There were no restrictions on food habits in vedic culture, neither Hinduism or any of the Hindu scriptures asked people by word to go vegetarian in which case forcing someone to do something makes it not a religion but a cult. That said, there was no beef eating or serving beef to guests that time (as some people claim) which I can clearly assert from reading the vedas from where I had compiled the relevant verses too. Many people love believing in lies, twist quotes and information Google shows them because beef is delicious. Oops its the spices used to cook the beef and not the beef itself. Hinduism is more like a make your own religion type and it acknowledges divinity and existence of supreme being in all living entities and every inch of this creation (eeswaramso sarvaloke jeevabhuta sanatanah). No compulsions or restrictions. But practicing love and compassion and having empathy for fellow sentient beings is not a religious practice but a minimum human responsibility which is why every Hindu scripture right from vedas advocated compassion towards animals. The very first word of yajurveda (aghnyaa..yajamanasya pashunpahi) itself asks humans to defend animals. The logic is simple. Since they are helpless, powerless, voiceless and defenseless, the responsibility of defending them is enjoined upon us. Just like we expect our superior being (god) to show us mercy and kindness which we beg for, we are expected to show the same to the one below us. And there are thousands of such verses in all Hindu scriptures right from oldest vedas to latest manusmriti. They arent just for cows but for all animals. Its not mandatory but a prescription. Cows are given special importance in Hinduism only because of the way they were raised and domesticated in the ancient period as a member of family (which again doesnt comply with the present where they are being treated as slaves which is why we cant take refuge of that logic anymore) since their products were of high importance in vedic rituals and sathvic diet. And regarding eating meat or beef, we dont need a religion or a book to tell us what to follow and what not to. Vedas asked us to be humans and not a Hindu or a Muslim or a Christian (manurbhav) and that we should make this world a better place with our actions (krinvanto vishwam aryam). And its only making the right choices that defines a human. Yes animals are different from plants in being sentient, emotional and thinking beings with feelings, love, pain, families, familial bonds, social relationships, capacity to endure suffering, parental care and survival instincts. Eating plants is inevitable as they perform photosynthesis, only food synthesizers in the ecosystem (which is why they were described as primary producers in the food chain) and eating them is a need for humans and also for plants as its essential for their own survival (they provide us food and O2 which we consume and provide them CO2 for photosynthesis). Eating animals is not a need, besides as can be seen from data (which can be seen in google- the most trusted data source *cough*) and as even asserted by United nations and scientists, animal farming is very energy intensive and also a major source of emissions and is a colossal abuse of resources like land, water and food grain as 16 pounds of grain and several gallons if water are being used up for the production of one pound of meat and these can be used more judiciously when are directly consumed by humans. In future Vegetarianism is not going to be an option but an inevitable solution to food crisis and impending water crisis. Yes meat is tasty- when cooked with plant spices. Yes lions eat meat- its a need for them but not for us and lions can eat humans too which we dont like. and No- the population of animals wont explode up if we dont eat them since we arent eating wild animals but those are farmed which wouldnt be farmed in the first place when no one eats them and their numbers are maintained in perfect optimum in natures own control. we are part of nature, not a master of it. we need ton practice eco-centric lifestyle, not an ego-centric life style. Omnivore logic is no longer being taught in schools since we can never eat meat like a carnivore (but every carnivore can eat us like they eat any other animal and have such natural ability) and recent research proved that human is actually frugivorous. Early man ate meat- but oops we no longer live in caves and run around naked but call ourselves civilized and evolved. Everybody is entitled to their opinion and everybody has one. In the end its choices that define a human and when somebody is trying to do something good to the extent possible in their capacity, please encourage them. Because falling short of 99.9% apathetic and selfish humans will indeed make them special. Hinduism, vaishnavism or veganism arent perfectionist ideologies which are impossible to attain but can only be driven towards. Humans can try to inflict as less harm as possible and with in the premise of ethical way of living life insofar inevitable for their existence and survival on this planet. when its absolutely possible to live a healthier and happier life with out harming others, why dont we? we have a choice by going vegan, but animals have no choice If you dont. everytime we sit down to eat , we can make this world a better place and peace begins right from our own dinner plate. Humans, unless they are morons, have that capacity to make this world a better place by choosing gentleness and compassion and by being the real pro-life. Love, Peace , Vegan
Posted on: Thu, 10 Apr 2014 03:53:10 +0000
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