Veganism,

Vegetarianism &

Ahimsa Milk

Author : HH RP Bhakti Raghava Swami

E-Mail : Bhakti.Raghava.Swami@pamho.net

Date Produced : 2016

Serial No. : 10 of 54

W H E R E T H E V E G A N S A R E R I G H T A N D T H E K R I S H N A S A R E W R O N G …

W H E R E T H E V E G A N S A R E W R O N G A N D T H E K R I S H N A S A R E R I G H T !

VEGANISM, VEGETARIANISM& AHIMSA MILK

ISKCON GOLDEN JUBILEE * 1966 – 2016 *

CONTENT

Abstract Definitions: Veganism, Vegetarianism, Ahimsa Milk Animal Products in our Life Veganism

History Where the Vegans are right Where the Krishnas are wrong

Vegetarianism History Where the Vegans are wrong Where the Krishnas are right

Ahimsa Milk Observation/Challenges

ABSTRACT

Veganism is taking the world by storm according to somesources. Various animal rights movements such as PETAand others have stepped up their propaganda against thec r u e l t y a n d e x p l o i t a t i o n o f a l l f o r m s o f l i f e .

As devotees of Krishna we naturally welcome such anincreased awareness and stand against violence andexploitation of animals, especially Mother Cow.

While this more recent trend towards veganism is positive,it does raise challenging questions to devotees individuallyand to our ISKCON society in general. For vegans, theconsumption of milk, and any of its by-products, is taboo.

ABSTRACT

They regard commercial milk as “blood milk”, asvividly depicted in a recent propaganda video called“MILK”. The movie entitled “COWSPIRACY” alsohighlights the strong stance of Vegan advocates.Vegans, it seems, have become more compassionatethan Vaisnavas and there may well be some element oftruth in that!

ABSTRACT

An increasing number of devotees, many of them verysenior as well, refuse to honor such commercial milk andwill only consume “ahimsa milk”, milk from cows theyknow are protected in its true sense. Should not this sameunderstanding and stand resonate among all devotees?Within our ISKCON society, should we also refuse to offersuch commercial milk in our temples as the majority ofdevotees and temples continue to take such adulteratedmilk?

But Veganism is not only about milk. It goes to the heart ofmajor global issues that cannot be neglected by individualdevotees nor neglected by ISKCON where cows play acentral role.

VEGANISM

Based on the Oxford Dictionary

“A Vegan is a person who does not eat or use animal products.”

Veganism is a distinctive practice, a system and philosophy,typically an ideology developing as a cultural movement thatstrictly forbids its followers to consume or use anything that isproduced by or comes from animals.

Hence, Vegans don’t consume cow’s milk or honey, don’t wearattire made from silk, wool, leather or any other animal productproduced at the expense of hurting, killing or exploitinganimals. About 3% of the population is Vegan.

VEGETARIANISM

Base on the Oxford Dictionary

“A vegetarian is a person who does not eat meat, and sometimes other animal products.”

Lacto-vegetarian: no meat, eggs or seafood but takes milk and dairy products.

Ovo-vegetarian: no meat, seafood but takes eggs, but takes milk and dairy products.

Thus, Vegetarians can consume milk and dairy products, can wearsilk, wool and similar animal products obtained from animal thatgenerally die naturally. About 5% of the population isvegetarian.

AHIMSA MILK

“Ahimsa milk is milk taken from protected cows.”

* Commercial milk is milk from exploited cows.

* To boost milk production the dairy industry uses unnatural feed (including meat) and uses cruel means.

* The normal lifespan of a cow is 20 years but such dairy cows live only five due to being economically unprofitable.

* The male calves are separated from their mother soon after birth and sent to the slaughter house for veil meat.

Animal Products in our Life

Mridanga Yogurt Jacket Milk

Honey Sankha Silk Sari Panchagavya

So based on this fact, ISKCON devotees are Vegetarians, not Vegans

VEGANISM – History/Mandate

MODERN DAY VEGAN

From USA, in 1944, Donald Watson coined the word VEGAN, taking the first

three letters and last two letters from VEGETARIAN.

Registered in 1979 with up-dated mandate

[…] a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as ispossible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to,animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension,promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for thebenefit of humans, animals and the environment. In dietary terms itdenotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived whollyor partly from animals.

Where Vegans are Right

GLOBAL ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

A- CLIMATE CHANGE & GLOBAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

A 2,000 kcal high meat diet produces 2.5 times as many greenhouse gas emissionsas a vegan diet, and twice as many as a vegetarian diet.

Moving from a high meat diet to a vegetarian diet would save 1,230kg CO2e peryear.

