In nature, there are many food chains and a food web.
There are predators and prey. One can be predator at some point and prey at another. There are apex predators also and some are only prey.
Members of the food cycle are classified as producers, consumers, and decomposers. For example, vegetarians are consumers, and plants are producers. Producers use either photosynthesis or chemosynthesis to produce food. Consumers are at many levels e.g. primary, secondary, tertiary, etc. Consumers can be herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores. Detrivores or decomposers complete the cycle by returning nutrients to soil or water.
There are many nutrient sources in the food chain.
Xylophages e.g. termites eat wood, Coprophages e.g. dung beetles eat animal feces, Geophages eat clay or soil, Palynivores eat pollen, Lepidophages are fish that eat the scales (but not the body) of other fish, Mucophages eat mucus.
Some terms
Vegetarian—a person who eats vegetables and fruits, no meat
Non-vegetarian—a person who eats meat
Lacto vegetarian-Eat dairy, vegetable, fruits
Ovo vegetarian—Eats eggs, vegetables, fruits
Ovo Lacto vegetarian—Eats eggs, dairy, vegetables, fruits
Fruitarian—Eats only fruits
Pescetarian—Vegetarian plus fish eater
Pollotarian- Eats poultry e.g. chicken, duck, turkey
Pesco Pollo vegetarian—Eats vegetables, fish, and poultry
Mafism—Eats meat but do not eat mammals e.g. dogs, cats.
Flexitarian or semi-vegetarian—mainly vegetarian but occasionally eats meat
Vegetarian vs non-vegetarian Debate
Pro Vegetarians points:
Fruits and vegetables anyway separate from plants and get dried up. Therefore, if we are eating fallen fruits or plants then we are not killing the plant.
Also, we usually do not eat seeds, so they can still grow into a new plant. By killing animals, we are taking away all chances from that animal to continue its lineage.
Is it more likely to get diseases from animals? Eating uncooked or improperly cooked animals can lead to diseases. Fruits and vegetables can be eaten raw. It just needs a good washing.
Some say that by eating non-vegetarian food anger and aggression increase. When animals are slaughtered, their last emotions are anger, hatred, resentment, helplessness, fear etc.. These emotions are in every part of the animal body and when you eat it, it becomes a part of your personality.
Non vegetarianism is not sustainable as the demand for food is increasing, human population is increasing, grazing areas are decreasing because of deforestation and urban encroachment, supply of grains and water needed by animals is decreasing, fishes are getting extinct due to over fishing and bycatching.
The amont of food needed to feed animals is much much more than needed to feed the hungry humans.
Raising the animals and then killing them raises moral and ethical values. Where is compassion and kindness in this?
Reply to those who say plants are living too--- As per Sanatan dharm, whole universe is conscious, air is conscious, earth is conscious. Then why do you take air in or breath as it is conscious and living. Why do you walk on earth, it is living and conscious.
Milk is for animal babies. It is for the growth of animal babies. Please do not take it away from them.
Natural agriculture ( without pesticides, insecticides, tilling) is the most important way to decrease carbon in atmosphere. Plants take carbon dioxide and give us oxygen. Carbon taken by plants goes to soil and then taken by microbes. It leads to regeneration of climate and soil.
Rigved, Mandal 10, Sukta 86, Ritcha 16
Veds approve eating vegetarian food. Plants have consciousness, plants are chetan but we can still eat these.
Humans are chetan/conscious. However, we have bacterias in our gut, on skin, etc. They feed on us. We shed skin, hair, etc. Similarly plants give fruits and vegetables.
Non- vegetarians say that as plants are also living beings, vegetarianism is no different from non-vegetarianism.
More than 750 species of plants eat insects (carnivore or insectivore plants)—e.g. pitcher plant, Venus flytrap, bladderwort.
Some researchers have found that plants emit an ultrasonic scream when their branches are cut or they do not get enough water. They also emit a distress sound when there is environmental stress.
Plants do feel pain and new researches are showing that plants communicate with each other via an elaborate system of connected roots. When injured, plants can cry for help via a chemical call to the roots.
Trees share water and nutrients through the mycorrhizal networks and use them to communicate. They send distress signals about drought and disease or insect attacks, and other trees alter their behavior when they receive these messages
Research shows that if under attack by a pathogen, such as disease-causing bacteria, a plant's leaf can send out an S.O.S. to the roots for help, and the roots will then secrete an acid that brings beneficial bacteria to the rescue. Earlier research showed that parasitic plants can tap into a host plant's communication system.
Mimosa pudica, also known as sensitive or shame plants leaves fold inward when touched.
Scientists have found evidence of plants hearing the sound of passing bees and then they produce sweeter nectar to entice them.
Trees take rest at night and hibernate or become dormant during wintertime.
They die of diseases, environmental stress, cutting, or of old age.
My personal experience:
I grew some plants on my patio. One day a storm came and damaged the plants. One of my pepper plant stem almost broke. It was not able to stand up and kept falling down. There was a sharp bend in the stem. Over next few days it became complete brown and dry. Leaves fell off. We were thinking to throw away that plant and sow new seeds. Somehow I did not take out that plant but sow new seeds around it. New plants started coming and to my surprise that almost dead plant regained its strength, became all green, new leaves started coming on that stem and grew faster than the new growths surrounding it and a pepper appeared soon. Since than it is growing straight. Wondering if new plants gave nutrition to the old almost dead plant and took care of it?
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Reasons to switch to vegetarianism--
- Non availability or nin sustanibility of Non vegetarian options
- Physical/Health benefits
- Belief in non violence ( Jainism)
- Belief in spirituality
Myth or fact? There are walking palm trees. This tree can walk towards the sunlight by shedding old roots and developing new roots.
Some non-vegetarians state that the food chain/cycle is natural. No one invented it. So, why are we against something, which is a natural creation? It keeps checks and balances. We believe that the soul leaves the body at the time of death. Why are feelings still there in the dead body parts? Are feelings coded in the DNA of every cell? As per them, it's not true that human teeth and intestine are not made for non-vegetarian food. They site examples of non-vegetarian people who have lived a long life and had no intestinal diseases.
Is size, shape, and strength of tooth/teeth important? Think of the nature ( herbivore/ Carnivore/ Omnivore ) and teeth of different animals--elephant ( herbivore with tusks), snakes, ants, etc.
What about milk? Is milk use ethical or no? Do animals naturally produce more milk than they need for their babies or are they forced to produce more milk? Are we taking this milk away from their babies? They are kept away from their families for milk production. Once they stop giving milk, usually they are slaughtered for meat production. Is drinking milk the indirect abuse and killing of the animal?
In the process of farming, we usually kill many insects or animals or deprive them of eating plants. Is this indirect killing of other creatures and non-vegetarianism?
Fruits and leaves are still alive for sometime after plucking or separating them from parent plant. Cell processes still go on in plucked fruits and vegetables. They still take gases from environment, produce energy, and ripen. They change color after separation from parent plant.
Yogurt is full of live bacteria. Eating yogurt/Dahi literally means eating live bacteria.
Blue cheese has living penicillin fungi. Eating blue cheese means eating live fungii.
Food for thought--
- Is receiving blood transfusion a vegetarian or non vegetarian thing?
- What about taking medicines which have animal parts (animal proteins, etc.)?
