I am a vegetarian, a pure vegetarian. I strongly advocate Vegetarianism to my kids and my friends. I also realize that many medicines that I consume may have non-vegetarian content in them. But I still consume them.
The reason for my vegetarianism is not my love for animals. I love plants, animals, bacteria, virus, microbes, rocks, stones, sand, dust and just about everything in this Universe. I believe everything in this Universe has an element of consciousness in it, but yet is built on one consuming another, as a system of 'Sacrifice' or 'Yajna'.
My Vegetarianism is also not based on any Psuedo-science philosophies that says humans need to consume beings with less similar emotions and instincts than them and hence a plant based diet is good. As I said earlier several life-saving drugs may be got from animals. Even the swamijis who preach them, use them.
Remember not just animals, but all life forms including bacteria exhibit similar emotions and instincts as us. The channel or method in which they display it is different and not sensible to us. If animals make sounds to save themselves, Plants release chemical substances when threatened. When we pluck a vegetable or greens, plants do definitely react. We don't understand it.
The reason for my Vegetarianism is simply because I believe it is the most sustainable for evolution in our current circumstances. Large-scale growing and harvesting of plants, which is farming, has proved to be sustainable source of food. Even that is under threat now due to huge demand on food and the resultant Genetically Modified and In-organic farming methods. How this is going to evolve us in future is a big question.
Large-scale farming of animals, which is what is required for non-vegetarian food chain is simply not sustainable. It would invariably lead to more un-sustainable methods of production and lead to our eventual disaster. Hence it is my view, that till we gain a complete understanding and control over food production methods, we as human race, stick to vegetarianism, as much as possible.
Consuming simplest of life-forms that can be repeatedly harvested is the most sustainable food chain possible. Hence I support vegetarianism.
I do not expect others to think or act like me.
Coming to the core of this article, Is Cow Worship or Not eating Cow Meat part of a 'Hindu Identity'..?
The Hindu Identity that we have is an externally imposed Identity. People in this land did not follow any religion. They followed a 'dharma'. A religion has an organized theme, a founder, a messenger and certain set of specific identities. People who believe in these themes, accept a founder or messenger, who take these identities belong to that religion.
A 'dharma' is nothing but set of Universal laws, laws that originate from nature. Whether you want it or not, you will be forced to follow the dharma. You can't violate natural laws.
Asrama dharma which defines the four Asramas, viz, Brahmacharya, Grhasta, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa is tuned to our brain development. Whether we want or not, everyone evolves through these four Asramas. It is a dharma. It is an Unviersal Law. If we understand that law, we can tune our actions and intent better.
Varna dharma which defines the four Varnas is also an Universal Professional Law. It cannot be changed. In our social organization we will always have Knowledge Providers (Brahmanas), Material providers (Vaizyas) and Service Providers (Kshatriyas). When a particular service becomes abundantly available, it becomes cheap labor (Zudras). A society in which Zudras become abundant will not survive, but collapse. If we understand this law and structure our society better, we will evolve better.
These are just examples. In essence, Sanatana dharma is simply a way of living aligned to nature.
Several schools of thoughts and philosophies originated from this dharma. But all of these co-exist and evolve together. Monotheism, Polytheism, atheism, agnosticism were all part of this dharma.
As the Mahopanishad says 'Ayam Bandhur ayam neti ganAna laghu cetasAm udAra caritAnAm Vasudha iva Kutumbakam". Those who practise 'lofty' (schools of thoughts) do not say this is close, this is alien but treat the entire earth as one family'. Though it is said about people, it is also applicable to their thoughts, life-styles, behaviors and habits.
People of sanatana dharma treat various flavors of Saivism, Sakthism, Vaishnavism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, Christianity and numerous other schools as same.
Nothing is alien. Nothing is close.
Just as our PM Modi said the other day, 'Vasudha iva Kutumbakam' is in the DNA of the Sanatana Dharma. In other words people who say this is alien and this is closer do not belong to Sanatana Dharma.
