Just Like Children

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One should treat animals such as deer, camels, asses, monkeys, mice, snakes, birds and flies exactly like one’s own son. How little difference there actually is between children and these innocent animals. (Srimad Bhagavatam – 7.14.9)

By this statement, one can imagine how broad minded the Vedic civilization was and how much it was concerned with the well-being of all living entities. This is the Vedic world view, commonly known as the peaceable kingdom. If we have dominion over animals, surely it is to protect them, not to abuse them for our own ends. Our dominion over animals is exactly like the loving parents’ dominion over their children.