Why do Christianity and Islam allow meat-eating? Is it essential for Muslims to eat meat?
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From Ravikant Jagtap P

Why Christianity and islam allow meat eating? Some of my friends tell me that it is written in Quran that one is not muslim who don’t eat meat in 40days and cow is created by Allah for eating. Is it true? Why they don’t believe in reincarnation is there clear reference in bible and quran for this?

Answer Podcast

Islam - Quotes on Vegetarianism

Respect for animals:

Seest thou not that it is Allah Whose praise all beings in the heavens and on earth do celebrate, and the birds (of the air) with wings outspread? Each one knows its own (mode of) prayer and praise, and Allah knows well all that they do. 
              Sura 24:41

"The Holy Prophet Muhammad (S) was asked by his companions if kindness to animals was rewarded in the life hereafter. He replied: 'Yes, there is a meritorious reward for kindness to every living creature'." (Bukhari)

STATUS OF ANIMALS

"There is not an animal on earth, nor a bird that flies on its wings - but they are communities like you." (The Quran, 6:38)

PHYSICAL INJURY

"The Holy Prophet (S) forbade the beating or the branding of animals. Once he saw a donkey branded on its face and said: 'may Allah condemn the one who branded it'." (Muslim)

ANIMAL BAITING AND BLOOD SPORTS

"The Holy Prophet (S) forbade the setting up of animals to fight against each other." (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi)

"The Holy Prophet (S) condemned those who pinion or restrain animals in any other way for the purpose of target shooting. (Al-Masburah and Al-Mujaththamah)." (Muslim)

CAGING

"The Holy Prophet (S) said: 'It is a great sin for man to imprison those animals which are in his power'." (Muslim)

VIVISECTION

According to tradition (Hadith Mishkat 3:1392), Mohammed taught that "all creatures are like a family of God; and He loves the most those who are the most beneficent to His family."

Compulsory to eat meat?

‘I find not in the Message received by me by inspiration any meat forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it…” Sura 6:145

"You are prohibited to eat flesh, blood & other things of a dead animal that is cut without reciting the names of Allah or is killed after severe beating or it is brutally slaughtered  or somebody else has executed it , or it is dead due to a fall ,or some wild beast has eaten some of its chunk , or it is cut on a rock , or it is given as a sacrifice , or is killed by a sharp arrow. The Koran declares meat of such animal to be prohibited.(5.3)

As far as sacrificing the animal is concerned, the process of sacrifice should be complete within three strokes of a knife. It is mandatory to recite the kalma once while striking every time. It is essential to move the knife around its neck three times without hitting any bones. The food the animal had before the sacrifice should not come out & there shouldn't be any noise before cutting the animal. If any of the above isn’t followed, the meat and the sacrifice becomes unlawful (haram).

 

Why hasn’t ISKCON presented Prabhupada as a national spiritual hero?
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From Ravikant Jagtap P

Ramkrishna Mission prapogated Vivekananda as national spiritual hero. Isn’t it a failure of iskcon to do so for Prabhupada when he has transformed many lives? What can be done on personal level and widespread organizational level so that every Indian feels proud of Prabhupada? Now also many people don’t know about Prabhupada.

Answer Podcast

Was Vedic education responsible for social evils like caste system that Indian reformers tried to remove by adopting Western education?
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From Ravikant Jagtap P

Related to your answer on Macaulay as it is represented in history before britishers came to India many Indian were not allowed for taking education and many evils like untouchablity, sati, cast discrimination, child marriages, polygamy in their perverted form were existing and this was all because of vedic culture. Leaders like Mahatma Phule started women’s education and many other leaders supported British education system even today many Indians feel that they have Britishers gift that they are taking education today otherwise they would have been supressed by vedic culture. Is there any better alternative education system than education system influenced by Britishers?

Answer Podcast

Vyasa Puja Celebrations – August 29, 2013
→ The Toronto Hare Krishna Blog!

In the wake of having celebrated on of our biggest festivals of the year last night, Krsna Janmastami, we will be celebrating one of the most important festivals for us as Hare Krishnas - Vyasa Puja starting at 11am on Thursday, August 29, 2013.  The Vyasa Puja festival is always held the day after Janmastami and the festival honours the appearance of our spiritual master His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

The program will begin at 11:00am with an abhisheka of Srila Prabhupada (bathing ceremony of a small Deity of Srila Prabhupada) and will continue with the arati, flower offerings (pushpanjali) and the reading of pre-written offerings from devotees in our community.  We hope to see everyone at this very important and sweet festival today!

