Suppose you want to help someone. Very noble! First do no harm. How can you tell if you are helping or hurting? Suppose we want to act with compassion… should we not understand what compassion is first? Here is a discussion about hte complexity of compassion and how well-intentioned actions in passion and ignorance cause harm. Effective compassion must be in the mode of goodness. But charity begins at home. If we are not compassionate with ourselves, we cannot be compassionate towards others. And how to be compassionate with ourselves?
This is part Two of a Series of Articles on Compassion. Part 1 is here. Part 3 is here
Let’s say we do somehow get past the most obvious schadenfreude for others. How to act with compassion?
How do we know if something is helping or hurting?
It is said, first, do no harm.
Take these situations… how would you “help” in these situations?
A crying, tantrum-throwing child is being firmly dealt with by a parent
A patient is on a very strict diet to allow their quick recovery
A homeless substance abuser is begging for money on the street
Would it be “compassion” to intervene in the first example of the child above? Should we stop the parent from being firm? No! The parent knows what the child needs. Maybe the child is hungry, maybe the child is tired and sleepy. The parent is being compassionate with that child, even if it’s not all kisses and hugs!
There is a second example of a sick friend on a strict diet. The patient asks you to sneak in a rich meal, they want to escape their bland, boring diet. You are his buddy. You really want your friend to have some great food! Would you be acting with compassion? No, you end up killing your friend with your “act of compassion”!
In the third example, the drug addict is on the street begging you for money. If you gave it to them, would that be compassionate? No, the person doesn’t know what is good for them! They will use your charity to hurt themselves, dig deeper into addiction! Maybe even die of an overdose!
Everything we experience in this world is composed of what is known as the modes of material nature. This includes substances, personalities, habits, and activities. It also encompasses the time of day or night, music, writing, and entertainment. Indeed, we can understand that these are the fundamental ingredients of material nature.
We can consider that trying to help someone is an intentional action. Being compassionate towards someone means acting to help that person. Being compassionate takes the form of charity.
Actions in the mode of passion give results that are sweet to start, but have a bitter end. Actions in the mode of ignorance bring results that are bitter in the beginning and bitter in the end.
The modes of material nature are three in number:
Goodness
Passion
Ignorance
Only actions in the mode of goodness produce a desirable result. They may taste bitter to start. This bitterness nevertheless, is only if someone is not situated in the mode of goodness.
The result of charity is highly misunderstood in our world. Not everything we consider charitable is actually beneficial! There are three kinds of charity defined by Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita.
Charity in the Mode of Goodness
Charity in the Mode of Passion
Charity in the Mode of Ignorance
Charity given out of duty, without expectation of return, at the proper time and place, and to a worthy person is considered to be in the mode of goodness.
But charity performed with the expectation of some return, or with a desire for fruitive results, or in a grudging mood is said to be charity in the mode of passion.
And charity performed at an impure place, at an improper time, to unworthy persons, or without proper attention and respect is said to be in the mode of ignorance.
The mode of goodness way to deal with an upset child is to let a parent handle the situation. This parent knows what the child actually needs. Others should not interfere.
The mode of goodness way to deal with a patient is to follow the physician’s prescription with food and medicine. This is true no matter how dissatisfied the patient is with a bland diet.
The mode of goodness way to deal with a drug addict on the street is to get them professional help. Seek assistance from those who are trained and qualified to help them.
How to “help” someone and not push them deeper into a hole?
Charity begins at home! To be compassionate with anyone else, I need to be compassionate with myself first!
What is that compassion? First, I must know the difference between what is compassion and what is not!
In a desert, say there is a mirage. If someone races towards that mirage, should I let them just run? Or should I stop them?
“trushna” is a Sanskrit word that indicates extreme thirst. This is a thirst that can never be quenched. An animal in the desert, running towards a mirage can never quench it’s thirst. In fact it will run to its death.
Similarly, conditioned souls in the material world are running, running running… Running with their tongues out, trying to get some taste, to quench their thirst. This they’re trying to do by pursuing sense gratification.
