No Pets for Devotees -- Only Servants of Krsna

[Guest guest]

Nicely worded, Hare Krishna devi, and very open-hearted.

 

 

HKd writes:

 

The fact is that these animals were not being kept primarily as pets. The

dog had an important service to do in chasing deer and hunting down ground

hogs. The cat had an important duty to do in killing mice who wanted to eat

and contaminate the cows' grain. In fact, they were servants of the Deity,

so no one would begrudge their presence. Even to give them food and some

affection was proper in that context, because they were regarded as Krsna's

servants, and they deserved sincere encouragement for their work.

 

The special opulence of a farm project as opposed to a city temple is that

there is a much wider range of opportunity for engaging all different kinds

of living entities in Krsna's service. Cats kill mice. Dogs chase away

pests. Barn swallows eat flies that would bother the cows. Song birds

beautify the atmosphere for the pleasure of the Deities, thus also

attracting guests to Krsna. Spider catch mosquitos. Even the flies and

mosquitos serve Krsna, because they offer these other living being a chance

to do their service. Mosquitos suck the blood of devotees who subsist only

on the Lord's prasadam, so their future is actually very bright -- even if

they are an annoyance to us.