On gaining strength...

[Guest guest]

I am veggie and don;t want to eat meat. I am a Hindu. But then, I am trying to become strong and want to know what sort of protein I should take. I don't want to take something that has just 3 grams of protein etc. It's got to be a good amount, cuz experts say an adult body needs at least 150 grams. So what veggie food contains like 50 g solid protein, huh? I already posted something along these lines earlier, but the thread has vanished and I cant revive it. Anyway, if anyone has any idea, please reply. It is very important.

[Guest guest]

I saw your posts in other thread.

There is an Institue by name "National Institute of Nutrition" in Hyderabad and I once visited it while in India. They have some books about nutritios Indian food.

You may want to look at this page http://www.ninindia.org/popular.htm and order the book titled "Low Cost Nutritious Supplements". The publications are not so expensive.

 

They encourage people to eat Egg, but they do have other non-egg nutritios recipes esp for strict vegans.

[Guest guest]

There seems to be a rash of mysteriously vanishing threads lately. I don't think its JNdas though.

 

Perhaps this would be better on the health thread.

 

Anyway,the need for protein even among hard core bodybuilders is still up for debate. Excess protein can damage the kidney's some say.

 

There is no need for any animal products either way. Nuts, seeds, beans etc easily provide far more than your body will need or can even use. And without the karmic reactions that come with hurting animals needlessly.

[Guest guest]

both of you. Yes, I know nuts, beans can give you protein, but how much? That is the significant question here. You can get 100g protein straight out of a tuna sandwich, which would be sufficient considering you'll be consuming other types of protein as well, thus amounting to almost 170g per day. More than sufficient, I am sure. But conceding that nuts have protein, how much can you eat? Say one peanut contains 3g, you'll have to eat the darn nuts the whole day to reach the required level. But you wont hjave that problem with meat, simply due to high-protein in a TINY sandwich itself. But of course, I want to avoid meat, so thats why I want to knwo some veggie food that might provide protein in bulk amounts as tuna does. Smaller amounts are useless, because you can't be eating all day.

[Guest guest]

I am trying to build muscle, so protein and fiber are both essential, hence the question. Being hindu isn't easy. Maybe, I should give up hinduism, eat lots of meat, work out, build my body, and then revert to dharma, he-he! That would be real cool, cuz this business of balancing religion with personal goals isn't an enviable task.

[Guest guest]

Understand that for every animal you pay to have killed you will have to suffer for it.You cause them suffering and you will have to suffer. Take that fact in very solidly and realize that even if protein made you King Kong it wouldn't be worth it.

 

If you understood that you wouldn't think of touching animal food again.

 

The Gorilla is actually a good example. 400 pounds of solid muscle. Do they drink protein shakes all day and eat tons of cows? See my point?

 

Another thing is people think they will get strong by eatting protein. No way. You have to work your muscles , break them down. Then they demand more nutrients to repair the broken down muscle tissue. The amazing thing is the body rebuyilds the muscle even larger than it was to protect against another episode of deficit. That is why you get bigger and stronger and need to keep increasing the amount of weight you work out with to continue growing. Muscles grow at night during the repair process. How intensly do you workout?

 

If you take in more protein then your body needs it just gets flushed out unused and overworks the kidney's in the process.

 

A lot of nutritionists will tell you that 25 grams at a meal is all your body can really handle. Other's disagree. But most of those magazines and articles that you may be reading that advocate taking huge amounts of protein are put out by companies that sell protein powders.

 

Use a google search on beans and nuts and see how packed with good nutrition they are. You can grind them up and use with fruit smoothies for an easy meal. Plus all the other minerals and vits that you won't find in concentrated powders.

 

Besides it is a useless endeavor in the end. The body is destined for the grave or funeral pyre. Keep it healthy but don't become obsessive. I went through that. It's a waste of time. I was at one time doing 2 workouts a day six days a week. Morning and night. 2 hrs. each and sixty sets each. I also got into injecting HGH at 8 units a week. Waste of money.

 

 

You can even chant as you lift. Instead of counting ten reps just say krsna at the end of each rep and proceed until you can't finish another rep. Increase weight as you feel it has become too light.

 

The human form is sooo rare a gift from nature. It is meant for self-realization. Please appreciate this gift and try for a balanced life.

 

Hare Krsna

 

 

[Guest guest]

You can drink atleast 400 ml to 500 ml of milk per day if not in one time, divide in morning and evening and this will be two glasses. One glass of milk is equivalent to one egg and so you dont need to take egg also. I am a brahmin who is pure vegetarian and I regularly work out in gym. I have put on good muscles and its a myth that you need to eat non-veg for muscle growth. You also need to have atleast 7.5 hrs to 8 hrs of sleep everyday for muscle growth.

Although scientifically they say its wrong, but practically I have felt that self control is essential on sexual aspects and this makes you more stronger. I guess this is not the right site to discuss more on this issue.