Sanatana dharma thus had several schools of thoughts, life-styles, habits and behaviors in it. While each followed their own thoughts, life-styles and habits, the core principle of our dharma is to respect others also.
Several schools of Sanatana dharma did promote Cow Worship. But that does not mean which is worshiped should not be eaten. Not just cow, several plants, trees, herbs, shrubs, animals and reptiles are venerated and worshipped in Sanatana Dharma. But they are also eaten.
Cow has been a symbol of 'riches' for thousands of years. People's wealth was measured in terms of number of cows one had. Larger the number of cows, larger is the population that person will feed. Larger is the land that person will possess. Larger are the people a person will command.
Hence the number of Cows in a household always added prestige to a household. So cows were never slaughtered even in old age. They were 'Lakshmi' or 'Wealth'. Will anyone slaughter their own 'wealth' or 'Lakshmi'..?
There were also sections of population who did not consider cow as great property. For them Cow was also a food. Pariahs and Pulayas have been eating cow meat for long times. There are several other tribes across the current Indian nation which have been eating cow meat for thousands of years.
Charaka Samhita clearly says for phthisis or wasting diseases (like Tuberclosis) in which body continuously degrades, meats of cow and even carnivores like lion need to be given to the diseased. Such meat have excellent flesh building properties. Charaka is right. Such meat has huge amount of proteins and is given to such people even now. Sushruta says that Cow meat is one of the 8 excellent food sources.
In Ramayana, Valmiki describes Aswamedha Yajna in which Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi slaughter a horse and smoke its liver. Today it is not an accepted practice. But it had a great element of truth and necessity in it. The omentum in the liver of a horse that roams around (not grown up in a stable) has great medicinal properties. So it made sense for people to do such a sacrifice. Even today so many medicines are made, whose raw material is from an animal.
In other words cow eaters, horse eaters also belong to sanatana dharma. There is no alien in this dharma.
But even saints and seers who realize it are afraid to talk about it today. They tend to justify certain identities as 'identities' of this dharma, contributing to the religionization of this dharma.
Let's face it. Cow is not the Mother of all. Cow is another animal species. Cow Worship is one of the several identities of this dharma. Cow eating is also one of the several identities of this dharma. People of this dharma do not say this is alien or this is closer. They do consider entire earth as one family.
True saints and seers who care about this dharma should be talking this language. They should not be talking of 80% vs 20%.
Specifically talking about the Dadri incident, there are several dimensions being talked about in it. One is that Cows used to get stolen and skinned in that area. So what the crowds thought they were attacking is more about attacking a thief rather than a beef eater. Another is that the crowds attacked because of the sanctity of the Cow. Some say it is a pre-meditated attack to whip up communal tensions, in UP gearing up for elections or even extending to Bihar. Some say it is a isolated incident of rage.
Now we don't know what is the truth. It could be a pre-meditated event to stoke communal passions based on Cow. Or this could be simply be a case of rage like road-rage.
In either case, it shows how Sanatana dharma has failed to guide people in the right way.
More important, if the attack is because of the sanctity of Cow worship or even if that caused a part of the attack, then people who belong to this
dharma have a great reason to worry.
The attack in Dadri is not an attack on Mohammad Akhlaq. It is an attack on the Core concept of Sanatana Dharma. It is an attack on the concept that nothing is close, nothing is alien. It is an attack aimed to make Sanatana dharma into an Abrahamic religion with certain identities and beliefs.
Most so-called Hindus are true Sanatana dharmi's in their heart. Nothing is alien or nothing is close to them. They are ready to always evolve out of their current thoughts and philosophies. Some of their evolutionary thoughts may look progressive, some regressive. But they are willing to change and adapt. They are willing to co-exist and evolve together.
The Dadri attack is an attack on all these people in Sanatana dharma who are willing to change and adapt. They need to answer this question.
Do they want to continue their evolutionary march or want to be bound by identities and get fixed at a point of time like other religions..?