The meat industry, cattle in particular, produces CO2 and Methane that is morepolluting than all the cars, airplanes, factories and other industry combined.

http://www.globalagriculture.org/report-topics/meat-and-animal-feed.html

THE DANGER OF ANIMAL EXPLOITATION (1)

ENERGY PERSPECTIVE

http://www.blog.researchonglobalmarkets.com/

• Commercial farms that produce milk and beef need 16 times more energy than that needed to produce vegetables.

• Because1. Much energy is needed

in every steps of production.

2. Low energy efficiency in every steps.

3. We can produce much more vegetable if the farm is used to produce vegetables.

THE DANGER OF ANIMAL EXPLOITATION (2)

Modern cow farms need so much water

THE DANGER OF ANIMAL EXPLOITATION (3)

Pollutants perspective:

https://grist.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/brochure6a.png

• Based on research, modern milk and beef production contribute the highest greenhouse gas emission.

• Cow farms also contribute Eutrophication (water problem) that is caused by:• Nitrates and phosphates from

dinginess• Chemical that is used in cow farms• Byproducts of the cow

Where Vegans are Right

B- DESERTIFICATION

GLOBAL WATER FOOTPRINT

chicken 4,325 liters beef 5,414 literspork 5,988 liters sheep and goat 8,763 liters vegetable 0,322 liters

• Manure and urine from animals contaminate ground water.

• Huge amounts of water is needed to produce meat.

• The use of machines such as tractors causes soil erosion.

http://www.globalagriculture.org/report-topics/meat-and-animal-feed.html

Where Vegans are Right

C- OVERPOPULATION AND FOOD SCARCITY

80% of the total agricultural land is used for the meat industry.

40% of the world cereal production is for animals.

D- HEALTH PROBLEMS WITH MILK

• Commercial milk is the cause of numerous diseases as confirmed by doctors.

E- COMPASSION TO ALL FORMS OF LIFE

• A “plant based diet” will avoid exploitation of and cruelty to animals.

http://www.globalagriculture.org/report-topics/meat-and-animal-feed.html

Where Krishnas are Wrong

• Most devotees consume commercial adulterated milk and dairy products thus directly supporting the ill practices of the dairy industry that cause diseases.

• Most devotees purchase commercial food that has been adulterated through the use of chemical fertilizers and chemical pesticides the source of many diseases.

• ISKCON has few model rural communities to demonstrate our philosophy and thus cannot understand some of the global concerns expressed by Vegans.

• Most devotees have no connection with the land and cows, too industrialized.

• Most leaders in ISKCON do not promote the true ethics of non-violence to Mother Surabhi nor do they promote agrarian lifestyle.

• Most leaders do not teach proper diet and allow the use of many harmful commercialized adulterated food especially milk, oil, white sugar, etc.

VEGETARIANISM – History/Mandate

Vegetarianism is part of “sanatana dharma”, an eternal culture based on theprinciple of “ahimsa” commonly translated as “non-violence”. However, theVaisnava philosophy teaches the higher principles of ordinary non-violence.

“Real ahimsa means not checking anyone's progressive life. The animals are alsomaking progress in their evolutionary life by transmigrating from one categoryof animal life to another. If a particular animal is killed, then his progress ischecked. If an animal is staying in a particular body for so many days or somany years and is untimely killed, then he has to come back again in that form oflife to complete the remaining days in order to be promoted to another species oflife. So their progress should not be checked simply to satisfy one's palate. This iscalled ahimsa.” [Bg 16.1-3]

Vegetarianism for Vaisnavas means food offered to Lord Krishna, known asKrishna Prasadam. Such food includes milk and other dairy products fromprotected cows. Vegetarianism and veganism also incur negative karmic reaction.

Where Vegans are Wrong

“Only grazing of cows can solve the problem of climate change and desertification.”

Alan Savory (Biologist)

• Vegans don’t realize that the global issues such as climate change,desertification, overpopulation, water shortage and diseases can besolved by a proper diet including milk, proper cow care of cows throughsystematic (mob) grazing, self-sufficient sustainable agrarianlifestyle as opposed to urbanization.

• Vegans are not aware of the highly medicinal values of cow dungand cow urine.

• Vegans don’t know that a “cow based culture” can bring individualsand society to the mode of goodness.

Where Vegans are Wrong

• Vegans don’t know that the most sustainable economy is based onland and cows, one of the pillars of varnasrama dharma.

• Vegans don’t understand that cows are meant to serve the Lordand humans through their milk and milk products.

• Vegans don’t know that milk is vital for producing good braintissues to advance in spirituality in addition to being highly nutritious.

• Vegans don’t have a clear philosophy of the higher purpose of life.

• Vegan food not offered to Krishna is not karma free.

• The Vegan philosophy is not based on sastra.

