Acharya Prashant responds to a questioner who feels deep pain and helplessness upon seeing animals being slaughtered. He acknowledges this feeling, sharing that he has also experienced it since he was a young child. He recounts a memory from his childhood in Kanpur, where he would see pigs screaming in a heart-wrenching manner while their hair was being plucked, which would cause him to writhe in agony and cry. He shares another anecdote from his school days in Lucknow, where he saw a chicken being slaughtered and its feathers plucked for the first time. The sight left him in shock, and he couldn't eat for days. He explains that the only way to deal with this helplessness is to acknowledge the debt we owe to the animals being killed every moment and to try our best to save them. The only way to save animals, he states, is to change the consciousness of those who kill them through information, understanding, and dialogue. He points out that meat consumption today is at an all-time high in human history, having increased manifold in the last 50 years due to a rise in per capita consumption fueled by economic prosperity. This is a recent phenomenon, as meat-eating was not so prevalent even 100-125 years ago, even in the West. Acharya Prashant asserts that meat-eating is one of the biggest problems and diseases facing humanity. The right expression of sensitivity towards animals is to fight with all one's might to promote vegetarianism and, if possible, pure vegetarianism (veganism). He defines veganism as a lifestyle that excludes all animal products, including milk, ghee, and non-food items like leather, explaining how an animal is completely exploited for its milk, meat, and skin. He urges people to support organizations and individuals working against meat-eating, as their work is difficult in a world where meat-eaters are the majority, even in India. He concludes that just as human habits changed towards meat-eating, they can be changed away from it through concerted effort, and invites everyone to join this cause.