If evolution does not win, then the dharma that assimilated so much and stood the test of time, stands to lose its very nature.
-TBT
The reason for my vegetarianism is not my love for animals. I love plants, animals, bacteria, virus, microbes, rocks, stones, sand, dust and just about everything in this Universe. I believe everything in this Universe has an element of consciousness in it, but yet is built on one consuming another, as a system of 'Sacrifice' or 'Yajna'.
My Vegetarianism is also not based on any Psuedo-science philosophies that says humans need to consume beings with less similar emotions and instincts than them and hence a plant based diet is good. As I said earlier several life-saving drugs may be got from animals. Even the swamijis who preach them, use them.
Remember not just animals, but all life forms including bacteria exhibit similar emotions and instincts as us. The channel or method in which they display it is different and not sensible to us. If animals make sounds to save themselves, Plants release chemical substances when threatened. When we pluck a vegetable or greens, plants do definitely react. We don't understand it.
The reason for my Vegetarianism is simply because I believe it is the most sustainable for evolution in our current circumstances. Large-scale growing and harvesting of plants, which is farming, has proved to be sustainable source of food. Even that is under threat now due to huge demand on food and the resultant Genetically Modified and In-organic farming methods. How this is going to evolve us in future is a big question.
Large-scale farming of animals, which is what is required for non-vegetarian food chain is simply not sustainable. It would invariably lead to more un-sustainable methods of production and lead to our eventual disaster. Hence it is my view, that till we gain a complete understanding and control over food production methods, we as human race, stick to vegetarianism, as much as possible.
Consuming simplest of life-forms that can be repeatedly harvested is the most sustainable food chain possible. Hence I support vegetarianism.
I do not expect others to think or act like me.
Coming to the core of this article, Is Cow Worship or Not eating Cow Meat part of a 'Hindu Identity'..?
The Hindu Identity that we have is an externally imposed Identity. People in this land did not follow any religion. They followed a 'dharma'. A religion has an organized theme, a founder, a messenger and certain set of specific identities. People who believe in these themes, accept a founder or messenger, who take these identities belong to that religion.
A 'dharma' is nothing but set of Universal laws, laws that originate from nature. Whether you want it or not, you will be forced to follow the dharma. You can't violate natural laws.
Asrama dharma which defines the four Asramas, viz, Brahmacharya, Grhasta, Vanaprastha and Sanyasa is tuned to our brain development. Whether we want or not, everyone evolves through these four Asramas. It is a dharma. It is an Unviersal Law. If we understand that law, we can tune our actions and intent better.
Varna dharma which defines the four Varnas is also an Universal Professional Law. It cannot be changed. In our social organization we will always have Knowledge Providers (Brahmanas), Material providers (Vaizyas) and Service Providers (Kshatriyas). When a particular service becomes abundantly available, it becomes cheap labor (Zudras). A society in which Zudras become abundant will not survive, but collapse. If we understand this law and structure our society better, we will evolve better.
These are just examples. In essence, Sanatana dharma is simply a way of living aligned to nature.
Several schools of thoughts and philosophies originated from this dharma. But all of these co-exist and evolve together. Monotheism, Polytheism, atheism, agnosticism were all part of this dharma.
As the Mahopanishad says 'Ayam Bandhur ayam neti ganAna laghu cetasAm udAra caritAnAm Vasudha iva Kutumbakam". Those who practise 'lofty' (schools of thoughts) do not say this is close, this is alien but treat the entire earth as one family'. Though it is said about people, it is also applicable to their thoughts, life-styles, behaviors and habits.
People of sanatana dharma treat various flavors of Saivism, Sakthism, Vaishnavism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, Christianity and numerous other schools as same.
Nothing is alien. Nothing is close.
Just as our PM Modi said the other day, 'Vasudha iva Kutumbakam' is in the DNA of the Sanatana Dharma. In other words people who say this is alien and this is closer do not belong to Sanatana Dharma.
