Provin: Namaskar Guru Ji. Sir I am a vegetarian as I know meat eating as per Hinduism is prohibited but my most of friends take meat if I have to convince them that meat eating is prohibited how can I convince them?
Swami Ram Swarup: Namaskarji. Dear son, your Vedic views are appreciated. I bless you for the same. Everything is made to understand in a loving manner and not with anger etc. Yes, therefore you may tell your Vedic views for not taking non-vegetarian to others. In this connection, I paste my articles as under:-

Vegetarians

We have to obey the preach of Vedas which emanates direct from God at the beginning of the earth. For carnivorous animals like lion, tiger, wolves, cat, dog etc., God allows to take non-vegetarian food. So the said act to take non-vegetarian food is not their sin. Similarly in Vedas for human beings, God states to take vegetarian food which is not a sin. Secondly, for human beings, Vedas strictly prohibit non-vegetarian food. That is why, we must take vegetables, food-grains etc., when they are fully ripe.

Vegetarians and non-vegetarians are two categories. Accordingly the construction of body i.e., teeth, small intestine and large intestine, and digestive system has been made by God.

Human beings come in vegetarian category. Our teeth and digestive system always differ from cat, dog, lion etc. Some animals like cow, buffalo, goat, elephant etc., also come in Vegetarian category. We take water by sipping but the animals who are non-vegetarian i.e., meat eater they do not sip but lick. Whatever we eat, that food develops our mind and body and creates natural behaviour. For example if we take a cub who is newly born and nurse him by giving milk and thereafter vegetarian food only and on the other hand to another cub we provide him meat, then when they will be younger their habit will differ. The cub taking vegetarian food will be as violent as the cub who took meat.

Now medical science also says that the energy in vegetarian food is more than that in non-vegetarian food. Vegetarian food gives long and ill free life. Vegetarian elephant is stronger than non-vegetarian lion.

Nobody can take meat until one gives violence to animals or birds etc., which is a sin. Our stomach becomes a graveyard where we gather meat by eating. As regards life in vegetarians it does not harm to them while plucking from plants etc. because every vegetarian plant has short life and is meant to give food to the human life. But to us meat is not entitled. Science has recently told that non-vegetarians are more susceptible to cancer disease and teeth degeneration as compared to vegetarians.

Non-vegetarian food is prohibited as per Vedas, shastras, Upnishads and all the ancient holy books. In vegetarian food an ocean of calories and vitamins is available by the mercy of God. Please check from a dietician about the same. Because it is lengthy one and I cannot explain here. For example dal, is full of proteins, soybean has more protein than any non-vegetarian food, which has ability to inhibit cancer also where as non-vegetarian does not. Green vegetables like palak, methi, etc., are the richest source of iron and vitamin A. So is the case of milk, curd, rice, fruit, etc.

The knowledge of Vedas emanates direct from God at the time of beginning of earth. So in this creation, the Vedas are the oldest knowledge originated about one arab 97 crore years ago. In all four Vedas, God has prohibited non-vegetarian, please.

Atharvaved mantra 6/140/1 also states that Oh God! May my teeth, like the teeth of wolf not take non-vegetarian. Non-vegetarian has only some limited energy and vitamins whereas cow-milk is a complete food. Dry fruits, vegetables, curd, fruits etc., i.e., all other vegetable food has been made by God for us which are more beneficial than non-vegetarian food. Manusmriti shloka 2/177 strictly prohibits to take non-vegetarian food and any type of addiction. The nature of the animals or human beings who take non-vegetarian food is more violent than those who take vegetarian food. In this connection, you may consider lion, tiger, wolves, jackals etc. As regards power of vegetarian you may think about elephant who is the most powerful than other human/living beings and is vegetarian.

Onion and garlic are included as vegetarian food and full of vitamins, they protect from heat stroke, make stomach strong and make strong eye sight etc., but both are of Tamogunni nature and therefore only Brahmachari must not take the same.

Vegetarian vs. Non-vegetarian

Vegetarians and non-vegetarians are two categories. Accordingly the construction of body i.e., teeth, small intestine and large intestine, and digestive system has been made by God.

