Why do we kill the plants for food though they too have athma?
A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“HARE KRSNA PRABHU!! i have a doubt, in scriptures it is said that every living being has a soul which is part and parcel of krishna…so even trees also have right?? so, when we eat vegetarian food like many leafy vegetables like spinach, coriander etc etc.. so even they have life right?? so by eating them are we not killing these living creatures?? don’t we get the karma?
REPLY:
Eating vegetables will also add karma, but it is the forgivable karma!
Our each and every material action involves karma.
However, if we do what Krishna advised, it does not add to our karma.
(10 SCIENTIFIC REASONS TO AVOID MEAT EATING AS A REGULATIVE PRINCIPLE! READ HERE!)
Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (9-26):
“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.”
All He mentioned were only the vegetarian eatables. He never mentioned meat, fish, etc. So, this means, Krishna supports offering vegetarian foods to Him.
Since Krishna like vegetarian foods, His devotees should also eat vegetarian foods.
Krishna told Arjuna to kill the enemies in the battle field because it is the duty of a kshatriyas to fight if the enemies come for a war. So, Arjuna fought the war as said by Krishna. So, Arjuna did not incur karma because He fought as said by Krishna and to fulfill his kshatriya duty.
Eating vegetables mostly does not kill the plant by plucking the fruits, leaves, etc. However, some vegetables like potatoes, leaves, etc, require plucking the entire plant. So, it will definitely be an act of killing.
However, since the plants have been given for man that makes eating the plants as our swadharma, and since the Lord Himself has recommended vegetables, we take vegetables. So, though we incur karma, but, Krishna forgives that karma of killing a plant instantly.
(Is taking meat rarely also offensive? What can I do in compelling situations? READ HERE!)
Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (3-13):
“The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.”
Though the karma of killing the plants is forgiven by Lord, the thoughts of the person who cooks the food is observed by that cooked food and enter into our body. For example, if the ‘cook’ in a hotel had cooked the food thinking of women, his ugly thoughts will transfer through the food and come to us. So, our consciousness will be affected.
That is why, we offer all the food to Krishna who takes that food and gives back to us as a PURE-KARMA FREE Prasadam.
That’s all. So, hereafter offer vegetarian food to the Lord and honour it and be relieved from karma.
(My family compels me to eat meat for strength violating regulative principle. What to do? READ HERE!)
What about eating the animals?
Animals are meant only for eating by the wild & sea animals like lion, tiger, wales, etc.
In other words, it is the Swadharma for the wild animals, not ours. So, It is the Paradharma for us.
So, When we eat the animals, we incur karma by doing paradharma, ie, dharma of others.
By taking vegetarian foods after offering to Krishna, we go with the guidance of Krishna. So, we are always protected.
(Do we hurt the plants by plucking flowers and fruits for Krishna and us? READ HERE!)