The Niramish State of Mind

Original Hindi article on Niramish Hindi Blog by Shri Hansraj 'Sugya'

Translation By Shilpa Mehta

NON-VIOLENCE: The Appropriate and Proper Measure for Peace 

In the whole universe, the basis of happiness and joy for any living being is peace. Peace is achievable only through non-violence. Most of the violence in this world occurs for satisfying the dietary requirements. Saatvik food is the route to compassion towards our fellow beings. Minor violence does occur in vegetarian food too, yet vegetarianism is the minimization of inevitable and unavoidable violence. This in itself is an endeavour towards non-violence. Those who do not feel hurt while hurting and killing beings for taste and unhesitatingly eat meat etc., slowly get accustomed to accepting killing as a normal routine. When the source of food is violent, it necessarily effects the thought process of the person and diminishes one's sensitivities. 

The acceptance of killing as "normal" for eating one's food makes one accustomed to "killing" and leads to a violent state of awareness. This is leading to more and more violence, hatred, and crimes in today's world. Mercy to fellow living beings naturally nurtures one's finer instincts and makes one more compassionate to fellow humans too. Vegetarianism enhances values and is a guardian to humanity.

Religious and Philosophical Notions and Intents :

Almost all reliogions and social systems have always reverred "life". Still, the Indian culture is the one which has propogated the concepts of "अहिंसा परमो धर्मः" (non-violence is the supreme religious principle) or “दया धर्म का मूल है” (mercy is the root of all religion).

Whatever be the religion one belongs to, none of the revered sacred texts and none of the messengers advocate violence or cruelty. The magnificent palaces of super human messages and religions stand proudly on the strong foundations of non-violence, compassion, love and moral values. All lessons are targeted at non-violence and the first step to non-violence is vegetarianism.

Civilization and Culture :

Advocating and praising vegetarianism is not an indication of pride or ego of purity. vegetarian diet is in itself clean and non-violent. The Indian culture and consciousness has always revolved around purity of not just food, but the whole lifestyle. Vegetarianism is the foundation to all good things in life. Man is basically a herbivore. Though body can manage on non-vegetarian food (man is biologically classified into omnivorous beings) yet civilization demands migrating from a wild lifestyle to a civilized one. Vegetarianism is the carrier of peace, and the height of culture.. 

Environment :

We as a society need to preserve our natural resources and optimize their utilization. All organisms are a part of a very delicate balance in nature. Human interference upsets this delicate balance. We have the intelligence to enable us to optimally utilize the natural resource while not depleting them blindly. When we rear millions of animals for food every year, the ratio of the food we get to the food we could have produced on the same are of land is alarmingly frightening. Millions of square meters of evergreen forests are cut down to provide grasslands for grazing of animals for meat. We are cutting down the evergreens which are like the lungs of mother earth, to satisfy our taste buds.

While the same area of land could have produced much much more amount of vegetarian food in a year, the same ends up producing only very little meat in comparison in the same period of time. If everyone switches over to vegetarianism, many starving millions could be helped. Long back when humanity was living in separate unconnected islands, there was not sufficient availability of vegetarian food in some areas, but grassland area was sufficient to feed many herbivorous animals. But today the situation is not the same. There is no compulsion to eat meat to survive. So it would be much more logical to switch over to vegetarianism.

Balanced Diet :

The myth of "modernism" is misleading many into believing that vegetarian food does not have sufficient proteins in it to make for a balanced diet. But if one stops to consult a doctor or a dietitian this myth evaporates like a snow flake in sunshine. It has been proved that vegetarian food has all the necessary ingredients for a healthy life. In fact it is non-vegetarian food which leads to many diseases through various toxins and infections. Moreover, fiber and many a vitamins are completely missing in non-vegetarian sources. Vegetarian food is the primary source of energy and a first class source of all balanced diet. It also enhances our immune system.

Health Concerns :

Vegetarian diet contains a good amount of fiber. Fiber helps the digestive tract to stay clean and healthy, and capable of smooth working and absorbing what the body requires. It has neither excess dangerous cholesterol, not advanced protein produced in advanced beings bodies. This advanced protein from non-vegetarian food makes the human consumer more prone to many diseases like Alzheimer's, Gallstones, diabetes type 2, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, liver problems, kidney problems, obesity...... and many more. WHY DO YOU THINK DOCTORS FORBID PATIENTS FROM NON-VEGETARIAN FOOD in many many illnesses??

WISHING EVERYONE ALL THE BEST

We Want Peace!

