Food habits of a devotee

April 28, 2006

Greetings to this wonderful group full of learned souls.

Though I was the original "troublesome" poster, I myself have been

confused by the replies I Got.

I told a poster that I was a Brahmin just to emphasize that I was

NOT attacking the vegetarianism principle... But this poster

questions someone else who had a SEX doubt about, his Gothra... And

then goes on to say "I dont believe in caste...". By the way, the

caste system is part of our scriptures too. You either believe the

scriptures or do not. Dont cut and copy just parts that are

convenient to you.

Except for a couple of people, this group is full of Egoistic people

driven solely by their sentiments. You guys cannot follow a simple

thread of discussion in a newsgroup, I wonder how you managed to

learn all the scriputres.

I probably have to repeat "..my whole intention of the original

posting was to get KNOWLEDGEABLE replies that would help me further

my learning. Most knowledgeable folks in this group will undrstand,

my apologies to the rest"..

Most of you GURUS have come to US on religious grounds, for doing

your religious duties. But you conveniently state that you dont have

time to clarify doubts of lesser mortals. But you have all the time

on earth to use your esteemed knowledge and lambast people and use

abusive language. Your sattvic food eating habits dont seem to have

worked, Sir. And by the way, as Jesus said "It is the person who is

lost that needs guidance the most...". If everybody was as learned

in the scriptures and as pious as you, then nobody will need folks

like you, Sir. Except of course, if he/she enjoys abuse.

May GOD have mercy on us all...

-Vinayak

, "ShiningLotus"

<shininglotus@c...> wrote:

> Dear Tomji

>

> Need to apologize to you and all the list members in public

because I mixed your name up with person who actually is the one who

is causeing some concern with his odd postings

>

> Would be good if I could slow down a little and make the

differentiation between the person who is posting and commenting on

a message included from another person

>

> Goning to fast here and am totally apologizeing to you that I

placed your name on this message. You are an extrmely balanced

person and I have been enjoying your Knowledge especially learning

from you about stringing the Malas

>

> If I can be of service to you in any way please do not hesitate to

contact me and I would be pleased to speak with you as this is a

horrible mistake and I am totally sorry

>

> I look forward to hearing from you at length as I am responsible

for repairing the Malas in the US when they happen to break and it

is always good to hear new ideas for better implementation and repair

>

> There is no way I can make up for this mistake on my part except

to say I wish I would have placed the correct name on the message

>

> I will try to maintain more silence and look at messages a little

more closely in the future

>

> Am apologizeing to Babaji and the rest of the group as am sure

they are wondering what planet I was on that I could not plainly see

you were not the one makeing the comments

>

> Looks like am still subject to the human condition

>

> Thanks and Take Care My Friend

>

> DharmaDev Arya

>

> Tomgull <tomgull@e...>

>

> Friday, September 06, 2002 9:10 AM

> Re: Food habits of a

devotee

>

> For the point of discussion, here are my responses:

>

> > First of all, I am not sure how authentic this text is and find

it

> > quite baseless. Unfortunately, Hindus by nature tend to believe

in

> > anything that is said to be a "Scripture"....

>

> Many psuedo-Hindus (Includes New Age, Metaphysics, etc.) tend to

> discredit "scriptures" rather quickly, too. No offense to you.

>

> > 1. This scripture says that a Rudraksha represents the supreme

GOD

> > himeself. In that case, why does it prescribe those fancy

numbers

> of

> > Rudrakshas to be worn on all parts of the body. If a Rudraksha

is a

> > form of the Supreme, then just one should do. One GOD, one

> Rudraksha.

>

> All deities are the Supreme God himself, but usually aren't

> worshipped as such except when the deity is seen as the ishta-

> devata. In most of your major divisions (Vaishnavas, Shaivites,

> Shaktas, etc.) each proclaim their god to be the most supreme over

> the others. The numbers just show their effects. I'm sure in

the

> old days, there wasn't so much of a choice or market for them.

>

> > 2. The numbers presented are so wierd, and contradict many other

> > texts that forbid wearing the Rudraksha on the wrists.