The conditioned living entities try to satisfy themselves by trying to satisfy the senses. At the extreme, this is hedonism. Everyone is on that trip, more or less.
Compassion is definitely not about gratifying the senses of a suffering soul.
The senses are like a fire! They can never be satisfied by giving them more gratification!
Think of it this way. If there’s a blazing fire, can it be put out by adding more fuel to it? No! A fire can be put out by cutting the supply of fuel and oxygen. But only an expert firefighter knows how to put out a really bad fire.
The senses are like fire, and sense gratification is like fuel. The senses can’t be satisfied, no matter how much we try to gratify them. They must be controlled for the soul to be satisfied.
Just like the expert firefighter, there are great souls who manifest compassion. They know actually what it means to “help” someone. We can learn from them and follow the process they have given us.
क उत्तमश्लोकगुणानुवादात्पुमान् विरज्येत विना पशुघ्नात् ॥ ४ ॥
nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād bhavauṣadhāc chrotra-mano-’bhirāmāt ka uttamaśloka-guṇānuvādāt pumān virajyeta vinā paśughnāt
Glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is performed in the paramparā system, that is, it is conveyed from the spiritual master to disciple. Such glorification is relished by those no longer interested in the false, temporary glorification of this cosmic manifestation. Descriptions of the Lord are the right medicine for the conditioned soul undergoing repeated birth and death. Therefore, who will cease hearing such glorification of the Lord except a butcher or one who is killing his own self?
tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.
If vegetables have life and vegetarians eat them, then what’s the harm in eating flesh of birds and animals?
Rathin, 28/04/2015
Hare Krishna,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Gurudeva and Srimati Gurumataji,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I will humbly request all of you to enlighten me on this subject.
When I talk to my friends about non-veg. The very common excuse is that vegetables also have life.
Telling them about the consciousness of the body and offering food to Sri Krishna, is something beyond their comprehension.
I will like to ask you all, what else can be said in layman terms to help them understand their ignorance.
your servant
Rathin
Delicious Meal of Krishna Prasad – Pure Vegetarian Food Cooked With Love and Offered to Krishna
Sridhar Das, 28/04/2015
Hare Krishna!
Please accept my humble obeisances!
All Glories to Srila Gurudeva and Srimati Gurumataji!
All Glories to His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada!
If we read Srila Prabhupada books, especially The Hare Krishna challenge book, it clearly explains there. Jivo jivasya jivananam. In other words, the material nature is so designed that one living entity is food for the other. So therefore kill we have to. Howsoever, an intelligent human will prefer to commit necessary violence or take whatever is necessary from nature as goes the saying – one must consume as per one’s need rather than one’s greed.
The Hare Krishna Challenge
In fact animals are already doing that. So human has to commit violence. But if one can, more than maintain one’s life from such a variety of vegetarianism then why kill animals? We agree violence has to be done, but why commit unnecessary violence?
I find it important to make them realize through an example. Everyone can use their own and I generally say – if a thief hijacks your family one night and points the gun on your head and demands – your phone, money, jewellery, all valuables now or I shoot one or more of your family members, choose one!
There can be many versions. Some friend preached a family of 5 with a dog, the option being, one has to be shot down, choose one.
Now of course an intelligent person won’t let his/her parents off. He/She will prefer that which is less violent and more tolerable to the mind relatively.
Similarly, one should intelligently choose to kill plants (still unintelligent because this is also sinful and thievery, if consumed without thanking Krishna through the offering process).
Actually, if one performs proper farming then there is no killing incurred. The grains, fruits, etc. if pluck on the right time after a specific time period, there is no killing incurred and the quality is best too! Besides that, you take one and very easily we get another fruits from same tree. But if they take an animal, where do they get another so easily? Can they grow animals so easily like fruits? Why do they want to deprive animals of life? Why do they consider them devoid of emotions? A cow or any other bird feels same anxiety as a human does when their children are lost. If it’s all the same then why don’t they offer their own children for slaughter?
Sometimes they will say – we eat meat to become like a strong bull. But then where did the bull get all its nutrients from? Grass!!