An appeal from Pakistan

We want benevolence, we want love, we have to start showing that, by action. We have to love each other. We have to be benevolent to each other. We have to be benevolent to all. This violence and killing of human beings and animals is the sure sign that we don't want love, that we don't want compassion, that we don't want peace. It's the law of the universe, that if we kill or if we harm someone, we have to spend our spiritual merit with that creature. So how many animals we eat, we use all our spiritual bank account balance with those animals, and then we’re depleted, we get poorer and poorer, spiritually poorer. And if your spiritual merit balance is not enough, you end up paying with your health, your luck, and your's and your family members’ peace of mind. And then larger, we pay with peace in the world, we have to pay the price for having no peace. By killing animals to eat, we’re killing our planet. And then we all become murderers of some sort. So I want everyone to become heroes. Save the planet, stop killing and eating the animals...

Khalid Mahmood Qurashi.
President,
ANIMAL SAVE MOVEMENT PAKISTAN
1094/2 Husain Agahi , Multan-60000
+92 300 7368557

Some Good Reasons to Go Vegetarian

Original post here: Shared with the permission of and thanks to
Shri KiranKumar Roy

1 You'll live a lot longer:

Vegetarians live about seven years longer, and vegans (who eat no animal products) about 15 years longer than meat eaters, according to a study from Loma Linda University. These findings are backed up by the China Health Project (the largest population study on diet and health to date), which found that Chinese people who eat the least amount of fat and animal products have the lowest risks of cancer, heart attack and other chronic degenerative diseases.

2 You'll save your heart.

Cardiovascular disease is still the Number one killer in the United States, and the standard American diet (SAD) that's laden with saturated fat and cholesterol from meat and dairy is largely to blame. Plus, produce contains no saturated fat or cholesterol. Incidentally, cholesterol levels for vegetarians are 14 percent lower than meat eaters.

3 You can put more money in your mutual fund.

Replacing meat, chicken and fish with vegetables and fruits is estimated to cut food bills.

4 You'll reduce your risk of cancer.

Studies done at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg suggest that this is because vegetarians' immune systems are more effective in killing off tumour cells than meat eaters'. Studies have also found a plantbased diet helps protect against prostate, colon and skin cancers.

5 You'll add color to your plate.

Meat, chicken and fish tend to come in boring shades of brown and beige, but fruits and vegetables come in all colors of the rainbow. Diseasefighting phytochemicals are responsible for giving produce their rich, varied hues. So cooking by colour is a good way to ensure you re eating a variety of naturally occurring substances that boost immunity and prevent a range of illnesses.

6 You'll fit into your old jeans.

On average, vegetarians are slimmer than meat eaters, and when we diet, we keep the weight off up to seven years longer. That's because diets that are higher in vegetable proteins are much lower in fat and calories than the SAD. Vegetarians are also less likely to fall victim to weight-related disorders like heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

7 You'll give your body a spring cleaning.

Giving up meat helps purge the body of toxins (pesticides, environmental pollutants, preservatives) that overload our systems and cause illness. When people begin formal detoxification programs, their first step is to replace meats and dairy products with fruits and vegetables and juices.

8 You'll make a strong political statement.

It's a wonderful thing to be able to finish a delicious meal, knowing that no beings have suffered to make it..

9 Your meals will taste delicious.

Vegetables are endlessly interesting to cook and a joy to eat. It's an ever-changing parade of flavours and colors and textures and tastes.

10 You'll help reduce waste and air pollution.

Livestock farms creates phenomenal amounts of waste. The tons of manure, a substance that's rated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a top pollutants. And that's not even counting the methane gas released by goats, pigs and poultry (which contributes to the greenhouse effect); the ammonia gases from urine; poison gases that emanate from manure lagoons; toxic chemicals from pesticides; and exhaust from farm equipment used to raise feed for animals.

11 Your bones will last longer.

The average bone loss for a vegetarian woman at age 65 is 18 percent; for non-vegetarian women, it's double that. Researchers attribute this to the consumption of excess protein. Excess protein interferes with the absorption and retention of calcium and actually prompts the body to excrete calcium, laying the ground for the brittle bone disease osteoporosis. Animal proteins, including milk, make the blood acidic, and to balance that condition, the body pulls calcium from bones. So rather than rely on milk for calcium, vegetarians turn to dark green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli and legumes, which, calorie for calorie, are superior sources.

