IfullyagreetoMr.SanthanaBharathandIwasamazedthewayheexplainedabouteating nonvegfoods.Ifyouseethesufferingsandpainsbeingundergonebytheanimalsslaughtered, particularlycow,bull,pigsetc(biganimals)andthebloddshredwhiletheyarebeingtortured andkilled,Idonotthinkanybodywouldagreetoadheretononvegeatinghabits,whichis unhealthy,inhugenicandisalwaysleadingtoallsortofsickness.Manypeoplewhowere nonvegetarianarebeingtunedtovegetarianandinfactbigbodylikePETApromotes vegetarian.

YoucannotsaythatGodhascreatedanimalsonlytobeeaten.Thenhumanbeingshavealso beencreatedbytheGodandwhytheirfleshisnotbeingeatenbythenonvegpeople? WithBestWishesandalwaysbeingapureVegetarian fromthebirthRAMA OnSat,May21,2011at10:39AM,rejishGopinath<rejishg7685@gmail.com>wrote: DearMr.Santhana, Iamanavidfollowerofkeralitesgroup.Iwasreallyimpressedbythewayyouresearchedon thesubject.Bothscientificaswellasmythological.ButstillIwouldhavetodisagreeonthe matter.Thiswasclearlyamailwhereyouareinfactpersuadingpeopletobecomevegetarian. Sir,Firstforthemythologicalpointofview,clearlyyouareconsideringonlyHindureligion, thereareotherreligionstooforexamplechristians.Meatwasoneofthemaindishesforthem. Sir,IamahindumyselfandIunderstoodwhatyoumeantosay,maybeIdidnotknewabout Tamaandall.ButIgotthepoint.ButnowmyquestionIsGodcreatedusall...forgethindu, christian,muslimetc.Thereisonegod,hecreatedusall.AndIbelievethatifhereallywanted ustobevegetarianshewouldhavecreatedustobelikethat. AsforMedicalusesyoucan'tdisregarditsimportance,C'monsir,evncertainbrahmins,are askedbydoctor'stohaveeggs.Fishcodliveroilisrecommendedforallkids.Ithelpsin strengtheningthierbones. Asforenvironmentalpoint,thekillingandsinning.PleaseMr.bharath,that'sjustaoneway pointmadebyyou.Iamasciencestudent.andoneofthefirstthingswearethoughtin scienceisthefoodchainandtheechologicalbalance.Ifsnakesdon'teatrat,thenfield'sget affected,whichaffectsfarmers.whichaffectsus.Thisisbasic3rdgradesciencebooklesson.

OverallMrbharathpleasedontfeelbador,thinkthatIamcontradictingyourstatements,orI amjustifyingthateatingnonvegisgood.Buttherealityisthatthereisalwaysalineto everything.Youshouldnotcrossthelimit.Meatandchickenareokay.therearepoultryfarms forthat,butsomepeoplehunttherareandendangeredspecies,whichangersmethemost. Thatisnotgoodforanyone.Weshouldbealittlebitmorecivilisedthanthat.Asformy conclusionIwilljustsaythateatingVegornonvegdoesn'tmakeapersonbad.Alsoitall dependsonyourparentsandhowtheyboughtyouup.differentculturesdifferentrules, nothingwronginit. Thanksforsuchamailmr.bharath,Ireallyenjoyedreadingsuchinformativesession. OnFri,May20,2011at4:37PM,SanathanaBharath<sanathanabharath@yahoo.com> wrote: VEGORNONVEG:"TOEATORNOTTOEAT" Foodatasubtlelevel,ittooismadeupofthesattva,rajaandtamacomponents.The proportionsofthesesubtlecomponentsvarydependingonthetypeoffood.Sattvastandsfor purityandknowledgewhiletamadenotesignoranceandinertia.Anythingthathasahigher sattvacomponentassistsourspiritualjourneyandanythingthatistamapredominanthasa tendencytodiminishorobstructourspiritualpractice. VegetarianfoodhasmoresattvicqualitiesthanNonvegetarianfoodwhileNonvegetarian foodhasmoreTamasicqualitiesthanVegetarianfood.

