing is a needless violence just for the satisfaction of the tongue.
We have to bear in mind, however, that just being vegetarian is not transcendental in itself. The Vedic standard is that killing or hurting the plants for one’s own satisfaction also involves sin, although much less compared to unnecessary killing of animals. The only solution, as recommended in Bhagavad-gita, is to therefore first offer everything in sacrifice to the Supreme Lord before consuming it. The Supreme Lord is the actual creator and rightful proprietor and enjoyer of everything; so taking some fruits or vegetables to offer them to the Supreme Godhead – that is not violence to the plant, rather the plant derives spiritual benefit and so does the person who makes the offering and then partakes of the remnants of the Supreme Lord! Such a God-conscious life based on the directions of the scriptures is the only way by which man can survive without harming anyone including himself.
Question 2: Does a man err by consuming non-vegetarian food? What could be its physiological and spiritual implications?
Answer by Romapada Swami: Human beings are not meant for consuming animal flesh. Physiologically, the human body is not adapted to eat and digest flesh – this has been proven in scientific circles also. There are many back and forth arguments among scientists about the effect of meat eating, but it is easy to see that there are many unwanted diseases caused by such a diet and many experiments have also proved that one can lead a normal, healthy life, in fact healthier life by vegetarian diet than otherwise.
On a deeper level, eating of animal flesh, fish etc., has adverse effects on the consciousness and character of the people also. We learn from the Bhagavad-gita that eating of such foods plunge one in the mode of ignorance, in which one cannot understand right from wrong, especially with respect to religious principles and spiritual truths.
