Question about regs

[Guest guest]

Just wondering about the eggs thing. I work a lot and don't eat at home much. I don't eat meat or fish, but I find that avoiding eggs get's tricky. Sometimes things have eggs in the ingredients and you wouldn't even know it. My question is, how bad is it if one is trying to be Krishna conscious, but may occasionally eat eggs?

[theist]

Just some questions to ask yourself as we all should. I'm not expecting an answer.

 

Have you given a vow to Krsna and guru to not eat eggs?

 

Why do they insist on these principles?

 

Are they offerable to Krishna?

 

Is an egg the product of violence to the chickens in anyway?

 

Do you really want to consume the product of a chickens menstrual cycle?

 

A vow made not to consume them is sufficent. As is the fact they are not offerable. But there are many others as well.

 

But remember your chanting Hare Krishna is not dependent upon rules and regulations. So in all circumstances keep chanting.

 

But the chanting will cause us to raise such questions within our mind as the Names inspire a change of heart within us. Old habits are sometimes hard to break at first and their is resistence felt as they are being cleared away.

 

Don't you sense the answer already? That it would be best to avoid the eggs even though inconvienient sometimes? Trust that voice.

 

Keep chanting as that will provide the power and impetus to change.

 

Hare Krishna

 

[theist]

http://www.poultry.org/

 

The number of sentient animals being subjected to intolerable living conditions and untimely deaths is on the rise, largely because consumers are replacing red meat with poultry, and birds provide less flesh per carcass than mammals. Of the nine billion farm animals born in the U.S. annually, the vast majority are birds. American consumers have doubled their consumption of chickens and turkeys over the past two decades, and this pattern is expected to continue, elevating the number of farm animals raised in the U.S. to unprecedented levels. Chickens and turkeys raised for meat suffer from severe genetic manipulations, overcrowding, and filthy living conditions. Hens kept for egg production are packed in cages so tightly that they cannot even stretch their wings.

 

Although birds are by far the most tragically affected victims of the poultry industry, they are not the only ones who suffer. The poultry industry is notorious for exploiting and mistreating human workers. Its labor force, composed largely of immigrants, suffers from cumulative-trauma disorders far above the national average.

 

Individuals not directly employed by the poultry industry are also harmed by it. Poultry meat and eggs are commonly contaminated, and millions of cases of food-borne illness are attributed to poultry products every year. The environment is also adversely affected as hundreds of millions of dead birds and millions of tons of manure are generated and discharged every year, polluting land and water, and threatening fish and other animals.

[gopidust]

eggs are disgusting and awful and I wouldn't even want to crack one on my head if my hair was in need of washing

YUK!

[Guest guest]

I am in Krishna conscious and follow all the principles and keep chanting. But as scientist, I work with chick embryos to find out the reason behind human diseases and congenital malformations. How to get out of this? Whoever I ask, they only suggest that, "you are doing your duty that is destined, so keep doing it as a service to God since its a medical research, but dedicate that to Lord". MY raw question is, is it ok to work with embryos, that I ask myself.

 

Dont want to sign in or give name for private reasons.

[theist]

You find yourself in a difficult position. This material world often puts us in positions that demand a forced compromise on us.

 

I once mng. some apts. Periodically the owners would spray the building for cockroaches.I had to be there to let them in.

 

Material world is a filthy place. All I can suggest is avoid working on human embryos and follow your consciece on the chicken ones.

 

Perhaps someone will have something authoratative for us.

 

Modern science is raising many questions that we must adapt to. Simply relying on the writings of past acaryas can give us some clues but we need visionaries to help us with the current scene.

[Guest guest]

Haribol. Here is a true story. Years ago, Srila Prabhupada asked a few devotees to manufacture fibreglas mrdangas, the drums used in chanting. A friend of mine was so employed in the asrama I lived in.

 

He had a great dilemma, one that srila prabhupada only could solve. How can one make the head on mrdangas out of leather without being responsible for the killing of the cow.

 

Srila Prabhupada, being quite practical, asked the person, "Is there suddenly a shortage of slaughterhouses in your country?", meaning that the skins should come from such a place.

 

Your answer is proper, and practical. A mrdanga heard in samkirtana is valuable, so much so, that the cow whose skin was already ripped off and heading for the dump is benefitting. Medical research is a noble profession, and computer mock-ups do not give practical experiance at all. As long as your medicine is not geared toward some kind of fascist God-pretence (and as a medical man myself, this is the question we have to really ask daily), Krsna will protect his devotee even if seemingly abominable work is being done.

 

Hope my story of the practical use of discarded cowhides for mrdanga heads helps. Hare Krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

[Guest guest]

Dear Prabhu or Matagi,

Thank you for your post to my question. You make many good points. I noticed I never worried about it until I started chanting.

