Those who are very enthusiastic about killing animals in the name of religion or for food must await similar punishment after death. The animals whom we kill will be given an opportunity to kill us. Although in actuality no living entity is killed, the pains of being pierced by the horns of animals will be experienced after death. Not knowing this, rascals unhesitatingly go on killing poor animals. So-called human civilization His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (05-01-02)
SB 1.7.37 P The Son of Drona Punished
A life for a life is just punishment for a person who cruelly and shamelessly
lives at the cost of another's life. Political morality is to punish a
person by a death sentence in order to save a cruel person from going to
hell. That a murderer is condemned to a death sentence by the state is
good for the culprit because in his next life he will not have to suffer
for his act of murder. Such a death sentence for the murderer is the lowest
possible punishment offered to him, and it is said in the smrti- sastras
that men who are punished by the king on the principle of a life for a
life are purified of all their sins, so much so that they may be eligible
for being promoted to the planets of heaven. According to Manu, the great
author of civic codes and religious principles, even the killer of an animal
is to be considered a murderer because animal food is never meant for the
civilized man, whose prime duty is to prepare himself for going back to
Godhead. He says that in the act of killing an animal, there is a regular
conspiracy by the party of sinners, and all of them are liable to be punished
as murderers exactly like a party of conspirators who kill a human being
combinedly. He who gives permission, he who kills the animal, he who sells
the slaughtered animal, he who cooks the animal, he who administers distribution
of the foodstuff, and at last he who eats such cooked animal food are all
murderers, and all of them are liable to be punished by the laws of nature.
No one can create a living being despite all advancement of material science,
and therefore no one has the right to kill a living being by one's independent
whims. For the animal-eaters, the scriptures have sanctioned restricted
animal sacrifices only, and such sanctions are there just to restrict the
opening of slaughterhouses and not to encourage animal-killing. The procedure
under which animal sacrifice is allowed in the scriptures is good both
for the animal sacrificed and the animal-eaters. It is good for the animal
in the sense that the sacrificed animal is at once promoted to the human
form of life after being sacrificed at the altar, and the animal-eater
is saved from grosser types of sins (eating meats supplied by organized
slaughterhouses which are ghastly places for breeding all kinds of material
afflictions to society, country and the people in general). The material
world is itself a place always full of anxieties, and by encouraging animal
slaughter the whole atmosphere becomes polluted more and more by war, pestilence,
famine and many other unwanted calamities.
SB 4.13.40 P Description of the Descendants of Dhruva Maharaja
Ksatriyas are allowed to hunt in the forest for the purpose of learning
the killing art, not to kill animals for eating or for any other purpose.
The ksatriya kings were sometimes expected to cut off the head of a culprit
in the state. For this reason the ksatriyas were allowed to hunt in the
forest. Because this son of King Anga, Vena, was born of a bad mother,
he was very cruel, and he used to go to the forest and unnecessarily kill
the animals. All the neighboring inhabitants would be frightened by his
presence, and they would call, "Here comes Vena! Here comes Vena!" So from
the beginning of his life he was fearful to the citizens.
SB 4.21.22 P Instructions by Maharaja Prthu
Prajayate iti praja. The word praja refers to one who takes birth.
Therefore Prthu Maharaja guaranteed protection for prajanam--all living
entities who took birth in his kingdom. Praja refers not only to human
beings but also to animals, trees and every other living entity. It is
the duty of the king to give all living entities protection and food. The
fools and rascals of modern society have no knowledge of the extent of
the responsibility of the government. Animals are also citizens of the
land in which they happen to be born, and they also have the right to continue
their existence at the cost of the Supreme Lord. The disturbance of the
animal population by wholesale slaughter produces a catastrophic future
reaction for the butcher, his land and his government.
SB 4.22.31 P Prthu Maharaja' s Meeting with the Four Kumaras
The living entity, or the soul, is ever existing and eternal. It cannot
be lost, but learned scholars say that it is lost when actual knowledge
is not working. That is the difference between animals and human beings.
According to less intelligent philosophers, animals have no soul. But factually
animals have souls. Due to the animals' gross ignorance, however, it appears
that they have lost their souls. Without the soul, a body cannot move.
