The following questions were put before Sri Sugunendra Theertha Swamji of Udupi Puthige Matha (of the Madhva Sampradaya) by devotees during his visit to Detroit.
Question One:Plants are also having life, so killing plants should also be a sin. Thus in what way is vegetarian food better than non-vegetarian food in terms of killing or committing "sin"?
Answer by Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji:
This is a very good question. It is true that plants also have "life" and killing plants is also sin. So the best way to observe total non-violence is to follow "Shiloncha Vraththi". That is to take only those fruits which have naturally fallen from the trees or plants. In this way we are doing harm to no one. But everyone can not follow that vow. We have to take food in order to survive and sustain this body. It is a necessity of survival. But we need to take that path which is less sinful and does less harm to other
jivas (living entities).
Now there are two reasons to say that vegetarian food is having insignificant sin. Many of the plants like rice, wheat, etc., are having life only for one crop time. Once their yield is over, they die naturally, even if we don't cut them. So by cutting those plants (which have already died) we are doing less sin or no sin at all. In many other plants, like mango, coconut, etc., by plucking the fruit, we are not killing the plants, and so we are doing very minimal sin or no sin at all. So vegetarian food is less sinful. More over, it is inevitable for our survival, but non-vegetarian food is a luxury to us and we can survive even if we avoid that. It is more sinful since we need to kill animals all of the time.
Next we need to know why certain acts are sinful. Each and every life (whether plant, animal, or human) has come to this world to do "
sadhana" (spiritual practices), so that they may get a better birth next life and finally get "
moksha" (liberation). Whenever such "sadhana" opportunities are cut short, it becomes a sin. For plants there is not much "sadhana" available to them. They can not do any kind of physical or mental activities in terms of "sadhana". So by cutting them, we are not doing much harm to their "sadhana" or reducing their opportunity for "sadhana" (spiritual practice). So it is not so sinful. But animals can do a good amount of "sadhana" by means of physical and mental activities. By killing them, we are cutting short their opportunities to do "sadhana" towards their liberation (moksha). Thus it is much more sinful.
To support this aspect further I will give an example. "Suicide" is considered as the greatest sin, even though no one else is troubled other than the one individual, because God has given us this wonderful body and mind to do "sadhana" by which we work towards moksha. By rejecting this offer or by cutting short this "sadhana", we are insulting God and betraying him. Thus suicide is considered highly sinful. There is another example in the scriptures I would like to cite. Suppose there is a very, very old man, incapable of doing any physical and mental activities. Then according to the scriptures he can enter into fire to end his life. That is not considered a sin because he cannot do any more "sadhana" by himself or through others. So in general, any act which is cutting short our, or others', "sadhana" is considered as a sin. Thus from this angle, vegetarians are committing less sins than those who eat meat.
Question Two:We were thinking that only human beings have thinking ability, and thus only they can do "sadhana" (spiritual practices), but that other animals could not. Is this concept false? How can animals do "sadhana"?
Answer by Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji:
This is not true. All animals can also do "sadhana" (spiritual practices). Otherwise there is a fundamental problem in the universal system. If animals cannot do "sadhana", they can not get better lives, which lead to the human life. If they can not get a human life, then they can not get moksha (liberation) at all at any time. This is not true, thus it is proven that animals also do "sadhana" and get better lives.
They do "sadhana" by their mental activities. We can see a lot of differences in the behaviors of various animals. In the same category of, say cat, dog or cow, we can see a lot of difference between two animals. For example some are soft, some are sensitive, some are more active, etc. This is due to their mental "sadhana". Also in children, who are not having developed thinking power, we can see many differences. We have seen a child, in Bombay, around 2 years old. He loves Krishna like anything. While sleeping, he tightly hugs a Krishna idol. He does not drink milk without offering to Krishna. He always wants to listen to Krishna's stories. He always wants to see the
puja of Krishna. It is really amazing to witness. This is all due to previous "samskara" (purification). Like this, animals also will have their own previous samskara and "sadhana".
Question Three:Is it true that in olden days, the sages used to eat meat? There is an incident of Agasthya Muni eating meat in the "Vathapi - Ilvala" story.
