Question:
In my free time, I walk around my home lawn and I see so many weeds popping-up in this season, so I pluck them and clean up regularly.
But when I pluck them out, I am feeling hurt that I am killing a living entity, what should I do? Is it ok to chant the Hare Krishna Mantra and pluck them, I am wondering what should be my conscious thought when I do this?
Answer by Romapada Swami:
“One may possess a beautiful garden filled with fruits and flowers, but without vigilant maintenance the garden will be overrun by weeds. Similarly, one who achieves a beautiful state of Kåñëa consciousness takes the sannyäsa order of life, but if he does not vigilantly and painstakingly keep his heart clean, there is always the danger of a relapse into illusion.” SB 11.18.13 purport
“The devotee therefore has to cleanse his heart just as the Lord cleansed the Guëòicä temple. In this way one can be pacified and enriched in devotional service. If the heart is filled with straw, grains of sand, weeds or dust (in other words, anyäbhiläña-pürëa), one cannot enthrone the Supreme Personality of Godhead there.” Cc Madhya 12.135
The purpose of uprooting weeds in a devotee’s lawn is because he/she wants the area around their house ~ which should be considered as the Lord’s temple, just as the heart is the Lord’s temple ~ to remain clean.
What is important is the consciousness and intention with which we are doing this activity.
Contemplate with genuine devotion the purpose behind gardening ~ both when dealing with the weeds in your heart, as well as those in your garden or lawn.
