Pariprashnena — Q&A Archive

I dont know about the quote but it is quite hard to find fancy shoes not made of leather. Usually only sport ones are made only of cloth.

Srila Prabhupada authorized for sankirtan. Do not have the quote but I am pretty sure.

Dont have the quote for this one either but I heard something about if you can insure the cow died from natural causes then it is ok to use the skin for shoes etc. I play it safe and wear only vegan shoes.

Hari Bhakta dasa: Yes, I checked Vedabase and thats whats said. But at least for sankirtan itd be better not to use them in case some vegans notice and start to criticize, which would undermine the preaching impact, imho.

why buy leather shoes when there are so many alternatives these days?

[quote]Sitting inches away from Prabhupada on the beach blanket, Satsvarupa asked a question on behalf of the devotees in New York. '93Swamiji, is wearing of leather shoes permissible?"
[p]
'93No."[p]

'93What if someone has given us some leather shoes?"

'93Leather means violence," Prabhup'e4da said. He pointed to Satsvar'fcpas shoes of inexpensive man-made material. '93Your country is very nice. By your technology you can get these shoes easily without wearing leather." For Satsvar'fcpa and the others the question was answered for a lifetime; and the time and place became a reference, like a chapter and verse number in the scriptures. (Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta 25: Long Branch, New Jersey, 1967)

When a newcomer asked whether he should renounce wearing leather shoes, His Divine Grace politely deferred from dictating a strict policy but did gently explain that avoiding leather was preferred.[p]

Ian Polsen: There is another question, Your Grace. I wear leather shoes, and I know they come from animals...

Prabhup'e4da: Huh?

Ian Polsen: ...which have been slaughtered for this. Should I stop wearing leather shoes?

Prabhup'e4da: Well, that also you can continue. That is not... Just like we are using so many things made of skin. But as far as possible, you avoid. There are many shoes without skin, nowadays they are available. First of all try to understand the philosophy. (Room Conversation and Interview with Srila Prabhupada -- London, July 31, 1972)



To a disciple preaching in a cold German climate, His Divine Grace permitted the wearing of leather shoes, yet his overwhelming preference was to avoid wearing leather at all costs. In 1972 one of Srila Prabhupada'92s personal slippers was stolen by a monkey who chewed holes in it. His Divine Grace continued to use is however until two weeks later in Hyderabad when Mr. Pithi, a very wealthy life member, noticed Srila Prabhup'e4das slippers. [p]
Srutakirti Prabhu explained to him what happened and Mr. Pithi sent his servant out to purchase sandals. When the new pair was presented to Srila Prabhup'e4da he accepted them graciously, but later told his servant, "I cannot wear these. They are made of leather." He continued to wear his damaged sandals for weeks until he arrived at another temple where devotees bought some non-leather sandals to Srila Prabhup'e4das liking and he released the others.
[/quote]

no quotes for wearing leather in sankirtan VEDA? I suppose I have been duped since Zonal acarya times spread lie.

That sankirtan-related comment was my use of a common sense - see imho.

I was told about a quote by Srila Prabhupada sanctioning leather shoes for sankirtan VEDA, it doesnt even exist?

Didnt see it in Vedabase, sorry.

I am against the use of leather for anything. Where I come from the leather all comes from cows who slaughtered and eaten. It also comes from Kangaroos who are shot in the head to kill them. Most sports shoes apparently have kanagaroo leather. There has been a lot of controversy here in Australia. Its murder for no other motivation than money. You cant participate in it at all. please stop.

but isnt it cheaper to use cloth? why do they kill animals?

I heard from Devamrita Swami and others that Prabhupada allowed wearing leather shoes for sankirtan in very cold areas where there is a lot of snow, places is the north of the USA, Canada, etc. can get to -20/30 C, try cloth shoes are not practical in that extreme weather.

I dont believe that we are totally against using animal products, Krishna keeps a cows horn, we use conch shells dailly, etc.

What about drum skins?

Dr. Hauser: Do you use leather in your drums?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, after the cow has died a natural death, that leather can be used.
Dr. Hauser: So you have leather drums?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, that has been the way of making drums for thousands of years. But that leather is collected only after the animal has died a natural death. Not by killing.
(Conversation with Dr. Christian Hauser, a psychiatrist, Stockholm, September 1973)

I heard from an informed devotee that nowadays mrdangas are often made from a leather bought from Muslim leather merchants who buy it from the many official and unofficial slaughterhouses in India and Bangladesh. See external links in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_cow

There is an Industry in India to supply footwear made from dead animals skin. It is better to avoid using leather it if you can. The suffering of the animals used is enormous.

Yes, I choose to just avoid since we cant be sure.

Buying them encourages the leather factory to KILL more animals.Imagine no one buys leather shoes again,The factory will say well no one buys them anymore so why kill the animals and use their hide?its waste of time .let us just close the factory and thinkof somrthing better.
Prabhupad said LEATHER IS VOILENCE

And all those who go back to godhead, they also wont buy any leather anymore after they are gone!

Why worrying about all these things, what someone else is wearing, eating, saying or doing? Lets go for the final solution ourselves, then all these problems automatically get solved.

As Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Maharaja has said very nicely; "If you take away all the problems of this world, than what will there be left?" And also:
"Not this world is in need of reform (whatever emanates from Krsna is perfect in itself), its our way of looking at it, which is in need of reform."