Where Krishnas are Right

“If we enter into controversial topics, we should do so with restraint,sincerely seeking the Vaisnava siddhanta according to guru, sastra,and sadhu.” Narada Bhakti Sutra 5, Attaining Perfection, 75

• Vaisnava culture is based on the most ancient & scientific knowledge.• The most sustainable economy is based on cows and land.• Grazing of cows can save our planet – Alan Savory.• The principles of permaculture are embedded within Vedic culture.• Climate change will be reversed when promoting agrarian lifestyle.

Taking vegetarian food eliminates factory farming and addresses theglobal concerns of Vegans. With soil fertility increased and land used forboth grazing and organic farming, there will not be any food shortage,rather the opposite, 10 times the population can be fed.

Where Krishnas are Right

“The killing of cows by human society is one of the grossest suicidal policies andthose who are anxious to cultivate the human spirit must turn their attention firsttoward the question of cow protection.” [Light of the Bhagavat, 27]

*************

tratavyah prathamam gavah/tratah trayanti ta dvijangobrahmana paritrane/paritratam jagat bhavet

“First of all cows should be protected. Cows thus protected, will in turn protect thebrahmanas.

Thus when protection of cows and brahmanas is achieved, then the whole world isprotected.”

Harivamsa Parva, 55.31

AHIMSA MILK

“The cow is meant to deliver milk, and the bull is meant toproduce grains.” [SB 1.17.1]

“For a Sanatanist (a follower of Vedic principles) it is the dutyof every householder to have cows and bulls as householdparaphernalia, not only for drinking milk, but also forderiving religious principles.” [SB 1.17.3]

With only these two things, cows and grain, humanity cansolve its eating problem. Human society needs only sufficientgrain and sufficient cows to solve its economic problems. Allother things but these two are artificial necessities. [SB3.2.29]

Observation/Challenges

1) Can Vegans become Vaisnavas, and vice-versa, canVaisnavas become Vegans?

2) Should Vaisnavas and ISKCON temples continue to takemilk from a dairy industry based on exploitation and crueltyto animals as well as causing many diseases?

3) Can young children grow without a daily intake ofwholesome milk?

4) What should be ISKCON’s official stand in regards toVeganism?

Observation/Challenges

5) Can ISKCON temples or Vaisnavas open Veganrestaurants?

6) How can we support the principles of compassiondisplayed by Vegans and yet not compromise our philosophythat milk can and should be offered to the Lord if taken fromtruly protected cows, such milk known as “ahimsa milk”?

7) Where the Vegan culture is sastric and where it is not.

Observation/Challenges

Yet on another level, are we to minimize or camouflage all thepastimes of Lord Krishna who is known as Govinda-Gopal,the caretaker of cows and makhan chora, the butter thief?

Were Vaisnavas to become strict Vegans, especially those whoare brahmanas, they could no longer use ghee that is soessential in our Vedic culture. Without ghee, no more yajnas,which means no installation of Deities, no oblations to theforefathers, no marriages, no initiations, no more samskaras.

AHIMSA MILK IS BEST CHOICE

• So….• Veganism should be seen as positive and as an opportunity to preach.• The Vegan Movement is helping people come to the mode of goodness.• Vegan prasadam can be served to make devotees.• An opportunity to understand the global issues.• Walking the talk should be our motto.• Vegan principles are integral to the Vedic culture.• Like people in the Yoga Movement, like people in the

Kirtan Movement, those is the Vegan Movementshould be seen as our allies.

Simple Living * High Thinking“Nobody is enjoying the result of civilization created by atheists likeRavana, Kansa, Aurangzeb, Napoleon or Hitler. Everything is in oblivionand this teaches us the lesson that the materialistic plans of the presentage will also meet with the same fate after a lapse of 50 years. Thereforeblind materialism does not bring in any permanent relief in the world”::Srila Prabhupada:: BTG-Volume 3, Part 4, April 20, 1956.

Bibliography

• Mukhtasor. (2014). Principe of Environmental Science: Energy and the Environmental. Jakarta: Indonesia Defense University.

• Prabhupada. (n.a). Veda Base. Bhaktivedanta Books trust. Accessed from www.vedabase.net

CONTRIBUTORS

Bala Krsna das Saranagati Village, Canada

Laskmi Narayana das Jakarta, Bali(Major in Energy Security & Resilience)

CONTACTS

www.srisurabhi.org

www.iskconvarnasrama.com

bhakti.raghava.swami@pamho.net

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Name HH RP Bhakti Raghava Swami

Age and Gender 70, Male

Country/Province of Origin Canada, Ontario

Educational Degree and Year B.A, 1968, M.Ed., 2004

Educational Institution State University of Yogyakarta

Professional Work/Experience Social Worker/Counselor

Affiliation with ISKCON Since 1974

Present Service in ISKCON Minister, IDVM-India