That is the difference between a living body and a dead body. When the
soul is out of the body, the body is called dead. The soul is said to be
lost when there is no proper knowledge exhibited. Our original consciousness
is Krsna consciousness because we are part and parcel of Krsna. When this
consciousness is misguided and one is put into the material atmosphere,
which pollutes the original consciousness, one thinks that he is a product
of the material elements. Thus one loses his real remembrance of his position
as part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just as a man
who sleeps forgets himself. In this way, when the activities of proper
consciousness are checked, all the activities of the lost soul are performed
on a false basis. At the present moment, human civilization is acting on
a false platform of bodily identification; therefore it can be said that
the people of the present age have lost their souls, and in this respect
they are no better than animals.
SB 4.25.7 P The Descriptions of the Characteristics of King Puranjana
Because animal sacrifice is recommended in the Vedas, there are animal
sacrifices in almost all religious rituals. However, one should not be
satisfied simply by killing animals according to the directions of the
scriptures. One should transcend the ritualistic ceremonies and try to
understand the actual truth, the purpose of life. Narada Muni wanted to
instruct the King about the real purpose of life and invoke a spirit of
renunciation in his heart. Knowledge and the spirit of renunciation (jnana-vairagya)
are the ultimate goal of life. Without knowledge, one cannot become detached
from material enjoyment, and without being detached from material enjoyment,
one cannot make spiritual advancement. Karmis are generally engaged in
sense gratification, and for this end they are prepared to commit so many
sinful activities. Animal sacrifice is but one such sinful activity. Consequently,
by his mystic power Narada Muni showed King Pracinabarhisat the dead animals
which he had sacrificed.
SB 4.25.8 The Descriptions of the Characteristics of King Puranjana
All these animals are awaiting your death so that they can avenge the
injuries you have inflicted upon them. After you die, they will angrily
pierce your body with iron horns.
SB 4.25.8 P The Descriptions of the Characteristics of King Puranjana
Narada Muni wanted to draw King Pracinabarhisat's attention to the
excesses of killing animals in sacrifices. It is said in the sastras that
by killing animals in a sacrifice, one immediately promotes them to human
birth. Similarly, by killing their enemies on a battlefield, the ksatriyas
who fight for a right cause are elevated to the heavenly planets after
death. In Manu-samhita it is stated that it is necessary for a king to
execute a murderer so that the murderer will not suffer for his criminal
actions in his next life. On the basis of such understanding, Narada Muni
warns the King that the animals killed in sacrifices by the King await
him at his death in order to avenge themselves. Narada Muni is not contradicting
himself here. Narada Muni wanted to convince the King that overindulgence
in animal sacrifice is risky because as soon as there is a small discrepancy
in the execution of such a sacrifice, the slaughtered animal may not be
promoted to a human form of life. Consequently, the person performing sacrifice
will be responsible for the death of the animal, just as much as a murderer
is responsible for killing another man. When animals are killed in a slaughterhouse,
six people connected with the killing are responsible for the murder. The
person who gives permission for the killing, the person who kills, the
person who helps, the person who purchases the meat, the person who cooks
the flesh and the person who eats it, all become entangled in the killing.
Narada Muni wanted to draw the King's attention to this fact. Thus animal-killing
is not encouraged even in a sacrifice.
SB 4.26.1-3 P King Puranjana Goes to the Forest to Hunt, and His Queen
Becomes Angry
According to karma-kandiya, the process of fruitive activities, a person
performs various sacrifices directed by the Vedas, and in all those sacrifices
animal-killing, or experimenting on the life of animals to test the power
of Vedic mantras, is enjoined. Animal-killing is certainly conducted under
the influence of the mode of ignorance. Even though one may be religiously
inclined, animal sacrifice is recommended in the sastras, not only in the
Vedas but even in the modern scriptures of other sects. These animal sacrifices
are recommended in the name of religion, but actually animal sacrifice
is meant for persons in the mode of ignorance. When such people kill animals,
they can at least do so in the name of religion. However, when the religious
system is transcendental, like the Vaisnava religion, there is no place
for animal sacrifice. Such a transcendental religious system is recommended
by Krsna in Bhagavad-gita (18.66):
"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear." Because King Pracinabarhisat was engaged in performing various sacrifices in which animals were killed, Narada Muni pointed out that such sacrifices are influenced by the mode of ignorance. From the very beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.1.2) it is said: projjhita-kaitavo 'tra. All kinds of religious systems that are involved in cheating are completely kicked out of Srimad-Bhagavatam. In the bhagavad-dharma, the religion dealing with one's relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, animal sacrifice is not recommended. In the performance of sankirtana-yajna--Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare--there is no recommendation for animal sacrifices.