- What about live vaccines? Are these vegetarian or non vegetarian consumption?
- What are your thoughts about alcoholic beverages? Are these vegetarian as these are made from plant sugars fermentation?
- Can vegetarians do animal dissections for science class or for research? Is procuring, breeding, and dissecting animals a non vegetarian thing? Are vegetarians okay with science experiments and drug trials on animals?
- Should vegetarian people visit zoo? Are they comfortable using animal fur or skin?
- Can vegetarians keep a pet animal?
Everything is made of panch tatva and everything will become those panch tatvas. Therefore, does it matter that someone is vegetarian or non-vegetarian?
Some say that food is for survival, whatever you get, eat that. Does it mean that in some circumstances when you have nothing to eat, consumption of other humans is justified?
People say that initially, humans used to hunt. Agriculture came later on. Therefore, humans were non-vegetarian in the beginning, and vegetarianism is a late occurrence and is a choice. Non-vegetarianism was survival but vegetarianism is a choice.
Others say that plants evolved before humans and humans were vegetarian in the beginning. Slowly, some humans incorporated insects and then animals in their diet. They put forward the point that there were no tools to hunt in the beginning so vegetarianism was the only option. Tools came later on and then animal hunting.
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17453-timeline-the-evolution-of-life/
Some researchers propose that humans may have evolved with genes acquired from plants, microorganisms, and fungi.
Vegetarianism vs non-vegetarianism is everyone's own choice and should be respected. Peoples food choices should not be a reason to hate them.
Veds are not laws, these are guiding principles. These do not enforce a particular diet on humans. These scriptures explain the consequences of eating different types of food. Everyone is free to choose what is right for him or her. Vedic principles are to be applied in the right context, place, and time.
GK
- Horses are omnivores. They are mainly herbivores but can eat eggs, small birds, and animals occassionally or if needed.
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Ants eat anything available. They usually prefer sweet food but will eat any food, insect etc.
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Honey bees eat sweet nector/honey. Science says that these are carnivores as with honey they eat microbes too.
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We all know that plants and animals are living beings. However, we are not fully aware of their capabilities. Now, science has proved that plants communicate with each other and even supply nutrients to other plants via an extensive underground mycorrhizal network. They even make alliances and warn others of impending danger. They feel pain and have a memory. Animals know how to self-medicate. They can find herbs and other things to treat their diseases and wounds. They even know where to go to get that medicinal thing.
Yogic Diet
Yogic diet is Vegetarian, moderate, and pure. It is based on Yam and Niyam. Ojas is the good byproduct of digestion. It runs life force. Ama is sticy product of undigested food.
Gerandha Samhita 5-2, 5-16 and 22 Explains Mitahaar
Hathayoga Pradipika 1- 15
अत्याहारः परयासश्छ परजल्पो नियमाग्रहः | जन-सङ्गश्छ लौल्यं छ षहड्भिर्योगो विनश्यति || १५ ||
Yoga is destroyed by the following six causes:—Over-eating, exertion, talkativeness, adhering to rules, i.e., cold bath in the morning, eating at night, or eating fruits only, company of men, and unsteadiness.
Hath Yoga Pradipika 1-59
बरह्मछारी मिताहारी तयागी योग-परायणः | अब्दादूर्ध्वं भवेद्सिद्धो नात्र कार्या विछारणा || ५९ ||
By regular and close attention to Nâda (anâhata nâda) in Haṭha Yoga, a Brahmachari, sparing in diet, unattached to objects of enjoyment, and devoted to Yoga, gains success, no doubt, within a year.
Hatha Yoga Pradipika 1-60
सुस्निग्ध-मधुराहारश्छतुर्थांश-विवर्जितः | भुज्यते शिव-सम्प्रीत्यै मिताहारः स उछ्यते ||
Abstemious feeding is that in which ¾ of hunger is satisfied with food, well cooked with ghee and sweets, and eaten with the offering of it to Śiva.
Bhagwad Gita Chapter 1-16 and 17
नात्यश्नतस्तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तमनश्नत: | न चाति स्वप्नशीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन || 16||
Arjun, those who eat too much or eat too little, sleep too much or too little, cannot attain success in Yog.
युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु | युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दु:खहा || 17||
But those who are temperate in eating and recreation, balanced in work, and regulated in sleep, can mitigate all sorrows by practicing Yog.
Bharti Raizada
The purpose of food is to get energy. It is also to make the most food for the least money/time. When you make meat, take a cow for instance, you have to feed and grow it for many years. You have to spend time making the meat. And you don't get that much meat. A plant grows in a few months and you only have to water it.It also provides lots of food. Killing animals causes them to feel pain while plants or veggies don't feel pain. The nutritional value of plants is higher than meat. You feel more fresh and light when you eat plants, sometimes meat can make you feel sick. There are also diseases in meat that you can not see while a disease in a plant can be seen from the outside. You also don't have to cook veggies like you have to cook/warm meat. Plants are also easy to harvest and you don't have to do work trying to catch them. Also if you eat a animal, their generation dies. But plants have seeds that can regrow and the species won't be affected. You will also regret eating junk food or meat but you don't regret eating vegetables or fruits. Om Raizada
The three different types of gunas are Satvik, Rajsik, and Tamsik. Different foods are associated with different types of gunas.
Satvik foods are those, which give calmness, peace, good health, inner happiness, etc.
Rajsik foods are those, which increase energy, aggression, restlessness, anger, jealousy, ego, agitation, irritability, insomnia, etc.
Tamsik foods lead to decreased energy, laziness, disorientation, confusion, unhappiness, etc.
Gunas of food depends on many factors e.g. its freshness, temperature, how is it prepared, who prepared it, its rawness, the time when eaten, any additives or preservatives, type of utensil in which it is kept or cooked, state of plant and animal from which it is taken, etc.
For example, many believe that yogurt is satvik. However, its satvikness depends on many factors some of which are the following:
Is it cow or goat or buffalo milk?
Was the animal pregnant when expressing milk?
Were calves well fed at the time of milk expression?
How fresh milk is.
How fresh yogurt is.
Was yogurt made in earthenware, steel pot, copper pot or something else?
Whether it was consumed in the morning, evening, or night?
Who prepared it?
Who served it?
Guna of the person preparing the food and serving the food also affects food quality.
Different types of fruits, vegetables, grains, etc. have different types of gunas.
Taitriya Upnishad says that food is medicine. Aushadhibhyam Annam
Dharm Arth Kaam Mokshanam, Aarogyam Mulam uttamam--Charak Sanhita.
आहार शुद्धौ सत्त्व शुद्धिः सत्त्व शुद्धौ स्मृतिः ध्रुवा स्मृति लम्भे सर्व ग्रन्थीनां विप्र मोक्षः || ---Chandogya Upanishad
Shiv Samhita says that finest extract of food goes to linga sharir, middle goes to sthool sharir, and lowest/inferior goes out of body as excretion.