> > This "scripture" looks more like a sales pitch for the Rudraksha

> > Industry :-)

>

> What are the other texts about the wearing of Rudraksha? Please

> give some examples of the differences. About the sales pitch,

this

> scripture seems to have been around before the modern increased

> interest in the beads. Remember that the scripture is designed

for

> Rudra worshippers, hence the prescribed daily reading of it in the

> phalasruti, like any other stotra. I didn't see where it said

wear

> them on the wrists, so I'm assuming it's referring to wearing them

> where you'd wear the armlets (just above the elbow, and just below

> topmost muscle on the arm). On another website, I saw talk about

> wearing 3 4-mukhi beads on the right wrist for intelligence. The

> right wrist is also specificed for yantra wearing, as an

alternative

> to around the neck, for Tantriks.

>

> > 3. About the eating habits, I agree with another poster, the

Chef

> > friend's views. The scriptures were written in a different age

for

> a

> > totally different life scenario. We need some Guru and some

Modern

> > day scriptures to guide us through this Kali Yugh. We cannot

> survive

> > by just eating Sattvic food because every body, including

Brahmins

> > have to compete with all types of people and work hard to just

> > survive. This is not the age where one can eat just sattvic

food,

> > and spend time only on devotion - the other animals will eat you

in

> > no time... Unless ofcourse, you are either famous or very rich

and

> > dont have to worry about monetary things.

> >

>

> I agree, but there is credit to eating sattvic food for focusing

on

> God or attaining a calm mind. In an ashram setting even in

America,

> there really is no need to eat meat or rajasic foods, and meat and

> garlic, etc. does increase heat in the body and can create

> restlessness, and increase the sex drive. Try eating only

> vegetarian food that you yourself have cooked for a few weeks,

then

> eat out or eat some meat. You'll see the difference. Eating

> habits also depend on your geographic area and climate, and

general

> lifestyle. Scriptures just give the ideal to strive for, not to

> adopt strictly for the rest of your life.

>

> > We need some guidance on how to be a devotee and at the same

time,

> > maintain our ability to survive in this earth.

>

> I've gotten most of my advice from Ammachi (Mata Amritanandamayi),

> who encourages vegetarian eating, but understands the

exceptions.

> Not all of her devotees do, however. Being a devotee of God

doesn't

> require any diet restrictions at all. It does matter what path

you

> choose to practice, and whether or not your desire is simply to be

a

> devotee or to reach Realization, liberation, etc. It comes

down

> to your diet affecting your mind set, not necessarily a sin. The

> times when I can't eat meat, I don't because even seeing it, I

feel

> like it's still alive. Other times my mindset determines whether

I

> eat something bland like MooGoo Gai Pan (chinese food) or if I'm

> having problems with co-workers, it may be something sour like

Lemon

> Chicken (no vegetables).

>

> There are ideal diets for each path and even deities. For

example,

> eating meat would seemingly be ok for a worshipper of left-hand

> Tantric deities like Dhumavati or Bagalamukhi who eat meat.

Eating

> meat as a Krishna devotee wouldn't be "ideal" (especially to a

> Vaishnavite traditionalist), but would still be ok depending on

your

> reasons for eating meat and/or the depth of your devotion (how

much

> your mind is towards God during the day).

>

> I've also never seen any other color rudrakshas than the common

> reddish-brown variety, however there are some that I have that

> appear blackish. I'm tempted to string some in white thread as

it

> says, just to see if I like it.

>

> just my thoughts,

> tom

>

> Sponsor

>

> -

>

> Terms of

Service.

>

April 28, 2006

Dear Vinayak,

You are in fact now making generalizations. I am inclined to now forget

Kevin's harsh words and agree with him. I don't care for your tone much any

longer. If you're a Brahman then why are you asking stuped questions about what

to eat when you already have your code. I think you're trolling Sir, and you

might kindly do it elsewhere. Especially after many people here now ostensbly

wasted time on your questions. I don't work for you. I deigned answer many of

your questions spending much time, as did Kevin, Baba, and Tomgull. We all have

much better things to do then babysit spoiled Brahmans. Have a nice life.

PS, Just as at a smorgasbord people are free to choose what they eat and not

forced to stuff the whole bord down their throats, so also when it comes to

truths and scriptures it's incumbent to pick and choose what's valuable and

what's not. If you Brahmans had cared about lesser souls throughout your

history you would still have viable lineages left. But your pompous attitudes,

and treatment of untouchables, complacency and egoism has been your own doom.

Now enjoy the results.

-

vs_raghuvamshi

Saturday, September 07, 2002 7:38 AM

Re: Food habits of a devotee