When a man becomes too proud of his material position, he tries to enjoy his senses in an unrestricted way, being influenced by the modes of passion and ignorance. He is thus described as asuric, or demoniac. When people are demoniac in spirit, they are not merciful toward the poor animals. Consequently, they maintain various animal slaughterhouses. This is technically called suna, or himsa, which means the killing of living beings. In Kali-yuga, due to the increase of the modes of passion and ignorance, almost all men are asuric, or demoniac; therefore they are very much fond of eating flesh, and for this end they maintain various kinds of animal slaughterhouses.
In this age of Kali the propensity for mercy is almost nil. Consequently there is always fighting and wars between men and nations. Men do not understand that because they unrestrictedly kill so many animals, they also must be slaughtered like animals in big wars. This is very much evident in the Western countries. In the West, slaughterhouses are maintained without restriction, and therefore every fifth or tenth year there is a big war in which countless people are slaughtered even more cruelly than the animals. Sometimes during war, soldiers keep their enemies in concentration camps and kill them in very cruel ways. These are reactions brought about by unrestricted animal-killing in the slaughterhouse and by hunters in the forest. Proud, demoniac persons do not know the laws of nature, or the laws of God. Consequently, they unrestrictedly kill poor animals, not caring for them at all. In the Krsna consciousness movement, animal-killing is completely prohibited. One is not accepted as a bona fide student in this movement unless he promises to follow the four regulative principles: no animal- killing, no intoxication, no illicit sex and no gambling. This Krsna consciousness movement is the only means by which the sinful activities of men in this Kali-yuga can be counteracted.
SB 4.26.6 King Puranjana Goes to the Forest to Hunt, and His Queen Becomes
Angry
If a king is too attracted to eating flesh, he may, according to the
directions of the revealed scriptures on sacrificial performances, go to
the forest and kill some animals that are recommended for killing. One
is not allowed to kill animals unnecessarily or without restrictions. The
Vedas regulate animal-killing to stop the extravagance of foolish men influenced
by the modes of passion and ignorance.
SB 4.26.9 P King Puranjana Goes to the Forest to Hunt, and His Queen
Becomes Angry
The devotees are pained to see the hunting and killing of animals in
the forest, the wholesale slaughter of animals in the slaughterhouses,
and the exploitation of young girls in brothels that function under different
names as clubs and societies. Being very much compassionate upon the killing
of animals in sacrifice, the great sage Narada began his instructions to
King Pracinabarhisat. In these instructions, Narada Muni explained that
devotees like him are very much afflicted by all the killing that goes
on in human society. Not only are saintly persons afflicted by this killing,
but even God Himself is afflicted and therefore comes down in the incarnation
of Lord Buddha. Jayadeva Gosvami therefore sings: sadaya-hrdaya- darsita-pasu-ghatam.
Simply to stop the killing of animals, Lord Buddha compassionately appeared.
Some rascals put forward the theory that an animal has no soul or is something
like dead stone. In this way they rationalize that there is no sin in animal-killing.
Actually animals are not dead stone, but the killers of animals are stonehearted.
Consequently no reason or philosophy appeals to them. They continue keeping
slaughterhouses and killing animals in the forest. The conclusion is that
one who does not care for the instructions of saintly persons like Narada
and his disciplic succession surely falls into the category of nasta-prajna
and thus goes to hell.
SB 4.27.11 P Attack by Candavega on the City of King Puranjana: the
Character of Kalakanya
Actually, those who are in knowledge of everything are determined to
execute Krsna consciousness, but those who are rascals (mudhah), sinners
(duskrtinah) and the lowest of mankind (naradhamah), who are bereft of
all intelligence (mayayapahrta jnanah) and who take shelter of the demoniac
way of life (asuram bhavam asritah), are disinterested in Krsna consciousness.
