Lord Ramacandra can eat you and the whole universe! Can you do that?
Hari Sauri Dasa: On the walk this morning Akshayananda Swami told Srila Prabhupada that people sometimes ask his opinion about a local babaji who is building a big temple on the Vrindavana-Mathura road. Looking across the fields we could see it in the far distance. An unfinished edifice as yet, it is reported that it will house various deities in its lower chambers and the babaji's personal quarters on top. This man is well known for smoking large quantities of cigarettes, thus earning him the nickname "Pagal Baba." Pagal means "crazy."
Akshayananda said that he answers people's queries by explaining that our Guru Maharaja does not approve of us smoking cigarettes. Invariably they say, "But Pagal Baba smokes." Akshayananda then responds, "Ah, that's because he is pagal!" And they agree. Prabhupada also agreed.
He said that our four regulative principles will expose so many persons as frauds. This led into a lively discussion about the sometimes confusing difference between following in the footsteps of great personalities and imitating them. Akshayananda Maharaja said that many people eat meat because they claim that Lord Ramacandra did. Prabhupada quickly fired back, "Lord Ramacandra can eat you and the whole universe! Can you do that?" We all laughed. A few words from Prabhupada exposes the rascals. As we walked along in the early morning sunshine he clearly defined the difference between Lord Rama and the ordinary living beings. Then as a final thought he pointed out that Lord Ramacandra is not offered meat in any temple. So why should anyone claim that because the Lord ate meat, therefore he can? He explained that Krishna also ate the Khandava fire, but He doesn't say to offer Him fire. He says a little fruit, a flower, some water. Prabhupada is expert at exposing the faulty logic of the unscrupulous, who try to justify their lust by misconstruing sastra and the activities of others with whom they cannot compare. He doesn't take the short and easy route to defeat them. Rather than say simply that Lord Ramacandra never ate meat, he chose to explain the more difficult to grasp, but ultimately more relevant, point that there is a vast difference between the incarnations of the Lord and ordinary men. Therefore They should not be imitated, but instead Their instructions followed.
Reference: Transcendental Diary Volume 1 by Hari Sauri Dasa
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