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RE:Vegetarianism and Hinduism

From the Bhakti List Archives

Rohit Iyer • January 30, 2002 


Dear Bhagavathas,

This should clarify any doubts on vegetarianism:
http://www.sivanandadlshq.org/messages/vege.htm

Thanks,

rohit

--- tatachar@aol.com wrote:
> Dear Bhagavathas,
> 
> This topic comes up often. Hinduism (Sanathana
> Dharma) is too broad
> and deep to have such narrow concepts. It is fairly
> clear that meat was 
> consumed by Hindus from times immemorial. Life
> supports life. Ahimsa is the 
> principle of causing least injury (in thoughts,
> words and deeds). Adolf 
> Hitler was a vegetarian! Bhagavadgita discusses
> fairly elaborately on 
> different kind of foods.
> Only people who cook for themselves verily eat sin! 
> Gita also talks about 
> Satvic, Rajasic and Tamasic foods. Interestingly,
> there is no mention or 
> emphasis on
> avoiding meat. It is people who read into it and
> label meat as Tamasic food.
> Does it mean that many of our great Reshis and
> avataras (Rama for example)
> were Tamasic?
> Avoidance of meat may have been stressed in
> Bhagavatham and other Hindu 
> scriptures, but certainly not in Bhagavadgita. We
> say what other shaastram is 
> needed besides Bhgavadgita- as stated, Gita does not
> forbid meat and  then 
> why fuss about meat?
> I believe, it is mostly cultural. Brahmins (other
> than Bengali and Kashmiri) 
> and few other sub-castes (Veerashaivas and some
> Chettiars) follow 
> vegetarianism, by and large. Likewise, most
> Christians in the West do not eat 
> dog or horse for that matter, eventhough it is not
> forbidden in their 
> religion. I am told dog is consumed in Nagaland and
> in  parts of China.  When 
> people here asksme why many Hindus do not eat  cow
> (or other met), I tell 
> them it is mostly cultural, just like Americans
> generally  don't eat dog! If 
> they ask me whether I am a vegetarian, I tell them
> that I am a TASTARIAN!
> Food has to taste good- that matters most. Try
> eating stale Bisibele bath 
> (100% vegetarian).
>  If we can think of one religion that STRICTLY
> FORBIDS meat is Jainism.
> 
> Daasan
> 
> K. Sreekrishna Tatachar
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
> 
> 
> 
>
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=====
Rohit Iyer

email:  iyer_rohit@yahoo.com
Home Phone: (408) 445-9693
Work Phone: (408) 543-6668

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           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
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