Bhagwat Gita 17.8, 17.9, and 17.10
आयु:सत्त्वबलारोग्यसुखप्रीतिविवर्धना: | रस्या: स्निग्धा: स्थिरा हृद्या आहारा: सात्त्विकप्रिया:
कट्वम्ललवणात्युष्णतीक्ष्णरूक्षविदाहिन: | आहारा राजसस्येष्टा दु:खशोकामयप्रदा: ||
यातयामं गतरसं पूति पर्युषितं च यत् | उच्छिष्टमपि चामेध्यं भोजनं तामसप्रियम् ||
Every thing has a Dharm to perform. Prithvi, Vayu, Surya, Agni, all have a Dharm. Surya gives light, Vayu gives breath, Jal quenches thirst, etc. Livings are classifiesd as Sthavar and Jangam. Sthavar are stationary and Jangam are capable of movement. It is the Dharm of stationary jeevs or Sthavars to provide food.
Fasting:
Benefits- To reduce weight, helps in meditation, helps in pratyahar, to cleanse the digestive tract.
Bharti Raizada
Following is a Whatsapp forward: मांसाहारियों के कुतर्कों का खंडन:
कुतर्क 1. पेड़-पौधों में भी जान होती है, तो फिर क्या अंतर है शाकाहारी भोजन खाने में और मांसाहारी भोजन खाने में?
सत्य: पेड़-पौधों में नंसे(central nervous system) नहीं होती | अतः, उनमे मनुष्य तथा अन्य प्राणियों की तरह संवेदनशीलता नहीं होती | उन्हें दर्द नहीं होता | पेड़-पौधे काटने पर उनमे से रक्त नहीं बहता | पेड़ की डाली काटने पर भी उसमे नई डाल उगती है | आप अपने बच्चों को किसी फल के बगीचे में तो लेकर जा सकते है, परंतु किसी कत्तलखाने में नहीं लेके जा सकते | बहुत अंतर है शाकाहार और मांसाहार में |
कुतर्क 2. यदि आप किसी सुनसान टापू पर अकेले फंस गए, जहापर कोई शाकाहारी भोजन न हो, सिर्फ एक मुर्गी हो, तो क्या आप भूके मरेंगे, या उस मुर्गी को मारकर खाएँगे?
सत्य: सबसे पहले यदि उस टापू पर खाने के लिए बिलकुल कुछ भी न हो, तो वह मुर्गी भी कैसे जीती होंगी? वहापर खानेलायक कुछ न कुछ तो होगा ही | और यदि हम मान भी ले, की वहापर कुछ भी नहीं है, और मज़बूरी में हमें वह मुर्गी खानी पड़े, तो यह भी जान लो की मज़बूरी में मनुष्य अपना मूत्र भी पी सकता है, और कचरा भी खा सकता है | पर जब पिने के लिए शुद्ध जल और खाने के लिए अच्छा भोजन हो, तो क्या कोई मनुष्य अपना मूत्र पीकर और कचरा खाकर जिएगा? नहीं न? उसी तरीके से जब शुद्ध शाकाहारी भोजन हो, तब मांसाहार करने की क्या आवश्यकता है?
कुतर्क 3. यदि हम मांसाहार न करे, तो जानवरों की संख्या इतनी बढ़ेगी की मनुष्य को इस धरती पर पाव रखने के लिए भी जगा नहीं बचेगी |
सत्य: क्या कोई कुत्ता, बिल्ली, शेर, आदि को खाता है? तो क्या आजतक उनकी संख्या का कभी विस्फोट हुआ? नहीं ना? उसी तरीके से अन्य प्राणियों की संख्या का विस्फोट भी नहीं होगा | कुदरत सबकी संख्या का संतुलन बनाए रखता है | किसी को उसमे दखल देने की आवश्यकता ही नहीं है | उल्टा कत्तलखानों में मांस का व्यापर बढ़ने के लिए जानवरों को इंजक्शन लगवाकर उनसे अधिक बच्चे पैदा करवाए जाते है | अतः, मांस खाना छोड़ दो, तो जानवरों की संख्या का विस्फोटीकरण भी रुक जाएगा |
कुतर्क 4. मांसाहारी प्रत्यक्ष रूप से पशुओं की हत्या करते है, परंतु शाकाहारी लोग उन पशुओं का भोजन(पेड़-पौधे) स्वयं खाकर उनकी परोक्ष रूप से हत्या करते है |
सत्य: सबसे पहले यदि कोई मांसाहारी किसी शाकाहारी पर यह आरोप लगा रहा हो की वह पेड़-पौधों को खाकर पशुओं का खाना खा रहा है, तो उसे यह भी समझना चाहिए की मांसाहार में भी सब्जियाँ होती है | इसका अर्थ यह है की मांसाहारी भी शाकाहार करते ही है | दूसरी बात यह है की कोई पशु फल, सब्जी, गेहू, दाल और चावल जैसी चीजे नहीं, बल्कि घास और पेड़ के पत्ते खाकर जीता है | इस हेतु, मनुष्य के फल और सब्जी खाने से उन्हें किसी भी प्रकार का फरक नहीं पड़ता | और इस धरती पर भोजन की कोई कमी नहीं है | यह कुतर्क बिलकुल ही मुर्खता को दर्शाता है |
कुतर्क 5. मनुष्य के दांत मांसाहार करने के लिए बनाए है |
सत्य: यूँ तो हम यह भी कह सकते है की मनुष्य के पास दो हाथ है, तो क्या वह उन हाथों में बंदूक पकड़कर किसी को गोली मारकर किसी की हत्या करे? उसी तरह से हमें मजबूत दांत मिले है, इसलिए हम मांसाहार करने के बारेमे सोच नहीं सकते | मनुष्य के दांत शेर के दांतों जैसे तो नहीं होते न | मनुष्य को मजबूत दांत दिए है सुपारी और गन्ने जैसी मजबूत चीजे चबाने के लिए, न की मांसाहार करने के लिए | मनुष्य की पचनसंस्था मांसाहारी भोजन का आसानी से पचन भी नहीं कर सकती | और यदि पचनसंस्था ही ख़राब हो जाए, तो मनुष्य को कई रोगों का सामना करना पड़ सकता है | मनुष्य की पचनसंस्था शुद्ध शाकाहारी भोजन के लिए ही बनी है |
कुतर्क 6. शेर भी मांसाहार करता है, तो फिर हम क्यों न करें?
सत्य: शेर नंगा भी घूमता है, तो क्या आप भी नंगे घूमोगे? इसलिए किसी भी चीज की तुलना किसी के साथ भी करना उचित नहीं | शेर पशु है ,उनके अंदर विवेक नहीं है ,पर आप तो मनुष्य हो ।इसलिए मनुष्य के करुणा दया आदि गुणों को धारण करो।
कुतर्क 7. मांसाहार बहुत पौष्टिक होता है, और सेहत के लिए बहुत अच्छा होता है |
सत्य: मांसाहार में भले ही कई पोषक तत्व हो, पर उनके साथ साथ कई किटाणु और बीमारियाँ भी होती है | इसलिए मांसाहार ग्रहण करने से मनुष्य में कई बीमारियाँ आती है | शाकाहारी भोजन से भी सभी पोषक तत्व प्राप्त हो सकते है, इसलिए, मांसाहार करने की कोई आवश्यकता नहीं है | मांसाहार करने से मनुष्य की पचनसंस्था भी बहुत ख़राब होती है, और उसमे कई तरह की बीमारियाँ आ सकती है | इसलिए मनुष्य को हमेशा ही शुद्ध शाकाहारी रहना चाहिए |
कुतर्क 8. जब हम साँस लेते है, तो कई सूक्ष्म जीवों की हत्या होती है | तो क्या वह हिंसा नहीं है?
