Should hindus be vegetarians ?
This is a rather common question proposed by many.I have seen at many instances whereby devotees ask priests and spiritual icons of the nation this inevitable question - Is it a must to be a vegetarian ?
The answer is - YES. Vegetarianism is a crucial lifestyle that every self-claiming Hindu should adopt to.The reason shall be elaborately amplified in this article.
Image : Jalan Baru temple Madurai Veeran Ayya.* This is a very famous temple of Malaysia.They have a ritual called ' kedha poojai' - which is the slaughter of goats.About 50 goats are slaughtered in front of Ayya on a daily basis - except Fridays. Does Madurai Veeran require slaughter and meat ? Lets see............
*Deities like Madurai Veeran,Muniswaran and Karuppar are adored by the name 'ayya' - translating to 'father' in tamil.These deities fall under the category of Guardian Deities,safeguarding dharma (righteousness) and protecting devotees.They are commonly seen as an expression of Bhairava*
The Indian culture was deeply rooted into ahimsa ( non-violence ) merged with dharma ( righteousness ) . It is not that we were totally against killing.In our culture,we were enlightened enough to understand the basis of soul,body and consciousness.
For example, avatars like Rama and Krishna were dharmic when they killed demons and asuras who were causing misery.The presence of demonic energies and asuras should be removed so that the spiritual frequency of the planet is preserved.
Now moving to meat eating..
Our ancients were pure vegetarians.This is proven by many of our cultural traditions.One reason of putting kolam was to feed the lesser beings such as ants.In our culture,it was such that if we saw a bird,we bowed and saw divinity in the form of Lord Garuda.We revered cows as one of our very mothers.This is how we revered every creation of God.As such, how would we have the heart to kill,smother and eat innocent animals for pleasure ?
We did not even have the idea of killing wild beasts.In most of our hymns and stotras,we only request for protection from harmful creatures - and not that they should be destroyed.The origin of martial arts - Kalari - was developed as a means to protect ourselves from wild beasts.If you look at this art carefully,it did not emphasis on killing.It was more of putting the animal into a state of unconsciousness or sleep.
The killing part in martial arts only came after kalaripayathu was modified to fight humans.Humans are cruder than animals.While animals only attack for food,humans go beyond - they want to kill due to greed.
All our siddhas,masters,yogis and enlightened beings who founded the very culture of hinduism emphasised on vegetarianism.
Thiruvalluvar,who is a tamil icon,greatly emphasised on vegetarianism.In fact,he even abuses those who eat meat.The irony is that tamil children are taught to imbibe lessons of thirukural while their parents stuff them with non-veg items fancied with glossy names like ' varuvval' , ' 65' , 'piece' and so on.
Here are some examples.The thirukural has many verses about vegetarianism which you can read on.There is a complete chapter in the thirukural - chapter 26,section 1 on this .
-. தன்னூன் பெருக்கற்குத் தான்பிறிது ஊனுண்பான்
எங்ஙனம் ஆளும் அருள்.
How can he be possessed of kindness, who to increase his own
flesh, eats the flesh of other creatures?.
This is a rather common question proposed by many.I have seen at many instances whereby devotees ask priests and spiritual icons of the nation this inevitable question - Is it a must to be a vegetarian ?
The answer is - YES. Vegetarianism is a crucial lifestyle that every self-claiming Hindu should adopt to.The reason shall be elaborately amplified in this article.
Image : Jalan Baru temple Madurai Veeran Ayya.* This is a very famous temple of Malaysia.They have a ritual called ' kedha poojai' - which is the slaughter of goats.About 50 goats are slaughtered in front of Ayya on a daily basis - except Fridays. Does Madurai Veeran require slaughter and meat ? Lets see............
*Deities like Madurai Veeran,Muniswaran and Karuppar are adored by the name 'ayya' - translating to 'father' in tamil.These deities fall under the category of Guardian Deities,safeguarding dharma (righteousness) and protecting devotees.They are commonly seen as an expression of Bhairava*
The Indian culture was deeply rooted into ahimsa ( non-violence ) merged with dharma ( righteousness ) . It is not that we were totally against killing.In our culture,we were enlightened enough to understand the basis of soul,body and consciousness.
For example, avatars like Rama and Krishna were dharmic when they killed demons and asuras who were causing misery.The presence of demonic energies and asuras should be removed so that the spiritual frequency of the planet is preserved.Now moving to meat eating..
