Animal parts and kali yuga

[vijay]

Regarding the natural death theory: it is only that. who can say for sure?

 

Inida is the no. one exported of leather in the world and no one will ever convince my kali yuga mind that all of those animals died a "natural" death!

 

> We had better stop using mridangas and camaras, then /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

>By the way, did you know that there are cow parts in computer keyboards?

 

>And steering wheels, and about a zillion other common ordinary household items? What about common ordinary ply wood that is held together by GLUE, as in from animal bones. What to do?

 

> My take on it is that in this wretched age of kali, where every endeavor is tainted, we need to know that there is going to be smoke with every fire and do our best to minimize and adjust. It is basically a hopeless situation for the false purist and a wonderful opportunity for the devotees of the Lord. Just get out of here and Go Back to Home, to Godhead!

 

 

 

Dear prabhus,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances.

 

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

First of all I beg to ask for forgiveness as I am very small devotee compared to who are discussing here. Still I am writing what is in my heart.

 

Please be patient and when ever you have time read this letter fully rather than deleting it just by seeing the size.

 

We all know and agree that there are millions of parts tainted with animal(cow) slaughter. My aim of this discussion as not making a law or blaming any authority for this anomaly.

 

But are we as Vaishnavas not supposed to raise awareness amongst us and population in general about cruelty along with KC awareness. Did Srila Prabhupada not in beginning days allowed devotees to eat as much gulab jams and chappaties as they liked. But after some time he told them to control and devotees complained why to limit. He told you did not complain then why now.

 

The point being as we become devotees we are supposed to raise awareness and not remain there under name of kaliyuga.

 

Similary did Srila Prabhupada not discouraged the use of leather items. In one conversation (10 sept 1973 Stockholm end part) he says that we use mrdangas of hide made from naturally dead cows.

 

So what to do now for us. I am giving some real eg from my life and devotees known. As I have some role to play in kitchen here in Mumbai I am stressing to get more and more organic food for our needs. And yes if look for alternatives they are there. We are slowly getting people who grow such food. I don't believe any labeled organic food as I have no faith on commercial establishment. They are full of corruption. I look for individual farmers check their mentality and whether are they ready that my men will come for random checks on there farms. Where there is will there is way. Is it not devotees who have to raise awareness in preventing cruelty. As we raise awareness the supply comes. If all devotees over the world demand for more natural products certainly supplies will come. This is what I found in my search for real self verified organic supplies. I started coming across more of such people. More than that the genuine framers who grow such food out of philosophical conviction they get enthused to carry on against all odds and they get a sure market for there produce. So its symbiotic.

 

Similarly for mrdangas If demand them to be made of naturally dead cows and buy after full faith and check then supply will follow. But ball is in our court that one of us do go around and see where we can get mrdangas from really naturally dead cows. So its not Kaliyuga its we who have to do some going around and stick to our standard. If we demand and buy only those mrdangas supply will come. Initially there may be some shortage but as market demands supply will come. Those who make such mrdangas will be enthused and encougaged. They won't have to worry for market. We will fight against Kali yuga together. And we will get Karma free mrdangas more pleasing to lord.

 

About Varakh just as our devotee (I think president) from Jaipur informed us that he has seen people make it using cow leather with wax paper in between. So we have alternative. we are not forced to but Varakh(silver foil) made in intestine but if we insist on made in leather from naturally dead cow then supply will come. Yes even devotees are less in no. compared to human population but still as devotees together we are quiet big market to get thing the way we need. We don't have to wait for making a group or association of devotees but we individually just stick to our demands and

 

spell it out to suppliers every time. If all devotees do it the message will pass to manufactures.

 

My dear friend, Manger of Nigdi(Pune) preaching center removed all plastic bags from shoe stall and replaced them with cloth bags. He was aware and did the change. It cost him initially a bit but all the money went to a devotee who stiched the bags and not to plastic business. Over all it was not costly in long run.

 

I personally don't use plastic bags. I carry metal containers which are bit heavy but light on karma.

 

Goodness is represented by knowledge. that is we have to be aware and actually try to avoid such tainted items to the max.

 

I am one who raised the point about cow bones in film roles. Yet still I might use them for taking photos to be printed in SP's books/BTG. But what I was trying was when I see is for any incident or yatra etc there are 10's or 100's devotees clicking photos. How long these photos are used and in what way of all the photos clicked being used. And after short time (1-3 months) these photos are neglected and get a place in one corner latter to progress to dustbin. Also so much of photos make us behave offensively towards them by neglecting them throwing them here and there etc. Is our Bhakti really

 

dependent on so many photos? My point being everything has utility but we have to avoid extravaganza and its we devotees who have to raise awareness amongst us. or will the non devotees who even have basic knowledge of scriptures supposed to do it. Or should we as devotees go on acting in ignorance.

 

One last point. Going closer to nature doesn't always cost more in fact it saves overall. For e.g. I started using cow toothpowder for my brushing 4 years back. It costs me RS 15 for 5 months against tooth paste which used to cost me RS 300 for same time.

 

How this awareness spreads. My own life experiences. I gave on plastics few years back. (I support devotees especially foreign who require bottled water). I stopped using plastic bags and bottles in my life and instead had metal containers and glass bottle. Whole of my ashram ridiculed me and laughed at me but I perceived silently. After 3 years many are now following me. Some are still not but now they are quieted and know that I am right. I don't need to make law but increase awareness. I even did not speak but I carried on. Others just observed me and learnt. Sorry for telling about "I" but I am telling real incident.

 

MY WHOLE POINT BEING YES KALIYUGA IS WIDESPREAD BUT ITS NO REASON TO NOT

 

INCREASE OUR KNOWLEDGE (AWARENESS) AND ACT ON IT AND SET AN E.G. FOR OTHERS

 

RATHER THAN ACCEPTING PRODUCTS TAINTED WITH BLOOD, VIOLENCE AND TORTURE.

 

IT WORKS. WE DON'T HAVE TO DECREASE PREACHING AND SERVICE FOR IT WE HAVE TO

 

SEARCH AND CREATE MARKET AND SUPPLY COMES.

 

Your Servant

 

Madan Gopal Das

 

Sorry for long letter but I just wanted to share. Actually I have cut it quite short.

 

Also this exchange beginning in holistic health forum even sticking to non violent natural products help keep our health nicely.

 

If any one is offended please excuse me.