सत्य: १००% अहिंसा कभी भी शक्य नहीं है | इसका अर्थ यह भी नहीं होता की मनुष्य महाहिंसा करते रहे | मनुष्य को हिंसा को कम से कम रखने की कोशिश करनी चाहिए | यदि नुकसान को पूरी तरह से टाला नहीं जा सकता, तो उसे कम रखना चाहिए |
मांसाहारियों के पास अपना स्वार्थ सिद्ध करने के लिए अनेक कुतर्क है | परंतु वह मांसाहार करके महाभयानक पाप कर्म बांधते है | उन्हें यह ज्ञात भी नहीं होता की उन्हें एक दिन इन सभी महापापों के फल भुगतने पड़ेंगे | अतः, शुद्ध शाकाहारी बनो, और दूसरों में भी जागृति फैलाओ |
- Movie on Netflix-- Seaspiracy a 2021 documentary by Ali Tabrizi
- Cowspiracy: The sustanability secret
- Kiss the Ground, 2020, narrated by Woody Harrelson
- The game changer
- What the health
https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/botany/do-plants-make-music.htm
अपनी मृत्यु और अपनों की मृत्यु डरावनी लगती है। बाकी तो मौत को enjoy ही करता है आदमी ...
अंत तक पूरा पढ़ना,समझ में आ जाएगा.....
मौत के स्वाद का
चटखारे लेता मनुष्य ...
थोड़ा कड़वा लिखा है पर मन का लिखा है ...
मौत से प्यार नहीं , मौत तो हमारा स्वाद है।
बकरे का,
गाय का,
भेंस का,
ऊँट का,
सुअर,
हिरण का,
पाए का,
तीतर का,
मुर्गे का,
हलाल का,
बिना हलाल का,
ताजा बकरे का,
भुना हुआ,
छोटी मछली,
बड़ी मछली,
हल्की आंच पर सिका हुआ।
न जाने कितने बल्कि अनगिनत स्वाद हैं मौत के।
क्योंकि मौत किसी और की, और स्वाद हमारा....
स्वाद से कारोबार बन गई मौत।
मुर्गी पालन, मछली पालन, बकरी पालन, पोल्ट्री फार्म्स।
नाम "पालन" और मक़सद "हत्या"। स्लाटर हाउस तक खोल दिये। वो भी ऑफिशियल। गली गली में खुले नान वेज रेस्टॉरेंट, मौत का कारोबार नहीं तो और क्या हैं ? मौत से प्यार और उसका कारोबार इसलिए क्योंकि मौत हमारी नही है।
जो हमारी तरह बोल नही सकते,
अभिव्यक्त नही कर सकते, अपनी सुरक्षा स्वयं करने में समर्थ नहीं हैं,
उनकी असहायता को हमने अपना बल कैसे मान लिया ?
कैसे मान लिया कि उनमें भावनाएं नहीं होतीं ?
या उनकी आहें नहीं निकलतीं ?
डाइनिंग टेबल पर हड्डियां नोचते बाप बच्चों को सीख देते है, बेटा कभी किसी का दिल नही दुखाना ! किसी की आहें मत लेना ! किसी की आंख में तुम्हारी वजह से आंसू नहीं आना चाहिए !
बच्चों में झुठे संस्कार डालते बाप को, अपने हाथ मे वो हडडी दिखाई नही देती, जो इससे पहले एक शरीर थी, जिसके अंदर इससे पहले एक आत्मा थी, उसकी भी एक मां थी ...??
जिसे काटा गया होगा ?
जो कराहा होगा ?
जो तड़पा होगा ?
जिसकी आहें निकली होंगी ?
जिसने बद्दुआ भी दी होगी ?
कैसे मान लिया कि जब जब धरती पर अत्याचार बढ़ेंगे तो
भगवान सिर्फ तुम इंसानों की रक्षा के लिए अवतार लेंगे ..?
क्या मूक जानवर उस परमपिता परमेश्वर की संतान नहीं हैं ..?
क्या उस ईश्वर को उनकी रक्षा की चिंता नहीं है ..?
धर्म की आड़ में उस परमपिता के नाम पर अपने स्वाद के लिए कभी ईद पर बकरे काटते हो, कभी दुर्गा मां या भैरव बाबा के सामने बकरे की बली चढ़ाते हो।
कहीं तुम अपने स्वाद के लिए मछली का भोग लगाते हो ।
कभी सोचा ...!!!
क्या ईश्वर का स्वाद होता है ? ....क्या है उनका भोजन ?
किसे ठग रहे हो ?
भगवान को ?
अल्लाह को ?
जीसस को?
या खुद को ?
मंगलवार को नानवेज नही खाता ...!!!
आज शनिवार है इसलिए नहीं ...!!!
अभी रोज़े चल रहे हैं ....!!!
नवरात्रि में तो सवाल ही नही उठता ....!!!
झूठ पर झूठ....
...झूठ पर झूठ
..झूठ पर झूठ ...!!
फिर कुतर्क सुनो.....फल सब्जियों में भी तो जान होती है ...?
.....तो सुनो फल सब्जियाँ संसर्ग नहीं करतीं, ना ही वो किसी प्राण को जन्म देती हैं ।
इसी लिए उनका भोजन उचित है।
ईश्वर ने बुद्धि सिर्फ तुम्हे दी । ताकि तमाम योनियों में भटकने के बाद मानव योनि में तुम जन्म मृत्यु के चक्र से निकलने का रास्ता ढूँढ सको। लेकिन तुमने इस मानव योनि को पाते ही स्वयं को भगवान समझ लिया।
आज कोरोना के रूप में मौत हमारे सामने खड़ी है।
तुम्ही कहते थे, की हम जो प्रकति को देंगे, वही प्रकृति हमे लौटायेगी। मौते दीं हैं हमने प्रकृति को, तो मौतें ही लौट रही हैं।
बढो ...!!!
आलिंगन करो मौत का ....!!!
यह संकेत है ईश्वर का।
प्रकृति के साथ रहो।
प्रकृति के होकर रहो।
वर्ना ... ईश्वर अपनी ही बनाई कई योनियों को धरती से हमेशा के लिए विलुप्त कर चुके हैं। और आगे भी ऐसा करने में उन्हें एक क्षण भी नही लगेगा
शिक्षक का अदभुत ज्ञान
एक बार एक चिंतनशील शिक्षक ने अपने 10th स्टेंडर्ड के बच्चों से पूछा कि
आप लोग कहीं जा रहे हैं और
सामने से कोई कीड़ा मकोड़ा या कोई साँप छिपकली या कोई गाय-भैंस या अन्य कोई ऐसा विचित्र जीव दिख गया, जो आपने जीवन में पहले कभी नहीं देखा हो, तो प्रश्न यह है कि
आप कैसे पहचानेंगे कि
वह जीव अंडे देता है या बच्चे ?
क्या पहचान है उसकी ?
अधिकांश बच्चे मौन रहे
जबकि कुछ बच्चों में बस आंतरिक खुसर-फुसर चलती रही...।
मिनट दो मिनट बाद
फिर उस चिंतनशील शिक्षक ने स्वयम ही बताया कि बहुत आसान है,,
जिनके भी कान बाहर दिखाई देते हैं वे सब बच्चे देते हैं
और जिन जीवों के कान बाहर नहीं दिखाई देते हैं
वे अंडे देते हैं.... ।।
फिर दूसरा प्रश्न पूछा कि–
ये बताइए आप लोगों के सामने एकदम कोई प्राणी आ गया... तो आप कैसे पहचानेंगे की यह शाकाहारी है या मांसाहारी ?