Another point, if we study the nature and body of herbivores and carnivores ( intestine length, acid strength, teeth architecture, claws/nails, etc as given in Hare Krishna cookbook) it’s evident what we are meant to consume.
Moreover I was reading Back to Godhead magazine’s Jan/Feb issue where an aspiring devotee said that his wife forced their child to take meat for proper protein value, is that true? The answer was such people neglect the fact that along with protein, excess cholesterol and animal fat are also ingested into the human system resulting in fatal diseases as per many doctors. Also, to keep up the meat business, many industries drug the poor animals for better meat quality (I have watched many documentaries like “From farm to fridge”. Just imagine what effect this will have on consumers? Greenhouse is another result. Point is that nature provides sufficient milk, lentils, grains, nuts, fruits, vegetables and what not for a healthy human diet (includes proteins). Excess protein rather leads to severe body damage and damage to it’s immunity system.
Back to Godhead Magazine. Do you have a subscription?
If they love God or nature, if they respect all, they will respect God’s other equal children too than depriving them of rights to live on the same land just because they can’t speak human language or just because they can manage their living without working hard in coats and suits.
If they continue to keep slaughtering like this sinfully then as per nature’s law nature will also continue to slaughter them as Srila Prabhupada concludes through world wars/crimes going on day after day.
Slaughtered Slaughterer, or karmic reactions from killing
So, there are many such points that can be spoken strongly with faith and confidence, to the extent we are convinced about the disgusting nature of animal slaughtering and also to the extent we take shelter of Prabhupada’s teachings faithfully.
But if they can often be fed with sumptuous Krishna Prasadam, then that alone will act as the best counter, trust me!
your servant
Sridhar Das
Nashvin, 28/04/2015
Hare Krsna Rathin Prabhu!
If they do not see the spiritual perspective of offering food etc, you can propose something to them:
Living entities all survive by consuming the bodies of other living entities (either animals or plants). So, would they like to kill other animals themselves and eat them, or harvest some crops instead? There is a reason that families go pick strawberries together, but do not have excursions to the slaughterhouse…
your servant,
Nashvin
Premananda Das, 28/04/2015
Hare Krishna
In layman terms it is fact that “One man’s meat is another man’s poison.”When it rains the umbrella shopkeeper is happy that it keeps raining as more more umbrellas sells and he makes profit but the people who buy wish it does not rain.This is law of nature each person is dependent on someone one whether he likes it or not.
If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf,a flower,fruit or water,I will accept it.
It is clearly mentioned in this verse that without offering to Him every mouthful of food will keep the person entangled in birth and death. Krishna mentions leaf,fruit,flowers and water this He will accept.He does not mention meat ,fish and eggs.
Another point is when you have not created anything that means you are not the Supreme controller or owner.As Krishna is the Supreme proprietor we must agree to what He says in Bhagavad Gita as it is without interpretations.
The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice,others who prepare food for sense enjoyment verily eat sin.
The most important point in this verse is that these performances keep them aloof from all kinds of contamination of sinful association in material world.
Therefore in order for people to be happy they must be taught to perform the easy process of sankirtana-yajna,in full Krishna consciousness.Otherwise there can be no peace and happiness in the world.
You try your best to explain to him the method of real happiness and if he accepts it is the best welfare activity.
your servant,
Premananda Das
Manian VB, 28/04/2015
Hare Krishna prabhu:
Vegetable food also is a living being, but when offered to Krishna, the sin of eating it is removed and it gets purified. This is what our Guruji has said. Chant Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Manian VB
Nishima, 28/04/2015
Hare Krishna
Sripad Sankarshan Das Adhikari
The same question was being asked by me to HH Sankarshan Maharaj ji and He gave me the following answer:
My Dear Nishima,
Please accept my blessings.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I am absolutely delighted to learn that our daily Krishna conscious broadcast, “Thought for the Day”, is enabling you to have Krishna conscious day every day. This is dream come true for me that I can be helping others in this way. It is surely the mercy of Lord Sri Krishna.
