"In the present age, Kali-yuga, the number of such shameless men, who are agnostics disbelieving in the existence of God, has increased. Trying to defy the authority of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so-called scientists, philosophers and politicians manufacture plans and schemes for the destruction of the world. They cannot do anything good for the world, and unfortunately, because of Kali-yuga, they have plunged the affairs of the world into mismanagement. Thus there is a great need for the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement for the benefit of innocent people who are being carried away by propaganda of such demons. If the present status quo is allowed to continue, people will certainly suffer more and more under the leadership of these demoniac agnostics." HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
The Material World is a Reflection of the Spiritual World
In the Bhagavad Gita (15.1) it is stated: “The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is said that there is an imperishable banyan tree that has its roots upwards and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.” In his purport to this verse, Srila Prabhupada explains:
Now, there is no experience in this world of a tree situated with its branches down and its roots upward, but there is such a thing. That tree can be found beside a reservoir of water. We can see that the trees on the bank reflect upon the water with their branches down and roots up. In other words, the tree of this material world is only a reflection of the real tree of the spiritual world. The reflection of the spiritual world is situated on desire, just as a tree’s reflection is situated on water. Desire is the cause of things being situated in this reflected material light. One who wants to get out of this material existence must know this tree thoroughly through analytical study. Then he can cut off his relationship with it. This tree, being the reflection of the real tree, is an exact replica. Everything is there in the spiritual world…The material world is the perverted reflection, so the spiritual world must have the same variegatedness, but in reality…A reflection is temporary, for it is sometimes seen and sometimes not seen. But the origin from whence the reflection is reflected is eternal…The purpose of the Vedas, as disclosed by the Personality of Godhead Himself, is to cut down this reflected tree and attain the real tree of the spiritual world. (Bhagavad-Gita As It Is 15.1, purport)
Prabhupada: No, no. "My religion is, cut throat of another man is religion?" Would it be accepted?
Devotees: No.
Prabhupada: If somebody says, "My religion is to cut throat of others, to pickpocket others. That is my religion." Would it be accepted? Why sometimes you are arrested. You say, "My religion is to chant." They will say, "No, you cannot do this. It is disturbance." So "Because it is my religion, it will be accepted," that is not a fact. You must come to philosophy and reasoning: "Why don't you cut throat your... Why don't you send your... You say complain, over-population. Why don't you send the over-population to the slaughterhouse? Why? Why?"
Giriraja: Well, it would be inhuman.
Prabhupada: Inhuman. And then cutting throat of the cows, that is not human. Is that very good reasoning?
Devotee: They don't think that the cows have souls, many of them.
Prabhupada: That is their rascaldom. Rascals. Why no soul? What is the symptom of having soul?
Replies
"In the present age, Kali-yuga, the number of such shameless men, who are agnostics disbelieving in the existence of God, has increased. Trying to defy the authority of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so-called scientists, philosophers and politicians manufacture plans and schemes for the destruction of the world. They cannot do anything good for the world, and unfortunately, because of Kali-yuga, they have plunged the affairs of the world into mismanagement. Thus there is a great need for the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement for the benefit of innocent people who are being carried away by propaganda of such demons. If the present status quo is allowed to continue, people will certainly suffer more and more under the leadership of these demoniac agnostics." HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
The Material World is a Reflection of the Spiritual World
In the Bhagavad Gita (15.1) it is stated: “The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is said that there is an imperishable banyan tree that has its roots upwards and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.” In his purport to this verse, Srila Prabhupada explains:
Prabhupada: No, no. "My religion is, cut throat of another man is religion?" Would it be accepted?
Devotees: No.
Prabhupada: If somebody says, "My religion is to cut throat of others, to pickpocket others. That is my religion." Would it be accepted? Why sometimes you are arrested. You say, "My religion is to chant." They will say, "No, you cannot do this. It is disturbance." So "Because it is my religion, it will be accepted," that is not a fact. You must come to philosophy and reasoning: "Why don't you cut throat your... Why don't you send your... You say complain, over-population. Why don't you send the over-population to the slaughterhouse? Why? Why?"
Giriraja: Well, it would be inhuman.
Prabhupada: Inhuman. And then cutting throat of the cows, that is not human. Is that very good reasoning?
Devotee: They don't think that the cows have souls, many of them.
Prabhupada: That is their rascaldom. Rascals. Why no soul? What is the symptom of having soul?
Devotee: Consciousness.