What do you think of eating meat?

[seeker80]

I recently started reading SAI SATCHARITRA's chapter about its difficult to figure out if baba was a hindu or muslim.In that I came across a line which said that baba ate meat.

I being a stauch pro vegetarian and animal lover was greatly disturbed by this.

Can anyone help me seek anwers as to why baba ate meat & if there is any literature available wherein he mentions about this  ?

[sushmakomandur]

Sai ram,
Its such a wonderful Question.
Even i don't have any answer.
Lets wait for others reply.
JAI SAI RAM!

[SaiServant]

Jai Sai Ram!

Only Baba knows the answer to this question. We cannot fathom the reasons behind the words and deeds of our Avatars and Saints. Their actions are beyond our limited intelligence and finite minds. But, it may help to remember that in Mahabharata, Lord Krishna asked Arjuna to kill people in the battlefield. When Arjuna showed reluctance to do that,  Krishna manifested His cosmic form. And, Arjuna witnessed Krishna devouring everyone in the battlefield much before the battle had even started. Krishna thus convinced Arjuna that in reality only God creates and destroys everything. The outward killing of Kaurvas by Pandavas in the battlefield was just an illusion. In the same way, the animals that Baba ate were already dead in His mind. His eating of meat might look like that to ordinary mortals like us, but, in reality, Baba rules the creation and destruction of life Himself. As an incarnation of Lord Shiva, Baba commands the destructive forces of divinity. That is why in some traditions of Shaivism, we offer meat to Lord Shiva. Given the unfathomable powers of God, we should not commit the grave sin of standing in judgment over such acts of Baba. These are my humble thoughts, and may not be right in Baba's eyes. I pray that Baba forgives me if I'm not right in my views.

Om Sai Ram!

[seeker80]

Jai Sai Ram!

Thank you for your reply.You are right in saying that what the enlightened souls do cannot be understood by mere mortals like me....The heart wants to believe this but the mind is always questioning and is not willing to rest:( 

[Admin]

Sai ram Sunita Ji

This is really a satisfying answer.

Sai Ram

[dayalvasnani]

I recently started reading SAI SATCHARITRA's chapter about its difficult to figure out if baba was a hindu or muslim.In that I came across a line which said that baba ate meat.

I being a stauch pro vegetarian and animal lover was greatly disturbed by this.

Can anyone help me seek anwers as to why baba ate meat & if there is any literature available wherein he mentions about this  ?

Om Sai Ram

The question raised by you about ShriSai whether he was Hindu or Muslim.

First of all It is clarified that many Hindus also eat meat so figuring out any religion by food is not the right way.

What we eat whether vegetarian or not vegetarian is living this or is a part thereof. What is milk ?
Fruits/vegetables are first torn out and then we eat. Trees and Plants also living creatures of nature.

when we eat meat it is not living and it should be treated merely food.

   

[Dipika]

OMSAIRAM!Sai baba himself took Non-veg food.

Such a one as Sai Baba was, saw no difference between caste and caste and even beings and beings. He took meat and fish with Fakirs, but did not grumble when dogs touched the dishes with their mouths.

In our Hindu and Jain, Buddha religions especially, there is a belief that unless one gives up eating non-vegetarian food, one cannot attain emancipation or knowledge of the Supreme Spirit. Sai Baba Himself was an emancipated soul and had full knowledge of the Supreme Spirit and was capable of giving such experiences to others. However, He not only had no objection to non-veg food; but never insisted that His devotees, used to non-veg food, should give it up. Actually, in His early days, He used to cook non-veg food Himself in a big pot and after consecrating it through a Moulvi by reciting fatia, used to send as prasad to Mhalsapati and Tatya Kote Patil before distributing to others. (Ch. 38, Shri Sai Satcharita).

There might be two reasons for this. One could be that Sai Baba for His mission of achieving unity amongst Hindus and Muslims, had adorned Muslim Fakir type of dress and style of living. Hence, accepting non-veg food was quite appropriate. Secondly, if we carefully consider the teachings of our scriptures, it will be clear that not to eat non-veg food is only one of the means to attain emancipation or knowledge of the Supreme Spirit and not a goal in itself. Most of the famous suktas in Vedas have been authored by kshatriya or warrior caste. Sages such as Vishwamitra, kings like Janaka, who were famous as Brahma-jnani or knowcr of the Supreme Spirit, were also of warrior caste and non-veg food was not taboo for them. To give up non-veg food, to avoid killing of innocent animals for the sake of one's enjoyment of tasty food or because non-veg food becomes hindrance in achieving .concentration of mind during meditation by increasing attributes of passion (Rajo-guna) and ignorance (Tamo-guna), is of course commendable.

But, to say that without avoiding non-veg food one cannot achieve emancipation or knowledge of the Supreme Spirit is not correct. Otherwise great seers, like Mohammed Paigamber and Jesus Christ in other religions, where non-veg food is normally consumed, would not have been born at all.


http://saileelas.org/articles/nimbalkar/food.htm


ALLAH MALIK!