Regarding your question, Krishna orders us in the Bhagavad-gita that we can only take foods which have been first offered to Him. Since Krishna is a vegetarian, He will not accept any offering of meat. Therefore as the eaters of only Krishna prasadam we have no choice but to be vegetarians also. So actually we are not vegetarians; we are Krishnatarians, those who eat only the remnants of what has been offered first to Krishna.
I hope this meets you in the best of health
and in an ecstatic mood.
Your ever well-wisher,
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
—
Nishima
Mahabhagavat Das, 28/04/2015
Dear Sriman Rathin Mandal,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Gurudeva.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Your question is nice because I know that you are not unaware of the various reasons why meat is not recommended food. I also read with interest all the answers and was happy to read them, thank you to all who responded to Rathin’s request.
I was thinking you were asking “what might appeal to a person who is arguing only for the sake of arguing” or “what might convince a person who does not care about another living entity’s suffering”.
What’s in it For Me? This is what materialists care about.
My personal experience is that speaking to a materialist, pointing out what is in it for them has the greatest effect. Everyone is interested in “What’s in it for me” – “WIIFM”. So you can focus on health, how the educated and wealthy elite worldwide are switching to a vegetarian diet while the poor and uneducated are eating meat, how eating meat causes so many diseases like heart disease, hypertension, cancer etc., and so on, you can talk about the toxins released in the body as a response to fear of death, how those toxins cannot be removed from meat, etc.
All the arguments are there in the book “Higher Taste”, just familiarize yourself, and see which one works best with which person.
The Higher Taste. Get a Copy!
Above all the arguing etc. though, the best thing would be to give them the actual taste of Krishna Prasada, this works wonders, Srila Prabhupada starting the Hare Krishna movement by his Kirtan, classes, and his lovingly cooked Sunday feasts. The person who cooks your food influences your consciousness greatly, so why not take an indirect approach to increasing the spiritual intelligence of the poor meat eaters by giving them Krishna Prasada without necessarily telling them all about it?
Many advanced devotees have done this, and I was also a recipient of such mercy myself.
Sincerely,
Mahabhagavat Das
Bhakta Sunil, 28/04/2015
Hare Krishna
My respects to all readers
Regarding this topic , i had a debate with a social media contact and to convince him about importance of vegetarian food , i researched and gave him the following reply after which he did not debate further and was friendly too
——–
Dear , it is very nice that there is a tendency to not give pain to animals. But kindly note that denying the right to live defies mercy , irrespective of giving pain or not. For example , the punishment to a criminal for homicide is same irrespective of whether the homicide involves pain or not.
That one can eat plants does not imply that one can eat animals. Yes plants are also living entities.
Kindly note that meat is food in mode of ignorance.
Meat is also not easy on the GIT , as is known to medical science. Medical science provides documentation that Humans are biologically Herbivores. As pointed in the bottom line of the following article link by Physician (wonders never cease!) named Milton R. Mills : “Here’s another piece of information to digest: plant foods leave the body in 2 – 4 days; flesh foods leave the body in 5 – 7 days. If a clump of rotting flesh sits in your body for a minimum of 5 days, where do all the poisons, chemicals, and excessive hormones that flood the animal’s body at the time of death go? And we wonder why we suffer from degenerative diseases!”
“Clean India Campaign” can be linked linked to meat eating because cleanliness is not only physical but also internally of habits , of which meat eating habit is predominant
Meat eating in long run develops animalistic propensities of terrorism , violence , cruelty to fellow beings. No Meat= No killing = No mentality of violence = No terrorism/No violence
Vegetables , fruits , grains , milk are foods in mode of goodness and make one feel energetic and fresh
Yes eating vegetables is violence, and vegetarians are also committing violence against other living entities because vegetables also have life. But here, significantly, it is stated that every living entity has to live by killing another entity; that is the law of nature. One living entity is the life for another living entity. But for a human being, that violence should be committed only as much as necessary. Extra violence is against the law of nature.
If we will have mercy on the animals, mercy will be given to us. What goes around comes around. We should be merciful to the animals by not slaughtering them and giving them all protection. We should allow them to live peacefully and happily. The more we give mercy to others, the mercy will be given to us.