Answer by Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji:
Yes, we can see some mention about such things in very old stories. We need to understand clearly why and under what circumstances they used to consume meat. Firstly, they used to take meat, but not as their regular food. The animal would be offered to '
yajna', the sacred fire, and then the sages, having very high yogic power, would consume the meat as a prasada of the yajna. Due to this auspicious activity (of yajna), the animal would go to the heavens. In the story of Agusthya Muni, when he said ' vathapi jirno bhava', he was digested immediately. Such was the power of the sages in those days.
But today meat is not approved for religious people such as
brahmanas. First we need to understand why we consume food. It is to have good health. Health means not only the physical health, but the mental health also plays a very important role. That's why in Sanskrit it is known as "swasthya", which means mental peace, purity and health. Meat or non-vegetarian food improves the body, but not the mind. So for those people who need to have physical strength, like soldiers, meat is not prohibited. Soldiers do not need to have as much thinking power. They have to fight like machines. But for spiritual people such as brahmanas, mental power is the more important. We need to have peace and purity of mind, stability and concentration of mind. For such people meat is prohibited. Since ages our ancestors were eating vegetarian food, and so brahmanas are generally considered as soft, kind hearted, stable and intelligent people. If we start consuming meat, slowly we will loose all these good qualities. We will not see these negative changes overnight. It takes time but we will see the changes clearly in the later generations.
Question Four:
There are many noble laureates who are meat eaters. How can we explain that?
Answer by Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji:
Getting a noble prize is not at all a yardstick to measure the peace and purity, stability and concentration of someone's mind. It is known that the suicide rate is high in scientists as well. Actually scientists are more disturbed in their mind. Due to this, they get activated and get involved deeply in something and come out with some new concepts or ideas. For their success, the basic reason is not the peaceful mind, but their disturbed mind. Generally brahmanas who are suppose to have the mental capacity to understand "brahman" (God), need to have a very good concentration power for performing "
japa" (
mantra chanting) and "
tapa" (austerities). They are supposed to be people who are not mentally disturbed. In olden days even if they consumed meat, they used to keep up their mental stability and peace of mind due to their yogic power or "tapas" (severe austerity). But now in the present age of
kali-yuga, our mental powers and concentration powers are getting reduced. We are loosing our purity and peace of mind due to various reasons. As such, the
sattvic atmosphere and sattvic qualities are reducing because we are not doing enough japa, tapa, etc. So if we start consuming meat we will loose all our good mental qualities very quickly. In kaliyuga, meat is strictly prohibited for brahmanas. It is also sinful for all people, as mentioned in the previous answers.
Question Five:
Is it not a sin to kill silkworms for silk cloth, or to kill deers for making deer skin meditation mats?
Answer by Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji:
The short answer is that it is a sin if we do it for trading purposes. For a detailed answer, first we need to understand what is sin. It is not a substance associated with a particular activity. The same activity can result in either sin or no sin depending upon the purpose, intention and circumstance. For example, killing in general is a sin, but killing a demon or murderer is not a sin. Similarly, in olden days kings used to go for hunting. It was not considered a sin because they used to kill only those wild animals which were troublesome to the sages and the nearby villagers. Similarly if we kill animals to avoid being killed, it is not a sin. As said earlier, every creature in this world is here for doing "sadhana". In this world the priority is for those who are doing greater "sadhana". To accomplish that, if others have to sacrifice their "sadhana", there is no harm in that. For example, assume that there are two students in a house. One is preparing for second grade and the other is preparing for a college medical exam. Though both are preparing for their exams, we consider that the medical exam is more important and give preference to him. If needed, we may ask the other student to sacrifice his preparation, because he will not lose much. Similarly, in this world, the living entity who is doing a higher level of sadhana, gets preference. So for the benefit of the higher sadhana, others performing lesser sadhana may be sacrificed without any sin. If we are preparing silk for God's pooja, then it is not a sin. But if we are preparing silk for decorating ourselves, then it is a sin. So we need to understand what is the purpose of the action, and what is going to be achieved finally.
