21/11/2024
Let us delve deeper into this matter.
When we consume food, it is broken down into its fundamental components—proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, and essential vitamins—which our body uses to sustain itself. Even if one chooses to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, life inherently involves the destruction of other life forms. By eating plants, we harm those plants. Additionally, when we drink milk, it is often taken from cows after separating the calf from its mother—a process that involves its own form of suffering. Even if we choose fasting, your body will breakdown itself for its own sustenance (autophagy). Even by breathing, we are destroying millions of microbes inside ourselves. Thus, even unintentionally, we participate in the cycle of taking life to sustain our own.
This concept ties into the "Vishwa Roopa" of Vishnu, as revealed in the Mahabharata when Krishna motivates Arjuna. At Arjuna's request, Krishna displays his cosmic form—a vast figure of creation and destruction. On one side, he is the creator, bringing life into existence; on the other, he is the destroyer, consuming and dissolving the universe. This duality reflects the fundamental law of nature: Destruction paves the way for creation. We cannot embrace only the creative aspect of existence while rejecting its destructive counterpart, as they are inseparable.
In spirituality, there are three primary paths. The *right-hand path,* followed by sannyasis, focuses on renunciation and detachment. The *left-hand path,* embraced by tantriks, centers on harnessing Shakti (power) and worldly experiences. The *middle path,* the Griha-Sanyasi way, combines both approaches, allowing householders to lead a balanced spiritual and material life. This trinity of paths aligns with the cosmic roles of Brahma (creation), Vishnu (preservation), and Mahadev (destruction), providing different ways to reach spiritual enlightenment.
In Hinduism, this balance is also reflected in dietary practices. There is Sattvik aahar, a pure vegetarian diet that promotes peace and spiritual growth. Tamasik aahar, which includes non-vegetarian food, is associated with killing and destruction and keeping numbers at check. Between these lies Rajasic aahar, a balanced diet that sustains energy and activity, offering a middle ground for a harmonious life.
~ Arup Ghosh
Life Coach / Hypnotherapist