———
in a humble mood,
Bhakta Sunil
Sulakshana devi dasi, 28/04/2015
Hare Krishna,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Gurudeva and Srimati Gurumataji,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Yes, vegetables also have life. Therefore Vaishnavas offer their eatables to Krishna before they partake it. By offering the food to Krishna the food is sanctified and we are free from all the sin.
Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, lifts Govardhan Hill
The fruits and the grains when they are taken from the tree or a plant do not kill the tree. Typically when the grains are harvested the plant is usually dried up so in other words there is no killing of the plant or tree there. Of course every living entity subsists by killing another living entity. The consciousness in the plant life is very dormant compared to other higher moving living entities. Consuming animal flesh for one’s sustenance is much more sinful than consuming vegetarian meal. Also Lord Krishna says in BG that He will accept a flower or a leaf or fruit or water if one offers Him with love but He does not say that He will accept animal products.
your humble servant,
Sulakshana devi dasi
Nashvin, 30/04/2015
Hare Krsna!
Another thing you can query is:
If eating animals is equivalent to eating plants, why not eat humans as well then? 🙂
your servant,
Nashvin
Rathin Mandal, 03/05/2015
Hare Krishna,
Please accept my humble obeisances,
All glories to Srila Gurudeva and Srimati Gurumataji,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Thank you everybody for giving me so many wonderful answers.
This enlightened me to a great extent
your servant
Rathin
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Should spiritualists consume milk or should they be vegan? The Vedic texts enjoin us to develop solid intelligence through milk consumption, but yet modern milk production is fraught with violence. So what is the spiritualist to do?
Partha Das, 26 April 2020
Hare Krsna,
I was surprised to see many articles and interviews by modern day doctors saying milk is white poison.
As a Hare Krsna devotee, I have given up tea, coffee, alcohol smoking etc . My only source of pleasure is daily cups of hot milk . I also enjoy all the milk byproducts such as yogurt, paneer, cheese, milk, sweets etc.
I tried to be a vegan for 3 months , on advice of a doctor who is against milk. But the result was that my bones and tooth became weak and brittle. I was forced to restart milk immediately.
Could you enlighten me a little on this matter. It is not possible to get milk from an ISKCON farm , which doesn’t use injections on cows, or is not cruel to animals.
What is the ISKCON stand on this matter, as our source of milk is the Govt dairy farm and it’s not possible to keep a cow in a city.
Dandavats,
Partha Das
Paramahamsa Das, 28 April 2020
Hare Krishna,
Please accept my obeisances
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
All Glories to Srila Gurudev,
I would like to thank you for your wonderful question and also appreciate that you have worked your way to avoid Tea, coffee, and nasty habits like smoking. It indeed shows your dedication to imbibe a proper lifestyle that will bring you closer to Krishna by at least reaching to the mode of goodness.
As far as Milk and milk products are concerned or in that case, any foodstuff you enjoy if you do so without making an offering to Krishna then you are verily eating sin as mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita 3.13
yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo
mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ
bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā
ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt
And if you enjoy the foodstuff after they are offered to Krishna then you can rest assured that you are not eating white poison as you point out modern doctors referring to milk. Of course given the fact that your body is able to digest milk and you don’t have some intolerance which might be the case for some individuals and they need to be consulting proper medical care.
But, from the perspective of Sastra, Srila Prabhupada has very clearly mentioned in many different places that one can maintain ones’ body with any kind of foodstuffs but special emphasis is on Cow milk. It is very essential for the development of finer tissues of the human brain so that they can understand the intricacies of Transcendental knowledge.
Now as far as the milk you are referring to (from ISKCON Farm ) is called Ahimsa milk. This is very rare for people like us living in a city to get but in this matter, Srila Gurudev gives an analogy of a thorn to remove another thorn.
If you are not able to protect or participate in any way to directly protect Mother Cow then at least the milk you get from commercial dairy farms could be used to offer it to Krishna so that at least that particular Cow’s life is successful and you are getting the needed nourishment to developed your brain’s fine tissue to understand the Transcendental knowledge and who knows in the near future with that intelligence you might be able to come up with some scheme for Cow protection!
your servant,
Paramahamsa Das
Rahul Prasad, 28 April 2020
Hare Krishna …
Dandavat Pranam…
Please accept my obeisances
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
All Glories to Srila Gurudev,
How can milk (commercial) be considered in goodness? In the current scenario, cows have to suffer a lot to produce milk (commercial). For the production of commercial milk, the cow needs to undergo various known sufferings.