 

[Guest guest]

Everything can be related to Krsna. Many Boxers,especially the old timers, avoid sex the night before a bout because they say they can feel it weakens them.

 

But sex desire is behind the current fad of bodybuilding. It's all about the way one's body looks to the opposite sex. I am not speaking of fitness or even weight training itself, just the current scene.

 

There is a level where you can almost see competetive bodybuilders turning into women. Have you every seen a competition on tv where their are doing what they call a "pose down". Oh man, it is embarrassing to watch. They flex and pose and stick their butts out and try to block each other from being seen. It is so stupid. It is non-different from these so-called beauty pagents where women parade their bodies around on stage in bikinis seeking approval. It's actually worse.

 

Arjuna, Karna and the like are the models for true masulinity. Not these pretty boys prancing around in g-strings.

[Guest guest]

Mung beans? Those have 24g of protein in a small serving.

You could get plenty of protein from that, or cottage cheese has 14g if protein in a serving also.

 

[Guest guest]

You may want to check out hemp. Recent technology allows dehulling of the seeds, retaining full nutritional benefits of a living food with zero THC. They are similar to sesame seeds, but much softer and tastier with about 30% protein and 50% oil. They make a satisfying snack and a tasty blener milk. Also protein powders and cold-pressed oils with a perfect EFA balance are being extracted from. I use a powder that is 47% protein and an equal amount of fibre. It seems much more digestible than soya, whey, etc. Apparently most of hemp protein is of particularly high quality. You may want to consume digestive enzymes as well, if using a lot of protein. Anyway, an internet search under hemp foods will provide all kinds of interesting info.

[Guest guest]

It' a complete protein that contains all the amino acids in the right ratio.

[Guest guest]

for all your replies. I was on the verge of becoming a meat-eater again, but no, I won't. Anyway, I do eat what Indians call "white chenna". How much protein does it contain? ALso how much does almond or peanut contains? People who say protein isn't important, think again. You need lots of it to repair the tissues damaged during workout. In short, you don't grow in the gym, but outside of it. Second, unless you have a good body, you can't focus on KC. I've never heard of overweight people becoming spiritual. That's why ancient Indians were good-looking and well-built, it is inevitable in the spiritual path. Last, out of curiosity, when you say we 'acquire' bad karma by eating meat, can't we think it is the animal's karma to be slaughtered and by eating meat, we are only facilitating that process? For instance, if I eat a goat now, it means it is the goat's karma to be eaten at this point due to its past karmas. Now if I dont eat it, it would be tantamount to helping the goat escape its karma, thereby mocking Krishna's laws. Is this reasoning correct?

[gHari]

OLD THREAD - How to Become Strong?

 

http://www.vegsoc.org/info/protein.html

 

http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm

 

http://www.vegparadise.com/protein.html ---- Talks directly about athletes building muscle and strength.

 

http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/dietarytherapy/a/Vegetarian.htm ----- Combining foods for correct amino acids - VERY *IMPORTANT*.

 

http://www.ivu.org/faq/protein.html

 

 

I found these searching under "vegetarian protein".

 

By the way, you need to fill your lungs with air when you do heavy lifting. That oxygen is needed in your muscles to work.

Meat-eaters are simply cowards envious of the life and strength of animals. Do not become so degraded. I am as strong as a bull, yet have been a veggie for 30 years. I would meditate on Lord Rama, the wielder of weapons that you will develop His strength. Always remembering Him, you will never forget your quest for strength. Slowly and surely, if you stay dedicated to Rama and your training you will become much much stronger, and you will use that strength in His service. Then you can keep your strength. A servant of Rama needs strength - He will provide.

 

I know about weight training. Follow my advice exactly. Never lift more than eight times. Over-training is counter-productive.

 

[gHari]

SrI RAma NavamI

Lord RAmacandra's

Appearance Day

--

Hawaii, March 27, 1969

 

(kIrtana)

 

PrabhupAda: (chants maGgalAcaraNa prayers)<center>

rAmAdi mUrtiSu kalA-niyamena tiSThan

nAnAvatAram akarod bhuvaneSu kintu

kRSNaH svayaM samabhavat paramaH pumAn yo

govindam Adi-puruSaM tam ahaM bhajAmi

[bs. 5.39]

</center>

This is a verse from Brahma-saMhitA in which the incarnation of Lord RAmacandra is described. RAmAdi. Not only RAma, but there are many other, innumerable incarnations. They are compared with the waves of a river. As the waves of the river or the waves of the ocean cannot be counted, similarly, how many incarnations are there of the Supreme Lord it is not possible to count. But out of them, the principal names are mentioned in the zAstras. Therefore it is said rAmAdi. RAmAdi means RAma and also other, many incarnations. And they are existing. Not that one incarnation appeared and it is finished. No. Not like that. Just like Lord RAmacandra appeared on this planet, say millions of years before. He appeared in the Treta-yuga. Treta-yuga means... We have passed only five thousand years of this age, Kali-yuga. Before that, there was DvApara-yuga. DvApara-yuga means 800,000 years. And before that, there was TretA-yuga, which continued for twelve hundred thousands of years. That means at least two million years before Lord RAmacandra appeared on this planet.

