The Greatest Opportunity

On Tuesday 26 June 2007 here in British Columbia, Canada I spoke on the science of self-realization at Simon Fraser University. I explained to the students how of all the sciences the self-realization science is the most important, that there should be a self-realization department in every university throughout the world.

After all, how can a student meaningfully map out his career plans when he does not even know who he is? This is one most asinine aspects of our modern so-called educational system. We expect the students to get all excited about a career, but we do not give them even the foggiest idea about who they are. And then we wonder why they bring a gun to campus and start shooting everyone in sight. It's time we start putting the horse before cart.

Therefore I took the invitation I received to speak at Simon Fraser University as the greatest opportunity to help bring about a brighter future for the human society. I pray that my explanation of the self-realization will have a profound impact on their lives.

Answers According to the Vedic Version

Question: Is Mercy Killing Justified?...

Could you please enlighten me on what the scriptures say about killing of animals generally and more specifically to put an end to their suffering?

In the West animal shelters humanely euthanize dogs and cats. Is this right from the spiritual point of view?

If it is wrong to practice mercy killing, then what is the justification to see the prolonged suffering of the animal? Do animals have karma?

Thank you and Hare Krishna!

Rajen

Answer: Humane Killing?...

It is a very noble ideal to want to relieve living beings from their suffering. If we have a desire to do this, it is very nice. But we must learn how to do it properly so that we do not prolong their suffering or increase their suffering. Every living being in each species has an allotted amount of suffering and enjoyment it is meant to experience in that species. Once that is finished, they then move on to the next higher species on the evolutionary ladder. In this way they gradually move up to the human form in which they revive their original divine consciousness and once and for all escape the cycle of birth and death.

Euthanization simply postpones their misery and delays that time when they can become completely free from all suffering by becoming a self-realized soul. Therefore if we really want to do good for others we should give them Krishna consciousness, not euthanization. We should let hear the holy names of the Lord and taste Krishna prasadam. These are beneficial for the spiritual emancipation of all souls whether they are embodied in a human form, an animal form, or a plant form.

If someone came to kill you humanely would you accept it?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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