Email to Friend
Print Article
i beleive that eating non-vegetarian food should be banned even for the soldiers,sportsman etc. in ancient india (even now in some cases..) warriors were vegetarians. as such pehlwans, kalaripayattu practitioners too are vegetarians nowadays...
"for those people who need to have physical strength, like soldiers, meat is not prohibited."
the shaolin monks of china who have defended their temple through kung fu are all vegetarian/vegan and highly developed warriors with great strength. in the mahabharat arjun, bhima, etc. were vegetarians and they waged war successfully.
"If we are preparing silk for God's pooja, then it is not a sin."
Bhagavan does not require silk. the gita states God accepts even a flower or water as long as *devotion* is attached to it.
Sin is not just gauge by only action alone, but its because of bahvam, If a criminal kills some one his bhavam (his mind level) certainly painful that will be sin, same time a soldier in a milltery kills another soldier belong to another country. His bhavan will not be so painful but sometime proud, situation is same but bhavam is different, hence sin should mainly been gauge by what you perceive about your action. Sin is a perception based not on action alone.
i will explain to you in other way, You can see a people who lives in small huts & dirty place will eat what ever and drink polluted water but still they will have no problem but person who lives with standard life eats such, then will got to be admited hospital. But remember hut living person will have to reach standared living style some day or other which will happen either this janma or next but by that time same person will have to live accordingly.
Like wise animal kills animal no harm, no sin but when it get bhavam then it will have sin
Regarding the Silk part of the explanation, please remember there is another concept of silk extraction, ahimsa silk, which might be adopted where the silk worm is not killed, but allowed to grow fully and become the fly and escape from the cocoon and then silk is collected from the abandoned cocoon.
Submission to the Lotus Feet of Lord Krishna.
Madhav Daitha.
Actually, in this era, Hinduisam has greatest bad things and complicacies incorporated. Tell me without such huge set of complexities, people can't leave? Then how are Critians , Jews are living and they are in better physical and metal condition than Hindus.
When i try speaking to my husband how the world is into meat eating, he argues - what about the cow's milk , potatoes, even flowers that you pluck. Patram Pushpam Phalam Toyam but WITH LOVE. But the soft-hearted Lord says even if you offer just your plain Bhaava I will accept it. Such is our Supreme Lord !
GOD does not need slik. Basically GOD is in silk worm and we do not need to kill it to make silk cloth for GOD!!!!
This is only a myth that by eating meat you become strong.Meat
eating people spread these lies.What you get from meat, you can get all from nuts. I live in the west and here people are
becoming more and more vegetarians.Most of the butcher shops
are closed and are closing.People believe lies before they will accept the truth.There is no evidence that Arjuna and
Bhim ate meat.I don't want to convince any one.Nonvegetarians
can spread lies to make themselves right. Simple people believe them.
Sharma Gudipaty.
The answer is in the typology between 'the human' and the 'non-human' living essence.
As a tree with fruit is 'typed' to a human and gives off physical fruit or it's 'virtuous’ gifting offer to those around it, so a human, who has no ‘physical’ fruit, gives off
spiritual ‘fruits’. This is the virtuous gifting through externalizing graciousness and charities toward others, whom then receive or pick it from the giver. This is called sharing love and virtue between each living entity, and a tree is really no different. So, as it is no SIN to pick the ‘figurative fruit’ or accept the graces and charity from humans, who are offering it to you, so, it is no Sin to pick or take the virtues or ‘physical’ fruits offered and being given by the tree to you eat. Point TWO is, the fruit is not the tree, in the same way as the virtue of a person is not the person themselves. Fruit is a by-product or offspring of the owner of it and it is there for a reason, and that reason is to be a love gift offering towards others. Therefore, again, it is no SIN to pick the fruit of a tree any more than it is a Sin to accept and pick the virtuous fruits being offered by a human to you.
Vegetarianism is come from ancient days since from our Rishis.No doubt about vegetarian food. I am born vegetarian and which has given me good life spiritually and materially just enough and always happy.
