Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.17.25
Poṣaṇa· The Lord's protectionProduce and Distribute Food Without Unnecessary Killing
“Now, with the help of my arrows, I shall cut you to pieces and with your flesh satisfy the hunger-stricken citizens, who are now crying for want of grains. Thus I shall satisfy the crying citizens of my kingdom.”
What the purport teaches
- Human society must first try to produce food grains and vegetables. The purport permits flesh-eating only in rare circumstances of necessity when these efforts fail and people face acute food shortage.
- When sufficient food is available, killing animals merely to satisfy the tongue should not be sanctioned. Cows and other animals should receive sufficient grass.
- The earth produces sufficient grain to feed the population, but trade restrictions and the desire for profit obstruct distribution. Proper distribution would remove scarcity and the supposed need for slaughterhouses.
Try this today
Share a meal made from grains and vegetables with someone who needs food.
Ask yourself
How can my food choices and sharing help avoid unnecessary animal killing?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.