RE: please help in answering this question

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Kannan,

 

While it is possible to discuss the issue of vegetarianism from a purely

ethical and humanitarian standpoint, to do so, even with slight cursory

references to interpretations of Vedic thought, really provides very weak

arguements. What is necessary to understanding vegetarianism is to discuss

its relevance to our spiritual welfare, as is taught to us by our Acharyans.

 

 

The first thing that is necessary to develop this understanding is to give up

the notion that hailing from a SriVaishnava family automatically qualifies one

to call him/herself a SriVaishnava and provides one with the qualifications to

quote randomly from scripture simply to apologetically defend one's way of

life. This is because SriVaishnavam is not a caste, a dogma, or a blind set

of rituals that can be defended or denied to suit our convenience. Rather, it

is a psychological, emotional and spiritual awakening that puts us in touch

with who we are, who God is, our true purposed this world, and eventually

leads us to True Peace and Happiness.

 

 

Such an awakening is a very rare and precious gift, one that can only be the

result of God's Spontaneous and Unconditional Grace. Ours is but to know the

value of this gift and to fully accept it into our hearts and lives. But,

interestingly, even the ability have this knowledge comes from His Grace

Alone, as well, which comes to us in the form of our AchAryas to take guide us

on the correct path. So, when and how we are introduced to our Teacher and

when and how we learn to surrender to Sriman Narayana is really up to Him

Alone. But, since He is Everywhere and since His Love is Unconditional, it

stands to reason that His Love and Grace are there for us always and at any

time. The only thing the only thing standing in our way from connecting with

Him is our over-inflated ego that seeks to serve its own selfish desires.

While it is virtually impossible to vanquish our ego, it is possible to

re-direct it towards more healhier outlooks, in which we seek to serve the

greater good of society rather than just ourselves, and in which we seek to

meditate on God's wondrous qualities and fall in love with Him.

 

 

This mental conditioning is not as hard as it seems, but it does require that

one maintain certain simple disciplines that are conducive to the cultivation

of good qualities, known in Sanskrit as Sattwa guna, and reduce the negative

qualities that lead us to lust, anger, jealousy and hatred. Chapter 18 of Sri

Bhagavad Gita goes into some detail on how what we take in through our senses,

including what we eat, can have an impact on the cultivation of these positive

and negative qualities. Our Acharyas teach us that among the list of foods

that can take us on the downward spiral towards selfish pursuits are

non-vegetarian foods, eggs, alcohol, onions, garlic, and many others.

 

 

So, from this standpoint, the practice of vegetarianism becomes more than just

a issue of compassion or an ethical responsibility, it becomes a key moral

imperative for those individuals striving towards bettering oneself and this

world by serving Sriman Narayana and His Devotees.

 

 

I hope this helps.

 

 

adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan

Mohan

 

 

> [Original Message]

> kannan srinivasan <kannans05

>

> Cc:

> 11/22/2002 12:07:58 PM

> [Jeeyar Educational Trust] please help in answering this question

>

> Srimate Ramanujaya namah

 

>

 

> Respected Members

 

>

 

> I am a student doing my masters in Demontfort University in United Kingdom

 

>

 

> i was trying to talk to a friend, about being a vegetarian,he is also from

a srivaishanava family and i am not able to convince him about being a

vegetarian.

 

>

 

> if u read the following mail he mailed me, you can understand it.

 

>

 

> PLEASE HELP ME ANSWER HIM,since i am in serious double wether it is been

mentiond in our scriptures now.when i spoke to one of my other friend he told

he has seen the same in Bagacath Geetha.I am not sure..........

 

>

 

> KANNAN SRINIVASAN

 

>

 

>

 

> Hi Vivek

 

>

 

> But, meat eating is not necessarily bad! Our shastras does not say that. In

fact it says " Jeevoo Jeevasya Bhoojanam " . I do not think meat eating should be

associated with morality. Let's not forget that we are killing plants too for

food. Just because they do not scream and bleed does not mean we are not

inflicting harm. Also remember drinking cows milk. Cow does not produce milk

for human consumption. It produces it for its calves. We humanys snach it from

the calves and drink it. Think about what happens to the eco0system if all the

people stop eating meat. What will we do with all the excesses animals. I

think both vegetarianism and non-vegetarianism is a personal to every human

and should not be made a morality issue

 

>

 

> Anantha

 

>