Our ancients were pure vegetarians.This is proven by many of our cultural traditions.One reason of putting kolam was to feed the lesser beings such as ants.In our culture,it was such that if we saw a bird,we bowed and saw divinity in the form of Lord Garuda.We revered cows as one of our very mothers.This is how we revered every creation of God.As such, how would we have the heart to kill,smother and eat innocent animals for pleasure ?
We did not even have the idea of killing wild beasts.In most of our hymns and stotras,we only request for protection from harmful creatures - and not that they should be destroyed.The origin of martial arts - Kalari - was developed as a means to protect ourselves from wild beasts.If you look at this art carefully,it did not emphasis on killing.It was more of putting the animal into a state of unconsciousness or sleep.
The killing part in martial arts only came after kalaripayathu was modified to fight humans.Humans are cruder than animals.While animals only attack for food,humans go beyond - they want to kill due to greed.
All our siddhas,masters,yogis and enlightened beings who founded the very culture of hinduism emphasised on vegetarianism.
Thiruvalluvar,who is a tamil icon,greatly emphasised on vegetarianism.In fact,he even abuses those who eat meat.The irony is that tamil children are taught to imbibe lessons of thirukural while their parents stuff them with non-veg items fancied with glossy names like ' varuvval' , ' 65' , 'piece' and so on.Here are some examples.The thirukural has many verses about vegetarianism which you can read on.There is a complete chapter in the thirukural - chapter 26,section 1 on this .
-. தன்னூன் பெருக்கற்குத் தான்பிறிது ஊனுண்பான்
எங்ஙனம் ஆளும் அருள்.
How can he be possessed of kindness, who to increase his own
flesh, eats the flesh of other creatures?.
- செயிரின் தலைப்பிரிந்த காட்சியார் உண்ணார்
உயிரின் தலைப்பிரிந்த ஊன்.
The wise, who have freed themselves from mental delusion,
will not eat the flesh which has been severed from an animal.
- அவிசொரிந் தாயிரம் வேட்டலின் ஒன்றன்
உயிர்செகுத் துண்ணாமை நன்று.
Not to kill and eat (the flesh of) an animal,
is better than the pouring forth of ghee etc., in a thousand sacrifice
. கொல்லான் புலாலை மறுத்தானைக் கைகூப்பி
எல்லா உயிருந் தொழும்.
All creatures will join their hands together,
and worship him who has never taken away life, nor eaten flesh.
- உண்ணாமை உள்ளது உயிர்நிலை ஊனுண்ண
அண்ணாத்தல் செய்யாது அளறு.
Not to eat flesh contributes to the continuance of life;
therefore if a man eat flesh, hell will not open its mouth
(to let him escape out, after he has once fallen in).
- படைகொண்டார் நெஞ்சம்போல் நன்னூக்காது ஒன்றன்
உடல்சுவை உண்டார் மனம்.
Like the (murderous) mind of him who carries a weapon (in his hand),
the mind of him who feasts with pleasure on the body of another (creature),
has no regard for goodness.
There are more verses actually.As the list is too big,I chose to just include some here.Nevertheless it enlightens us of the great extent to which Thiruvalluvar was against non-vegetarianism.Every tamil who proudly proclaim ' tamilanda' should follow vegetarianism if they truly practice what they preach....
"Today, let it be anyone, whether one deems himself a devotee or not, he should give up meat eating. Why? meat eating promotes only animal qualities. It has been well said that the food one consumes determines one's thoughts. By eating the flesh of various animals, the qualities of these animals are imbibed. How sinful is it to feed on animals, which are sustained by the same five elements as human beings! This leads to demonic tendencies, besides committing the sin of inflicting cruelty on animals. Hence, those who genuinely seek to become devotees of God have to give up non-vegetarian food. Calling themselves Sai devotees or devotees of Rama and Krishna, they fatten the chickens. How can they be deemed Sai devotees? How can God accept such a person as a devotee? Therefore, whether they are devotees in India or outside, they should give up from this instant meat eating. Therefore, those who aspire to become devotees of God must give up meat, liquor and smoking."
People should understand that it is not only Prabhupada ( founder of HareKrishna group ) who emphasised vegetarianism ,but all spiritual founders,masters,siddhas and saints as mentioned earlier - did.
So the ones who eat meat despite their ancient culture are the true extremist,not the vegetarians.
This practice did not come from the vedas.The vedas describes how we should eliminate the animalistic qualities in ourselves and transform ourselves to divine.This is true 'animal' sacrifice.