The very theme behind all these activities depends upon the purpose we are using. Once again I tell you even vegetarian do commit sin by killing the plants where as the person in Ethiopia eating an animal is not a sin. Because he is eating it for his survival. Likewise If soldier kills the animals for his survival than it is not a sin. In truly sense it is ONLY SILA- UNCHA VRUTTI is the only sinless act. This was practiced by Dhronacharya in Mahabharat.
Regarding the answer to your second question about the silk
God even donot require flowers too. Bhagavat clearly (12th skand) states that he requires only Phalam, pushpam, patram and toyam ............and literaaly meaning is fruits , flowers, leaves and water. The guhya basha as described by Madhwacharyaji in his Bhagavat Tatparya nirnaya It is only
Pacha karmemdria, jnanedria, and Astangas and tears and in his pooja he used submit all these to lord Krishna not the flowers ........
It is not only silk, if you surrender your all activities completely and do the karma without any selfish goal is not a sin, provided you are 100 per cent surrendering it to God then it is not a sin. If you are just puting the silk for god's puja without surrendering yourself is certainly a sin.
Humble thoughts are below for the people who disagree. I think what swamiji says are correct.
Point 1:
--------
"for those people who need to have physical strength, like soldiers, meat is not prohibited."
In Mahabaratha times warriors also were very virtous people. Even negative people like Karna, Ravana and many others used to do lot of punyas. So they have the support of all planets and many GODs. So they have the physical ability to fight without taking non-veg. foods. Now a days, mostly Soliders are not equipped with GOD's power because of lack of punyas(merits) in the past and present. So they can eat non-veg. to protect the country.
Shaolin monks - They are monks. So, I think this answers how inspite of veg. they were able to fight.
Apart for eating food in physical form, we get strength and energy from many forms like blessings from GOD, other human and other beings due our selfless service to their upliftment, planet energy, prana and many more. To leverge these positive energies, Sadana is the only way.
Point 2:
-------
"If we are preparing silk for God's pooja, then it is not a sin."
True that GOD will be happy with just flower and water. But in some case as silk is a good-conductor of electricity, the electrons can travel in the silk cloth more evenly and quickly. For example, if you wear a rudraksha bead in the silk thread, the you entire neck will feel the vibration.
"Known is a drop. Unkown is an ocean"
thank you
Sarvejana Sukhinobhavanthu.....
Ram
All I could say, scrifice of animal is not from animal choice, but by your choice. So it is cruelity.
As for as GOD made them to eat by us, even a human is also eatable by Lion, when it is hungry, then why we kill them, and say, it is a man eater.
But my questioner was not ready to accept any explaination due to born beleief in his relegious teachings.
Your answers are eyeopener to me.
With Deep Regards,
Sandeep Jindal
Sunil Bharadwaaj
That's why in Kaliyuga, Meat is proscribed- I think. I wish Swamiji would elucidate further.Regarding killing silk worms also, I think 'cause their life span it self is very short, and are less evolved(Sadhana vise) it may not be a sin. Again Svamiji's clarification is welcome.
-Prasad.
BTW, it's only Ed, not Mr.. I claim no title.
Besides, GOD has not made human being, as meet eater. You can see meet eaters, such as Lion, DOGS, etc, they have sharp teeth to kill and tear off meet from animal. Then all of them have strong jaw to chew raw meet.
Human developed idea of cooking meet and eating it. It was nothing, but misuse of brain against low brain power animals.
If possible,respected Swamiji is requested to stress the importance of PLANT Kingdom. HE will be the right person to advocate "preservation of Trees and additional planting of trees" which provides human being with RAINFALL, SHADES and SHELTER for his happy living.
These simple dialogues of Divine persons should be encouraged and published.
CA.LAKSHMANAN PV, WADALA, MUMBAI.
i had read the first question and answer. It was really thought provoking and to a great extent, resolves the doubts of the common man. However, I would like to differ in the last statement which says that an old man, devoid of thoughts and actions can enter fire to end his life- withouht incurring sin!
Firstly, a man without thoughts and actions, can not enter the pyre by himself. Secondly, people who do it on his behalf would incur the sin.
