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Re: use of silk etc.,

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Parthasarati Dileepan • July 30, 1998 


At 06:04 PM 7/30/1998 +0500, V. Chandrasekaran wrote:
>
>> Sri Dileepan wrote:
>> spiritual release does not come because of Vegetarianism.  It comes 
>> only through the grace of our sweet lord.
>
>   The original post only meant that non-violence and hence vegetarianism
>is one of the pre-requisites for one's spiritual welfare. It wasn't meant
>that, it alone can lead one to parama padham.


Actually, vegetariasism is not even one of the pre-requisites for mOksham.

To understand a principle, we could apply it to an extreme situation.
If it holds in that extreme situation the principle must be true.  However,
this does not mean we should start practicing that extreme situation.

>From Srmad RTS we learn that there are only two situations when 
mOksham will be denied to a prapanna.  They are, Bhaagavatha 
Apacharam and Devathaanthra worship (which indicates lack of
faith, among other things).  Note that violence and eating meat 
are not in this list.  Thus, non-violence and  vegetarianism are 
not prerequisites, per se.  Of course, no one is advocating that 
a prapana must go out and start killing and eating meat.  It is 
almost certain that no prapanna would ever do any such thing. 

Ahimsai, vegetarianism, et al. are part of being a Sri Vaishnava.  
They must be adopted. They help in our spiritual 
progress, physical well being, etc., etc.  However, there is 
no need to worship it.  There are many other more important 
pre-requisites.  Ahimsai, almost always is a by-product of 
some of these.

-- adiyEn