Then how can the milk produced commercially be considered in goodness?
I request you to please advise.
your servant
Rahul
Paramahamsa Das, 28 April 2020
Hare Krishna Rahul,
Please accept my humble obeisances
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
All Glories to Srila Gurudev
The milk that has been offered to Krishna and then accepted as prasadam is transcendental i.e above 3 modes of material nature.
The milk of the cow even though derived by commercial means when offered to Krishna could be seen as service rendered by the Go (cow/cows) to Govinda ( the Supreme Personality of Godhead) so it is similar to us working in the commercial world going under so much trouble and collecting little Laksmi and then we utilize it i in the service of Guru and Krishna( Narayan ).
Does this help?
your servant,
Paramahamsa das.
Partha Das, 28 April 2020
Hare Krsna Rahul Prabhu,
If we see the way plants are treated nowadays with pesticides, DDT, chemical fertilizers etc , I am sure such vegetables are not suitable for offering to Krsna. They will fall in the same category as milk produced in modern farms by torturing cows.
Hence I feel offering milk and vegetables to Krsna , before consumption is the only option left for us.
Nothing in this modern world is pure.
Dandavats,
Partha Das
Partha Das, 28 April 2020
Hare Krsna Paramhamsa Prabhu,
Thanks for your guidance. I am already offering the milk to Krsna before consumption.
Hope to be part of the Ahimsa farm community in the near future.
Dandavats,
Partha Das
Priya Sundari devi dasi, 28 April 2020
Hare Krishna Prabhus.
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
In my recent years of doing some research and talking to farm devotees as well as non-devotees, this is what I have concluded with the help of some senior Vaishnava inputs:
1. If you have access to ahimsa milk then that is best. Drinking even 1 cup of ahimsa milk is better than loads of non ahimsa milk. Some devotees get raw milk delivered in bulk and freeze this and use this as needed.
There are different degrees to the meaning of Ahimsa in this context.
a. Where a cow is left free to graze and the calf is allowed to freely feed and then what remains is consumed….to….
b. Where cows are tied in a farm and allowed to graze for a bit and calves are allowed to feed limited.
c. Of course the idea is that at the end of Mother Cow’s life, she is not slaughtered and the male calves are not sent away to be killed.
2. If you don’t have access to ahimsa milk, then the next best option is Raw + Organic whole Milk. You can check with your local farm suppliers.
a. This ensures that we are not ingested the various antibiotics and other medications that mother cow is subject to
b. Also organic milk = mother cow is fed a better diet
c. Raw because is it best to not have milk that has been treated (pasteurized and homogenized)
*** Please note raw milk will need to be gently boiled before consuming to ensure that any other harmful bacteria have been eliminated***
3. If you don’t have access to raw milk, then the next option is Pasteurized + Organic + Unhomogenized Whole Milk.
This can be bought locally in many supermarket chains.
This follows the order of best, better and good. If you are able to afford / have access to ahimsa milk then that’s best. If that’s not an option then the next so on and so forth.
In the least, the milk that we consume should be Organic and unhomogenized and always whole milk.
Dr. Marianne Teitlebaum who is a renowned Ayurvedic practitioner talks more about that in her book:
The demonization of milk
— Dr Marianne Teitelbaum
“Almost every blog or nutritional book I read calls milk a poison. Ayurveda considers milk a nectar and perhaps the most important food we can give to our body. Why the disconnect? There are several factors to consider here, all of which I discuss in my new book “Healing the Thyroid With Ayurveda.”
When you milk a cow and let the milk sit, the cream will rise to the top. This is called unhomogenized milk. Nowadays most of the milk is homogenized so you don’t see that layer of cream at the top anymore. But homogenized milk isn’t as nourishing and can contribute to heart disease and clogged arteries due to this processing of the fat molecules. So strive to get unhomogenized milk.