The science behind animal sacrifice - whoever who founded it was that it provides life energy to the deity.Life energy is needed to preserve the temple deity which we have invoked and installed.
However,life energy can also be provided by many ways.We can even do it by breaking coconuts,cutting lime or pumpkins.Try asking temple priests.They even have a comparison with animal slaughter.For example,cutting of one lime is equivalent to chicken slaughter while breaking a pumpkin equates to 'slaughter' of two goats.This is sort of a rough estimate of life energy provided by different materials.Even economically,it is way better to provide life energy in a vegetarian way..Logic isn't it ?
Try watching the temple slaughter video above.You will see how the animal fears and cries.Don't you find this adharmic ? People have now labeled Jalan Baru Ayya temple as ' best mutton restaurant' literally.This is a big shame to us.Is this how you honour a temple where Ayya resides so powerfully ?
If you notice Jalan baru Madurai Veeran,He gets redder in colour and fiercer day by day.Initially He was yellowish and calm looking.Lately,He appears very fierce and red.The red is that of blood red.My comment on this is that the own temple practice has made Him this way.The offering of meat has made him into a very ghora ( fierce and angry ) form of veeran.
Image above : Jalan Baru Madurai Veeran at present.Notice how reddish and fierce He looks now compared to the previous photo which was taken long back...
It is not always easy to approach a very ghora deity.If you are not careful,you could be finished.I guess people just take things for granted.No proper gratitude and reverence for our own culture has led to this.If you are one of those kinds who are planning to slaughter animals for any deity in hope of getting a desire fulfilled,you are in trouble - even if your desire gets fulfilled.You may not know how things hit you back.
The Jalan Baru temple priest from India personally told me that when he was priest in India,no meat offering and slaughter was done to Ayya.So let's be straight.Temples with animal slaughter is just concerned about relishing their tastebuds with mutton - not about divinity anymore.If it was really about devotion and divinity,people won't label temples as restaurants.
How much of the public is aware that they had arul vakku ( oracle telling in trance state ) from Ayya during Kumbaabishegam in Jalan Baru temple ?According to resources,Madurai Veeran Ayya clearly told that He does notrequire the slaughter through the arul vaaku.
But due to greed,the temple management continued this practice.
Have you heard of the Hanuman deity who turned his face to another direction in the famous Port Dickson temple ? This is a true incident.It is said that Lord Hanuman was offended by the meat and liquor offering to other deities in the temple , and thus He moved His direction totally. This is our own stupidity in short.Let us not wait for God to let karma hit our stupidity before changing our ways...
Are all vegetarians good then ? Can't a non-vegetarian be good ?
People often question me as to how I could use the basis of vegetarianism to conclude the purity of a person.Their logic was that a person could be spiritual and good even if he takes meat.
The point here is that meat eating itself is 'wrong'.Don't compare and justify it with other factors.It's like saying , ' although he was a rapist,he took care of his parents'.A rapist, despite all his other noble qualities, is still a sinner in terms of sexual misconduct.
Although Ravana was a great Shiva devotee,great king and a genius by nature,his lust and misconduct still demonised him.Lord Shiva did not save him or supported him when Shri Rama eliminated him.This concept goes with vegetarianism.
You can be whoever you are,but as long as you eat meat,you incur karma.As they say
(1) The one who kills the animal
(2) The one who cooks the animal
(3) The ones who serves the animal
(4) The one who eats the animal
All four incur karma.This is the law of nature.If you read Buddhist scriptures, you will read plenty of stories on how butchers who slaughter goats end up being born as goats and so on.The Garuda Purana also explains horrible hellish punishments to those who relish meat-eating.
Garuda Purana
But there are past devotees who ate meat ? What about Kannapan ?
Understand that we are not at Kanappar Nayanars era ( Kannapan was an ardent Shiva devotee.He was a hunter so he hunted animals for food and offered the same to his lord ) .
The way our food is done today itself is different.Today,in the egg industry,baby male chickens are crushed to death alive.This is because only female chickens are useful for the egg industry.
Even something as common as eating egg today requires so much of torture and cruelty.A video below will show you a glimpse.If you still doubt me,just visit a slaughterhouse.You will in fact turn an immediate vegetarian upon seeing the cruelty in meat production.
Devotees like Kanappan were very simple and did not crave for meat unlike most today.He plucked his eyes out for lord Shiva.Bring me one meat eater at present who has such eminent devotion ?