 

So now Lord RAmacandra appeared in AyodhyA. There is a place in AyodhyA, in northern India. There He appeared. As KRSNa appeared in MathurA... That is also northern India. And MathurA is about ninety miles down southward from New Delhi. You have heard the name of New Delhi, the capital of India. So AyodhyA is also situated about five hundred miles northeast of New Delhi. So Lord RAmacandra appeared on this day. Today is called SrI RAma Naumi. On the ninth day of the moon Lord RAmacandra appeared. His father was the king of AyodhyA, and he had three wives. So out of... No. He had two wives. So out of two wives he got four sons. RAmacandra is the eldest son. The life and activities of Lord RAmacandra is... [break] ...in a book which is called RAmAyaNa. You have heard the name of RAmAyaNa. RAmAyaNa is also accepted as history. Vedic literatures are histories also. The PurANas, the SrImad-BhAgavatam, MahAbhArata, and RAmAyaNa, they are counted amongst the history. The history of RAmacandra is that His father wanted to retire. Dazaratha, MahArAja Dazaratha. And he decided to enthrone Lord RAmacandra and retire. So everything was settled, but just one day before, his youngest wife turned the whole thing into different way. Sometimes MahArAja Dazaratha was suffering from what is called whitlow, some trouble in the finger? And this queen served him very nicely, and he was pleased. And he said, "My dear SarmiSThA, if you want some benediction from me, I can give you." And she replied that "I shall ask you for the benediction when I require it. Not now." So just one day before Lord RAmacandra's coronation, she approached her husband MahArAja Dazaratha and reminded him, "My dear husband, you promised to give me some benediction, and I told you that I shall ask you when I require it." MahArAja Dazaratha said, "Yes, I remember. You want some benediction just now?" She said, "Yes.And what is that?" She said that "RAmacandra cannot be seated on the throne. My son should be coronated, BhArata." He was surprised. It is a big demand. So he said, "All right. That will be done. Your son." Because formerly, the kings... Not only formerly, even up to date, there are many kSatriya kings in India. They have more than one wife. And they are, naturally, there is rivalry between different wives. So the same thing. Human psychology is the same. Even two million years ago the same mentality was there, and she asked that "My son should be the king, not RAmacandra." RAmacandra happened to be the son of KauzalyA, the elder queen.

 

So MahArAja Dazaratha agreed and called for RAmacandra. "My dear boy, your..." She asked also that... She was very diplomatic. She wanted that RAmacandra go to forest for fourteen years. The idea was political, that "The king may agree to install my son just now. Now, after a few days, this RAmacandra may come with His army, and there may be some difficulty to continue the kingdom." So she wanted that RAmacandra should go to the forest and He should not come back till the end of fourteen years from this day. So MahArAja Dazaratha agreed. Because he was kSatriya. Just see the promise. A kSatriya never goes back from the promise, never refuses any challenge. If a kSatriya is challenged by somebody, that "I want to fight with you," oh, he cannot refuse. This is kSatriya spirit. He cannot say that "I am now busy." Suppose somebody comes to you, that "I want to fight with you." You may say, "What nonsense fight? I have no time. We are in the temple." But a kSatriya cannot deny that. A kSatriya at once must accept. "Oh, yes. Come on." And the weapon should be, if he has no sword or weapon, he should be supplied weapon and fight. This is kSatriya spirit. They were highly charitable and chivalrous and keeping promise and with a great tendency for ruling over. They shall rule over. Administrators. Their business is...

 