Sai baba let your holy lotus feet be our sole refuge.OMSAIRAM

[sonikaputtoo]

I recently started reading SAI SATCHARITRA's chapter about its difficult to figure out if baba was a hindu or muslim.In that I came across a line which said that baba ate meat.

I being a stauch pro vegetarian and animal lover was greatly disturbed by this.

Can anyone help me seek anwers as to why baba ate meat & if there is any literature available wherein he mentions about this  ?

Om Sai Ram

The question raised by you about ShriSai whether he was Hindu or Muslim.

First of all It is clarified that many Hindus also eat meat so figuring out any religion by food is not the right way.

What we eat whether vegetarian or not vegetarian is living this or is a part thereof. What is milk ?
Fruits/vegetables are first torn out and then we eat. Trees and Plants also living creatures of nature.

when we eat meat it is not living and it should be treated merely food.
  

I fully endorse Dayal ji's thinking......even the vegetables n fruits we eat had life before it is being cut from its roots n stem....the milk we drink is of animal origin, the curd we take is made out of living microorganisms .........so why are we against non vegetarian food? We are living in an eco system where nature balances the living and dying of creatures.... it all happens with HIS directions and has been happening since ages...

One who is vegetarian is his choice, what I feel is that one  should not look down upon those who are nonvegetarians........
This is absolutely my thinking in no way I want to hurt anyone's sentiments........

Om Shri Sai Naman!

[dayalvasnani]

Om Sai Ram

Rightly said Sonikaji.

Sai Baba used to say "Jiske Mann Mai Jaisa Bhav Use Vaisa Anubhav"

Two friends were going along. On the way they saw Geeta Satsang. On of them wished to sit there to do Satsang but the other was not interested and he said the one that you listen satsang I am going to watch dance.

They did and the one who was sitting in satsang, but was thinking of his friends pleasure and enjoyment in dance. He was physically there but mentally not.

The other who was watching dance, his attention wsas towards Satsanghe thought that he was wasting time in this dance and he should have gone for satsang, Suddenly there was earthquake and both died at their places.

The one who was in satsang was brought to heil and the other who was watching dance was brought to hell.

Why ?
 

Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai

[saidasan]

Once, Mrs. Tarkhad was staying in a certain house in Shirdi. At noon, meals were ready and dishes were being served, when a hungry dog turned up there and began to cry. Mrs. Tarkhad got up at once and threw a piece of bread, which the dog gulped with great relish. In the afternoon, when she went to the Masjid and sat at some distance, Sai Baba said to her, "Mother, you have fed Me sumptuously up to my throat, My afflicted pranas (life-forces) have been satisfied. Always act like this, and it will stand you in good stead. Sitting in this Masjid I shall never, never speak untruth. Take pity on Me like this. First give bread to the hungry, and then eat yourself. Note this well". At first she could not understand the meaning of what Baba had said. So she replied, "Baba, how could I feed You? I am myself dependent on others and take my food from them on payment". Then Baba replied, "Eating that lovely bread I am heartily contended and I am still belching. The dog which you saw before meals and to which you gave the piece of bread is one with Me, so also other creatures (cats, pigs, flies, cows etc.) are one with Me. I am roaming in their forms. He who sees Me in all these creatures is My beloved. So abandon the sense of duality and distinction, and serve Me, as you did today".
***

The Goat that was butchered is no different from Sai. The concept of a Consumer and Consumed is limited to human beings and not to Lord Sai who is omnipresent and who powers everything in the World.

[ashokjain]

It was good to know many views on this topic, however replies to the question are going in a direction where people are justifying eating meat, which is quite sad to know.

Being vegeterian is not only justified because of health reasons but has deep spiritual reasons which justify it. The mode of your eating defines how do you feel in general about other living beings. If you recognise the presence of soul in each and every living being you will never ever justify eating practices which involve killing of a living being which has equal rights to live on this earth.

Being vegeterian stems out of compassion and kindness towards all living beings.

-) According to Jainism plants are jusified to be eaten because they are "Ek-indiriya" jeevas and are lowest in the hierarchy of living beings and do not have developed senses to feel pain and pleasures.

-) Roots like carrot, potatoes are forbidden to be eaten because it involves the entire plant to be plucked and also involves digging of earth and thus further disturbing/killing living organisms residing the soil.

-) Food like rice and wheat are taken out of plants when they become ripe and stop deriving nutrition from pland and thus delink themselves from the rest of the plant.

-) I have read and known about many spiritual masters who had/have never accepted fruits which have been plucked from trees. They would accept the fruits which have fallen on the ground naturally and are not rotten.

-) Eating dead animals is not justified because that involves disrespect towards the body which had been encasing a soul. It is not advisable because of hygiene. Besides it is not easy to find in time the animals which will die naturally before being rotten or being infected by other diseases.

-) Even sprouts are not justified to be eaten because they have become potent to produce other plant.