As such they become implicated and take on so many activities. Most of
these activities center around the killing of animals. Modern civilization
is centered around animal-killing. Karmis are advertising that without
eating meat, their vitamin value or vitality will be reduced; so to keep
oneself fit to work hard, one must eat meat, and to digest meat, one must
drink liquor, and to keep the balance of drinking wine and eating meat,
one must have sufficient sexual intercourse to keep fit to work very hard
like an ass.
There are two ways of animal-killing. One way is in the name of religious sacrifices. All the religions of the world--except the Buddhists--have a program for killing animals in places of worship. According to Vedic civilization, the animal-eaters are recommended to sacrifice a goat in the temple of Kali under certain restrictive rules and regulations and eat the flesh. Similarly, they are recommended to drink wine by worshiping the goddess Candika. The purpose is restriction. People have given up all this restriction. Now they are regularly opening wine distilleries and slaughterhouses and indulging in drinking alcohol and eating flesh. A Vaisnava acarya like Narada Muni knows very well that persons engaged in such animal-killing in the name of religion are certainly becoming involved in the cycle of birth and death, forgetting the real aim of life: to go home, back to Godhead.
Thus the great sage Narada, while instructing Srimad-Bhagavatam to Vyasa Muni, condemned the karma-kanda (fruitive) activities mentioned in the Vedas. Narada told Vyasa:
"The people in general are naturally inclined to enjoy, and you have encouraged them in that way in the name of religion. This is verily condemned and is quite unreasonable. Because they are guided under your instructions, they will accept such activities in the name of religion and will hardly care for prohibitions." (Bhag. 1.5.15)
Srila Narada Muni chastised Vyasadeva for compiling so many Vedic supplementary scriptures, which are all intended for guiding the people in general. Narada Muni condemned these scriptures because they do not mention direct devotional service. Under Narada's instructions, direct worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, was set forth by Vyasadeva. The conclusion is that neither the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, nor His devotee ever sanctions animal-killing in the name of religion. Indeed, Krsna incarnated Himself as Lord Buddha to put an end to animal-killing in the name of religion. Animal sacrifice under the name of religion is conducted by the influence of tamo-guna (the mode of ignorance), as indicated in the Eighteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita (18.31-32):
"That understanding which cannot distinguish between the religious way of life and the irreligious, between action that should be done and action that should not be done--that imperfect understanding, O son of Prtha, is in the mode of passion. That understanding which considers irreligion to be religion and religion to be irreligion, under the spell of illusion and darkness, and strives always in the wrong direction, O Partha, is in the mode of ignorance."
Those who are involved in the mode of ignorance manufacture religious systems for killing animals. Actually dharma is transcendental. As Lord Sri Krsna teaches, we must give up all other systems of religion and simply surrender unto Him (sarva-dharman parityajya). Thus the Lord and His devotees and representatives teach the transcendental dharma, which does not allow animal- killing at all. At the present moment it is the greatest misfortune that in India many so-called missionary workers are spreading irreligion in the name of religion. They claim an ordinary human being to be God and recommend meat-eating for everyone, including so-called sannyasis.
SB 4.28.26 P Puranjana Becomes a Woman in the Next Life
Those who are very enthusiastic about killing animals in the name of
religion or for food must await similar punishment after death. The word
mamsa ("meat") indicates that those animals whom we kill will be given
an opportunity to kill us. Although in actuality no living entity is killed,
the pains of being pierced by the horns of animals will be experienced
after death. Not knowing this, rascals unhesitatingly go on killing poor
animals. So-called human civilization has opened many slaughterhouses for
animals in the name of religion or food. Those who are a little religious
kill animals in temples, mosques or synagogues, and those who are more
fallen maintain various slaughterhouses. Just as in civilized human society
the law is a life for a life, no living entity can encroach upon another
living entity as far as the Supreme Lord is concerned. Everyone should
be given freedom to live at the cost of the supreme father, and animal-killing--either
for religion or for food--is always condemned by the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gita (16.19) Lord Krsna says:
"Those who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, are cast by Me into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life." The animal-killers (dvisatah), envying other living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are placed in darkness and cannot understand the theme and objective of life.
