Killing animals

[Guest guest]

Home Base: Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir, Sri Mayapur Dham, WB, India

 

My Dear Spiritual Son,

 

Please accept my blessings. All glories to Srila Prabhupada who has

compassion all the fallen souls of this material world and is their greatest

well wisher by giving them pure Krsna Consciousness. Thankyou for your

letter which I have read carefully. My comments are given below.

 

> Dear Gurudeva,

> Please accept my prostrate obeisances at the dust of your

> lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

>

> Sometimes we may have to kill some harmful living entities

> which are considered as pests but may not be life threatening. For

> example rats, mosquitoes, non poisonous snakes etc. Sometimes it is

> difficult to catch them but comparatively easier to kill them or poison

> them. Otherwise by their nature they cause lots of trouble in the

> temples or in the residence. I understand it is very sinful to kill any

> living entity.

> What does the sastras say regarding this?

> Is there any atonement prescribed for such acts in the past?

>

> Your useless servant,

> Lakshmi Nrsinghadeva das

 

Srila Prabhupada recommended using preventative methods like putting food

grains in steel/G.I. sealed barrels/drums so that rodents and insects

couldn't eat them. Cleaning things so that cockroaches and other pests

won't find anything edible. In India they have effective ahimsa rat-traps

(non-violent rat traps). they catch the rat in a cage rather then crush in

a spring trap. Like that non-violent alternatives are preferable.

 

Anything involving killing should be trully in self-defense or a really

dangerous or unavoidable circumstance. This is how Srila Prabhupada

instructed us in India.

 

I hope this finds you blissful in Krsna consciousness and healthy.

 

Your well wisher always,

 

 

Jayapataka Swami