May be it is a better view to understand GOD's plan and find a reason as to why GOD would have made the situation! In my humble opinion, i understand that the troubles are given to people who can not bear them (apparently), so that the compassion in those who watch is motivated to surface. In other words, such "old people- vegetables" are created by GOD, so that we could evolve in our sadhana!
with reverence,
The aticle is very fine. But it is not clear that the what is good and bad. those who consume non-veg as their food, are not bad. I have lot of friends who consumes meat, but I still love them.
Secondly, the birth of any soul as the animal doesn't mean that souls has done wrong things in his past birth. So, before doing any sadhana (animal or human)first we should understand what is sadhana. Even soldier is doing his sadhana in the border. I really disagree with the swamiji that soldier doen't require mental power. To be preciese they want more than our's.
Respect everyone whether he is of any caste, irrespective of whether he is non-veg or veg.
Thanks
Reason to kill deers for making deer skin meditation mats has not been clarified /justified. I agree animal do Sadhana. You say "In this world the priority is for those who are doing greater "sadhana". To accomplish that, if others have to sacrifice their "sadhana", there is no harm in that". How does this justify to kill deer?
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah
This is my favourite text from Bhagavad Gita. As a Christian Minister, I love the word 'pray' mentioned twice here. The word 'toyam' reveals Krishna's mercy, as it translates to liqid, not just 'water'. A good christian should be reminded of his baptism with every physical contact with water. It is an excellent discipline to follow. Krishna said that eating food that was not first presented with love 'bhakty' and prayer to the Lord, was eating sin. It is wonderful to speak to plants and ask them if you can offer a leaf 'patram' to the Lord. Think how happy the plant jiva is to know his patram or puspam or phalam is destined to please the Lord. Making a plant extatic with joy, can in no way be sinful!
following two statements are not acceptable at any circumstances.
1. "for those people who need to have physical strength, like soldiers, meat is not prohibited."
2. "If we are preparing silk for God's pooja, then it is not a sin."
Sin means Sin no matter whether we are doing sin for what purpose.
I humbly request that plz avoid double minded statements concerned with veg-food.
Be Vegetarian
Be Hindu in true words
I may be wrong but this is my personal opinion.
thanx
Please understand one point, what is SIN is correctly and aptly said by Pujya Swamiji. If you know the concept of Halal in Islam, which in a nutshell mean taking permission from the GOD or the Animal to kill and accept only as food as other forms of food is not available to consume. Here, we are trying to have non-vegetarian food in desperation to keep up the body running. This is accepted in our Hindu Dharma also.
Please remember, that GOD made our human beings as vegetarians only. Inspite our right to take vegetarian food, we should take permission from the GOD and the plant / tree itself, before harvesting the crop (remember that we need to do pooja, by which we seek the permission from the plant / tree and thank it to sacrifice its life to feed us, which is another form of Sadhana for the plant / Tree). Earlier days, every caste persons were feeding the Brahmins for the simple reason that they are doing all the rituals, japa, reciting of Vedas, etc for the benefit of the village or kindgom or the entire universe to take the permission of GOD,the Plants / Animals, the Mother Nature itself to get rid of all our sins committed knowingly or unknowingly.
So, I think eating non-vegetarian food is a sin if eaten in desperation and taking the permission (regularly or occassionaly). By this I am not encouraging non-vegetarian food, but telling you when to resort to eat it. (Only when other forms of food is not available, but if any form of food is available, non-vegetarian food should be avoided.)
Be Hindu,
Be Vegetarian,
Be Positive,
Be Humble to GOD and Mother Nature.
This is a humble submission before the feet of Lord Krishna, whom I admire the most.
Madhav Daitha.
We have no right to kill the silk worms just to decorate the god's idol. God has not asked us to kill something / some one to please him/her.
Jai Sri Krishna
Hari Om
To my understandings that, most of plants wouldn't die if you plug their leaves, branches or fruits unless you kill them by pulling their entire root out. So, GOD has created this plants uniquely to produce foods knowing that leaving creatures including human need them. So, it's not a sin if you consume plants by plucking a part of them. Further more GOD has given them speciality to keep on growing even though we pluck/pinch/cut a part of their branches. Thus it's not a sin. Secondly as what Swmiji said, for certain plants it's life is short and we may pull them on entire root and let it go to heaven for new sadhana. That the reason GOD had given them short life. Ohm shanti.
