Thursday, Nov 28 2024  

VEGETARIANISM - 22 SEPTEMBER 2003

Being a vegetarian basically means not eating meat. You may perhaps wonder, if it is difficult being a vegetarian. My answer is: Being a vegetarian is as easy or as difficult as you choose to make it. It all depends on you, and you alone.

People often say that vegetarians lack nutrients that can be found in meat such as protein, calcium or iron. This, I can assure you, is just a misconception. Protein can be found in many common foods such as tofu, nuts, lentils and the list goes on and on. After all, Swami says “There is enough protein found in wheat, curds and dhal so why all this killing?”

What about eggs? Swami considers eggs as non-vegetarian and we should avoid them as well. Did u know that bananas can be used as a substitute for eggs for baking? and I’m sure everyone will agree that vegetarian cakes are scrumptious!

As for calcium, milk is not the only source. Broccoli and fortified soya milk also contain calcium. Therefore, with regards to nutrition, we have seen that it IS possible to avoid eating meat and still sustain and replenish the nutrients in our body with a vegetarian diet.

Research has shown that the human body is more suited for a vegetarian diet. One example is the length of one’s intestines. Meat eating animals have very short intestines but we have longer intestines like other plant-eating animals. Another example is our teeth. Meat eating animals all have carnivore teeth that are very sharp to help in tearing meat into small pieces. However, humans only have very few.

Why go vegetarian? Is that what you’re thinking? Well, are you aware of the terrifying treatment of these defenseless creatures are put through before reaching our dinner plates? An organization called P.E.T.A - [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] did an undercover study on this and produced a documentary for the benefit of others. I was fortunate enough to be able to watch this documentary during one of the EHV lessons very recently. The documentary was titled “Meet Your Meat”. I was shocked at the sight of how these loving animals were treated. I couldn’t help but feel tears rolling down my face. The tape displayed the negative conditions these animals were kept in and the horrific treatment they received, just to merely satisfy our tongue’s desires.

Now, tell me honestly, is all this suffering these beautiful creatures of God go through really necessary? Is such treatment justified just to satisfy our tongues? I’m sure we can survive without meat? Can’t we? In my opinion, eating animals is like a cannibal eating us.

In fact, imagine that you have accidentally cut yourself with a blade. How do you feel? Would you be able to control the pain? Think about it, for these animals, it is not only their fingers that are cut, it is much more! The pain they go through must be unbearable! Why should we put them through that pain? It is in our hands, we can help them!

Personally, I’m very fortunate to be born into a vegetarian family. I’m grateful to my parents for guiding me and showing me as living examples that being a vegetarian is the ideal way of life.

Our Divine Mother Swami, on His 69th birthday 9 years ago asked us for only 3 things. Just three. 3 things for His Birthday that would in the end benefit not Him. It would benefit us and all of mankind. He said, as an offering to Him on His Birthday, we should give up eating meat, give up consuming alcohol, and not participate in any form of gambling. Now, as followers of Sai, it is our duty to follow the teachings of Sai. Surely, we have enough faith and devotion to give to Swami what He asked for as His Birthday gift! Let us stop eating meat and become vegetarians! Let us give love and not pain to these loving creatures!

Swami has also said the food that we eat will determine our thoughts and behaviour. If we eat meat, we will think, talk and act with animal-like tendencies. Be eating meat we will completely ignore his teachings of Ahimsa, Non-Violence. We will also be creating a lot of negative karma for ourselves!

Swami says “"Meat eating promotes animal qualities. It has been well said that the food one consumes determines one’s thoughts. By caring the flesh of various animals, the qualities of these animals are imbibed. How sinful is it to feed on animals, which are sustained by the same five elements as human beings! These lead to demonic tendencies, besides committing the sin of inflicting cruelty on animals. Hence, those who genuinely seek to become devotees of GOD have to give up non-vegetarian food."

With Swami’s Grace, I desire to be a veterinarian. Now tell me, who ever heard of a vet who saves and heals some kinds of animals but eats other kinds of animals?

Jai Sai Ram



Sis Nikita K
SSEHV Group 4