Thank you again

Hare Krishna

[Guest guest]

To Thiest and to the guest (Practicality-mahak)

 

Thanks for the thoughts. I do really feel attimes that we need someone for the present day who can really help us with the present day science and KC. I know that the science what I am doing is just the minutest portion of that Supreme Parabrahman and He cannot be understood by this, but yet it is very hard for someone to be far away from material life when you are in kali yuga. I dont mind giving up research and just remain in teaching, but at the same time, I really dont know if research is my duty ascribed to me which I have to do. I am not involved in human embryos, but with chick and animal embryos to study the birth defects and to understand them in humans for medical therapy and diagnosis in humans, but when I kill the pregnant animals and take their embryos out, I kill myself mentally every time and the thought hurts me badly. I just chant Krishna Krishna, Govinda, Govinda and nothing comes during that time in my mind and feel very sad for those animals that are killed for the sake of humans. In what way this is different from meat eating or bird eating in gross sense, other than the fact, I dont derive any sense benefit out of it. But I am getting salary for my job for my survival...this is very complicated. when i try other jobs, nothing works out and somehow I am made to come back to medical research.

I only wish Lord comes and tell me atleast in dreams, if not in reality, what to do and this alone can satisfy me than hearing from any human mouth since we humans feel that medical research is noble as it benefits us.

thanks to both of you

Sorry for not signing.

[theist]

Perhaps the Lord in the heart is speaking to and that is the reason for the mental anguish that you feel. I personally am against such experimentation on animals. But the immediate concern is that you should be situated in an occupation that you feel very good and clear about in dovetailing that in Krsna's service. Every endeavor is covered by some kind of fault but some are more inherently wrong than other's. The fact that this is causing you so much grief should be telling in and of itself.

 

You must be very educated and skilled. Perhaps pray to the Lord that He engage you in work that will be more pleasing. Seek alternatives. If you wish to help humans in terms of health become a health educator of some sort. As it is I sense that your heart will only become more heavy and disturbed as it becomes softer and you become more aware. Can there be any happiness there for you there?

 

Hare Krsna

[Guest guest]

That every time we breath, countless living entities, maybe even human beings, get wiped out. To breathe means to kill, to walk means to kill, every being is food for another, etc. The stipulation is the UNNECESSARY killing, this is what we decide in our work and other activities. Maybe a scholar remembers the verse where Narada Muni explains such things, and if so, maybe a better reference.

 

But this is the purpose of offering all our works in Krsnas service, a purification takes place. Vegetarianism alone means cutting the throat of the innocent lettuce, there is a living being there, and there is karma in such action. Krsna takes leaves, though and we offer the lettuce to krsna, thus the karma is different, sort of a spiritual bank account called prasadam.

 

Hare Krsna, and remember, karma yoga, work in krsna consciousness, is bhakti yoga. ys, mahaksadasa

[Guest guest]

Yes..I feel very heavy in mind and highly cotemplating during meditation and asking Lord to show me the way, what I should do, whether I should skip research or not, or go to actual human samples and work for humans, because in that case I take blood or tissue sample from affected humans and analyse and there is no animal killing involved in that. As long as anyone is involved in any medical research, our research leads to another animal research in some other lab for human benefits as all these are inter related with an ultimate goal of pharmaceutical growh and medicines and therapy. The whole science field is like that.

I dont know where is the answer.

[theist]

You are very sincere. That shows. Krsna is surely helping you find a way that will allow for a peacrful mind to contemplate Him.

 

If you have realized a way as you said then take it. The animal research industry is very corrupt with muchtesting being done over and over simply for the grant money. But you seem intent on finding the highest path to walk in your field so certainly Krsna will help you.

 

Hare Krishna

[theist]

 

That every time we breath, countless living entities, maybe even human beings, get wiped out.

 

 

humans too? Man, that is some killer breath there Mad Max. The biggest thing I've ever dropped was a cat, but now I brush my teeth. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the reply...Lets see where my contemplation goes..He only knows...IN modern days its difficult to be as described for many things.

 

IN reply to the next post...For eg. we cant stop brushing the teeth or taking bath. I am sure in olden days too, rishis were brushing the teeth with sticks of Azadyracta indica (vembu with a bitter small fruit). Cleanliness is part of religious activity and yes we destroy organisms not seen by our eyes..but they are made to dwell in that conditions to get destroyed and can take rebirth in the evolution of soul, like a soul in bacterium in one point may go into a mosquito or a fly after getting killed. I think we should not analyse at the microscopic level for these connecting with religious beliefs. Then no soul can have any body.

But killing the visible organisms for our benefits is something hurting the mind...which can be stopped..but again where does it stop.....

Hard to find answers for many Kali yuga questions.