Question to Radhanath Swami: I’m a medical student and have to use animals for experiments. Since animal killing is not allowed in the Vedas, is the performance of my duty a sin? And if it is a sin, how does one get away from that sin?
Radhanath Swami: We should try to avoid these activities as far as possible. Sinful karma can be graded according to our motivations. If we are honestly trying to do something for the betterment of human society, by some sort of experimentation, though the sin is still there, it is definitely less than killing an innocent animal to satisfy the taste buds. We should avoid causing such violence to other living beings as far as possible. But sometimes it may be unavoidable. In any case, let us be honest whether it is actually unavoidable.
And, even if it is actually unavoidable, we should purify our hearts by acting in devotional service and cleanse our heart of these unavoidable sins by chanting God’s names, ‘‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Krishna is in the heart and he knows our motives and circumstances. If he sees our sincerity, he will certainly relieve us and forgive us of those unbecoming activities.
