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Thou Shall not Kill

Sukadeva Dasa: Prabhupada was sitting on the stage in the temple on La Cienega Boulevard and to his right was Lord Jagannatha. At the end of the class some Christian spoke some nonsense philosophy but Prabhupada didn't even look at him. He simply sat there and occasionally looked at Lord Jagannatha, as if the person speaking didn't exist. But Prabhupada listened to everything that man said. Then Prabhupada looked at him and loudly proclaimed, "Christ said, 'Thou shall not kill!' Why are you killing?" At that time I was a new devotee and a meat eater but when Prabhupada said that, it scared the meat eating right out of me. Everyone in that temple room was frozen and the Christian had nothing to say, although he had plenty of time to respond. Prabhupada's potency was immediate. There was no philosophy that you had to learn, there was nothing that you had to retain or absorb. Prabhupada was so powerful that your realization was immediate. In front of Srila Prabhupada, you would never again think of eating meat. His speaking was like a cold wind blowing off a tree's last few leaves. Prabhupada blew all the nonsense out of that person and anyone else there was convinced to never eat meat.


Reference: Memories Anecdotes of a Modern Day Saint - Volume 3 by Siddhanta Dasa