12 You'll help reduce famine.

It takes 15 pounds of feed to get one pound of meat. But if the grain were given directly to people, there'd be enough food to feed the entire planet. In addition, using land for animal agriculture is inefficient in terms of maximizing food production. According to the journal Soil and Water, one acre of land could produce 50,000 pounds of tomatoes, 40,000 pounds of potatoes, 30,000 pounds of carrots or just 250 pounds of beef.

13 You'll avoid toxic chemicals.

The EPA estimates that nearly 95 per cent of pesticide residue in our diet comes from meat, fish and dairy products. Fish, in particular, contain carcinogens (PCBs, DDT) and heavy metals (mercury, arsenic; lead, cadmium) that cannot be removed through cooking or freezing. Meat and dairy products are also laced with steroids and hormones.

14 You'll protect yourself from foodborne illnesses.

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest in the US, which has stringent food standards, 25 per cent of all chicken sold in the United States carries salmonella bacteria and, the CDC estimates, 70 percent to 90 percent of chickens contain the bacteria campy-lobacter (some strains of which are antibiotic-resistan t), approximately 5 percent of cows carry the lethal strain of E. coli O157:H7 (which causes virulent diseases and death), and 30 percent of pigs slaughtered each year for food are infected with toxoplasmosis (caused by parasites).

15 You may get rid of your back problems.

Back pain appears to begin, not in the back, but in the arteries. The degeneration of discs, for instance, which leads to nerves being pinched, starts with the arteries leading to the back. Eating a plant-based diet keeps these arteries clear of cholesterol- causing blockages to help maintain a healthy back.

16 You'll be more 'regular.'

Eating a lot of vegetables necessarily means consuming fiber, which pushes waste out of the body. Meat contains no fibre. Studies done at Harvard and Brigham Women's Hospital found that people who ate a high-fiber diet had a 42 percent lower risk of diverticulitis. People who eat lower on the food chain also tend to have fewer incidences of constipation, hemorrhoids and spastic colon.

17 You'll cool those hot flashes.

Plants, grains and legumes contain phytoestrogens that are believed to balance fluctuating hormones, so vegetarian women tend to go through menopause with fewer complaints of sleep problems, hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings, weight gain, depression and a diminished sex drive.

18 You'll help to bring down the national debt.

We spend large amounts annually to treat the heart disease, cancer, obesity, and food poisoning that are byproducts of a diet heavy on animal products.

Because of our voracious appetite for fish, 39 per cent of the oceans' fish species are overharvested, and the Food & Agriculture Organization reports that 11 of 15 of the world's major fishing grounds have become depleted.

20 You'll help protect the purity of water.

It takes 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of mutton, but just 25 gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat. Not only is this wasteful, but it contributes to rampant water pollution.

21 You'll provide a great role model for your kids.

If you set a good example and feed your children good food, chances are they'll live a longer and healthier life. You're also providing a market for vegetarian products and making it more likely that they'll be available for the children.

22 Going vegetarian is easy!

Vegetarian cooking has never been so simple. We live in a country that has been vegetarian by default. Our traditional dishes are loaded with the goodness of vegetarian food. Switching over it very simple indeed.

(Reshared by Shilpa Mehta)

VEGETARIAN ELITE Taekwondo Champions

Taekwondo Champions of Iran, Messengers of Peace and Compassion

Courtesy http://suprememastertv.com/, an international, non-profit channel airing constructive news and programs that foster peace and promote healthy, green living.

India teaches vegetarianism to McDonald's

One of the most popular fast-food chains is learning new business lessons in India. The food is healthier, more delicious and pure vegetarian, at least it is planned to be in two new all-vegetarian restaurants, one in Amritsar (Punjab state) and the other one in Katra (Jammu & Kashmir state).

McDonald's is a world-famous fast food chain based in the USA where it does not run any all-vegetarian restaurant yet despite of growing number of vegetarians. McDonald's first vegetarian restaurants in two Indian cities of religious importance is a commendable effort which will help the chain increase it's popularity among an entirely new clientele.

It is believed that around 5% of US population is vegetarian. India, on the contrary, believes to be the home of the largest vegetarian society in the world. 40% of Indians are vegetarian. Indian civilization is considered to be the pioneer of the vegetarianism due to it's ancient tradition of non-violence.

Become Vegetarian To Save Water

Water scarcity could make world go vegetarian by 2050

Leading water scientists have issued one of the sternest warnings yet about global food supplies, saying that the world’s population may have to switch almost completely to a vegetarian diet over the next 40 years to avoid catastrophic shortages. Humans derive about 20% of their protein from animal-based products now, but this may need to drop to just 5% to feed the extra 2 billion people expected to be alive by 2050, according to research by some of the world’s leading water scientists.