क्योंकि आपने तो उसे पहले भोजन करते देखा ही नहीं,
बच्चों में फिर वही कौतूहल और खुसर फ़ुसर की आवाजें.....
शिक्षक ने कहा–
देखो भाई बहुत आसान है,,
जिन जीवों की आँखों की बाहर की यानी ऊपरी संरचना गोल होती है, वे सब के सब माँसाहारी होते हैं,
जैसे-कुत्ता, बिल्ली, बाज, चिड़िया, शेर, भेड़िया, चील या अन्य कोई भी आपके आस-पास का जीव-जंतु जिसकी आँखे गोल हैं वह माँसाहारी ही होगा है,
ठीक उसी तरह जिसकी आँखों की बाहरी संरचना लंबाई लिए हुए होती है, वे सब के सब जीव शाकाहारी होते हैं,
जैसे- हिरन, गाय, हाथी, बैल, भैंस, बकरी,, इत्यादि।
इनकी आँखे बाहर की बनावट में लंबाई लिए होती है ....
फिर उस चिंतनशील शिक्षक ने बच्चों से पूछा कि-
बच्चों अब ये बताओ कि मनुष्य की आँखें गोल हैं या लंबाई वाली ?
इस बार सब बच्चों ने कहा कि मनुष्य की आंखें लंबाई वाली होती है...
इस बात पर
शिक्षक ने फिर बच्चों से पूछा कि
यह बताओ इस हिसाब से मनुष्य शाकाहारी जीव हुआ या माँसाहारी ??
सब के सब बच्चों का उत्तर था शाकाहारी ।
फिर शिक्षक से पूछा कि
बच्चों यह बताओ कि
फिर मनुष्य में बहुत सारे लोग मांसाहार क्यों करते हैं ?
तो इस बार बच्चों ने बहुत ही गम्भीर उत्तर दिया
और वह उत्तर था कि अज्ञानतावश या मूर्खता के कारण।
फिर उस चिंतनशील शिक्षक ने बच्चों को दूसरी बात यह बताई कि जिन भी जीवों के नाखून तीखे नुकीले होते हैं, वे सब के सब माँसाहारी होते हैं,
जैसे- शेर, बिल्ली, कुत्ता, बाज, गिद्ध या अन्य कोई तीखे नुकीले नाखूनों वाला जीव....
और जिन जीवों के नाखून चौड़े चपटे होते हैं वे सब के सब शाकाहारी होते हैं,
जैसे-मनुष्य, गाय, घोड़ा, गधा, बैल, हाथी, ऊँट, हिरण, बकरी इत्यादि।
इस हिसाब से भी अब ये बताओ बच्चों कि मनुष्य के नाखून तीखे नुकीले होते हैं या चौड़े चपटे ??
सभी बच्चों ने कहा कि
चौड़े चपटे,,
फिर शिक्षक ने पूछा कि
अब ये बताओ इस हिसाब से मनुष्य कौन से जीवों की श्रेणी में हुआ ??
सब के सब बच्चों ने एक सुर में कहा कि शाकाहारी ।
फिर शिक्षक ने बच्चों से तीसरी बात यह बताई कि,
जिन भी जीवों अथवा पशु-प्राणियों को पसीना आता है, वे सब के सब शाकाहारी होते हैं,
जैसे- घोड़ा, बैल, गाय, भैंस, खच्चर, आदि अनेकानेक प्राणी... ।
जबकि
माँसाहारी जीवों को पसीना नहीं आता है, इसलिए कुदरती तौर पर वे जीव अपनी जीभ निकाल कर लार टपकाते हुए हाँफते रहते हैं
इस प्रकार वे अपनी शरीर की गर्मी को नियंत्रित करते हैं.... ।
तो प्रश्न यह उठता है कि
मनुष्य को पसीना आता है या मनुष्य जीभ से अपने तापमान को एडजस्ट करता है ??
सभी बच्चों ने कहा कि मनुष्य को पसीना आता है,
शिक्षक ने कहा कि अच्छा यह बताओ कि
इस बात से भी मनुष्य कौन सा जीव सिद्ध हुआ, सब के सब बच्चों ने एक साथ कहा –
शाकाहारी ।
सभी लोग विशेषकर अहिंसा में, सनातन धर्म, संस्कृति और परम्पराओं में विश्वास करने वाले लोग भी चाहे तो बच्चों को नैतिक-बौधिक ज्ञान देने अथवा सीखने-पढ़ाने के लिए इस तरह बातचीत की शैली विकसित कर सकते हैं,
इससे जो वे समझेंगे सीखेंगे वह उन्हें जीवनभर काम आएगा...
याद रहेगा, पढ़ते वक्त बोर भी नहीं होंगे....।
बच्चे अगर बड़े हो जाएं तो उनको यह भी बताएं कि कैसे शाकाहारी मनुष्य जानकारी के अभाव में मांसाहार का उपयोग करता है और कहता है कि जब अन्न नहीं उपजाया जाता था तब मनुष्य मांसाहार का सेवन करते थे, जो सरासर गलत है तब मनुष्य कंद-मुल एवं फलों पर जीवित रहते थे, जो सही है एवं उसके संरचना और स्वभाव से मेल भी खाता है।
मांस का मूल्य
सम्राट् श्री चन्द्रगुप्त जी ने एक बार अपनी सभा मे पूछा :
देश की खाद्य समस्या को सुलझाने के लिए सबसे सस्ती वस्तु क्या है ?
मंत्री परिषद् तथा अन्य सदस्य सोच में पड़ गये ! चावल, गेहूं, ज्वार, बाजरा आदि तो बहुत श्रम के बाद मिलते हैं और वह भी तब, जब प्रकृति का प्रकोप न हो, ऎसी हालत में अन्न तो सस्ता हो ही नहीं सकता !
तब शिकार का शौक पालने वाले एक सामंत ने कहा :
राजन्!सबसे सस्ता खाद्य पदार्थ मांस है,
इसे पाने मे मेहनत कम लगती है और सभी ने इस बात का समर्थन किया, लेकिन प्रधान मंत्री चाणक्य मौन थे ।
तब सम्राट् ने उनसे पूछा :
आर्य! आपका इस बारे में क्या मत है ?