Thereasonfortheincreasedtamainnonvegetarianfoodisbecauseoftheextentofsuffering oftheanimal,whenitisbeingkilled.Alsothethoughtsofangerandrevengeandpaininthe animalwhenbeingkilledarefarmorepronouncedascomparedtoaplantwhichhasa rudimentarymindandintellect.Thisisthemainreasonintheincreasedtamacomponent. WhileduetothehighersattviktainfruitstheyareofferedtoGodisritualisticworship.

Whentamapredominantfoodisingestedonaregularbasisthebodyisburdenedwithan excessofthetamacomponent.Ariseintamacomponentinapersonhasmanynegativeside effects.Thistamacomponentcanonlydisintegrateifoneisregularlydoingspiritualpractice. Howeversincemostpeopledonotdospiritualpracticethistamacomponentaccumulatesina personsbody,mindandintellect.

Question:Botanicalsciencetellsusthatplantsalsohavelife.Thenwherelaysthedifference betweenvegetarianandnonvegetarianfood? Therearetwokindsoflifeonearth,animateandinanimate.Men,beasts,birds,fishetc.are animatelifewhiletreesandotherplantsareinanimatelife.Fruitsripenonthetreesandthen fallofbythemselves,branchesandleavesmaybechoppedoffatreeandnewonearisesin theirplace.Manyplantsarepropagatedbytheircuttings.Otherscanbetransplanted.Butall thisisnotpossiblewithbirdsandanimals.Nolimbofananimalcangrowbyitselfaftercutting. Mancannotproduceanimalslikeplantsfromearth. Allthelivingbeingsaremadeupoffiveelementstheearth,water,fire,airandsky.Allthese fivearepresentinmanclearlyandpredominantly.Onlyfourelementsearth,water,fireandair arepredominantinanimals.Whileinbirdsonlythreeair,waterandfirearepredominant.Two elementsearthandfiremakeuptheinsects.Andonlyoneelementofwaterispredominantin fruits,leavesandvegetablesetc.Therestfourelementsareinsleepingstateinvegetablesand plants.Therefore,eatingvegetablefoodsconsumestheminimumoffactors.SaintsandSages donotpluckfruitsfromthetrees,buttheyeatonlythosefruitswhichhavefallenby

themselvesonripening.Minimumdamagetolifeisthebasiccriterion.Thereisnoharmin obtainingfruitsfromtreesbutharmliesintheircutting.

Question:Evenwhenmantreadstheearth,manyantsandinsectsaretroddenunder foot.So,whatisdifferentifotheranimalsarekilled? Aman'scharacterisjudgedbyhisintentionsanddeliberateactions.Ifamandeliberatelyand knowinglycrushesunderhisfeetanyharmlessanimal,thenitisviolence.Butifinvoluntarilyor inunavoidablecircumstances,someinsectsarekilled,thenitisanexceptionalsituation.Butto killotherswithoutanyspecificreasonortoabetkillingforfoodisplainmurder.

Question:Plantsarealsohavinglife,sokillingplantsshouldalsobeasin.Whyisvegfood betterthannonvegintermsofkillingorcommitting"sin"? Itistruethatplantsalsohave"life"andkillingplantsisalsosin.Sothebestwaytoobserve totalnonviolenceistotakeonlythosefruitswhichhavenaturallyfallenfromthetreesor plants.Inthiswaywearedoingharmtonoone.Buteveryonecannotfollowthatvow.We havetotakefoodinordertosurviveandsustainthisbody.Itisanecessityofsurvival.Butwe needtotakethatpathwhichislesssinfulanddoeslessharmtootherjivas(livingentities). Nowtherearetworeasonstosaythatvegetarianfoodishavinginsignificantsin.Manyofthe plantslikerice,wheat,etcarehavinglifeonlyforonecroptime.Oncetheiryieldisover,they dienaturally,evenifwedon'tcutthem.Sobycuttingthoseplants(whichhavealreadydied) wearedoinglesssinornosinatall.Inmanyotherplants,likemango,coconut,etc.,by