A very well written article/dialogue. Brings out a great amount of clarity to any reader. However I have certain observations. There is too much mention of the word "Brahmana". ie "a Brahmana should do this or should not do this." Actually this article or the concept of vegetarianism has to be dedicated to entire human kind, not just Brahmanas or a shudra or a dalit or a kshitriya. I am a Brahmin myself. Thru this the entire mankind ( and not just a few castes) have to realises their true self , eveolve over various janmas and reach the Divine. In other words seek freedom from the cycle of birth and death.So vegitarianism is a universal human concept.
Also i think this animal sacrifice is a big abberation in Hinduism. There is or there was no point in killing an innocent animal for a sacrifice and saying that the animal will go to heaven. The actual spirit is "sacrifice of animal qualities in a human being" and not a poor animals. The difference between man and animal is "Buddhi" not just intellegence , but "intellect or jnana (wisdom)". so the moment man looses his intellect and gains animal qualities of jealousy anger lust and greed and starts harming others- he needs to immediately realise that and sacrifice them - not animals.
Overall a very good article.
Santosh Pai
I would also like to add a quote from Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 3, verse 14: The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin. This means that even if we are just vegetarian, it doesnt free us from the sin of killing a vegetable. The sin is much less than killing an animal, because animal has much higher consciousness, and therefore feels more pain. Plants dont have developed nervous system, and therefore the pain is much less. But we still have to suffer for that pain, because we caused it. However, when we offer the food to Lord Krishan first, as sacrifice, then only the food is karma free, or prasadam. Have you noticed the food in the temple tastes so nice. Its because its prasadam, its offered first to the Lord, and so is COMPLETELY sin-free.
So whatever vegetarian food we eat, we should offer it first to the Lord. This is sin-free food.
Jay Sri Krishna!
But,there was no answer to the Q ,
Why do we need Deer Skin for Pooja? Deer is a "sadhu" animal and never hurts anyone.
Then why do we use its Skin ?
This chain is a must for survival of plants or animals.
Breaking or abusing of this chain leads natural catastrophe.
Let us not attach any guilt for eating vegetarian food.
If we do not eat it amounts to Suicide.
good article-except dont agree its ok to take life in service of god-deity etc.cannot see why humans believe god-deity etc will be pleased with life taken from something.think this is mans incorrect use of power/energy in life for his own use, not god-deity etc
I am personally a vegetarian and a devotee of Gou mata, in our scriptures doesnt it say clearly that eating or killing Cow is a big sin?
1. Why the lifespan of a creature is basis for the "sin"? I personally feel that - we should look at the point - why those creatures are created. If they are created as wheat plant - its their Karma, they might have done very good karma in their previous Janma by which they could help others in this Life - the reason why they are here; to help others and get sacrificed and carry the good Karma to the next Janma. They are here to sacrifice their life for a purpose.In fact you are helping them to relieve from this life to form another variation in next life - and thus helping them to get closer to Moksha
2. Silk question - whatever may be the reason, we are killing innocent worms for our Lord.
3. Similarly the Deer's skin. God doesn't ask for us to sit on a deer/tiger's skin for chanting.
4. Some one mentioned that there is no nervous system in plants. Probably they dont have that complex nervous system as that of humans - But they do possess nervous system - Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose, F.R.S., the Indian
biologist, lecturing at University College, controverted the views of Pfeffer and others that a hydromechanical disturbance or the secretion of an irritant by a wound is necessary for excitation in plants.
5. Someone mentioned that we should percieve the Bhavana(mind set) - I have a question. I have a very noble mindset - to please God. And I start doing Yaga and want to sacrifice a Human in the Yaga. Do you call it sin or not? So irrespective of your Perception,if you think it can help increase/reduce the SIN, - whatever you do, hurting or killing other species, will accumulate equal amount of Sin.