चाणक्य ने कहा : वृषल! मैं अपने विचार कल रखूंगा।
रात होने पर प्रधानमन्त्री उस सामंत के महल पहुंचे, सामन्त ने द्वार खोला, इतनी रात गये प्रधानमन्त्री को देखकर घबरा गया ।
प्रधानमंत्री ने कहा :
शाम को महाराज एकाएक बीमार हो गये हैं, राजवैद्य ने कहा है कि किसी बड़े आदमी के हृदय का दो तोला मांस मिल जाए तो राजा के प्राण बच सकते हैं, इसलिए मैं आपके पास आपके हृदय का सिर्फ दो तोला मांस लेने आया हूं । इसके लिए आप एक लाख स्वर्ण मुद्रायें ले लें ।
यह सुनते ही सामंत के चेहरे का रंग उड़ गया, उसने प्रधानमंत्री के पैर पकड़ कर माफी मांगी और उल्टे एक लाख स्वर्ण मुद्रायें देकर कहा कि इस धन से वह किसी और सामन्त के हृदय का मांस खरीद लें ।
प्रधानमंत्री बारी-बारी सभी सामंतों, सेनाधिकारियों के यहां पहुंचे और
सभी से उनके हृदय का दो तोला मांस मांगा, लेकिन कोई भी राजी न हुआ, उल्टे सभी ने अपने बचाव के लिये प्रधानमंत्री को एक लाख, दो लाख, पांच लाख तक स्वर्ण मुद्रायें दीं ।
इस प्रकार करीब दो करोड़ स्वर्ण मुद्राओं का संग्रह कर प्रधानमंत्री सवेरा होने से पहले वापस अपने महल पहुंचे और समय पर राजसभा में प्रधानमंत्री ने राजा के समक्ष दो करोड़ स्वर्ण मुद्रायें रख
दीं ।
सम्राट ने पूछा :
यह सब क्या है ?
तब प्रधानमंत्री ने बताया कि दो तोला मांस खरिदने के लिए इतनी धनराशि इकट्ठी हो गई फिर भी दो तोला मांस नही मिला ।
राजन्!अब आप स्वयं विचार करें कि मांस कितना सस्ता है ?
जीवन अमूल्य है, हम यह न भूलें कि जिस तरह हमें अपनी जान प्यारी है, उसी तरह सभी जीवों को भी अपनी जान उतनी ही प्यारी है। लेकिन वो अपना जान बचाने मे असमर्थ है।
और मनुष्य अपने प्राण बचाने हेतु हर सम्भव प्रयास कर सकता है । बोलकर, रिझाकर, डराकर, रिश्वत देकर आदि आदि ।
पशु न तो बोल सकते हैं, न ही अपनी व्यथा बता सकते हैं ।
तो क्या बस इसी कारण उनसे जीने का अधिकार छीन लिया जाय ।
Human mind is very cunning, people finds reasons and excuses for whatever they want to eat/do. Ask yourself and find your reason that suits your soul and help you become better human being.
Assuming God created everything, why would the same God resent you for eating their creation to survive? And bonus, You are not destroying a life for fun.. so chill and ride the cycle of life.
Killing to eat is never wrong and will not gather bad karma. This whole idea is so wrong. Its just a step in food pyramid. Also killing is relieving a soul to its new endeavors and what’s left is lifeless. If you don’t eat, millions of organisms will.
What actually gets bad karma is when one living being interferes in life processes of other living beings for the sake of food. Three key elements belong to soul
1) freedom to move
2) freedom to eat
3) freedom to reproduce
When humans interfere in these 3 aspects in other living beings and decide what they must eat, contain them in spaces so that they don’t have freedom to move and plan ways on how they should reproduce, that is “jeeva himsa”. That is torturing the soul while keeping it alive because it’s not yet ready to die. This will gather bad karma. So as long as you can hunt to make a swift kill to free the soul to serve your hunger, it’s not a sin.
विचार अन्न से उत्पन्न होता है। सात्विक अन्न से मन को शोधन किया जाता है। सबसे प्रथम मानव को अन्न को ऊँचा बनाना है। मेरे प्यारे ऋषिवर! मुझे स्मरण आता रहता है कि आज तुम्हें यह प्रतीत होगा। मैंने कई कालों में यह वाक्य प्रकट किया कि भगवान राम जब माता के गर्भ स्थल में थे तो माता का विचार यह रहता था कि यह जो रघुवंश समाप्त हुआ है, यह आलस्य और प्रमाद में हुआ है। इसलिए मुझे उस अन्न को पान करना है जिस पर किसी का कोई अधिकार न हो। तो माता कौशल्या स्वयं कला-कौशल करती थी और स्वयं कला-कौशल करके उसके बदले जो अन्न आता उसको पान करती। जब राजा ने कहा-देवी! यह तुम क्या कर रही हो? उन्होंने कहा मैं अपने गर्भाशय को पतित करना नहीं चाहती। मैं केवल अपने गर्भाशय को ऊँचा बनाना चाहती हूँ। क्योंकि मेरे गर्भस्थल से एक महान ब्रह्मचारी और योगी बालक का जन्म होना चाहिए। मेरे प्यारे! मुझे स्मरण है भगवान राम का जीवन मानो इनके द्वारा राष्ट्र की कोई वस्तु आनन्ददाता नहीं, और वन जाने का कोई शोक नहीं। अरे, उनके द्वारा योग आएगा अथवा योग मानव मानव का भक्षण करने वालों के द्वारा आएगा? मेरे प्यारे! आज मैं इस सम्बन्ध में अधिक विवेचना देना नहीं चाहता हूँ। विचार विनिमय यह कि आज हम उस अन्न को पान करने वाले बनें। योग का जो प्रारम्भ होता है वह आहार से सम्बन्धित है। अतःआहार और मन दोनों का समन्वय कर देना चाहि
- अजीर्णे भोजनं विषम् ।
If previously taken Lunch is not digested..taking Dinner will be equivalent to taking Poison. Hunger is one signal that the previous food is digested - अर्धरोगहरी निद्रा ।
Proper sleep cures half of the diseases.
3 मुद्गदाली गदव्याली ।
Of all the Pulses, Green grams are the best. It boosts Immunity. Other Pulses all have one or the other side effects. - भग्नास्थि-संधानकरो लशुनः।
Garlic even joins broken Bones. - अति सर्वत्र वर्जयेत्।
Anything consumed in Excess, just because it tastes good, is not good for Health. Be moderate. - नास्ति मूलमनौषधम् ।
There is No Vegetable that has no medicinal benefit to the body. - न वैद्यः प्रभुरायुषः ।
No Doctor is capable of giving Longevity. (Doctors have limitations.) - चिंता व्याधि प्रकाशाय ।
Worry aggravates ill-health. - व्यायामश्च शनैः शनैः।
Do any Exercise slowly.
(Speedy exercise is not good.) - अजवत् चर्वणं कुर्यात् ।
Chew your Food like a Goat.
(Never Swallow food in a hurry.
Saliva aids first in digestion.) - स्नानं नाम मनःप्रसाधनकरंदुः स्वप्न-विध्वंसनम् ।
Bath removes Depression.
It drives away Bad Dreams. - न स्नानमाचरेद् भुक्त्वा।
Never take Bath immediately after taking Food. (Digestion is affected). - नास्ति मेघसमं तोयम् ।
No water matches Rainwater in purity. - अजीर्णे भेषजं वारि ।
When there is indigestion taking plain water serves like medicine. - सर्वत्र नूतनं शस्तं, सेवकान्ने पुरातने ।
Always prefer things that are Fresh.
Whereas Rice and Servant are good only when they are old. - नित्यं सर्वा रसा भक्ष्याः ।।
Take the food that has all six tastes.
(viz: Salt, Sweet, Bitter, Sour, Astringent and Pungent). - जठरं पूरायेदर्धम् अन्नैर्, भागं जलेन च ।
वायोः संचरणार्थाय चतर्थमवशेषयेत् ।।
Fill your Stomach half with Solids,
(a quarter with Water and rest leave it empty.) - भुक्त्वा शतपथं गच्छेद् यदिच्छेत् चिरजीवितम् ।
Never sit idle after taking Food.