There are different prescription for different classes of men for their livelihood. The brAhmaNas, they can pull on their livelihood by six ways. PaThana paThana yAjana yAjana dAna pratigraha. Six. And they must be qualified with twelve high qualities. We have many times discussed. Out of that qualification, truthfulness is the first item for a brAhmaNa. A kSatriya may speak lies. That is allowed, because he has to be diplomat, politician. But a brAhmaNa, oh, he's not allowed to speak lie. This is the system, caste system or varNAzrama system. Everyone was trained. Because these four classes of men are required in a society. For proper upkeep of society, one class of men must be very intelligent, highly qualified, with all good qualities. They must be trained in that way, ideal character so that people can see and follow them. Therefore brAhmaNas were taken to so much respect because they're ideal character, learned, and godly, knows the science, spiritual science. Therefore they're held in high estimation and topmost of the society. The next, the administrator, administrative class, kSatriyas. They are trained how to kill. The kSatriyas were allowed to hunt in the forest to learn the art of killing because that was necessity for the kSatriyas. KSatriya, if he... If the king, if he finds somebody is doing wrong, he can immediately chop off his head if he likes. The king was so powerful. And it is not that if there was some war, it is not that the president or the king shall sit down comfortably at home and ordinary soldiers will go and lay down their life. No. Formerly, the king or the head of the state, he should first of all go there in the fight. You see in the picture, the chief men of the fighting in the KurukSetra, both sides, they were arrayed, this side, that side, with their chariot. Not that the head man, the chief man, or the commander is taking shelter back side, protecting himself, and poor soldiers are (chuckles) thrown into the fighting. No. These were kSatriya spirit. And it is necessary that a class of men should be trained up in that way, kSatriya, fighting men. In India, because this training was there since a very long time, so there is no difficulty in recruiting soldiers there. There is a class of men, they are very much forward in fighting still. They are called... Just like the Gurkhas, the Nepalese. You have heard the name of Nepal. Still a small state, independent state. They are not within India. Between China and India. The whole Nepal population, they are kSatriyas. Oh, they are very good fighters. Similarly, the Sikhs, the JAtas. There are classes. So they're always forward for fighting. And you'll be surprised that the British Empire was voluntarily liquidated because they lost India. The Britishers, they understood that because we are now losing India, there is no more possibility to keep our eastern empire. Therefore they liquidated. Why? Actually, the whole British Empire were being administered or managed by Indian soldiers, these Sikhs and Gurkhas. They extended their empire. After taking their position with India, they extended British Empire in the Middle East and Far East simply by these Sikhs and Gurkha soldiers. They got supremacy on the Burma and everywhere.

 

So there is necessity of a class of fighting men. You are finding in your country difficulty in recruiting because the recruiting process is wrong. You are recruiting from persons... You are training persons just like zUdras, and you want them to fight. How they can fight? It is not possible. So as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gItA, that cAtur-varNyaM mayA sRSTaM guNa karma vibhAgazaH... [bg. 4.13]. Lord KRSNa said that "The four classes or orders of the society, brAhmaNa, kSatriya, vaizya, zUdra, is planned by Me according to work and quality." So this kSatriya quality men is also required, the brAhmaNa quality of men is also required, the mercantile community, they are also required, and the laborer class, they are also required. Of course, laborer class, they do not require any training. Laborer class means one who cannot do anything, neither become brAhmaNa, nor become kSatriya, nor become vaizya. That means the last balance of the population, they are called laborer class, zUdra. SUdra means one who has no training. SUdra has no saMskAra. SaMskAra means training. Everyone is accepted as zUdra by birth. Janmana jayate zUdra. Janmana means by birth. By birth, everyone is born a zUdra, a fourth-class man. It is to be accepted, and actually so. Just like a child, innocent child, what does he know? He has to be trained. Either you train him as a brAhmaNa or train him as a kSatriya or train him as a vaizya. Or otherwise, he is zUdra already, born zUdra. SUdra has no training. Everyone, the basic principle, basic foreground, everyone, it is accepted zUdra. Now, if you train him as a brAhmaNa, then he becomes a brAhmaNa. If you train him as a kSatriya, then he becomes a kSatriya. If you train him as a vaizya... So I think this is, this system is very scientific so that if you want help of a really intelligent man or God realized man, it is ready, the brAhmaNa class. Just like if you require the help of a lawyer, we have got so many lawyers. If you require the help of medical man... Because there are trained men. Similarly, the society requires to train a certain class of men to become brAhmaNas. Just like we are training the KRSNa conscious. The KRSNa consciousness is meant for the brAhmaNas. They are not meant for fighting because they are not being trained for fighting. They have been trained for becoming brAhmaNas. Who is brAhmaNa? Brahma jAnAti iti brAhmaNa. The four divisions are described like this. JanmanA jAyate zUdraH, everyone is born zUdra. That is accepted. SaMskArAd bhaved dvijaH. Now if you train him, never mind in which family he's born, you have to train him. Just like boys are sent to school for being trained. So everyone is accepted as zUdra, but you now train him. He goes to the guru-gRha.

 