SB 4.29.49 P Talks Between Narada and King Pracinabarhi
In this verse the great sage Narada Muni directly insults the King
because he was engaged in performing sacrifices that entail the killing
of a great number of animals. The King was thinking that he was great for
having performed so many sacrifices, but the great sage Narada directly
chastises him, informing him that his animal-killing only leads to his
being puffed up with false prestige. Actually, anything that is done which
does not lead to Krsna consciousness is a sinful activity, and any education
that does not lead one to understand Krsna is false education. If Krsna
consciousness is missing, one is simply engaged in false activities and
false educational pursuits.
SB 4.29.1a-2a P Talks Between Narada and King Pracinabarhi
It is said that man is a rational animal, but from this verse we can
also understand that rationality exists even in animal life. Unless there
is rationality, how can an animal maintain its body by working so hard?
That the animals are not rational is untrue; their rationality, however,
is not very advanced. In any case, we cannot deny them rationality. The
point is that one should use one's reason to understand the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, for that is the perfection of human life.
SB 5.7.5 P The Activities of King Bharata
Animals like hogs and cows were offered in sacrifice to test the proper
execution of the sacrifice. Otherwise, there was no purpose in killing
the animal. Actually the animal was offered in the sacrificial fire to
get a rejuvenated life. Generally an old animal was sacrificed in the fire,
and it would come out again in a youthful body. Some of the rituals however,
did not require animal sacrifice. In the present age, animal sacrifices
are forbidden. As stated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu:
"In this age of Kali, five acts are forbidden: the offering of a horse in sacrifice, the offering of a cow in sacrifice, the acceptance of the order of sannyasa, the offering of oblations of flesh to the forefathers, and a man's begetting children in his brother's wife." (Cc. Adi 17.164) Such sacrifices are impossible in this age due to the scarcity of expert brahmanas or rtvijah who are able to take the responsibility. In the absence of these, the sankirtana-yajna is recommended. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah (Bhag. 11.5.32). After all, sacrifices are executed to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yajnartha-karma: such activities should be carried out for the Supreme Lord's pleasure. In this age of Kali, the Supreme Lord in His incarnation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu should be worshiped with His associates by performance of sankirtana-yajna, the congregational chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra. This process is accepted by intelligent men. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah. The word sumedhasah refers to intelligent men who possess very good brain substance.
SB 10.10.9 P Deliverance of the Yamala-arjuna Trees
"If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or
water, I will accept it." A devotee, therefore, does not eat anything that
would require slaughterhouses for poor animals. Rather, devotees take prasada
of Krsna (tena tyaktena bhunjithah). Krsna recommends that one give Him
patram puspam phalam toyam--a leaf, a flower, fruit or water. Animal food
is never recommended for human beings; instead, a human being is recommended
to take prasada, remnants of food left by Krsna. Yajna-sistasinah santo
mucyante sarva-kilbisaih (Bg. 3.13). If one practices eating prasada, even
if there is some little sinful activity involved, one becomes free from
the results of sinful acts.
SB 10.10.10 Deliverance of the Yamala-arjuna Trees
While living one may be proud of one's body, thinking oneself a very
big man, minister, president or even demigod, but whatever one may be,
after death this body will turn either into worms, into stool or into ashes.
If one kills poor animals to satisfy the temporary whims of this body,
one does not know that he will suffer in his next birth, for such a sinful
miscreant must go to hell and suffer the results of his actions.
In this verse the three words krmi-vid-bhasma are significant. After death, the body may become krmi, which means "worms," for if the body is disposed of without cremation, it may be eaten by worms; or else it may be eaten by animals like hogs and vultures and be turned into stool. Those who are more civilized burn the dead body, and thus it becomes ashes (bhasma-samjnitam). Yet although the body will be turned into worms, stool or ashes, foolish persons, just to maintain it, commit many sinful activities. This is certainly regrettable. The human form of body is actually meant for jivasya tattva jijnasa, enlightenment in knowledge of spiritual values. Therefore, one must seek shelter of a bona fide spiritual master. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta: one must approach a guru. Who is a guru? Sabde pare ca nisnatam (Bhag. 11.3.21): a guru is one who has full transcendental knowledge. Unless one approaches a spiritual master, one remains in ignorance. Acaryavan puruso veda (Chandogya Upanisad 6.14.2): one has full knowledge about life when one is acaryavan, controlled by the acarya. But when one is conducted by rajo-guna and tamo-guna, one does not care about anything; instead, one acts like an ordinary foolish animal, risking his life (mrtyu-samsara-vartmani) and therefore continuing to go through suffering after suffering. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum (Bhag. 7.5.31). Such a foolish person does not know how to elevate himself in this body. Instead, he indulges in sinful activities and goes deeper and deeper into hellish life.
