Are the Plants hurt by plucking flowers & fruits for Krishna & us?
“A Girl devotee” asked like this:
“hare krishna sir …… I wanted to clear a doubt of mine which is very silly but i wanted to clear so i request u to help me by giving ur precious views…. My doubt is dat is plucking the plants is a sin coz as they are also living being they can’t speak doesn’t mean they won’t get hurt nd usually when i stop others from plucking of flowers or leaves they laugh at me and say ty pagal hai ………. Nd one more thing now a days Tulsi plant grown all over our terrace automatically what do i do as they are very small i don want not even a single plant to die plz do help me how do i save all of them ……. Jai sri krishna”
REPLY:
Actually, in each and every activity of ours, we hurt someone. Even when we yawn, we kill 1000s of micro-organisms that enter our mouth and die. When we walk, we kill 1000s of small species on the way. When we cook, plenty of microorganisms are boiled and killed.
(10 FOODS KRISHNA DEVOTEES SHOULD EAT AND AVOID! READ HERE!)
So, all our activities hurt others. We can not avoid hurting others at all though we are very careful
Even when we eat vegetarian foods, even killing plants involves sin. However, as Lord Krishna has recommended us to eat vegetarian foods and Lord too has asked us to offer Him only vegetarian foods, we consider Vegetarian foods as recommended for us.
As Lord did not ask for non-vegetarian foods, we understand that non-vegetarian foods are not meant for us.
Yes! Killing plants is also sinful. Of course the Plants are hurt by plucking flowers & fruits for Krishna & us. But, as Krishna says us to kill, it is sinless!
How? Arjuna killed the relatives & friends & gurus in battle field as a Kshatria, because, Krishna told to kill them as it is Arjuna’s Kshatria Dharma!
As Krishna has said that He can be offered only the vegetarian foods, you can kill the vegetables for Krishna! No sin will be there! See, Most of the plants do not die if we pluck vegetables or flowers or fruits from them! They continue to live, except a few types of plants!
(Why killing plants for food is forgivable, but killing animals is sinful? READ HERE!)
As Krishna okayed offering plants to Him and recommended us to eat, we can eat plants. Even milk comes from an animal. But, as Krishna permitted us to have milk, we drink milk. Because, whatever Krishna said in Bhagavad Gita is the dharma for all of us. No need for any other dharma.
In Krishna Consciousness, we do what Krishna wanted us to do.
Krishna too likes vegetarian foods only. Because, Krishna says in Gita to offer vegetarian foods only, not meat!
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!”.
As Krishna Prefers Vegetarian foods, we also should eat vegetarian foods!
When we fulfill the words of Krishna, we do not acquire karma or sin. So, we take vegetarian foods as said by Lord. Acharyas have guided us to offer that food to Lord and take it as prasadam. So it becomes totally free from sins. And, we honour Krishna Himself by honouring Prasadam.
(Which is the best offering to Krishna that one can give? Why? READ HERE!)
So, taking vegetarian foods is less sinful. If we take the same vegetarian food after offering to the Lord, even these small sins are nullified and that food is purified as Krishna takes it and gives us back.
Now, your question about plucking flowers: Plucking flowers does not hurt the plants or kill them. It may prevent the further proliferation of plants. That’s all. Mostly, the flowers are used to offer to the Lord and demigods. So, when we offer the flowers to the Lord, in fact, those flowers are purified. So, nothing wrong in that.
And, according to stri dharma, a girl is expected to wear flowers for her hairs to please her husband. This is like Arjuna fought war as his kshatriya dharma. The dharma is different even for men and women. The women practice wearing flowers even before marriage. This is recommended for girls.
So, even the girls can wear the flowers after offering to Lord for some time. By doing so, you are helping flowers by giving an opportunity to live on the deity of Lord for some time. Though a girl wears flowers without offering to the Lord, it is not sinful because they are following their stri dharma.
So, plucking flowers is not wrong if the purpose is good. We need not unnecessarily pluck them and throw out. That is not advisable.
(COMPLETE PROCEDURE OF OFFERING FOOD TO KRISHNA! READ HERE!)