Guru-gRha means teacher's house. Formerly, for being trained, there was no such big scale school and colleges. Every village... Still, fifty years before in India, in every village there was a small school conducted by the brAhmaNa, and the village children would be trained up there. So he was sent for training. And there was no school fee. The boys will go there, and on behalf of the teacher or spiritual master, they will go, brahmacArI, door to door, and beg and bring forth alms, rice, dahl, grains, and everything. That was the system. There was no school fee. There was no problem how to send a boy to the school. SaMskAra. Now he's trained up. The teacher sees the psychology of the boy, in which way he should be trained. Either he should be trained as a vaizya or he should be trained as a kSatriya. So everyone was trained like that, but generally, the son of a kSatriya... Just like MahArAja RAmacandra or Arjuna, from the very beginning they were trained as kSatriya. Naturally, if somebody is the son of a medical man his father trains him to become a medical man in future. That is the natural tendency. If the boy is different altogether that is another question, but naturally, that is the tendency. So a kSatriya's son was trained as kSatriya. A brAhmaNa's son was trained as a brAhmaNa and a vaizya's son was trained as a vaizya, and zUdra had no training. So gradually this became a caste system. BrAhmaNa's son became brAhmaNa. Because formerly, the training was there. But when it is vitiated, although a person born in the family of a brAhmaNa, he is doing the work of a zUdra. So according to Vedic scripture, one is classified according to his work and quality, not by birth. That is the classification of zAstra. Just like in the Bhagavad-gItA the Lord says cAtur-varNyaM mayA sRSTaM guNa-karma-vibhAgazaH [bg. 4.13]. GuNa means quality and karma means work. One must be qualified for the work and he must actually work. Then he is counted classified into that, I mean to say, category. Just like if you are simply trained or educated as a lawyer, and if you are not practicing in the court, nobody comes to you to consult as a lawyer. Nobody cares for you. You must be practicing also. Similarly, to become a brAhmaNa means first of all, he must know what is Brahman and he must be actually situated in the activities of Brahman. So devotional service are activities of Brahman. Activities in KRSNa consciousness means activities in Brahman. BrAhme carati iti brahmA brahmacArI. Carati means acts. Actually, he acts in life, applies the principles of brAhmaNa in his life, he is called brahmacArI. So these were the trainings.

 

So just see how the training was, that a kSatriya cannot refuse his promise. So MahArAja Dazaratha, he fulfilled the promise of his youngest wife and asked his son, eldest son RAmacandra, "My dear boy, You'll have to go to forest for fourteen years. That is the desire of Your youngest mother. And I promised that I shall fulfill her promise, uh, request. So please accept." RAmacandra said, "Yes father, I am ready." Just see. This is the quality. Out of the six opulences of God, this is one quality.

<center>

aizvaryasya samAgrasya

vIryasya yazasaH zriyaH

jJAna-vairAgyayoz caiva

SaNNAM bhAgam itIGganA

</center>

How one becomes God? God is not manufactured by vote. There are definition who is God. God must be the proprietor of all the riches. Aizvaryasya samAgrasya. SamAgra means all. Nobody can compete with Him. Here, in this world, material world, I am rich man, and there is another rich man who can compete with me. There is another rich man who can compete with him. But nobody can compete with God in richness. That is one qualification of God. Nobody can say that "I am richer than God." You can say "I am richer than Ford or Rockefeller" or this or that. You can say. But nobody can say that "I am richer than God." Therefore in the Bhagavad-gItA it is said mattaH parataraM nAnyat asti kiJcid dhanaJjaya. MattaH parataraM nAnyat kiJcid asti dhanaJjaya [bg. 7.7]. DhanaJjaya is a name of Arjuna, and KRSNa said that, "My dear Arjuna, there is nobody greater than Me." So if anyone claims that he is God, he must prove by practical example that nobody is richer than him. That is the first. But unfortunately, we are accepting so many Gods. A rascal in the street, he also claims that "I am God."

 

So similarly, the other qualification, nobody can be stronger than God, nobody can be wiser than God, nobody can be more beautiful than God, and nobody can be more renouncer than God. So here RAmacandra, Lord RAmacandra exhibited the quality how He renounced the whole kingdom simply on the order of His father, His obedience to father. He could have argued with His father, "My dear father, you, simply for keeping your promise and actuated by the dictation of a woman, you are doing this. Let us stop it. Everyone is expecting that tomorrow My coronation will be there, and they love Me so much." Because He... Just like KRSNa was so much loved, similarly, Lord RAmacandra was the life of the people. They were very much expecting that RAmacandra was going to be enthroned tomorrow. So how they were celebrating, how they were decorating the whole city. Everything. He never argued. He accepted immediately: "Yes, father. I am ready."

 

So then one of the brothers, LakSmaNa, He also requested RAmacandra, "My dear brother, You also take Me. I am Your constant companion. I must go with You." So He said, "That's Your wish. Voluntarily, if You want to come, You can come with Me." Then SItA, His wife, young wife, She also said, "I'll go with You." RAmacandra requested His wife, "Oh, you cannot go with Me. It is very difficult. You are a king's daughter, and you are brought up in so nice way, and you are so beautiful. You cannot go. You cannot take the trouble of living in the forest." So she said, "Oh, I am Your wife. Married wife. So I must go even if You go to hell." This is ideal wife. She could have refused: "Oh, Your father has ordered to go to forest. You can go. I shall go to my father's house or I shall remain here." No. This is ideal wife. She must be prepared to accept any circumstances of the husband. Not that when the husband is rich the wife is very faithful, and when he has come down to be poor or he's going to forest the wife gives up his company. No. Wife means better half. She must abide. Just like, it is said, just like a shadow follows the reality, similarly, the wife is the shadow of the husband. Wherever the husband goes, she must go. Whatever the husband wants, she must carry out. Of course, in this country this interpretation is taken differently, that wife is made a slave. But actually, it is not so. When SItA was kidnapped in the jungle, RAmacandra expected that, that she was beautiful, she was young, and "We shall be in open jungle. It may be some demons may come," and actually it so happened. So for SItA, Lord RAmacandra massacred the whole family of RAvaNa. Only for SItA. So as the husband, so the wife. The wife was so faithful that she could not remain alone. She must accompany the husband even in the forest. And the husband was so faithful that, "Oh, my wife has been kidnapped." So He massacred the whole family of RAvaNa.