Get the full fat milk as it is the fat in the milk which delivers the calcium into your bones. If the milk is low-fat your bones will suffer as the calcium is now excreted out of your body contributing to the epidemic levels of osteoporosis we are currently experiencing.
Many people cannot digest milk due to faulty digestion so it is imperative that you fix your digestion in order to receive milk’s health benefits.
Some people cannot digest the protein in A1 milk, however numerous small dairies are springing up around the country which supply A2 milk which is lacking that hard to digest protein (see my book or previous posts about A2 milk).
You must boil the milk to melt down the fat globules for best absorption into your cells, otherwise it will clog your throat and sinuses.
If cow’s milk bothers you, try goat’s milk which is much lighter and easier to digest, and is similar to Mother’s milk. It is good for losing weight, congestion in the lungs and infections in the gut.
Simmering the milk for a few minutes with 2-3 cardamom pods helps you digest the protein in the milk. And add a cinnamon stick to help you digest the sugar in the milk. Always add a few pinches of turmeric when simmering milk as the fat will deliver the turmeric into your cells.
Milk is the only food that instantly absorbs into your cells to nourish all 7 tissues (blood plasma, blood, muscle, fat, bone, bone marrow and reproductive fluids). within one day of ingesting whereas any other food can take up to a month to assimilate into the body.
And boiling the milk forms tryptophan which helps you make more serotonin which makes you both happy and calm.
This is why drinking warm milk before bed can contribute to a deep restful sleep.
Many of our thousands of patients have reincorporated milk back into their diets and have experienced the strength, stamina and radiant health that warm whole milk can bring back to our depleted bodies.
Don’t buy into the argument that we should avoid milk. It’s one of THE most nourishing foods if taken in the correct way.”
follow Dr Teitelbaum’s posts on Facebook.
If there’s a large group of devotees in your area OR you have consumers who are favorable to not slaughtering cows / calves then you can talk to local farmers and request milk to be delivered for a higher price so that the cow is not harmed and to help the farmer not sell the cow at the end of her life to a slaughter house. This has worked in some communities in the past. This also means that if people are interested then there is scope for preaching.
I hope this has helped shed some light on the milk topic.
your servant
Priya Sundari devi dasi.
*Kṛṣṇe matir astu*
Partha Das, 29 April 2020
Hare Krsna Mataji,
Thanks for your elaborate explanation.
Partha Das
Rahul Prasad, 30 April 2020
Hare Krishna
Dandvat Pranam
Please accept my obeisances
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
All Glories to Srila Gurudev,
I do agree that if we offer the Milk (commercial or other type) it will be freed from all 3 modes.
But if we/vegetarian people will avoid consumption of Milk and Milk products then the demand of Milk will fall and the Milk industry will not (will reduce) production of new cows.
As most of the cows are first subjected to the Milk industry and later on moved to Meat industry.
So for the benefit of cows we can move to a (no milk product) vegetarian diet.
I request you to please advise me.
your servant
Rahul
Dr.Reena bhardwaj, 30 April 2020
Hare Krishna
Milk products like curd are good for health , increase immunity, and provide relief for gastrointestinal infections. So, milk in moderate amounts is good for health.
Dr.Reena Bhardwaj
Sailesh, 30 April 2020
Hare Krishna:
With my limited knowledge, I share the following facts that I am aware of:
Milk bearing cows are slaughtered once their calf bearing days and milk giving days are done. It is better in my humble opinion that we be intellectually honest with ourselves, that by supporting milk industry we support the beef industry as well. PETA has a campaign about it as well ( Are you drinking beef?)
Yes, we can say offer the milk to Krishna , by saying “Krishna Arpana” and then all consequences including the slaughter of the Cows go to Lords feet. But let us be very clear that there is a direct connect between us drinking milk and the end result of what happens to the Cow.
This happens in India as well. The moment a Cow stops giving milk and cannot produce calves, they are released on to the streets. The Cows eat from garbage bins for a while, eventually they are captured and slaughtered . No doubt many are taken to Gau Rakshak sheds, but that is not always the case.
