A recent survey found that India is not as vegetarian as many people think, although still holding by far the largest vegetarian population in the world. The study carried out by the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) questioned a random sample of 20,719 households drawn across India’s 28 states.
This survey is irrelevant and asking 20,719 households from a population of over 1 billion is not enough. Sanathan Dharma has always advocated a vegetarian diet as it is more conducive to a tolerant society as well as spiritual progression. In today’s society where abundant food is provided by mother nature, the concept of killing other living entites to fill our stomachs is wrong and a sad state of affairs. A non-veg diet is more suitable to Abrahamic faiths which seek to divide society between the righteous and non-righteous, not Hinduism where the Divinity within all is recognised. Meat eating is as undesirable as cannibalism.
I am strictly vegetarian and so is my family. up until 3years (im 23 now) ago I wasnt even aware that meat eating Hindus even existed!
At a shakha camp when we were asked to raise our hands to the question “who eats meat” out of 10 boys in the dorm 6 put their hands in the air this is when it hit me, I was shocked.
It is easy to be a vegetarian in India, but outside India it is almost impossible. In Britain only now it is possible to get some food without meat/fish/egg, but outside Britain in Europe, East Asia, USA it is near impossible. One would be reduced to eat cucumber sandwitch only.
In India when Atal Bihari Vajpayee leader of the pro-Hindu party eats fish very much, how many Hindus even in India are vegetarian is the real question. I guess except for the Gujaratis no other groups are vegetarian in the true sense of trhe term anymore.
Meat( including egg) is possibly prohibited in Hindu religion, but fish is not explicitly prohibited. It is a matter of interpretation what is acidic, give heavy feelong after eating, unfit for holy offerings. Meat is certainly unfit.
anything that has a soul is prohibited for us to eat, that includes fish.
“anything that has a soul is prohibited for us to eat, that includes fish.”
Well why don’t you go to the Arctic and try doing that and see how good you survive.
Statistics statistics…
Im in SA, and here I’d say 60%, no maybe 70% of Hindus are chomping it down….
The 1st leg of Kaliyug hey…
“Well why don’t you go to the Arctic and try doing that and see how good you survive.”
My guess is that you are not an inhabitant of the Arctic, but simply unable to control your senses and hunger pangs. The divinity within all creatures from man to the tiny ant should be respected. Killing animals for our benefit can only be a bad sign. Kali Yuga, indeed.
“My guess is that you are not an inhabitant of the Arctic, but simply unable to control your senses and hunger pangs. The divinity within all creatures from man to the tiny ant should be respected. Killing animals for our benefit can only be a bad sign. Kali Yuga, indeed.”
I don’t eat meat but I am not one of those holier than thou vegetarians out to force vegetarianism on others.
Why don’t you read before you post nonsense, if the Inuit didn’t kill the animals they wouldn’t have survived in the Arctic.
Well killing plants is also a bad sign, plants also have life.
By the way instead of blaming it all on Kali Yuga, why don’t you do something.
Also something from our scriptures that gives some food for thought for the holier than thou vegetarian types:
http://www.indolink.com/Kidz/butcher.html
The butcher Dharma Vyadha ends up teaching Kaushika about dharma in the end.
Darmesh Aggravat said, “anything that has a soul is prohibited for us to eat, that includes fish. ”
Any living creature may has a soul, so what do you eat??
Where in the Hindu holy books it says that , “anything that has a soul is prohibited for us to eat, that includes fish. “??
Bhagwat Gita says, anything which is acidic, gives heavy feelings, left over night, unfit for sacrifice are prohibited. It does not say explicitly anything, but Sattik foods are recommended.
Yep – I remember that story about a butcher (who is dedicated to his family and duty) teaching the renunciate Kaushika about true duty, which resulted in him going back home to look after his ailing parents.
Vegetarian is good, I observe strict vegetarianism myself, but ultimately it is still possible to be a good Hindu and a good human being and be a meat-eater – a view that is upheld by Hindu dharma.
Shivaji Maharaj was a meat eater – and in my opinion he is perhaps the greatest Hindu in the last thousand years.
In response to the letter from Harish, In order for us to survive, we have to eat other living things, that is the law of nature. surely we cannot live on rocks and sand. yes plants have some form of life, but plants have the lowest form of intelligence in this God’s world.
