Self-Realization is Practical

Here in Burnaby, British Columbia, a suburb of Vancouver, is a most sublime community of highly advanced transcendentalists, devotees of Lord Krishna. To be here living in their association for several days is a most enlivening experience. At 4:30am we all gather in the temple (pictured above) to celebrate the most auspicious mangal arati ceremony, worship Tulasi devi, chant our daily quota of 16 rounds on japa beads, offer guru puja, and study the Srimad Bhagavatam. Then everyone takes breakfast together and proceeds on to their daily duties either doing service at the temple or working at outside jobs to cover their maintenance and give financial support to the temple. This is self-realization in practice by an entire spiritual family of devotees. Self-realization is not mere theorizing. It is practical, just like these devotees here are doing.

ISKCON Vancouver

Answers According to the Vedic Version

Question: Vegetarian Diet Clarification...

First let me introduce my self I am a Muslim, resident of India and working for a software company. I have been regularly getting your Q & A mails from my colleague and I have really developed keen interest towards teachings and concepts about consciousness. The most interesting thing about your messages are that is very universal in appeal and scientific and this got me hooked on to it.

I request you to clarify and enlighten further on your answer on the topic of "Why should an individual should consume vegetarian food" ( Q&A mentioned below for reference.) And i quote your specific sentence which i feel is specific to a sect or religion and thus does not apply to everyone "So if we want to be pure in our eating, we must first offer our food to the Lord before we consume it".

I am not convinced by the answer you provided here as i feel it is specific for the people who are members or followers of ISKCON. And according to me this is not a non sectarian and scientific explanation to convenience a person who is not associated to ISKCON.

My colleague could not give me an convincing reply which he usually gives and has thus asked me to contact you.

I find all your other explanations and examples very scientific and universal except the one mentioned above. I am sure you will help me to understand your explanation.

Thanking you in anticipation.
Best Regards,

Tanveer

Answer: Compassion is Non-Sectarian...

I am very happy to hear that you are appreciating our presentation of the science of God. One of our leading saints is Namacharya Srila Haridas Thakur, who comes from your Muslim community.

Compassion is a universal non-sectarian principle. If you think eating an animal is an of compassion just imagine if you were the animal and someone came to kill you and eat you.

Meat eating is allowed in the Bible, the Koran, and in the Vedas but under restriction. This is for those low class persons who lack compassion so that they can gradually make some spiritual advancement. But the saintly class of men always show compassion to all living beings and give up the consumption of flesh and blood.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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