Walk for at least half an hour. - क्षुत्साधुतां जनयति ।
Hunger increases the taste of food.
In other words, eat only when hungry. - चिंता जरा नाम मनुष्याणाम्
Worrying speeds up ageing. - शतं विहाय भोक्तव्यं, सहस्रं स्नानमाचरेत् ।
When it is time for food, keep even 100 jobs aside. - सर्वधर्मेषु मध्यमाम्।
Choose always the middle path. Avoid going for extremes in anything
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Life and Consciousness in Trees
(By Prof. Balkrishna, M.A., F.R.S.S., F.R.E.S., etc.)
Whether trees, plants, creepers, grasses, million and one things of the vegetable world should be counted amongst living or non-living beings is not a question of academic interest only. People of a low civilization like ours may ignore the importance of this problem, but it is sure to occupy the supreme attention of the generations to come, because they will fully recognize that theirs is not the right to take life which an All-Wise, Merciful and Just God has bestowed upon millions of beings, they would behold the oneness of life from the smallest creeper to the biggest creature, they would realize the existence of soul in all beings and all beings in that Omnipresent Soul and hence they would desist from mercilessly taking life and also would invent methods for chemically producing means of sustaining life. Our ancestors recognized life and consciousness in the countless forms of the vegetable world. Their opinions on this point are scattered throughout the Sanskrit literature from which a few passages can be profitably quoted in this article.
(i) The Sankhya Darshan supplies us a most convincing proof of the life and consciousness in trees. In Book V. Aph. 121-2 we read :
न बाह्यबुद्धि नियमो वृक्षगुल्मलतौषधि वनस्पतितृणबीरुघादीनामपि भोक्तृभोगायतनत्वं पूर्ववत् ॥ १२१ ॥
स्मृतेश्च ॥ १.२॥
"Knowledge of the external is not indispensable to constitute a Body: trees, shrubs, climbers, annuals, trees with invisible flowers, grasses, creepers, etc., which have internal consciousness are, also, sites of experiencer and experience, as in the former case. From the Legal Institutes the same fact may be inferred, viz., that vegetables have bodies and are conscious though they are not moral agents." Ballantyne.
(ii) In Ishwar Krishna's Sankhya Karika Aph. 53, we meet with the same evidence:
अष्टं विलल्पं दैवं तैर्यग्योनं पंचधा भवति । मानुष्यं त्वेकविधं समासतोऽयं त्रिधा सर्गः ॥ पशु मृग पक्षि सरीसृप स्थावराणं भूतान्येव, पेश्वविधरतरेश्चः ॥
"The divine kinds of eight sorts, the groveling is fivefold ; mankind is single in its class. This, briefly, is the world of Living Beings. Domestic animals, wild animals, birds, reptiles and fish and vegetables are the five groveling kinds of beings or creatures."
(iii) Then Udayana in Prithvi Nirupana remarks that “trees, etc., the whole vegetable kingdom, show the phenomena of life, death, sleep, waking, disease, drugging, transmission of specific characters by means of ova, movement towards what is favorable and away from what is unfavorable like the known living beings.”
वृक्षादयः प्रतिनियत भोक्त्रपुधिष्टिताः जीवनमरण स्वप्नजागरण रोग भेषज प्रयोग वीज सजाहीयानुबन्धानुकूलोपगम प्रतिकूलापममादिभ्यः प्रसिद्धशरीरवत् ।
The same Udayana notes that plants have a latent or dormant consciousness which is extremely dull :-
अति मन्दान्तः संज्ञितया !
(iv) Similarly one Chakrapani observes in the Bhanumati that plants though supplied with consciousness and life enjoy only a darkened consciousness.
वृक्षास्तुचेतनावन्तोगी तमश्छन्नज्ञानतया शास्त्रोपदेश विषया एव |
(v) But the Manu Smriti contains the clearest logical statement of this principle.
शरीरजः कर्मदोषैर्यातिस्थावरतां नरः । वाचिकै: पक्षिमृगतां मानसैरन्स्य जातिताम् ॥ ७ ॥
"The soul is born as plant owing to the sins committed by the body; it becomes a bird or a beast for the sins of speech, and an outcast for the mental sins."
Thus it is clear that the soul is actually born as corn, etc., and is not a mere co-tenant with the jivas of the plants as seems to be propounded in some of the aphorism, of the Vedanta Philosophy...
Again in Manu Smriti Chap. L. 49 and 50 we read :
तमसा बहुरूपेण वेष्ठिताः कर्महेतुना | अन्त: संज्ञा भवन्त्येते सुख दुःख समन्विताः ॥ ४९ ॥ '
प्रतदन्तास्तु गतयो ब्रह्माद्याः समुदाहृताः । घोरेस्मिन्भूत संसारे नित्यं सततयायिनि ॥ ५० ॥
"These plants which are surrounded by multiform Darkness, the result of their acts in former existence, possess internal consciousness and experience pleasure and pain. The various conditions in this always terrible and constantly changing circles of births to which created beings are subject, are stated to begin with that of Braliman, and to end with these plants."
(vi) The Chandogya Upanishad supplies another incontrovertible testimony in support of this view : Chap. VI III. 1-2.
तेषां खल्वेषां भूतानां त्ररियेव बीजाति भवन्त्याण्डजं जीवजमुभिज्ज्ञामिति ॥ १ ॥
सेयं देवतेक्षत हन्ताहृमिमास्तिस्त्रो देवता अनेन जीवेनानाऽनुप्रविश्य नामरुपं व्याकरवाणीति ॥ २ ॥
“Verily, of all these living objects, there are three sources, vie, oviparous, viviparous and sprouting objects. These three objects in the form of life (Jivatma) I shall be manifest in various names and forms.".
One other passage from the same Upanishad is remarkable in this respect (Chand. V. 10. 6).
अभ्रं भूत्वा मेघो भवति मेघो भूत्वा प्रवर्षति त इह व्रीहियवा ओषधिवनस्पतयस्तिलमाषा इति जायन्तेऽतो वै खलु दुर्निष्प्रपतरं यो यो ह्यन्नमत्ति यो रेतः सिञ्चति तद्भूय एव भवति ॥
“Having been in the mist, he enters the cloud ; having been in the cloud, he enters the rain (and falls down).
Then he is born as rice or barley, herbs or trees, sesamum or beans, etc. From this point there is constant (tantalizing ) rise and fall. For whoever eats the food and begets offspring (the jiva) is there in that food and that seed.”
(vii) We meet with the same evidence of life in trees in Garuda Purana. At the end of Chapter IV it is said -
तस्य क्षयं फलं भुक्ता तत्रैवोत्पद्यते पुनः । यमाज्ञया महीं प्राप्य भवन्ति स्थावरादयः ॥ ३० ॥
वृक्षुगुल्म लतावल्ली गिरयश्च तृष्णानि च । स्थावरा इति विख्याता महामोह सगवृता ॥ ६१ ॥
कीटाश्च पशवश्चैतव पक्षिणश्व जलेचव। चतुरशीति लक्षेषु कथिता देवयोनयः ॥ ६२ ॥
एताः सर्वाः परिभ्रम्य ततां यान्ति मनुष्यताम् मानुषेऽपि श्वराकेषु जायन्ते नरकांगताः ।
तत्रापि पाप चिन्हैस्ते भवन्ति बहु दुःखिताः ॥ ६३ ॥
Having eaten their un-decaying fruits they are born again. By order of Yama they return to the earth and become unmoving and other creatures: Trees, bushes,. plants, creepers, rocky plants and grasses, these are spoken of as unmoving: they have life but are enveloped in great delusion. Insects, birds, animals and fish-such are eighty four lakhs of births. All these have to be gone through before one attains manhood and even in coming up to the human Kingdom, souls are born amongst low. castes.