pluckingthefruit,wearenotkillingtheplants,&aredoingveryminimalsinornosinatall.So vegetarianfoodislesssinful.Moreover,itisinevitableforoursurvival,butnonvegetarian foodisaluxurytousandwecansurviveevenifweavoidthat. Nextweneedtoknowwhycertainactsaresinful.Eachandeverylife(whetherplant,animal, orhuman)hascometothisworldbecauseoftheirpastKarmasandtheyhavetolivetothe maximumdoing"sadhana"(spiritualpractices),sothattheycancleartheirkarmicdebts&may getabetterbirthnextlifeorfinallyget"moksha"(liberation).Bykillingthem,wearecutting shorttheiropportunitiestodo"sadhana"towardstheirliberation(moksha).Thusitismuch moresinful.

Question:Dontplantsalsoexperiencepainwhenkilled? Yes,plantstooexperiencepainwhenkilledorpartsofitaresevered.Thecomprehensionof painhoweverislessthananimals.Thisisbecausethemindandintellectofaplantis rudimentaryascomparedtoanimals.Howeverifafruitorvegetableispluckedwhenitisfully ripeorhasfallenfromatreethereisrelativelynopaintotheplant.

Question:Doesnoteatingmeatgivemorestrength? Meateatinggivesthebodynotstrengthbutakindofunhealthystimulation.Thebodyreceives anexcessofnitrogenwhichcreatesuricacidandotherharmfulcompoundsintheblood stream.Justtoexpelthesecompoundsfromthebody,alotofenergyisneededwhichthe body'sdefensemechanismpumpsupinahurrytomeettheemergency.Thisismistakenasan inputofenergy,althoughinfactitisadepletionofthebody'sreservoirsofenergy.

Question:Inoldendays,thesagesusedtoeatmeat?ThereisanincidentofAgasthyaMuni eatingmeatinthe"VathapiIlvala"story. Yes,wedoseesomementionaboutsuchthingsinveryoldstories.Weneedtounderstand clearlywhyandunderwhatcircumstancestheyusedtoconsumemeat.Firstly,theyusedto takemeat,butnotastheirregularfood.Theanimalwouldbeofferedto'yajna',thesacred fire,andthenthesages,havingveryhighyogicpower,wouldconsumethemeatasaprasada oftheyajna.Duetothisauspiciousactivity(ofyajna),theanimalwouldgototheheavens.In thestoryofAgusthyaMuni,whenhesaid'vathapijirnobhava',hewasdigestedimmediately. Suchwasthepowerofthesagesinthosedays.Inoldendayseveniftheyconsumedmeat, theyusedtokeepuptheirspiritualbalanceduetotheiryogicpoweror"tapas"(severe austerity).

TheresastoryofagreatIndianSaintGorakhnath. Oneday,SaintGorakhnathandhisfollowerswerewalkingdowninaforest,whenthey happenedtopassadirtylake.SaintGorakhnathsawafewsmallfishesinthelake.So,he stoppedandthenbendingforwardtowardsthelake,hecaughtasmallfishwithhishandsand thengulpeditdownhiswideopenmouth.Hisfollowers,whowerewatchinghisactions carefullywerereallytakenabacktoseetheirspiritualmasterconsumingnonvegetarianFish!!! So,theythoughtthatifourmastercanhavefish,sowhycantwetoo?Andinturntheyall lookedforfishesinthedirtylakeandliketheirmastergulpedafewdowntheirthroats. SaintGorakhnathwhowassilentlywatchingtheanticsof