If you study how the animals are raised with chemicals and hormones which are often harmful to humans, but are money making.
Besides that being a vegetarian is healthy living, even the meat eaters are told to eat their veggies.
I am a strict vegetarian and find that it is a healthier life style which is followed by many americans also.
Agreeing with Dangerous being a non-veg does not make you any less of a Hindu than a veggie. And being a veggie doesnt make you a “better” Hindu.
for example, i myself know individuals who work hard doing what they can for the good of other Hindus and Hinduism, who out of their own choice also happen to eat meat. i also know individuals who do nothing for the Hindu community (some of whom deny their Hindu background), who are self-absorbed in their own lives to care for anything else, and surprisingly they are strict vegeterians.
Now which of the two is “the better hindu”? Being a veg or non-veg is a personal choice which Hinduism allows for.
Its not what we eat thats makes us who we are, its our actions that defines us as Hindus.
If we want to live like saints we can be vegetarian.But if we are going for war we have to eat meats to be strong.How did the muslims defeat Hindu army in India?Because muslims eat alot of meats.Vegetarian Hindus were weak.Nowadays there are alot of sintetic meat products in the market.Vegetarians can take that to replace real meats.It can give almost equal nutrition like meats.
Why cant people do simple maths? Since when does 13 + 2 = 17?
Anyway, its not really surprsing i never thought India was a largely vegetarian country just that it had a strong tradition and a considerable proportion of the population was and is even by this sample Vege.
Akraj:
“How did the muslims defeat Hindu army in India?Because muslims eat alot of meats.Vegetarian Hindus were weak.”
This is a bit silly, ever heard Shaolin monks?
“But if we are going for war we have to eat meats to be strong.How did the muslims defeat Hindu army in India?Because muslims eat alot of meats.Vegetarian Hindus were weak.”
Nonsense, the majority of Hindus have always been meat eaters but that didn’t save us from defeats.
The Peshwa’s were all vegetarians excepting Baji Rao since they were Brahmins, even Baji Rao was a vegetarian until Mastani came along, but their armies thrashed the meat eating brave Muslims.
In 1971 93,000 brave meat eating Pakis surrendered like chicken’s before the Indian army after committing countless atrocities on defenseless Hindus in Bangladesh.
Meat eating may or may not promote aggressiveness but simply eating meat without any other efforts is not going to make any difference.
I dont think God said we should be vegetarians or meat eaters.
Hes just classified food as being of three types viz
satvic, rajasic, and tamasic
sakshi has also summed it all up well
‘Its not what we eat thats makes us who we are, its our actions that defines us as Hindus.’
Please Please People. Eat whatever you want. Please vegetarians answer me this. A Hindu A Moslem And an Italian. A Pig was slaughtered The Hindu & Moslem recoiled in distaste. Nahee Nahee this is unclean. The Italian said “Whaddya Mean – Step aside boys lemme have that carcass”. He took it soaked it in salt water for a few days then buried it in wood ash left over from purifying water. 3months later he came back dug it up and carved some of the finest ham East of Milano.
He used neither felled trees for fire, nor cleared large tracts of forest for planting vegetables. yet he produced high energy food from a very productive source (the pig) and from meat deemed unclean. Of the Hindu Moslem or Italian who was smartest ecologically? My family have been farmers for over 200years and pigs are an ecological choice for they require no felling of trees. This faith is not about what you eat. Be strong and defend it. Eat well and drink well and serve your nation with pride. Remove ignorance and free the poor. Let them use livestock and vegetables for rotational cropping. Empower them by removing the food restrictions!
Folks imagine 560million Hindus freed of this food shackle. Their focus could then be placed on the faith. The Vedas. And then, then people it will be The Day of the Aryawarth!
meat eaters will be forced to repeat the cycle of life and death over and over, the Supreme Lord does not want you.
Dharmesh agravat. Hindus exist because of Hindu meat eating ancestors. You would have been circumcised it wasn’t for them and would have not even believed in rebirth. Therefore you do not even have the right to accuse meat eaters of being non hindus. In fact Dharmesh you and scum like Nitin Mehta can only say things behind your PCs because you can never fight for Dharma. therefore Dharma will never take care of you.
Dharma takes care of those that take care of Dharma.
Did God call you up and tell you that Agravat in one of your pakora gassing elitist sessions about taxi drivers and the mere mortals?