SB 10.10.12 Deliverance of the Yamala-arjuna Trees
This body, after all, is produced by the unmanifested nature and again
annihilated and merged in the natural elements. Therefore, it is the common
property of everyone. Under the circumstances, who but a rascal claims
this property as his own and while maintaining it commits such sinful activities
as killing animals just to satisfy his whims? Unless one is a rascal, one
cannot commit such sinful activities.
Atheists do not believe in the existence of the soul. Nonetheless, unless one is very cruel, why should one kill animals unnecessarily? The body is a manifestation of a combination of matter. In the beginning it was nothing, but by a combination of matter it has come into existence. Then again, when the combination is dismantled, the body will no longer exist. In the beginning it was nothing, and in the end it will be nothing. Why then should one commit sinful activities when it is manifested? It is not possible for anyone to do this unless he is rascal number one.
JSD 6.2 The Myth of Scarcity
Now in every city there are slaughterhouses, but does this mean that
the slaughterhouses can supply enough so that one can live by eating only
meat? No, there will not be an adequate supply. Even meat-eaters have to
eat grains, fruits, and vegetables along with their slice of meat. Still,
for that daily slice of meat they kill so many poor animals. How sinful
this is! If people commit such sinful activities, how can they be happy?
This killing should not be done, but because it is being done people are
unhappy. However, if one becomes Krsna conscious and simply depends on
Krsna's glance (tava viksitaih), Krsna will supply everything and there
will be no question of scarcity.
JSD 6.5 Slaughterhouse Civilization
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. If you have a garden and somebody says, "I want
to eat some fruit," you'll say, "Yes, come on. Take as much fruit as you
like." But he should not gather up more than he can eat and take it away.
Any number of men can come and eat to their satisfaction. The farmers do
not even prohibit the monkeys--"All right, let them come in. After all,
it is God's property." This is the Krsna conscious system: If an animal,
say a monkey, comes to your garden to eat, don't prohibit him. He is also
part and parcel of Krsna. If you prohibit him, where will he eat?
I have another story; this one was told by my father. My father's elder brother was running a cloth shop. Before closing the shop my uncle would put out a basin filled with rice. Of course, as in any village, there were rats. But the rats would take the rice and not cut even a single cloth. Cloth is very costly. If even one cloth had been cut by a rat, then it would have been a great loss. So with a few pennies' worth of rice, he saved many dollars' worth of cloth. This Krsna culture is practical. "They are also part and parcel of God. Give them food. They'll not create any disturbance. Give them food."
Everyone has an obligation to feed whoever is hungry--even if it is a tiger. Once a certain spiritual teacher was living in the jungle. His disciples knew, "The tigers will never come and disturb us, because our teacher keeps some milk a little distance from the asrama, and the tigers come and drink and go away."
The teacher would call, "You! Tiger! You can come and take your milk here!" [Laughter.] And they would come and take the milk and go away. And they would never attack any members of the asrama. The teacher would say, "They are my men--don't harm them."
I remember seeing at the World's Fair that a man had trained a lion. And the man was playing with that lion just like one plays with a dog. These animals can understand, "This man loves me. He gives me food; he is my friend." They also appreciate.
When Haridasa Thakura was living in a cave and chanting Hare Krsna, a big snake who also lived there decided to go away. The snake knew--"He's a saintly person. He should not be disturbed. Let me go away." And from Bhagavad- gita we understand, isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese--Krsna is in every- one's heart, and He is dictating. So Krsna can dictate peace and harmony to the animals, to the serpent, to everyone. [Srila Prabhupada pauses reflectively.]
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada