Any query......
Swarna Venkateswara Swamy
truthseeker123x at YAHOO.COM
Sun May 19 06:18:32 CDT 2002
I too have been reading with interest and a little
agony at the several mails flying about what we should
eat. And I am happy that Sri Ravishankar Venkatraman
has come up with more or less what I wanted to say. I
too am being guided by Sri Datta, Sri Sai and Sri
Sankara and other Saints.
It all comes to this. Listen to your inner voice about
desires. Eat for protecting the body, not to satisfy
the mind. And eat such foods which help you go forward
in your spiritual journey. Sri Sai could eat onion and
garlic, without it effecting him. But to a Sadhaka in
Yoga, a beginner probably, He advised indirectly not
to eat onion, since it is known to stimulate the
sexual desire in addition to upsetting the digestive
system.
If we really accept that the same Brahman pervades
all, animate and inanimate, the eater and the eaten
are One. This concept is echoed in Sri Vishnu Sahasra
Nama and other scriptures too. But when we feel
separate, i.e are limited by our egoes, we should
minimise Himsa in eating, since we cannot totally
avoid. And certainly take the food as Prasad of God,
given to us for our survival, and not enjoyment.
Swamy SV
--- Ravishankar Venkatraman <sunlike at HOTMAIL.COM>
wrote:
<HR>
<html><div style='background-color:'><DIV>
<P>A great deal of why we should be vegetarian has
been discussed here. Based on my readings I want to
add something more to this - but will not reply to any
messages (as is requested by ADMIN to stop this
topic).</P>
<P>Scriptural injunctions are different for differnt
classes of people based on karma. Kshtriyas are
allowed to eat meat, and it is not considered to be
sinful. Doing the duty of a Kshtriya (being strong and
protecting people) is more important than it is
to be a vegetarian. At the same time, they are also
asked to abstain from meat eating during certain times
of the year, like pitru paksham, amavasya and
Navaratri days etc., Interestingly, similar things are
followed by other religions also. Devout
Christians (in America today) give up eating meat
during lent (40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday until
Easter as a season of fasting and penitence).
This means that indulgance in food is not accepted
while we try to evolve spirirtually.</P>
<P>If we read Sri Sai Satcharitra, it is said that Sri
Shirdi Baba ate meat on occasions. The same book
mentions that he used to beg for food, leave it open
for animals and birds to eat first, and then eat. He
did not have any desire for tasty food. Shirdi Baba
was a fully realized soul, and for Him it did not
matter what He ate. The same Shirdi Baba did not allow
some of his followers to eat meat. It does matter for
people like us what we eat. Shirdi Baba further asked
people to recite Sri Guru Charitra (life history of 2
incarnations of Sri Dattatreya in this Kali yuga) in
seven days. </P>
<P>I have been reciting Sri Guru Charitra for several
times, and you will find there what dharmas one should
follow. It is really a great work dedicated to Sri
Narasimha Saraswati (3rd incarnation of Sri
Dattatreya). It contains everything what we need to
know (Dharma Sastras, Bhakti Yoga and Gnana
Yoga). You will find the same dharma detailed by
Sri Vaidyanatha Dixitar in this book.</P>
<P>I have been able to appreciate Sanatana Dharma more
after I read the book. I have not really followed most
of the things written there, but still Lord Datta has
been very kind to me in several ways.</P>
<P>This forum discusses basically about Sri
Sankaracharya and his philosophy. Lord Datta, in his
third incarnation as Narasimha Saraswati took sannyasa
ashama, and preached Advaita philosophy. </P>
<P>I feel that the purpose of our lives is
to find the divinity in us. Eventually we would
find that divinity to be the same as Brahman. We
should avoid anything (words, deeds, food, emotions
and anything else) that would be antagonistic to this
pursuit. So, think for yourselves what would lead you
to this goal, and orient your life activities towards
that. It is more important that we do not lose track
of the goal than getting involved in secondary
things.</P>
<P>My 2c worth.</P>
<P>Ravi</P>
<P><BR> </P></DIV>
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in search of truth and with prayers to Govinda to help reach that goal in this life itself, and with best wishes to you that your goals may be reached,
yours sincerely,
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