In the name of GODDESS

                                                           

                                                                     

 When we see picture of goddess Durga in the form of Kali, Chandi, or Chamunda having terrible giant black skin, huge red tongues, many arms holding weapon, necklaces of human head gives the glimpse of Dashain festival. It’s a time for celebration with family, relative and friends. The dark-side of this celebration appear on ‘Maha Ashtami’ when countless innocent buffalo, goats and birds are sacrificed in the name of Goddess Durga to enrich one with power and wealth from the Goddess. Does it make sense? It is not a matter of debate whether killing animals to please Goddess is righteous or wrong. Living or non-living things, we are part of organic unity. In the absence of one, a picture on the canvas is incomplete. Slaughtering animal shows that we have no respect for nature.

I have been through different religious scripture to know how scripture are shaping the believers’ consciousness. There are three main religions originated in the Middle East, these three religions appear to be similar. Judaism believes in Torah, it is similar to Old Testament of Christian holy Bible. It prohibits the consumption of blood but allows flesh (Genesis 9:4) “Only flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, Shall you not eat”. (Leviticus 17:14) “You shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh; for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof”.

The extracted lines from holy book reminded me the drama, named “Merchant of Venice” written by William Shakespeare where we can encounter with a situation of a person who has taken loan under contract. The contract states that if the person is not able to pay back the loan within the stipulated time then in return one pound flesh will be cut off from his body. Accordingly, drama progresses and the court states that “start cutting, but if you shed any blood, your life is forfeited.” The verdict is funny as a story of Bible. Is it possible to have flesh without blood shedding? Similarly, Muslim holy book Quran support for non-vegetarianism (5:3, 2:173, and 6:145) says, “In all that has been revealed unto me, I do not find anything forbidden to eat, unless it be carrion, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine.”

The oriental religions prohibit slaughtering animal for food but many followers are going on against their own religion. Jainism is the first religion which preached vegetarianism. Hindu scriptures, too, advocate for vegetarianism. Yajur Veda (34-51) says, “They that trouble others for the sake of their own good are Rakshas (monster) and they that eat the flesh of birds and beasts are Pisachas (Devil). In Surangama Sutra, Gautam Buddha says, “If a man can control his body and mind and thereby refrains from eating animal flesh and wearing animal products, I say he will really be liberated”. The Sikh scripture Guru Grantha Sahib strongly condemned meat consumption. It says, “You kill living beings, and call it a righteous action. Tell me, brother, what would you call an unrighteous action?”

As we know that food affects the mind, we are what we eat. It is impossible to upgrade human consciousness unless they stop absorbing animals. Those who practice meditation can understand the meaning of vegetarian food and reincarnation because their consciousness becomes so pure and sensitive to understand the spiritual fact. Shri Madbhagavad Gita speaks about eating only high-quality food, because food shapes the personality, mood and mind.

Indian mystic Osho says, “Life in its infinite forms exists as one organic unity. We are part of it: the part should feel reverence for the whole. That is the idea of vegetarianism. It simply means: don’t destroy life, because life is God. It is really just a question of aesthetics: one’s sensitivity, one’s respect and one’s reverence for life.”

Not only from aesthetics point of view, slaughtering animal not good from environmental point of view.  A study of the production and distribution of 20 common agricultural products, conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), found that red meat such as beef and lamb is responsible for 10 to 40 times as many greenhouse gas emissions as common vegetables and grains. As millions of people living in the emerging economies are craving for more meat in their food, it’s obviously going to have a huge environmental impact.

Consumption of vegetables and fruits is associated with a substantially lower risk for many chronic diseases, including certain types of cancer. Research has shown that people who follow a vegetarian diet are at a lower risk for obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, diverticulitis, renal disease, some cancers (including lung and breast), and gallstones. Vegetarian diets have also been shown to benefit people who already have 2 type of diabetes. In one study, 43% of the people with type 2 diabetes who ate a low-fat vegan diet reduced their need for diabetes medications. The reason for these health benefits comes from the lower intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol and the higher intakes of complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, certain minerals, and photochemical. Cholesterol is only found in animal foods, so vegan diets are completely cholesterol-free.

Naturally there are differences between the habit and physical appurtenance of vegetarian and non vegetarian animals. During the birth eyes are open to those babies who are naturally vegetarian and eyes are close to those babies who are natural non-vegetarian. For example man, cow, buffalo, goat etc. are vegetarian so their eyes are open during birth and in contrary lion, tiger, dog, cat etc are non-vegetarian who has closed eyes for few days after the birth. Vegetarian suck/drink the water while non-vegetarian licks the water. Vegetarian animal has flat teeth while non vegetarian has canine teeth.

Lion eats meat but does not eat our fruits but so called civilized human beings are trespassers. We must be held accountable for ecological disorder and pollution. From the gender perspective also, men slaughter animals while women encourage it. Men are bound to stop slaughtering animals if women stop cooking meat and decorating it on the dining table. By birth, babies are not flesh eaters but they are conditioned by our so called socio-cultural ritual. Vegetarian foods are good for healthy living but our society still largely allows slaughtering animals in the name of various rituals and festivals. There is a need for a conscious social movement to end such an inhuman practice. We have no right to destroy the God’s creation if we can’t create it.  

By Giri Bahadur Sunar