What do you think of eating meat?

[ashokjain]

Realise the value of health

Self-restraint is essential to maintain health. Regulate your habits and develop good manners, which are the mark of a true man. Similarly the good devotee is one who does his duty. Duty is God. Everyone has to develop the manners required in daily life. The manners should be such that they confer self satisfaction. You should conduct yourself properly not for the sake of others but for your own sake. When there is self-satisfaction there will be self-realisation. For all these you must have selfconfidence. Most people today have no confidence in themselves and are perpetually racked by doubts. In Jesus's time there was one 'Doubting Thomas.' But today all are 'Doubting Thomases.' Everyone is doubting every other. For every man two things are essential: Arogya (good health) and Aanandha (Happiness). Health for the body and bliss for the spirit. With these two wings you can soar to any height. You need both the things, for which you must secure God's grace. To get God's grace, you have to engage yourself in sacred action. Bear in mind the three P's--Purity, Patience and Perseverance. With these three you are bound to acquire good health and bliss.


The efficacy of cardiac surgery

This international symposium has for its theme "The Heart and its Ailments." Also on the agenda are discussion about the preventive aspects of diseases as well as the treatment and cure of heart diseases. Questions are raised about the efficacy of Cardiac Surgery and its related effects. The heart is a special organ in the human system. It is pulsating ceaselessly unlike the other organs. Heart surgery is a highly complex operation, as the surgery has to be performed without arresting the heartbeat. At the same rime the functioning of the lungs has also to be kept up. Medical men of genius invented the heart-lung machine in 1956 to carry on the activities of the heart as well as the lung during cardiac operations. The machine rakes upon itself the function of the heart and the lung ensuring purification of the blood and keeping up circulation of the blood. The derails of the functioning of this heart-lung machine are well known to the doctors. The tube which is fitted connecting the heart and the machine should be airtight and should be fixed with great care, for any lapse in the fitting of the tube may cause air bubbles which will endanger the patient's life. Unfailing power supply is most crucial for the success of the operation as any interruption in power supply will stall the operation. Therefore we have to depend on generators for ensuring uninterrupted power supply during the course of the operation.

[ashokjain]

Prevention is better than cure

Questions are posed whether heart surgery ensures a permanent cure. Cardiac surgery is helpful in so far as it enables the patient to carry on his daily activities and lead a normal life. But, it is wrong to conclude that surgery is the only way of curing heart  diseases. Some of the diseases can be cured even by medicine. In my opinion, it is the primary responsibility of every individual to prevent becoming a victim of heart disease by regulating his food and other habits. Prevention is better than cure. There will be little room for cardiac ailments if one's food habits are properly controlled and regulated. Research has revealed that non-vegetarian and alcoholic addicts are more prone to heart ailments than vegetarians. If the vegetarian food that is consumed should be a balanced and wholesome, it should contain liberal doses of vitamin C and vitamin E, which are available in vegetables like carrots. The presence of these vitamins prevents heart ailments in a large measure.

Every effort should be made to keep the human body healthy. Health is wealth. Wealth cannot be enjoyed by a person with poor health. Health is more important because it gives physical and mental strength to a person. Birds and beasts do not suffer from cardiac and digestive ailments to which man is prone. The cause can be traced to the natural food which the animals consume, unlike human beings who consume all sorts of fried and cooked items of food being slaves to the palate. Modern man consumes many artificial foodstuffs and a variety of alcoholic drinks, which are injurious to health. Birds and beasts lead natural lives, while the artificial life styles of man today takes a heavy toll of his health. When man observes moderation in diet he can be saved from most diseases. In the entire range of God's creation man alone is endowed with the faculty of discrimination. It is this faculty which sets him apart from animals. Man should exercise his discretion and discrimination in regard to food habits.

[ashokjain]

How to bring about mental transformation?

The progress of the universe is bound up with the progress of man. Any amount of development in the areas of scientific, economic and social spheres will not be of much use without mental transformation. How can we bring about this transformation? It is by restraining passions and emotions. Since mental tension is most detrimental to man's health, man should learn the art of controlling his passions and emotions, which cause stresses and strains. It is also essential to keep our mind serene and peaceful while eating food. We should not indulge in discussion of topics which will cause agitation and excitement and disturb our mental peace while we are taking food.

Mental tension is responsible for ill health. We should also avoid viewing TV, video, etc., while eating food, as they may cause mental disturbances. Today there is pollution in everything such as the air we breathe, the water we drink, the sounds that are jarring to the cars and the food we consume. Because of this all round pollution, man's health is affected. Apart from this, man's mind is also polluted making him susceptible to diseases. Man should make an earnest endeavour to lead a serene and pure life. He should realize the truth that troubles and turmoils are temporary, like passing clouds. There is no scope for agitations to arise if one realises this truth. One who realises this truth will not allow his mind to be swayed by the passions of anger, cruelty, etc. Passions yield only temporary satisfaction, but cause serious emotional disturbances. Hence, it is imperative on the part of man not to yield to any unbecoming passions while taking food. The observance of the three P's, namely, purity, patience, and perseverance, vouchsafes permanent happiness and good health free from diseases.

[ashokjain]

The three root causes of cardiac ailments

It is not only unbridled passion which damages the health of man. Living on ill-gotten money also causes ill-health to some extent. Living on earnings got by unjust means causes many unknown diseases to take root in us. It is said;

As is the food, so is the mind;
As is the mind, so are the thoughts;
As are the thoughts, so is the conduct;
As is the conduct, so is the health.   