“There will not be enough water available on current croplands to produce food for the expected 9 billion population in 2050 if we follow current trends  towards diets common in western nations,” the report by Malik Falkenmark and colleagues at the Stockholm International Water Institute  said.

“There will be just enough water if the proportion of animal-based foods is limited to 5% of total calories.”

Dire warnings of water scarcity limiting food production come as Oxfam and the UN prepare for a possible second global food crisis in five years. Prices for staples such as corn and wheat have risen nearly 50% on international markets since June, triggered by severe droughts in the US and Russia, and weak monsoon rains in Asia.

Oxfam has forecast that the price spike will have a devastating impact in developing countries that rely heavily on food imports, including parts of Latin America, North Africa and the Middle East.

Adopting a vegetarian diet is one option to increase the amount of water available to grow more food in an increasingly climate-erratic world, the scientists said. Animal protein-rich food consumes five to 10 times more water than a vegetarian diet. One third of the world’s arable land is used to grow crops to feed animals.

Other options to feed people include eliminating waste and increasing trade between countries in food surplus and those in deficit.

[Source: Hindustan Times]

Price Versus Cost of Meat

The Real Price of Meat

People advocating non-vegetarian food often talk about the "Low Cost High Nutritional Value" of meat. In this reference, a story comes to the mind. The original story in Hindi was shared on the Hindi edition of this blog by Mr. Hansaraj Sugya.

King Shrenik, the emperor of the Magadh state in central India, once asked his courtiers in the royal assembly, "What could be the most cost efficient approach for solving the severe problem of food supply before the nation?"

The cabinet and the courtiers started pondering the issue. They realized that the grains like rice, wheat etc are produced after a lot of hard work, time and labour, and need a suitable climate too. Famines, Droughts, Floods, all interfere in the process of cultivation. Hence, it is not possible to reduce the cost associated with the production of food grains.

An officer who was particularly fond of hunting thought that, meat is the only food item, which can be easily procured without much work involved. He smilingly suggested, " Oh noble King ! The cheapest food item is undoubtedly meat, It has a low cost of production, and is quite nutritive." Almost everyone supported his proposal, but the prime minister Abhay Kumar kept silent.

The king asked him "Why are you silent? What do you think about this issue?"

The prime minister replied "The statement that meat is the cheapest, is an absolute falsehood. I will put up my thoughts before you all tomorrow."

The assembly was adjourned for the day.

At night-fall, Abhay Kumar knocked at the door of the Officer who had put up the proposal. Though the officer was very nervous to see the prime minister at his doorstep at such an hour, he welcomed him respectfully inside, and inquired about the purpose of the unexpected visit.

The prime minister politely replied, " The noble king Shrenik was taken ill this evening. The "raaj-vaidya" (The royal doctor) has prescribed a cure. He has said that, if king Shrenik gets 20 grams of meat of the noble man's heart, his life can be saved. I know that you are a valued and faithful officer of the noble king. You can surely lay your life to save him. Therefore, I have come here to take 20 grams of your heart's flesh for the king. I will compensate you well for it - I will even pay 1,00,000 Gold Coins to you as a token of gratitude.

The officer was shocked. He started thinking, what use will be this wealth when I myself am dead? He begged the prime minister to excuse him and get the meat from elsewhere. He even handed over 1,00,000 gold coins from his personal treasure to help procure the flesh from someone else.

Taking this, Abhay Kumar went to the next officer's home, but the same story was repeated. He visited all officers' homes one by one, but no one was agreeable to oblige. Everyone gave some wealth to save his life, someone paid one hundred thousand rupees, some others two or five hundred thousands. Before dawn, the Prime minister reached his home with more than ten million gold coins.

When the king's royal assembly reconvened, the prime minister presented the assorted wealth before him.

Emperor Shrenik asked, "What are these gold coins for?"

The prime minister narrated the whole sequence of events. He said, "Just for buying 20 grams of flesh, so much wealth was parted with, but still the flesh could not be procured. The noblemen have parted with all this money to save their lives. Then how can we say that meat is cheap? Can we now understand that the "cost" of meat is at the "price" of life and is effectively "priceless"?

Life is priceless, not cheap. Let us not forget that, the way we value our own life, similarly the other living organisms also wish and crave to live, and we have no right to snatch their life away from them.