 

So these are ideal history how... RAmacandra, Lord RAmacandra appeared on this world to educate or to place ideal example of a king. How the king should be. Therefore when there is good government... The example is given, RAma-rAjya. RAma- rAjya. It is the kingdom of Lord RAma. Because everyone was happy, everyone. There are so many instances in the life of RAmacandra. One brAhmaNa... Not brAhmaNa exactly. Somebody came to RAmacandra. Because at that time there was no court like this, that you have to go to a court and apply with stamp fee. Then your judgment will be delivered after six years. It is not like that. Anyone who has got some complaint, he should... The king used to sit in the open audience, and the citizens were allowed to approach the king and place their complaints. Because there was no complaint practically. Everyone was happy. Very minor complaint. So somebody came to RAmacandra, and he charged RAmacandra, "My dear king, my son has died. How is that, in the presence of his father, son can die? There must be something wrong in Your government." Just see. The charge is "Why my son has died before my death? This is unnatural." So there was nothing unnatural. The king was responsible even for severe cold, severe heat. That we get from history of SrImad-BhAgavatam. That is stated. So the kings were so much responsible. They were always thinking of the happiness of the citizens, and the citizens were also so nice. One citizen approached Lord RAmacandra and His next assistant, His brother, LakSmaNa, informed Him that "He is a brAhmaNa. You were absent on Your tour for, I think for a fortnight or a month, and this brAhmaNa has not eaten even a drop of water during Your absence." Why? "Because he comes here to see You, darzana." Just like we come here in the temple to see the Deity. So Lord RAmacandra was present personally. So he used to come. After seeing RAmacandra, offering his obeisances, then he would go home and take something, his breakfast. That was his vow. And because he could not see for a fortnight or a month Lord RAmacandra because He was out on political tour, he did not eat even. Just see. The citizens were similar to the king. So at that time, there was a statue of RAmacandra which was being worshiped in the family from MahArAja IkSvAku. MahArAja IkSvAku, the son of Manu, happens to be the forefather of the family in which RAmacandra appeared. So he was devotee of Lord RAma, and he was worshiping the statue of Lord RAma. So that statue was being worshiped by the family one after another. But when RAmacandra was actually present He kept that statue in the closet of the room, and when this brAhmaNa approached and RAmacandra was informed by LakSmaNa that he is so steady and strong in his vow, so RAmacandra ordered that he may be delivered that statue so that in My absence he can offer respect to the statue and do with this. That form, I mean to say, statue, or arca of RAmacandra is still existing in South India. It is being worshiped from that time.

 

So these were the dealings of RAmacandra. Then He, His younger brother LakSmaNa and His wife went to the forest, and His wife was kidnapped by the diplomacy of the demon RAvaNa, and there was fight between RAma and RAvaNa. RAvaNa was very, materialistically, he was very strong. But the thing is for fighting with RAvaNa, RAmacandra did not come back to His kingdom and take His army. No. He did not come back because He was ordered to live in the forest. So He organized army with the jungle animals, the monkeys. The monkeys. He fought with RAvaNa, an organized materialist, with the monkeys. You have seen the picture. And He constructed a bridge between India's last point to the other side. Ceylon is considered to be the kingdom of RAvaNa. So there was a bridge, and the stones were floating.

 

So there are so many historical incidences in the life of RAmacandra, and we should remember, because if we remember why we are observing today fasting for RAmacandra... There were many kings like RAmacandra. Because the kings were trained in that way. MahArAja YudhiSThira was also as good as RAmacandra, and MahArAja ParikSit was as good. There were many such kings. But we are not concerned because He was a king. He is the King of all kings, paramezvara. Because He is God, therefore we are observing today. RAmAdi-mUrtiSu kalA-niyamena tiSThan [bs. 5.39]. So He is not original form of God. The original form of God is KRSNa, and KRSNa expands Himself in various other forms. Advaitam acyutam anAdim ananta-rUpam [bs 5.33]. Ananta-rUpam means millions and millions. The Manu is also incarnation of KRSNa. So in one day of BrahmA there are fourteen Manus. So BrahmA lives for one hundred years. Just see how many incarnation of Manus are there even for one BrahmA, and there are innumerable BrahmAs also. So, as stated in the SrImad-BhAgavatam that nobody can count how many incarnations are there, but some of the chief incarnations are mentioned, and Lord RAmacandra is one of them. So Lord RAmacandra, He killed RAvaNa and He installed his brother. His brother was devotee, VibhISaNa. So He did not go to conquer Ceylon, because He was emperor. He went to punish that culprit RAvaNa, and He installed his younger brother VibhISaNa in that... And He came back with SItA, and again He was installed after fourteen years, and His brother was so faithful that so long His eldest brother was away, RAmacandra requested Him that "Your mother wants that You should be king, and I also wish that in My absence You should be king." Bharata, He was so faithful brother, He replied, "No. You are king. So long You are living, nobody can be king. So I cannot be king." Then He requested, "At least You administer." Because after the departure of Lord RAmacandra, MahArAja Dazaratha died out of the shock because RAmacandra was very pet son, eldest son. He was going to be king, and by his order He was sent to the forest. The father could not tolerate the shock. He died.