Man today is a victim of worry. What is the cause of this worry? Lack of contentment is the cause. The rich man is not contented is spire of the accumulation of wealth. Worry causes hurry and both together bring about ill-health. So, Worry, Hurry and Curry fatty foods) are the root causes of cardiac ailments. The consumption of large quantities of fat is the cause of cardiovascular diseases. Doctors advise against the consumption of fatty food stuffs which cause increase in weight resulting in susceptibility to cardiac diseases The presence of toxins also inflicts equal damage. So one should eat in moderate quantity the right type of food and avoid intoxicating drinks to safeguard his health.

The intake of food should be gradually reduced after crossing 50 years. Some people consume food indiscriminately unmindful of the caloric content of the food taken. For example, people eat pappads (thin circular flour preparations) fried in oil which have high calorie content. People also consume ghee which is also a high calorie food. A single pappad has 100-150 calories of energy. A single spoon of ghee has 100 calories of energy. Even when the quantity of food intake is reduced, reductions in the calorie content is not ensured. There are some doctors who advise their patients against smoking and addiction to alcohol, but they themselves smoke and drink! This gap between precept and practice raises doubts in the minds of patients about the value of the medical advice given by them. Such doctors, who do not observe harmony in speech and practice, mislead the patients.

[ashokjain]

Eschew meat, liquor and smoking

Today, let it be anyone, whether one deems himself a devotee or not, he should give up meatcaring. Why? Meat eating promotes only 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! This leads 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. Calling themselves Sai devotees or devotees of Raama and Krishna, they fatten on chicken. How can they be deemed Sai devotees? How can God accept such a person as a devotee? Therefore, whether they are devotees in India or outside, they should give up from this instant meat eating.

Next, there is the question of drink. The water that one drinks is life-giving. It issues from the head of Shiva. It is sacred. Instead of such wholesome drink, it is wrong to drink intoxicants. It makes a man forget his true nature. Alcoholic drink is utterly obnoxious. It degrades the addict. It makes him forget God. The drink addict is not conscious of what he says or does. The very sight of such a person is revolting. The drink evil has ruined innumerable families. Alcoholics have caused misery to their wives and children by wasting all their money on liquor. Of what use to the world are such derelicts?

In addition to liquor, many are addicted to smoking tobacco. Today cigarette smoking is the cause of many diseases like asthma, lung cancer, cosonaphilia and heart ailments. The evil effects of smoking can be easily demonstrated. If a whiff of cigarette smoke is blown at a handkerchief, the cloth turns red at the spot. If smoke can cause such damage to a piece of cloth, how much damage will it not do when it gets into the blood stream? It ruins one's health and shortens one's life-span. Therefore, those who aspire to become true devotees of God have to give up meat, liquor and smoking.

[ashokjain]

Each one has to reform himself

Drink addiction is the cause of many evils. But no Government can stop this. The change must rake place at the individual level. This can take place only through a mental transformation and not as a result of preaching by others. Each one has to recognise the truth and reform himself.

Embodiments of Love! You are deeming this day as the sixty ninth birthday of Swami. I have no desire to celebrate such birthdays. As I was coming I was greeted by many wishing Me "Happy Birthday" I am always happy Why should anyone wish "Happy Birthday" for Me? Be happy yourselves. Your happiness is My happiness.

Today, as an offering to Swami, give up meat eating, consuming liquor and smoking. By renouncing these three, you will benefit yourselves as well as society and the nation. Swami's sole aim is to promote the welfare of the family, the society and the nation. If you wish to carry out Swami's aim, renounce from this moment itself these three bad practices. Do not put if off to tomorrow. Take the resolve from this moment. Expecting that you will carry out Swami's wish and thereby promote the well being of your family and the nation, I bless all of you.

(Discourse in the Poornachandhra Auditorium on 23-11-1994, Bhagavaan's Birthday)

[v2birit]

   In Bhagwat Gita, the Lord has clearly classified the foods into 3 types, Sattwic, Rajasic & Tamasic. The Lord has also clearly mentioned what is the effect of eating all these three types of food.
   The Lord says, Sattwa must be cultivated, Rajas must be suppreseed & Tamas must be eliminated.
   Meat falls under the Rajas & Tamas types & hence one cannot remain untouched by the ill effects after consuming. The only exception is when a person is a Siddha. For a Siddha like Sai baba, it does not matter at all, as to whether he eats veg or non-veg, since he is beyond the three Gunas. That is why he is called Trigunaateeth or Trigun-Rahitam. But for conditioned souls like us, whatever we eat, that is going to get reflected in us.

      However relegious principles do allow for eating of meat, when it is first properly sanctified by relegion. That is why the Kshatriya kings would go for hunting & would eat animal food, without any apparent fall in purity.

      Also whether a person consumes Veg or non veg food, depends on his level in evolution. It is not correct to ask him to suddenly change his food habits. This is not the natural way, since a person is a slave of the three gunas. Whichever guna is dominating in him, he will act, behave & eat according to that.
     The wise thing to do is to become a devotee of the Lord. When this is done, all the Gunas fall in place, irrespective of the person's evolution. Sattva becomes dominant & the other 2 gunas take a back seat. That is why Sai baba never asked anybody to change his food habits. Instead he asked them to practice devotion. This takes care of the food habits.

Om Sai Ram

[seeker80]

|| OM SAI SRI SAI JAI JAI SAI ||

Thank you v2biritji for such an enlightening response.I definately value it.

|| SADGURU SAINATH MAHARAJ KI JAI ||