Human beings come in vegetarian category. Our teeth and digestive system differs from that of cat, dog, lion etc. Some animals like cow, buffalo, goat, elephant etc., also come in the category of vegetarians. We take water by sipping but the animals who are non-vegetarian i.e., meat eaters, they do not sip but lick the water. The kind of food consumed develops our mind and body and creates natural behaviour. For example we take a cub who is newly born and nurse him by giving milk and thereafter vegetarian food only. On the other hand to another cub we provide meat, then when they will be younger their habits will differ. The cub taking vegetarian food will not be as violent as the cub who took meat.

Now medical science also says that the energy provided by vegetarian food is more than that given by non-vegetarian food. Vegetarian food gives long and ill free life. Vegetarian elephant is stronger than non-vegetarian lion.

Nobody can take meat until one inflicts violence on animals or birds etc., which is a sin. Our stomach becomes a graveyard where we gather meat by eating. As regards life in vegetarians, it does not harm them while plucking parts of plants etc. because every vegetarian plant has short life and is meant to give food to the human life. But to us meat is not entitled. Science has recently told that non-vegetarians are more susceptible to cancer and teeth degeneration as compared to vegetarians.

Non-vegetarian food is prohibited as per Vedas, shastras, Upnishads and all the ancient holy books. Vegetarian food provides with lot of calories and vitamins with the mercy of God. Please check from a dietitian about the same. Because it is lengthy one and I cannot explain here. For example dal, is full of proteins, soybean has more protein than any non-vegetarian food, which has ability to inhibit cancer also where as non-vegetarian does not. Green vegetables like palak, methi, etc., are the richest source of iron and vitamin A. So is the case of milk, curd, rice, fruit, etc., -etc.

Vedas are eternal knowledge which emanate direct from almighty God. In this creation, the knowledge emanated about one Arab, ninety –seven crore, eight lakh, fifty three thousand years ago. You see at that time, no sects existed. Secondly, the knowledge of almighty God is applicable to entire universe as air, water etc., which are universally beneficial to all. In Vedas, non-vegetarian food is strictly prohibited.

SHOULD ONE CONSUME NON – VEGETARIAN FOOD TO SURVIVE

God helps those who help themselves. So, when we pray to Almighty God according to Vedas He always helps us. I mean to say, why an aspirant who really worships God would face the situation when he would not be able to get any food etc., except non-vegetarian food to survive. Secondly, travelling to such a place where only non-vegetarian is available is due to the result of previous lives deeds. However, when an aspirant starts real worship then situation gets changed. I have a little experience of one instance of my life. I used to reside with my Guruji in a dense jungle of Rishikesh.

Once he told me to go to a famous cave situated in extremely dense jungle. The path to approach the cave was very tedious, full of wild animals. After 10-11 hours journey I reached there. There was nothing to eat. My Guruji gave me only fifty gms. grams (chana) and gud (jaggery) which exhausted soon. Jungle was full of wild animals, poisonous snakes, langoors. Suddenly, I saw a man with some chapatis and he asked me – “BABA I HAVE BROUGHT THE CHAPATIS FOR YOU”. I was really surprised as to from where the man suddenly appeared since it was extremely dense jungle and there was no place of habitation near by. So, really it was mercy and blessings of Almighty God and My Guru Maharaj ji.

So, God helps the true aspirant in such situations. Second instance, I have read in a book that there was an aspirant, lover of Vedas who used to perform daily yajyen, do name jaap etc. Once he fell sick and it had become difficult by the doctors to save him. Then doctors told if you would start taking non-vegetarian food then you would resume health soon otherwise chances are minimum to survive.

The aspirant answered – Oh! Doctor can you give me guarantee that by taking non-vegetarian food, I would not be given punishment by God for my sin and my future births shall not be admonished to lower births like that in Yonis of animals, insects etc. So, to survive hardly for few years, should I do the sin? And he did not take non-vegetarian food.

Sanyasi never does Tapasya in a place where drinking water and vegetables (kand mool) are not available.

Anonymous: Dear Guruji, What’s the significance of Full Moon and No Moon day according to Veda? Children born on the above days have special characteristics? Thanks!
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you, my daughter. No moon day is called Amavasya when there will be darkness in night and moon will not be seen in the sky and full moon day means poornnima when full moon is seen in the sky with its charming and loving moonlight. Both the days have been called the important days for doing special Yajyen especially at the residence of acharya. In this way, the devotee gets several blessings from God.

Yes, they will have special characteristics if the parents will look after the child properly giving the vedic knowledge and performing daily hawan.