 

So RAmacandra's life, God's activities, pastimes, if we hear, that means we are associating with RAmacandra. There is no difference between His form, His name, His pastimes, and Himself. He's absolute. Therefore either you chant the holy name of RAma or you see the statue of RAma or you talk of His pastimes, transcendental pastimes, everything, that means you are associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So we take advantage of these days when the incarnation of God appears or disappears, and we try to associate with Him. By His association we become purified. Our process is purification. KRSNa consciousness means simply we are purifying our consciousness. From the birth, as I have explained, everyone is zUdra. SUdra means one who laments. That is called zUdra. For a slight loss or slight inconvenience, one who laments, he is called zUdra. And brAhmaNa means one who tolerates. A zUdra has no toleration. So kalau zUdra sambhava. Kalau means... This age is called Kali. So it is the statement of the zAstras that in this age the whole population is zUdra. And formerly also, by his birth, everyone was considered zUdra, but there was training, saMskAra. At the present moment, there is no saMskAra, there is no training. The training is only for earning livelihood. No other training. How one can earn money and enjoy senses--that is the training at the present moment. But actually, to make successful the human life or the mission of human life, the Vedic culture is very nice. And by spreading KRSNa consciousness, by adopting the process of KRSNa consciousness, you can revive that cultural life, sublime life. If not wholesale, if there are a few people trained up in this line, and they become ideal examples to the society, immense benefit can be derived from their examples of life. What is time? [break] (kIrtana) (end)

 

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Srimad-Bhagavatam stories about Lord Ramacandra start here. Here is a summary:<blockquote>The Pastimes of the Supreme Lord, RAmacandra

 

SB 9.10 Summary

 

This Tenth Chapter describes how Lord RAmacandra appeared in the dynasty of MahArAja KhaTvAGga. It also describes the Lord's activities, telling how He killed RAvaNa and returned to AyodhyA, the capital of His kingdom.

 

The son of MahArAja KhaTvAGga was DIrghabAhu, and his son was Raghu. The son of Raghu was Aja, the son of Aja was Dazaratha, and the son of Dazaratha was Lord RAmacandra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When the Lord descended into this world in His full quadruple expansion--as Lord RAmacandra, LakSmaNa, Bharata and Satrughna--great sages like VAlmIki who were actually in knowledge of the Absolute Truth described His transcendental pastimes. SrIla Sukadeva GosvAmI describes these pastimes in brief.

 

Lord RAmacandra went with VizvAmitra and killed RAkSasas like MArIca. After breaking the stout and strong bow known as Haradhanu, the Lord married mother SItA and cut down the prestige of ParazurAma. To obey the order of His father, He entered the forest, accompanied by LakSmaNa and SItA. There He cut off the nose of SUrpaNakhA and killed the associates of RAvaNa, headed by Khara and DUSaNa. RAvaNa's kidnapping of SItAdevI was the beginning of this demon's misfortune. When MArIca assumed the form of a golden deer, Lord RAmacandra went to bring the deer to please SItAdevI, but in the meantime RAvaNa took advantage of the Lord's absence to kidnap her. When SItAdevI was kidnapped, Lord RAmacandra, accompanied by LakSmaNa, searched for her throughout the forest. In the course of this search, They met JaTAyu. Then the Lord killed the demon Kabandha and the commander VAli and established a friendly relationship with SugrIva. After organizing the military strength of the monkeys and going with them to the shore of the sea, the Lord awaited the arrival of Samudra, the ocean personified, but when Samudra did not come, the Lord, the master of Samudra, became angry. Then Samudra came to the Lord with great haste and surrendered to Him, wanting to help Him in every way. The Lord then attempted to bridge the ocean, and, with the help of advice from VibhISaNa, He attacked RAvaNa's capital, LaGkA. Previously, HanumAn, the eternal servant of the Lord, had set fire to LaGkA, and now, with the help of LakSmaNa, the forces of Lord RAmacandra killed all the RAkSasa soldiers. Then Lord RAmacandra personally killed RAvaNa. MandodarI and other wives lamented for RAvaNa, and in accordance with Lord RAmacandra's order, VibhISaNa performed the funeral ceremonies for all the dead in the family. Lord RAmacandra then gave VibhISaNa the right to rule LaGkA and also granted him a long duration of life. The Lord delivered SItAdevI from the Azoka forest and carried her in a flower airplane to His capital AyodhyA, where He was received by His brother Bharata. When Lord RAmacandra entered AyodhyA, Bharata brought His wooden shoes, VibhISaNa and SugrIva held a whisk and fan, HanumAn carried an umbrella, Satrughna carried the Lord's bow and two quivers, and SItAdevI carried a waterpot containing water from holy places. AGgada carried a sword, and JAmbavAn (RkSarAja) carried a shield. After Lord RAmacandra, accompanied by Lord LakSmaNa and mother SItAdevI, met all His relatives, the great sage VasiSTha enthroned Him as King. The chapter ends with a short description of Lord RAmacandra's rule in AyodhyA.