O.K. aspects are up to satisfaction, but not complete.
Anand
I have several muscular friends with good physique and great stamina who are vegetarians - of course, they do a lot of physical exercise. Shaolin monks are the greatest example. There are also shining examples of athletic and physically endowed vegetarians in modern times - Carl Lewis, Edwin Moses, Chris Evert (tennis champion) and possibly our own Sachin Tendulkar (not sure about him though).
secondly you commented that extracting silk from worms is a sin but for extracting it for the purpose of doing prayer to god is not a sin, don't you think it is a Hippocratic answer. i want to know do god have ever demanded any one to buy or produce silk for him.
moreover it is scientifically proven worms do not feel pain while silk is extracted from them and by some new methods they are also not killed.
and at last i also want to convey my last message through this comment that i am a pure vegetarian.
hari om.....
10q very much...article awares me a lot.i never had this type of motivation from any website...10q again...
swamiji/the bloggers,
1STly..sorry, i just would like to clarify my doubt... through what i learnt in science...living things are depending to each another... why is it a sin when we follow that? i'm still blur. it is not that i can't be a vegetarian. it's just that i can't understand why is it a sin when we depend on other creatures for nutrition... is that have been stated in garuda puranas??? if yes what is the punishment???
1)in sanatan dharma we belive that GOD is only one & a small part of GOD menifested as this whole universe round us thus whole universe is pervaded by GOD so no matter where you seek him you can reach himbut they can .the difference is only in the levil of manifestation(16kalas in all, which are broad LEVELS of menifestations).
now people say hindus worship multiple GODs where as we do worship 33crore DEVIS & DEVTAS (who are devine beings with higher level of menifestations of GOD but not paramatma themselves)as they have reached those higher states by 1)aligning to the GOD`s will &2)being sted fast intheir focus on GOD & 3)imbibing the GYAN.the level in above three atainment governs the level of GODs menifestation in them(kala).since they are aligned ,focused & have gyan of GOD they represent his will & canhelp in our journey towards GOD. also hindu`s dont worship devis & devtas themselves but the GOD in them. we start the process of our journey by seing & realizing god in objects around our selves murti puja etc are just a means to that.
now for veg vs nonveg question:-1)shastra basis:lower the level of mnifestation in an object(kalas) the less it is afected by us if we eat it eg:- non living have only 0ne kala(only form at any level). so when you eat iron it remains iron no matter what you do with it & either after death or in our excrition it conmes out as iron with minimum change so minimum karma(not sin). plants have 2kalas(form & prana )so little more karma compared to minrals(more a plant is evolved more karma in killing it.).animals have 3 kalas(form,prana & mana)so much more karma than plants(more evolved animals have higher level of mana so more karma in killing them).now humans have 4kalas(form,prana,man,& buddhi)so even more karma involved in killing him. more over we as vegitarians prefer not to kill even a plant that is why take we prefer fruits & vegitables ripend & if possible fallen from the tree or from dead tree. harvesting once the plant is dead
2)scientific side:- a)human anotmy i) jaw & teeths: our jaws & teeths are no no way similar to to hunting or scavenging animals.they absolutly unsutable for eating animals without the use of tools(for cuting & tearing ) & cooking as these ocured much after the advent of human being. ii)nails :- human nails are totally unfit for hunting (especially toe nails)when compared to hunting animals.iii)human body our strenth,speed ,jumping etccompares us us very poorly to hunting animals.iv)foodpipe(long like herbivorous),stomach(acid concentrations in carnivorous is much more as compared to us aalso their stomac lining much better at acid resistance) & intestines(very long unlike carnivorous 7 LIKE HERBIVOROUS) all are for veg food only.
IT PROVES WE ARE NOT DESIGNED AS HUNTERS OR SCAVENGERS. WE DO SO ONLY THE AID OF TOOLS & PARAPHERNALIA WHICH IS VERY RECENT IN ORIGIN COMPARED TO HUMAN HISTORY. EXCEPT FOR VERY SMALL BIRDS ETC WE CANT KILLany animal even if we do we cannot tear & eat it without tools. SO FAR THE ARGUMENT that we can digest it i`ll say we can digest human blood & meat also, so are we ment to be canibals.
