Animal Slaughtering - What can we do to prevent it ?

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrI Lakshminrusimha ParabrahmaNE namaha

SrI Lakshminrusimha divya pAdukA sEvaka SrIvaN -

SaThakOpa SrI nArAyaNa yateendra mahAdESikAya namaha

 

namO nArAyaNa!

 

Dear devotees,

 

aDIyEn's friend referred to a web-site (US based) with an

article on slaughtering of cows and other related issues at

India. It is extremly painful to know about the very

sad state of thousands of cows at India :

 

http://www.indiacurrents.com/200006/animalRights.htm

 

Since we grow by drinking cow's milk, similar to how a baby

grows by drinking its mother's milk, cows are regarded as

" Mothers " of the society. But, these mothers are treated

in the worst possible manner, just for the sake of money.

 

SrI KarunAkaran SwAmi in his upanyAsams always stresses the

importance of " Universal Love and Peace " in accordance with

SAstras and sampradAyam, through various incidents in IthihAsa-

PurANas and the biography of AzhwArs and AchAryas. SwAmi once

quoted from " Prapanna PArijAtam " , wherein SrI NadAdUr ammAL

cites pramAnas for defining the angas of Prapatti <Ed: SrI

UttamUr Viraraghavachariar, ViSishtAdvaita Pracharini Sabha, 1971>:

 

-------

< Start Quote > :

 

" aanukUlamiti prOktam sarvabhUtAnukUlatA | (Lakshmi Tantram 17.66)

antaHsthitA-aham sarvEshAm bhAvanAmiti niScayAt | " .

 

yEtEna vyApti vij~nyAnAt prapattavyasya sarvaSaH |

 

aanukUlyasya sankalpAt pratikUlyasya varjanam |

himsAdyapAyaviratiH uktA sarvEshu jantushu ||

 

< End Quote >

--------

 

Trans. as in that book :

 

" Owing to the certainity of the feeling that 'I <SrIman

nArAyaNa> abide inside all beings, kindness to all beings

is said to be this conformity to me' <ie. Resolution to be in

confirmity to Lord's Will as indicated by the anga 'AnukUla

Sankalpam' extends to the effect that a prapanna has to be

kind/shower love to all the living entities>. -- Lakshmi Tantram.

 

By this, through a knowledge of the universal pervasiveness

of Him who is sought after in Prapatti and the 'resolution to

observe conformity to God', giving up of non-conformity to

His Will, the refraining from cruelties and other injuries

to all beings (is meant). <ie. Resolution to abandon those

that are not in conformity to Lord's Will, as indicated by

the anga PratikUlya Varjanam extends to the effect that a

prapanna has to refrain from cruel acts towards all living

entities>. "

---------

 

These living entities includes animals and insects, apart

from human beings. From this, we can arrive at conclusions

like a Prapanna should not use Leather items etc.

 

aDiyEn requests SrI Dileepan to provide a page regarding this

issue, in the SrI Ahobila Muth Website. That page can contain

links to various Web-Sites that are intended in working

towards animal rights etc issues and also to those Web-Sites

that discuss the Merits of Vegetarianism over Meat Eating and

related issues. aDiyEn requests the members to kindly help

SrI Dileepan by providing the needed relevant information.

Some ISKCON sites might have such information also.

 

A " note " can be provided to the effect that, though there might

be some doctrinal/theological differences in the way the listed

web-sites present the issue, the intention is only to provide

the awareness on this issue and not to advocate everything

presented in the referred Web-Sites.

 

Please spread the message of " ahimsa " to all of your friends

and relatives, a great dharma to be followed by all human-beings.

Also, think about practical ways of preventing such mass scale

slaughtering of innocent animals - probably atleast by

supporting various genuine organizations working towards this

objective.

 

aDiyEn would like share a very short account on an often quote

of SrI KarunAkaran SwAmi in his upanyAsams :

 

In SrI VishNu purANam, a very important teaching derived

from child devotee SrI PrahlAda's story is present. When

his father was enquiring him about the lessons he was

taught in the school, he poses a question to SrI PrahlAda :

" Did they teach you as to how to deal with friends and

enemies ? " . SrI PrahlAda answers back : " Enemies ?? What is

that father? " , in the sense that, there is no category of

living beings, perceived by him as an enemy, since SrIman

nArAyaNa is the antaryAmi of all.

---------------------

 

Coming back to the issue on Cows :

 

Cows are very dear to Lord SrIman nArAyaNa as easily evident

from His choice of being a GOpAla, in His KrishNa avatAra.

As per SAstras, Slaughtering of a Cow is one amongst the most

henious sins. There are plenty of pramAnas on the greatness

of Cows-Gifts (GO-dAnam) and also against the slaughtering of

Cows.

 

Please go through the article in the above referred Web-Site.

 

Lets not only pracitise these great virtues, but also voice

against cruelties subjected to various animals, esp. Cows.

 

aDiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan,

anantapadmanAbhan.

krishNArpaNam.