 

 

Lord RAmacandra Rules the World

 

SB 9.11 Summary

 

This chapter describes how Lord RAmacandra resided in AyodhyA with His younger brothers and performed various sacrifices.

 

Lord RAmacandra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, performed various sacrifices by which to worship Himself, and at the end of these sacrifices He gave land to the hotA, adhvaryu, udgAtA and brahmA priests. He gave them the eastern, western, northern and southern directions respectively, and the balance He gave to the AcArya. Lord RAmacandra's faith in the brAhmaNas and affection for His servants was observed by all the brAhmaNas, who then offered their prayers to the Lord and returned whatever they had taken from Him. They regarded the enlightenment given to them by the Lord within the core of their hearts as a sufficient contribution. Lord RAmacandra subsequently dressed Himself like an ordinary person and began wandering within the capital to understand what impression the citizens had of Him. By chance, one night He heard a man talking to his wife, who had gone to another man's house. In the course of rebuking his wife, the man spoke suspiciously of the character of SItAdevI. The Lord immediately returned home, and, fearing such rumors, He superficially decided to give up SItAdevI's company. Thus He banished SItAdevI, who was pregnant, to the shelter of VAlmIki Muni, where she gave birth to twin sons, named Lava and Kuza. In AyodhyA, LakSmaNa begot two sons named AGgada and Citraketu, Bharata begot two sons named TakSa and PuSkala, and Satrughna begot two sons named SubAhu and Srutasena. When Bharata went out to conquer various lands on behalf of the emperor, Lord RAmacandra, He fought many millions of Gandharvas. By killing them in the fight, He acquired immense wealth, which He then brought home. Satrughna killed a demon named LavaNa at Madhuvana and thus established the capital of MathurA. Meanwhile, SItAdevI placed her two sons in the care of VAlmIki Muni and then entered into the earth. Upon hearing of this, Lord RAmacandra was very much aggrieved, and thus He performed sacrifices for thirteen thousand years. After describing the pastimes of Lord RAmacandra's disappearance and establishing that the Lord appears for His pastimes only, Sukadeva GosvAmI ends this chapter by describing the results of hearing about the activities of Lord RAmacandra and by describing how the Lord protected His citizens and displayed affection for His brothers.</blockquote>

 

 

[Guest guest]

Some people say animal protein is better than veg protein. Is that true? Besides, didn't people in ancient India eat meat? Maybe, that's why they were good-looking, unlike modern Indians. Anyway, I won't eat meat. But is it okay to work your bi and tri three times a week, cuz just once wouldnt be good enough? I thought it was good to work large muscle groups like shoulders anc chest just once a week, but smaller groups like arms should be worked three times?? Is that fine, or would it reduce my strength? Also, can one combine it with cardio three times a week to lose the gut? Reg. your links, just as I've suspected, those veggie items like beans and nuts dont give you protein in bulky amounts. it also says a man who weighs around 75 kilos should eat just 60 g. But I've been told that you ought to eat twice your body weight (if in Kilos), which is 150g. And that's minimum, it seems! What to make of all this conflicting opinions? Whats the final word? It is annoying.

[gHari]

Only do cardio every second day when not lifting. Big muscles like chest and back every workout. On days with no time, always do bench presses because that works everything. Start each day with the big muscles and work outwards as your strength and endurance slip away.

 

Someone is lying about 150g of protein, and lying about meat. The third link above shows meat protein levels which are no greater than many veggies (for example: two cups of chick peas or lentils give one quarter more protein than a sirloin steak; add some rice and milk and you will also have the carbs to build a bridge to Ceylon).

 

Don't cheat yourself or let your associates cheat you. Chick peas are cheap - meat is expensive, not to mention very repugnant. You are either a gentleman or an animal. Any more foolish talk of meat and I will have to leave. Sorry.