B)NEUTRITION:-i)carbohydrates:an essential component of food & available only in veg scources so it proves that humans cannot be carnivorous.ii)fats: most of animal fats are(highly saturated barring some marene fish oils .& since marene fising is locationally not applicabe to whole human race & is requires tools ) unfit for human consumption as main scource.iii)antioxidents:- here also veg food far supirior(i feel non veg foods with exception of milks dont provide antioxidents).iv)vitamis,minrals
& enymes: here also fruitas & vegitables etc are far ahead of non vegf scources.
v)PROTEINS:- amino acid profile of nonveg food is better than MOST(not all) vegitables,fruits & cerials & pulses when considerd individually. but when mixed together i,e eaten in combination these vegitable foods are good enough scource of proteins(with good amino acid profile & biological value)i,e wheat is deficient in lycene,where as corn is deficent in trytophan,pulses are deficient in methionine so individually their biological value is very low but mixed together they are as good as any. hence we see there is no merit in argument that nonveg has any advantage so far protein is concerned if we eat mixed food. & suplimented with milk & milk products protein issue is just not there.vi)fibre:-plenty in veg food absent in non veg food.
c)toxicity:-i)harmones: all meat products will have high level of adrenalinen & other harmones changing our behavior pattern(rash behavior) besides causing health problems
ii)toxins in blood meant for excrition by kidneys or skin will harm us & over load our excretery system & liver. iii)toxins in fat:- many of the toxins absobed from food are renderd harmless by storing in fat layers that are eaten with nonveg food. this is of utmost importance in the age of pesticide , dioxine & other pollution where the toxins gatherd by animal in its lifetime are eaten in one go on daily basiswhere as vegitarians get only a very small fraction of this. iv)desease& infections: this is a risk almost(barring cattle keepers) exclusive to nonveg people in present circustrances.
d)environment:-non veg food requires in genral i)4to 50 times the land requiered(& hence deforestation if reversed this alone can solve all carbon emissins problem) by a vegan,ii)spends 6to 15 times the enrgy(green house gas emisions & carbon footprint),iii)causes 4to 10 times polution(meat,poltry & dairy animals are scource of 15 % of green house gases by their blurping,ficle matter roting etc this does not include enrgy spent by the industry in rearing them)
besides it promotes monoculture in plant & animal with all conciquent risks.
e)social i) behavior problems:due to toxin load in blood & adrenaline & other sustences like it meat eaters are genreally found to be more agressive than vegiterians also vegiterians contribute much less to law & order 7 other social problems than their% in soceity. also where people arer involved in sloughter in comunity there is genral hardening of attitudes towaqards voilence towards animals inperticular & towrds all voilence in genral hiostory,philosphies & thiologies bear witness to this. ii) animal rights this is a area where hardly any thing can be said in favor of nonveg food
so we see that nonveg food does not stand on any ground.for any discussion cantact me on sanjaynarain@yahoo.co.in
I totally agree with Ravi. I cannot understand the concept of Silk.
Also with someone else who said that earlier people had strength.
Todays raw food movement and with athletes like Tim Van Olden and scientific research that shows muscle growth in old people who are on a raw vegetarian diet. This refutes the baseless argument that humans need meat for strength.
Do you know that there are people who say Rama ate Beef and Brahmins used to like Beef.(I have debunked these claims which I will not discuss now). But there are people who have listened to the above nonsense and tried to justify it, by saying that even cow was used for sacrifice(but that is far from the truth).
I think these guru is also doing the same, just justifying meat eating, without getting into the depth of the issue. There is no record of meat eating by anyone in ancient times.
Even if they did it is not a justification to meat eating.
It is wrong to bet your wife while gambling, but the Pandavas did it.
Does that mean we all should go betting our wives?? (If we get to the depth of the issue we will realize why it happened)
I refuse to believe that meat eating is need for strength at all. It is just false propaganda which has made way. We have our new age sadhus trying to be diplomatic and "acceptable" by they give such stupid explanations for meat eating.