A devoted person at present age will definitely be well educated and enlightened about meat eating in spirituality.
Take a look at the video below to see how the meat industry functions today :
But what about protein ? Where will I get my nutrition ?
It is absurd to think that you require meat to stay healthy.Science has proven that human body is not compatible with meat.
There's a restaurant in Singapore which serves pure vegetarian dishes,with the walls being decorated with scientific evidences on how non-veg is incompatible with our body.
So dear parents, enough of forcing non-veg food to your kids.Don't let your assumptions to ruin them.Kids are godly in nature.Implement divine lifestyles for them,not demonic.
Teach your kids to see animals as a creation of God, not a dinner meal !
You will see your children perform better with vegetarian diet.
Our food lifestyle was well-set by our ancients.We have a rich source of vitamin B12 through fermented foods like thosai and curd.We derive high iron content from vegetables like murungakai ( drumstick vegetable ) .
It is just a matter of balancing our diet with the right resources.The United States is increasing dramatically in terms of vegetarians.
This is a huge success.While the west returns to our cultural roots,most Indians are deviating from it.
Spread the essence of this article around.Educate you relatives,friends and whoever possible.Let's join hands to make a change.
For any enquiries, email to mayiliragai@gmail.com
Heeeheee . Kudos to vegetarian restaurants.
உயிரின் தலைப்பிரிந்த ஊன்.
The wise, who have freed themselves from mental delusion,
will not eat the flesh which has been severed from an animal.
- அவிசொரிந் தாயிரம் வேட்டலின் ஒன்றன்
உயிர்செகுத் துண்ணாமை நன்று.
Not to kill and eat (the flesh of) an animal,
is better than the pouring forth of ghee etc., in a thousand sacrifice
. கொல்லான் புலாலை மறுத்தானைக் கைகூப்பி
எல்லா உயிருந் தொழும்.
All creatures will join their hands together,
and worship him who has never taken away life, nor eaten flesh.
- உண்ணாமை உள்ளது உயிர்நிலை ஊனுண்ண
அண்ணாத்தல் செய்யாது அளறு.
Not to eat flesh contributes to the continuance of life;
therefore if a man eat flesh, hell will not open its mouth
(to let him escape out, after he has once fallen in).
- படைகொண்டார் நெஞ்சம்போல் நன்னூக்காது ஒன்றன்
உடல்சுவை உண்டார் மனம்.
Like the (murderous) mind of him who carries a weapon (in his hand),
the mind of him who feasts with pleasure on the body of another (creature),
has no regard for goodness.
There are more verses actually.As the list is too big,I chose to just include some here.Nevertheless it enlightens us of the great extent to which Thiruvalluvar was against non-vegetarianism.Every tamil who proudly proclaim ' tamilanda' should follow vegetarianism if they truly practice what they preach....
- Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Divine Discorse on 23 Nov 1994, Sanathana Sarathi December 1994 p. 315
Even in the Gheeta, Shri Krishna speaks of only sattvik food.
Sattvik food consists of pure food like fruits and grains that aids in our spiritual process and
body health.
Personally I have enormous respect for HareKrishna devotees due to this.They are absolutely strict and disciplined with food subjects.Label them extreme if you want,but they are following the true culture unlike most hypocrites.
People should understand that it is not only Prabhupada ( founder of HareKrishna group ) who emphasised vegetarianism ,but all spiritual founders,masters,siddhas and saints as mentioned earlier - did.
So the ones who eat meat despite their ancient culture are the true extremist,not the vegetarians.
Animal sacrifice in temples.
Video above : Goat slaughter in Jalan Baru temple
The science behind animal sacrifice - whoever who founded it was that it provides life energy to the deity.Life energy is needed to preserve the temple deity which we have invoked and installed.However,life energy can also be provided by many ways.We can even do it by breaking coconuts,cutting lime or pumpkins.Try asking temple priests.They even have a comparison with animal slaughter.For example,cutting of one lime is equivalent to chicken slaughter while breaking a pumpkin equates to 'slaughter' of two goats.This is sort of a rough estimate of life energy provided by different materials.Even economically,it is way better to provide life energy in a vegetarian way..Logic isn't it ?
Try watching the temple slaughter video above.You will see how the animal fears and cries.Don't you find this adharmic ? People have now labeled Jalan Baru Ayya temple as ' best mutton restaurant' literally.This is a big shame to us.Is this how you honour a temple where Ayya resides so powerfully ?
 |
| OLD PICTURE OF JALAN BARU MADURAI VEERAN |
Image above : Jalan Baru Madurai Veeran at present.Notice how reddish and fierce He looks now compared to the previous photo which was taken long back...