hisfollowers,thenstartedmovingaheadandsodidhisfollowers.OntheentirewaySaint Gorakhnathwasquite.Finallyafterwalkingdownquiteadistancetheyreachedafreshwater lake.Seeingthefreshwaterlake,SaintGorakhnathwalkedtowardsitandonreachingthere, hedidsomekriyasandoutcamethesmallfishalivewhichhehadconsumedearlier.Hespat outthefishintothefreshwaterlakeandthenlookedtowardshisfollowersandsaid"NOW YOUALLTOODOTHESAME!"....whichofcoursenoneofthefollowerscoulddo!!! SignificationofSaintGorakhnath`sactionsHejustwantedtoremovethefishfromthedirty waterlakeandgiveitabetterlifeinthefreshwaterlake.Buthisfollowersthought otherwiseandhadconsumedthefishcompletely. Moralofthestory YOUDON'TKNOWWHYDOGREATSAINTS/SAGESDOTHETHINGSTHEYDO,ORWHYDO THEYBEHAVETHEWAYTHEYDO,NORSHOULDWEQUESTIONTHEIRSTRANGEACTIONS,ASIT ISDONEFORTHEBETTERMENTOFALL&TOTEACHSOMELESSONTOTHEWORLD.

YOUAREWHATYOUEAT. NonvegetarianfoodhasAcidiccomponentswhilemostofthevegetarianfoodhasAlkali components. Ahealthybodyneedsadequatealkalinereservestoneutralizetheacidiclevelsinourbody whicharethemaincauseofalldiseases&whenthehumanbodydoesntgetenoughalkalinity fromourdietitabsorbsouralkalinereservesfromourbones/skin/hair&otherbodyorgans thusweakeningthemresultinginhairfall/skinproblems/jointpains/fromcommoncough/cold tocancer. Anacidicbalancewill:Decreasethebody'sabilitytoabsorbmineralsandothernutrients, decreasetheenergyproductioninthecells,decreaseit'sabilitytorepairdamagedcells, decreaseit'sabilitytodetoxifyheavymetals,maketumorcellsthrive,

andmakeitmoresusceptibletofatigueandillness. Circulatorysystem: Inexcessiveacidconditions,bacteria,fungiorvirusescanattachthemselvestotheinnerwall ofthearteries.Thiscancauseplaquetoform,narrowingthearteryandrestrictingbloodflow, whichinturnrestrictstheflowofoxygenandnutrientstotissues.Heartattackandeven cancercanresult. Nervoussystem:Whenbraincellsaretooacidictheydysfunctionandcommunicationbetween braincellsandthroughoutthespinalcordiscutoff,whichcanresultindysfunctioninother bodysystems.Inthenervoussysteminsomnia,anxiety,depression,neurosis,psychosisand impairedmemorycanresultfromoveracidity.

THEEFFECTSOFANACIDICBODYARE: Cardiovasculardamage,includingtheconstrictionofbloodvesselsandthereductionof oxygen.Weightgain,obesityanddiabetes.Bladderandkidneyconditions,includingkidney stones.Immunedeficiency.Accelerationoffreeradicaldamage,possiblycontributingto cancerousmutations.Hormoneconcerns.Prematureaging.Osteoporosis;weak,brittlebones, hipfracturesandbonespurs.Jointpain,achingmusclesandlacticacidbuildup.Lowenergy andchronicfatigue.Slowdigestionandelimination.Yeast/fungalovergrowth.

Alkalinitycreates... Senseofoneness&harmonyAllowsforfriendlybacteriaHealthyorgans&glandsDecreased bodyachesDiminishedillnessRelaxedbehaviorMucouslessbodyCellularhealthWellbeing Happiness

Aciditycreates... IrritabilityDepressionMucousbuildupAutointoxicationAnxiousbehaviorIncreaseddiseases CellulardegradationIncreasesbodyachesAllowsforbadbacteriaSenseofseparation&pain SOMAKESURENOMATTERWHATYOUEATBALANCEITWITHATLEAST80%ALKALINEAND 20%ACIDICDIETREGIME. Alkalinemineralsincludecalcium,magnesium,potassium,sodium,chromium, selenium,andiron.

"IfVegetarianseatVegetables,whatdoHumanitariansEat?".....anonymous