Dr. J. Oldfield, Senior Physician, Lady Margaret Hospital, writes: “Today there is the chemical fact in the hands of all, which none can gainsay that the products of the vegetable kingdom contain all that is necessary, for the fullest sustenance of human life. Flesh is an unnatural food, and therefore, tends to create functional disturbances. As it is taken in modern civilisation, it is infected with such terrible diseases (readily transferable to man), as cancer, consumption, fever, intestinal worms, etc., to an enormous extent. There is little need for wonder that flesh-eating is one of the most serious causes of the diseases that carry off ninety-nine out of every hundred people that are born.”
Meat-eating and alcoholism are closely allied. The craving for liquor dies a natural death when the meat diet is withdrawn. The question of birth-control becomes very difficult in the case of those who take meat-diet. To them mind-control is absolutely impossible. Mark how the meat-eating tiger is ferocious, and the cow, elephant, which live on vegetable matter are mild and peaceful! Meat has a direct evil influence on the compartments of the brain. The last step in the spiritual advancement is the giving up of meat-diet. The divine light will not descend if the stomach is loaded with meat-diet. In large meat-eating countries cancer mortality is very high. Vegetarians keep up the sound health till old age. Even in the West in the hospitals, doctors are now putting patients on vegetable diet. They convalesce very quickly.
Pythagoras, the Grecian Sage, condemned meat diet as sinful food! Just hear what he says: “Beware! O mortals, of defiling your bodies with sinful food! There are cereals, there are fruits bending the branches down by their weight, and luxurious grapes on the vines. There are sweet vegetables and herbs, which, the flame, digestive fire, can render palatable and mellow. Nor are you denied milk nor fragrance of the aroma of the thyma flower, the bountiful earth offers you an abundance of pure food and provides for meals obtainable without slaughter and bloodshed.”
If you want to stop taking mutton, fish, etc., just see with your own eyes the pitiable, struggling condition at the time of killing sheep. Now mercy and sympathy will arise in your heart. Then you will determine to give up flesh-eating. If you fail in this attempt, just change your environments and live in a vegetarian hotel where you cannot get mutton and fish. Move in that society where there is only vegetable diet. Always think of the evils of flesh-eating and the benefits of a vegetable diet. If this also cannot give you sufficient strength to stop this habit, go to the slaughter house and butcher’s shop and personally see the disgusting rotten muscles, intestines, kidneys and other nasty parts of the animal, which emit bad smell. This will induce Vairagya in you and a strong disgust and hatred towards meat-eating.
It is not only heinous but an atrocious crime to kill a cow or a goat which gives invaluable milk, butter, etc. O self-deluded ignorant cruel man! do not kill these innocent beings. Terrible torture awaits you on the day of judgment. You are morally responsible for all your acts. The law of Karma is infallible. Killing of cows tantamounts to killing one’s own mother. What right have you got to take away the lives of these innocent animals which give you milk to nourish your body? This is a most brutal, inhuman, heart-rending act. The slaughter of cows, goats and other animals should be immediately stopped by legislation. The animal that is taken for slaughter causes various sorts of poisons in the blood on account of its fear and anger. The vegetarian diet can fully supply the dietetic needs of the body. Therefore, such cruelties are unwarranted.
I shall speak a word now on vitamins. Vitamins are also required in the diet. They build the bodies. If they are absent or deficient, the body cannot grow and deficiency diseases such as rickets, scurvy, etc., result. They are present in very small quantities in foods. They are like a spark which ignites the fire of nutrition. There are four important kinds of vitamins: Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C and Vitamin D. Vitamin A is present in milk. Vitamin B is present in the unpolished rice and tomato juice. Deficiency of Vitamin B causes beriberi. Those who eat polished rice get this disease. Vitamin C is found in vegetables, fruits and green leaves. This vitamin is destroyed by cooking, tinning. Sailors suffer from scurvy, because they cannot get fresh vegetables and fruits during long voyage. They generally take with them the juice of lemons. This prevents the development of scurvy. Vitamin D is present in milk, butter, eggs, cod-liver oil, etc. Absence or deficiency of vitamin D causes rickets in children.
Food is nothing but a mass of energy. Food supplies energy to the body and mind. If you can draw this energy from your pure will, if you know the Yogic technique of absorbing the energy directly from the sun or cosmic Prana, you can maintain the body with this energy and can dispense with food altogether. The Yogi gets Kayasiddhi or perfection of the body.
If food is completely digestible it will produce constipation. Food should contain some residue of fibres or husks which will form faecal matter. No water should be taken when digestion is going on in the stomach. It will dilute the digestive juice and impair digestion. You can take a glassful of water when you have finished your meals.
Where can Sannyasins who live on public alms get a well-balanced diet? They get on some days pungent stuffs only, on some other days sweetmeats only, on some other days sour things only. But they draw the required energy through the power of meditation. This unique, Yogic method is unknown to the medical profession and scientists. Whenever the mind is concentrated, a divine wave bathes all the tissues with the divine elixir. All the cells are renovated and vivified.
Fasting is interdicted for practitioners of Yoga as it produces weakness. Occasional mild fast is highly beneficial. It will thoroughly overhaul the system, will give rest to the stomach and intestines and eliminate uric acid. Yogic students can take one full meal at 11 O’clock, a cup of milk in the morning and half a seer of milk and 2 bananas or 2 oranges or 2 apples at night. The night meals should be very light. If the stomach is loaded, sleep will supervene. A diet consisting of milk and fruits alone is splendid menu for students of Yoga.
Simple, natural, non-stimulating, tissue-building, energy-producing, non-alcoholic foods and drinks keep the mind calm and pure and help one in Yogic practices and in the attainment of the goal of life.
Sivananda’s Pranayama
Technique: Sit comfortably on a chair, sofa or easy-chair. Draw the air through both nostrils, as long as comfortable. Retain as long as comfortable. Repeat your Ishta Mantra or ‘OM’ while retaining the breath. Then exhale as long as comfortable. You need not observe any ratio between the inhalation, exhalation and retention; but let the inhalation and exhalation be deep and full.
Benefit: The benefits of this Pranayama are incalculable. All the muscles are relaxed. All the nerves are toned. Rhythm and harmony are established in the entire being. Mind is calmed. Circulation is promoted. An inexpressible peace and bliss come to reign within you.
You can do it in the morning while lying in bed. Your mind will become alert for commencing Japa and Dhyana. You can do it when the mind is about to lose balance on account of the setting in of lust, anger or other evil Vrittis; the mind will he filled with a great power that will prevent the evil Vrittis from disturbing it. You can do it just before commencing your study; the mind will be concentrated easily and what you study will be indelibly impressed in your mind. You can do it during your office-work; you will get new strength every time and you will never be tired. When you return home from the office you can practise this Pranayama and you will be recharged with fresh energy.
The greatest advantage is that once you start doing it you will do it very often; and your mind can never find an excuse for not practising this Ati-Sukha-Purvaka Pranayama, very easy and comfortable Pranayama which has all the advantages of Pranayama, without its ‘rules and regulations’. Do it from now without fail.