Speaking of the fruits of precarious actions in Chap. V. the same Purana says :
कृमिकीट पतङ्गत्वं स्वर्णस्तेयी समाप्नुयात् ।
तृणगुल्म लतात्वं च क्रमशां गुरुतल्पगः ॥ ३६ ॥
‘Who goes with his teacher's wife, goes to the condition of grass, bushes and plants.” The same thought has been expressed in Minu XII, 58 and Yagyvalkya III, 208. "
In Chap. X VI. II the same Purana has again given an order of evolution of a soul which cannot but be admired for its boldness of assertion :
स्थावराः कृमयश्चाजाः पक्षिणः पशतवो नराः ।
धार्मिकास्त्रिदशास्तद्वन् मोक्षिणश्च क्रमम् ॥ ११ ॥
"The unmoving things, worms, goats, birds, animals, men, righteous persons, thirty three deities and also the liberated-according to this order does the evolution of an ascending soul proceed."
(viii) But more than this, the phenomena of life and consciousness in trees have been most aptly described in the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata :
All sorts of created things have four kinds of birth. They are viviparous, oviparous, vegetables and those born of filth.
Trees sicken and dry up. This indicates that they have perception of touch. By sound of wind and fire and thunder, their fruits and flowers fall down. Sound is perceived through the ear. Trees, have, therefore, ears and do hear. A creeper entwines a tree all around. A blind thing cannot see its way. Therefore it is evident, that trees have vision. Again, trees have vigour and put forth flowers for good and bad smell of the sacred incense of all sorts. It is evident that trees have scent. They draw water by their roots and catch all sorts of diseases which can be cured by various operations. From this it is clear that trees have perception of taste. They are subject to pleasure and pain. These facts clearly prove that trees have life. They are not inanimate.' Chap. 184 Shanti Parva. 6
(ix) In the Nyaya Sidhanta Muktavali (न्यायसिद्धांतमुक्तावलि ) which is a well-known book of the New Logical school and which very aptly summarizes the views of many old philosophers, we find one more convincing evidence of life and consciousness in trees. In Pratyaksha Kand we read the following
वृक्षा =दीनामपि चेष्टासत्वान्नध्यातिः न वृक्षादीनां शरीत्वे किं मानमिति वाच्यम् । अध्यात्मिकवायुसम्बन्धस्य प्राणत्वात् । तत्रैवं किं मानमिति चेत्, भग्नक्षतसरोहणादिना तदनुमानात् ॥
"You say that trees, plants, etc., possess desire, experience pleasure and pain, hence your definition of a living being is faulty. What is your evidence for life in trees? Trees breathe in a mystic way-but breathing is a proof of life. But what is the proof of breath in trees? They grow when cut or injured like well-known living creatures, hence they have life." Here we have to go one step further for proving consciousness in trees. Breathing is necessarily connected with the existence of soul in a body, the trees breathe, hence they have soul (Atma), but the characteristics of Atma are affinity, repulsion, effort, pleasure, pain and knowledge or consciousness. Consciousness is the necessary attribute of a soul. This fact has been fully recognized by the word चेष्टा, Desire, that is, repulsion and affinity and आध्यात्मिक वायु, that is, breath having its source in the mystic soul.
(x) But a more scientific statement of the successive stages of the development and evolution of man and the existence of life in vegetables is to be found in the Brihat Vishnu Purana :
स्थावर विशंतेर्लक्षं जलजं नवलक्षकं |
कूर्म्माश्चनवलक्षञ्च दशलक्षं च पक्षिणः ॥
विशलृक्षं पशूनाञ्च चतुर्लक्षं च वानराः |
ततो मनुष्यतां प्राप्य तत्ततकर्म्माणि साधयेत ॥
एतेषु भ्रमणं कृत्वा द्विजत्वमुपजायते ।
सर्व्वयोनि परित्यज्य ब्रह्मयोनिमतोऽभ्शगात् ||
"The individual soul before attaining manhood has to go through 20,00,000 forms of vegetables, 9,00,000 kinds of fish, 9,00,000 sorts of reptiles, 10,00,000 species of birds, 30,00,000 varieties of mammals and 4,50.000 kinds of monkeys.
Having passed through these successive stages of evolution, a soul takes birth among Dwijas- Vaishas, Kshatriyas and Brahmans. Then by merit of specially good works, it leaves off its circle of births and deaths and attains to Brahmanhood."
This passage is extremely wonderful, because it gives exactly the same order of evolution as has been established by the European evolutionists of to-day, because it separates monkeys from other mammals and names monkeys as the predecessors of man, because it establishes the memorable fact that a race of Darwin's has already existed in India, more than this all because the author has so boldly given the number of species of the various orders of the animal kingdom, but this Herculean task has not been fully performed in this modern civilization.
(xi). Dr. Gananath Sen of Calcutta has supplied one additional evidence of life and consciousness in trees in his paper on the study of medical science in ancient India. He says "In Botany, unfortunately, very scanty records have been left in the writings of Raghava Bhatta and Sarangdhara-an important section of which (Upavanvinoda) the humble writer of this paper had the honor of editing and translating some years ago. The information's contained in these books are numerous. Plants have been called Sthavarjiva or fixed animals, and pleasure and pain have been attributed to them." (Compare in this connection the recent discoveries of Plant Response by the illustrious Dr. J. C. Bose of Calcutta).
(xii). Last but not the least is the incontestable evidence of the VEDA.
In Atharva Veda 1. 6.32 plants have been declared breathing objects :
इदं जनालो विदथ महद्ब्रह्म वदिष्यति ।
न तत् पृथिव्यां नो दिवि येन प्राणन्ति वीरुधः॥
The Great Lord by whose energy the plants breathe, is not in this world nor in the sky."
Then in VIIL 7. 6. Atharva Veda, plants have been described as living objects:
जीवलं नधारिषां जीवन्तीमोषधीमहम् ।
अरुन्धतीमुन्नयन्तीं पुष्पां मधुमतीमिह हुबेस्मा अरिष्टतातये ||
The lively, by no means harming, living herb, the non-obstructing, up-guiding, flourishing one, rich in sweets, do I call hither (do I use) for this man's freedom from harm."
Thus it is more than clear now that plants have life and internal consciousness, that they experience pleasure and pain, that is, show all actions of life like the well known living creatures, though only in a subtle form. These ideas persistently permeate the whole Hindu Literature and have been boldly incorporated in our religious systems. To-day these lost truths are being re-demonstrated before the world by Dr. Bose of international reputation but as yet no practical results have come out of his demonstration, because the oneness of life has not been thoroughly realized by the people. The present generation would no doubt laugh at the idea of Cruelty to Trees, but we are sure it would occupy a prominent place in practical economics in no distant future.