Due to its emphasis on class preaching, is ISKCON not losing the opportunity for mass preaching?
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From Ravikant Jagtap P

Spiritual knowledge is meant for Rajrishis who have intelligence to understand it and who have influence to make it understandable to others as number of devotees and resources are few we want to help people in most effective way. We are preaching to educated and wealthy people that is out of our desire to reach every one in long run. in war less wounded people are treated first so that they can assist in treating others  but don't you feel aspect of reaching to large number of people is neglected and discriminately preaching is done? When we have spiritual ideals like Bhakti Tirtha Swami who preach in slums and also to influencing leaders without discrimination why we discriminate so much that people feel neglected when they come to us and don't take process seriously. As Lord Jagganath mercifully comes to give his darshan to everybody without discrimination, cant we reach more people so that they will feel loved and cared and misconception of iskcon is ment  for rich and foreigners can be broken? As we reach to every person during book marathon without discrimination can’t this mood be followed throughout year so that we can spread Prabhupada’s glory more effectively? Sorry for long question and if any devotee feel offended by this question.

Answer Podcast

Why does Prabhupada say that God has no names?
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From Ravikant Jagtap

Krishna no name, but by His qualities we give Him names. If a man is very beautiful, we call him "beautiful." If a man is very intelligent, we call him "wise.' So the name is given according to the quality. Because God is all-attractive, the name Krishna can be applied only to Him. Krishna means "all-attractive." It includes everything

And in lectures he says gods original name is Krishna how to understand this contradiction? What do we actually mean when we say lords name is eternal?

Answer Podcast

The bare facts of existence
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Under the spell of illusion, living entities are trying to be lords of all they survey, but actually they are dominated by the material energy of the Lord. The Lord is the master of material nature, and the conditioned souls are under the stringent rules of material nature. Unless one understands these bare facts, it is not possible to achieve peace in the world either individually or collectively.

Bhagavad Gita As It Is 5.29 purport

Direct service
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(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 30 June 2013, Vrindavan, India, Srimad Bhagavatam 6.16.34)

Aindra2011July7-36To really serve in a mood of trying to please Krsna is not so easy. Obviously, a lot of people get restless and may want to leave so it does require special determination, I think. In the light of that I can say, “Give them enough rope so they can hang themselves.”

It means that in this regard, some people are not meant for this program. It does not mean there is no program. There is somewhere else but not this one. This program requires commitment. It requires that at least one understands that we are greatly blessed, that we can chant here in Vrindavan and that our whole existence in the material world has become so simple.

Can you imagine the complexities that everybody has? Look around, people have to make so many arrangements just for their mind. Just because their mind is driving them, whipping them and somehow or other (as a devotee), you do not have to. We came to Vrindavan; it is a rare opportunity that life can be so simple and that we can do such direct activities.

02.40 – Things may belong, but for how long?
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We treasure our belongings, especially those belongings that are worth a lot financially or mean a lot emotionally. Many people go even further, making their belongings the primary purpose of their life and making their belongings their defining identity.

Yet no matter how much we treasure our belongings, how long can they belong to us? At best for a lifetime. Frequently, not even for that long. They become devalued, even decimated, by the passage of time. Or they are dragged away by the vicissitudes of the world. Natural calamities like earthquakes can in one dreadful moment dispossess thousands of people collectively. Or smaller earthquakes within our bodies – heart attacks, for example – can in one heartbreaking instant dispossess us individually.

Though we know at the back of our mind that nothing will belong to us for long, still we feel driven to possess.

Why? Because it is our nature to possess. We just need to find out the belonging that will not let us down, that will belong to us forever.

Is there such a belonging? Yes, there is answers Gita wisdom. The Bhagavad-gita (02.40) points to this everlasting asset – the progress we make on the path to transcendence; the attraction we cultivate towards spiritual reality, ultimately towards Krishna. Time can’t even deplete, leave alone decimate, our spiritual credits; they will stay with us life after life, increasing whenever we perform further spiritual activities. Eventually, their cumulative balance energizes us with an irresistible attraction towards Krishna. This attraction transforms our life-journey, from a doomed chase after non-retainable belongings to a purposeful pilgrimage towards eternal love for Krishna.

And pursuing this spiritual possession doesn’t require us to renounce our material belongings. If we use them in Krishna’s service without becoming infatuated by them, they can become aids, not obstacles, in our spiritual advancement.