If I have offended anyone, I beg forgiveness. If any feel these are not the facts, I would be grateful if I could be corrected.
Sincerely,
Sailesh
Kumar shivam, 30 April 2020
Hare Krishna Prabhujis and matajis.
Is there any evidence that if we stop consuming milk then that cow will not yet be slaughtered? Maybe,it might then be used solely for meat purposes and get cultivated as a meat machine as the economic value of milk will go down..
Can’t we promote cow dung for biogas plants, manure and it’s urine for medicinal purposes(as many brands are marketing now itself) so that slaughtering becomes a less viable option.
your servant,
Shivam
Harold Meier, 1 May 2020
Hare Krishna
The only real solution to this matter is to have your own farm and your own cow. Not very practical. However you decide to act, act for the sake of Krishna. If you decide to give up drinking milk, do that for Krishna. If you decide to continue drinking milk, do that for Krishna. Either way, don’t be attached to the result and be grateful for each step you take towards Him.
Hare Krishna
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I got following doubt while reading New Year greetings saying determination, resolution, vow etc.
What is the use and result of determination in the mode of goodness, passion and ignorance? Please share your thoughts.
Haribol!
your servant,
Rao
Sunil 06th January 2014
Hare Krishna everyone
Please accept my humble obeisances
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada
Rao Prabhuji determination is very essential for practising Krishna consciousness. Many impediments can come to one against chantingand practising devotional service. So determination plays an essential role in Krishna Consciousness
One must be determined to engage one’s mind in devotional activities like chanting , reading , listening. There can be so many distractions to completing 16 rounds of chanting. For eg., one may feel like switching on television or engaging mundane gossip on social media instead of doing japa. At such time one determinedly do the japa.
This determination helps one to transcend the mode of goodness , passion and ignorance
Determination to serve and please Lord Krishna can be practiced in mode of goodness , passion or ignorance ; Such determination gets enhanced and gives nice results especially when he or she gets association of a pure devotee and inquires from the devotee submissively
Regards,
Sunil
Mahabhagavat Das SDA, 16th January 2014
Dear Sriman Rao,
Hare Krishna!
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Determination in the modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance are described by Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita:
BG 18.33: O son of Pṛthā, that determination which is unbreakable, which is sustained with steadfastness by yoga practice, and which thus controls the activities of the mind, life and senses is determination in the mode of goodness.
BG 18.34: But that determination by which one holds fast to fruitive results in religion, economic development and sense gratification is of the nature of passion, O Arjuna.
BG 18.35: And that determination which cannot go beyond dreaming, fearfulness, lamentation, moroseness and illusion — such unintelligent determination, O son of Pṛthā, is in the mode of darkness.
You are much better at summarizing symptoms and characteristics of the various types of determination.
From this, we can understand that the use of the determination in the mode of ignorance is zero, the use of the determination in the mode of passion binds one to endless birth and death, and the use of the determination in the mode of goodness can lead to liberation from material bondage, unless one gets attached to the results.
The results of the determination in the mode of ignorance are always unpleasant, whether successful or not – take for example foolish but determined political and national leaders who took their country to such massive problems such as needless war-mongering. Even if someone remains on the level of dreaming, etc., such a person is always unsatisfied.
The results of the determination in the mode of passion (most new year resolutions by a majority of people fall into this category) are mixed, as in, they may be successful, but regardless of result, they don’t actually liberate one.
The results of determination in the mode of goodness are conducive to spiritual perfection, though not always.
There are also combinations of determination – someone might desire something in the mode of goodness but be determined to achieve it through actions in the mode of passion (someone wants good health, but goes about it by a very strenous physical exercise regime). Someone might want something that is in the mode of passion, but set about achieving it with actions in the mode of goodness (for example, a foolish militant who wants to destroy but diligently learns the art of explosive warfare).
Indeed, the endless combinations of the three modes make up all the varieties in the material world.
So may our determination and resolutions be conducive to always remaining conscious of Krishna in thought, word, and deed.
I hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Mahabhagavat Das
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