It is not always easy to approach a very ghora deity.If you are not careful,you could be finished.I guess people just take things for granted.No proper gratitude and reverence for our own culture has led to this.If you are one of those kinds who are planning to slaughter animals for any deity in hope of getting a desire fulfilled,you are in trouble - even if your desire gets fulfilled.You may not know how things hit you back.
 |
The Jalan Baru temple priest from India personally told me that when he was priest in India,no meat offering and slaughter was done to Ayya.So let's be straight.Temples with animal slaughter is just concerned about relishing their tastebuds with mutton - not about divinity anymore.If it was really about devotion and divinity,people won't label temples as restaurants.
How much of the public is aware that they had arul vakku ( oracle telling in trance state ) from Ayya during Kumbaabishegam in Jalan Baru temple ?According to resources,Madurai Veeran Ayya clearly told that He does notrequire the slaughter through the arul vaaku.
But due to greed,the temple management continued this practice.
Have you heard of the Hanuman deity who turned his face to another direction in the famous Port Dickson temple ? This is a true incident.It is said that Lord Hanuman was offended by the meat and liquor offering to other deities in the temple , and thus He moved His direction totally. This is our own stupidity in short.Let us not wait for God to let karma hit our stupidity before changing our ways...Are all vegetarians good then ? Can't a non-vegetarian be good ?
People often question me as to how I could use the basis of vegetarianism to conclude the purity of a person.Their logic was that a person could be spiritual and good even if he takes meat.
The point here is that meat eating itself is 'wrong'.Don't compare and justify it with other factors.It's like saying , ' although he was a rapist,he took care of his parents'.A rapist, despite all his other noble qualities, is still a sinner in terms of sexual misconduct.
Although Ravana was a great Shiva devotee,great king and a genius by nature,his lust and misconduct still demonised him.Lord Shiva did not save him or supported him when Shri Rama eliminated him.This concept goes with vegetarianism.You can be whoever you are,but as long as you eat meat,you incur karma.As they say
(1) The one who kills the animal
(2) The one who cooks the animal
(3) The ones who serves the animal
(4) The one who eats the animal
All four incur karma.This is the law of nature.If you read Buddhist scriptures, you will read plenty of stories on how butchers who slaughter goats end up being born as goats and so on.The Garuda Purana also explains horrible hellish punishments to those who relish meat-eating.
Garuda Purana
But there are past devotees who ate meat ? What about Kannapan ?
Understand that we are not at Kanappar Nayanars era ( Kannapan was an ardent Shiva devotee.He was a hunter so he hunted animals for food and offered the same to his lord ) .
The way our food is done today itself is different.Today,in the egg industry,baby male chickens are crushed to death alive.This is because only female chickens are useful for the egg industry.
Even something as common as eating egg today requires so much of torture and cruelty.A video below will show you a glimpse.If you still doubt me,just visit a slaughterhouse.You will in fact turn an immediate vegetarian upon seeing the cruelty in meat production.
Devotees like Kanappan were very simple and did not crave for meat unlike most today.He plucked his eyes out for lord Shiva.Bring me one meat eater at present who has such eminent devotion ?
A devoted person at present age will definitely be well educated and enlightened about meat eating in spirituality.
Take a look at the video below to see how the meat industry functions today :
It is absurd to think that you require meat to stay healthy.Science has proven that human body is not compatible with meat.
There's a restaurant in Singapore which serves pure vegetarian dishes,with the walls being decorated with scientific evidences on how non-veg is incompatible with our body.
So dear parents, enough of forcing non-veg food to your kids.Don't let your assumptions to ruin them.Kids are godly in nature.Implement divine lifestyles for them,not demonic.
You will see your children perform better with vegetarian diet.
Our food lifestyle was well-set by our ancients.We have a rich source of vitamin B12 through fermented foods like thosai and curd.We derive high iron content from vegetables like murungakai ( drumstick vegetable ) .
It is just a matter of balancing our diet with the right resources.The United States is increasing dramatically in terms of vegetarians.
This is a huge success.While the west returns to our cultural roots,most Indians are deviating from it.
Spread the essence of this article around.Educate you relatives,friends and whoever possible.Let's join hands to make a change.
For any enquiries, email to mayiliragai@gmail.com
Heeeheee . Kudos to vegetarian restaurants.
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