-) Milk and honey are products by animals originally meant for their consumption and hence partaking them involved depriving other animals of their food and hence never justified.

Why SAI ever ate meat, you and I will never know. It is not for us to justify that mode of eating just because SAI did it.

Will any one of us do RAS-LEELA of Lord Krishna in today's times? No, right. We can do it only if we are equivalent to Krishna.


Let us strive to be perfect vegeterian (vegan) and inspire others too.

In the next post i will post the views of greatest masters of India on this topic.















 

[saidasan]

When one surrenders to the perfect Master, he is given a taste of unconditional love and oneness at some point of time based on disciples’ readiness to accept higher truths. Vegetarianism is obviously the best and highest choice, as it does not force killing.

What is the experience you give to the material that is consumed? A honest answer to this question would lead everyone to Vegetarianism.

This is a Karmic universe. Actions cannot be renounced nor can we interfere with the design of Universal laws. Even while walking on the ground we kill microorganisms, while using a Mouth gargle everyday we kill microorganisms, while purifying water by boiling or adding chemicals we kill microorganisms.

Even rocks have soul. The Soul is nothing but the intelligence that sustains a thing as a thing – a fruit as fruit and salt as salt. When consciousness evolves into higher plane – worms > minerals > rocks > plants > animals > Humans, it creates suitable life forms for the sustenance of its new forms.

IMHO, Plants, roots, tubes all can be eaten unlike Animals where Pain is the experience given to the life form before consumption.

Also IMHO, it is our duty to remember Sai before we eat and not to worry much even if one is eating meat. It’s Master’s responsiblity to decide when to instruct the disciple higher truths. Surrender is the greatest virtue a human mind and body can give to GOD. If we do that we need not worry about other things.

[seeker80]

It it said that at regular intervals the higher souls take birth on earth to lead the people on earth to the higher truths.They set an example of an ideal life so as to fulfill life's purpose.

But if two higher souls contradict their preaching a mere mortal like me is bound to get confused.I have decided to follow saidasanji's advise of complete surrender because this is a dilema the mind cannot resolve.

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts.

[ashokjain]

Om Sai, please forgive me if i am writing here which i should not. I will trust my judgement here as I know that you are guiding me while I am writing this post.

One of the above post regarding complete surrender to Sai contains the most valuable truth. I am really glad that it made me think about my level of surrender to Sai in all matters. 

I cannot comment on others but I am still far away from the point where I would have surrendered completely to SAI. I am still a seeker and I trust the path which leads to Sai. However the concept of surrender to Sai’s will made me think a lot and I am going to share my views here.


-> We do not surrender to SAI when it is matter of other life matters, but when it comes to make sacrifices or to give up something like eating meat in our everyday life, we leave it to SAI to reveal the truth about this to us personally. Why?

-> I ask why we always want explicit signs in our lives to change ourselves. Why do not we observe the pain inflicted to various life forms just to cater to our taste buds and our plate?

-> When we want to marry someone or love someone most of us never ask SAI if the other person is spiritually suitable for us.

-> When we take up a job we never ask SAI if that is his will or not? We never ask SAI to reveal HIS intentions. We do not think even for a split second when we become angry with someone.

Are we really asking SAI to reveal truth before each and every action which we perform?

If not, then why we should take the name of SAI just because we are slave of our tongue. Let us not use the concept of “surrender or SAI’s will” to justify our inability to get up and act.

Sai gives signs and shows His will in so many ways. We should be capable of comprehending that. If we turn a blind eye to the signs because of our ignorance and under the influence of maya, we are to blame ourselves. Why cannot we hear the cries of animals while we eat meat? Why cannot we feel the pain when we kill a living being for our plate? If we cannot understand such explicit signs, are we qualified enough to understand more subtle signs given by SAI? 


Om Sai Ram.

[saidasan]

But if two higher souls contradict their preaching a mere mortal like me is bound to get confused

Dear Seeker,
Higher Souls are not Two but One. One in consciousness, So they don't contradict each other rather they fulfill their mission under illusion of many bodies.
Mission of these higher souls cannot be deciphered by human minds so one can never conclude why a particular higher soul acted in such a way.

Perfect Master Meher Baba called Sai baba of Shirdi as Qutub-e-Irshad which is the head of the Spiritual hierarchy. He also emphasizes that mission of such Master under illusion in Human body is to raise consciousness of the planet which is in Slumber. So if he plays to certain gallery like Vegetarianism or non-vegetarianism he will end up contradicting his own mission.

So Baba ate meat and at the same time he asked his devotees to feed Dogs and other Animals to appease his Hunger!

Our job is to surrender to him by remembering him in whatever way we like. It is well and good if one thinks about the cries of animals whilst butchering otherwise one should continue with his/her food habits by truly remembering Sainath and offering his/her Food to him every time.

True change can happen only from within and not through external code of conduct Laws. For the change to happen within one must surrender to the Master. Offering and thanking for Food is simplest form of surrender. This is what Sai told Hemadpant.


Jai Sairam!