**

02.40 - In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.

appreciation circle
→ everyday gita

Today is a very special day for all the aspiring bhakti yogis out there. That's why instead of continuing with Chapter 4 today, we would like to take the time to celebrate the appearance day of the speaker of the Bhagavad Gita - Krsna!

Some may be wondering why we are using the word appearance day as opposed to "birthday". To clear up any confusion, we'll go straight to the Gita to hear from the Krsna Himself. Skipping ahead to Chapter 10 Verse 3, Krsna states "He who knows Me as the unborn..."

So what does that mean? It means that Krsna is not born, nor does He die (it's a perk of being THE Divine!). He is eternal, just like our souls are.

But I digress...today is not so much about discussing the fascinating aspects of Krsna (which we'll definitely delve into another time) but more about appreciating Him.

In my circle of friends, we have a very beautiful tradition. On someone's birthday (or appearance day!) we normally have an appreciation circle. It's an opportunity for those of us who have gathered together to express to our gratitude and appreciation to the special person/s we are celebrating that day and let them know of the impact they have in our lives.

So here goes! One of the things I love most about Krsna is the fact that I never feel judged by Him. I may make all kinds of mistakes and do silly things, but I always feel like I'll never run out of chances. I always know that I can redeem myself and that's such a comforting feeling. It's truly a symptom of unconditional love. I also know that when I truly and genuinely turn to Him and ask for help, He has never failed me. Sure...it can take some time until I feel that reciprocation (and I'm definitely not a patient person!), but it always comes.

Finally, the quality I appreciate most about Krsna is the fact that He appreciates intention and devotion over expertise and results. It levels out the playing field so to speak. It breaks down the barriers as to who can and cannot approach Him. It doesn't matter what religion, culture, gender or -ism you associate yourself with - He's there for all of us if we simply want to connect.

So on this day celebrating his appearance, I request all of you, my dear readers, to also offer a few words of appreciation and gratitude to Krsna or even the practice of yoga which originates from Him. Please feel free to leave those appreciations in the comments, but most of all please do take the time to express them in your heart. Wishing everyone a wonderful and blessed day!

The Real “Brijbasi Spirit” – a class in New Vrindaban
→ New Vrindaban Brijabasi Spirit

by Lilasuka dasi

His Holiness Varsana Maharaj gave the early morning Srimad Bhagavatam class today, Janmastami, the Appearance Day of Lord Krsna.

Varsana Swami

Varsana Swami

Someone asked him, “Maharaj, what is the true meaning of “brijbasi spirit?”  His reply was, “the essence of the brijbasi spirit is loving relationships. Brijbasis live in the land of Braja, of course, thus the name “Brijbasi”.  However, it is not that we revere a specific tract of land as the “dhama” or holy place of pilgrimage. Rather, the dhama is more accurately a container, just like a vase, which holds “rasa”. “Rasa” is the synergy of all past, present and even future sweet relationships between the devotees and the Lord. The bottom line is that the spiritual master can make any place a holy dhama. It is, in fact, not the land itself, but the presence of the holy person that makes a place a dhama.”

29-8-13—Appearance day of HDG Srila Prabhupada
→ Dandavats.com

Srila Prabhupada: I was very naughty when I was a boy. I would break anything. When I was angry, I would break the glass hookah pipes, which my father kept to offer to guests. Once my mother was trying to bathe me, and I refused and knocked my head on the ground, and blood came out. They came running and said, “What are you doing? You shall kill the child.” Read more ›

Turn Up The Volume!
→ Seed of Devotion

One of my 2013 New Year's Resolution: Write a minimum of 40 blog posts this year.

Guess what?

It's almost September and this is my 13th post. This has got to be my lowest publishing rate ever in the history of this blog. I feel sad and yet also indignant. Like, come on, you can do better than 13 posts. 

So, being a woman of my word, it's time to turn up the volume. 

On this stereo of Bhakti lata's life, we'll be playing 27 posts - life stories, photography, poetry, fiction, reflections, art, or just checking in. 

And who knows? My vow was a "minimum" of 40 posts. 

Stay tuned to this station. 

(photo by allvoices.com)

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A Lament
→ travelingmonk.com

“The fortunate town of Navadwipa remains on the earth. The seashore remains. The city of Jagannatha Puri remains. The holy names of Lord Krsna remain. Alas! Alas! I do not see anywhere the same kind of festival of pure love for Lord Hari as before. O Lord Caitanya, O ocean of mercy, will I ever [...]