Sanatana dharma thus had several schools of thoughts, life-styles, habits and behaviors in it. While each followed their own thoughts, life-styles and habits, the core principle of our dharma is to respect others also.
Several schools of Sanatana dharma did promote Cow Worship. But that does not mean which is worshiped should not be eaten. Not just cow, several plants, trees, herbs, shrubs, animals and reptiles are venerated and worshipped in Sanatana Dharma. But they are also eaten.
Cow has been a symbol of 'riches' for thousands of years. People's wealth was measured in terms of number of cows one had. Larger the number of cows, larger is the population that person will feed. Larger is the land that person will possess. Larger are the people a person will command.
Hence the number of Cows in a household always added prestige to a household. So cows were never slaughtered even in old age. They were 'Lakshmi' or 'Wealth'. Will anyone slaughter their own 'wealth' or 'Lakshmi'..?
There were also sections of population who did not consider cow as great property. For them Cow was also a food. Pariahs and Pulayas have been eating cow meat for long times. There are several other tribes across the current Indian nation which have been eating cow meat for thousands of years.
Charaka Samhita clearly says for phthisis or wasting diseases (like Tuberclosis) in which body continuously degrades, meats of cow and even carnivores like lion need to be given to the diseased. Such meat have excellent flesh building properties. Charaka is right. Such meat has huge amount of proteins and is given to such people even now. Sushruta says that Cow meat is one of the 8 excellent food sources.
In Ramayana, Valmiki describes Aswamedha Yajna in which Kausalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi slaughter a horse and smoke its liver. Today it is not an accepted practice. But it had a great element of truth and necessity in it. The omentum in the liver of a horse that roams around (not grown up in a stable) has great medicinal properties. So it made sense for people to do such a sacrifice. Even today so many medicines are made, whose raw material is from an animal.
In other words cow eaters, horse eaters also belong to sanatana dharma. There is no alien in this dharma.
But even saints and seers who realize it are afraid to talk about it today. They tend to justify certain identities as 'identities' of this dharma, contributing to the religionization of this dharma.
Let's face it. Cow is not the Mother of all. Cow is another animal species. Cow Worship is one of the several identities of this dharma. Cow eating is also one of the several identities of this dharma. People of this dharma do not say this is alien or this is closer. They do consider entire earth as one family.
True saints and seers who care about this dharma should be talking this language. They should not be talking of 80% vs 20%.
Specifically talking about the Dadri incident, there are several dimensions being talked about in it. One is that Cows used to get stolen and skinned in that area. So what the crowds thought they were attacking is more about attacking a thief rather than a beef eater. Another is that the crowds attacked because of the sanctity of the Cow. Some say it is a pre-meditated attack to whip up communal tensions, in UP gearing up for elections or even extending to Bihar. Some say it is a isolated incident of rage.
Now we don't know what is the truth. It could be a pre-meditated event to stoke communal passions based on Cow. Or this could be simply be a case of rage like road-rage.
In either case, it shows how Sanatana dharma has failed to guide people in the right way.
More important, if the attack is because of the sanctity of Cow worship or even if that caused a part of the attack, then people who belong to this
dharma have a great reason to worry.
The attack in Dadri is not an attack on Mohammad Akhlaq. It is an attack on the Core concept of Sanatana Dharma. It is an attack on the concept that nothing is close, nothing is alien. It is an attack aimed to make Sanatana dharma into an Abrahamic religion with certain identities and beliefs.
Most so-called Hindus are true Sanatana dharmi's in their heart. Nothing is alien or nothing is close to them. They are ready to always evolve out of their current thoughts and philosophies. Some of their evolutionary thoughts may look progressive, some regressive. But they are willing to change and adapt. They are willing to co-exist and evolve together.
The Dadri attack is an attack on all these people in Sanatana dharma who are willing to change and adapt. They need to answer this question.
Do they want to continue their evolutionary march or want to be bound by identities and get fixed at a point of time like other religions..?
If evolution does not win, then the dharma that assimilated so much and stood the test of time, stands to lose its very nature.
-TBT
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