Ashok K Arya: Do Plants have soul? I am asking this because I promote on vegetarianism and people come back saying that plants also have soul as they grow etc. Please let us know how should we justify this?
Swami Ram Swarup: Yes, please. Plants have soul. You see, when a lion kills deer, buffalo, cow etc., in the jungle and eats it, God does not punish him because it is the nature of lion and other carnivorous animals to eat flesh.
Similarly God has allowed us to take vegetarian food, not the lion. So, we are not punished yet there is difference between flesh and vegetarian food. All vegetarian food should be taken when it is ripened. Secondly, you see, when the crops are ripened, only then are they cut and at that time soul has already left the crop before it is cut. That is why, it is told that vegetarian food should not be cut till it is ripened.
So we are allowed to take vegetarian food and not non-vegetarian food. Non-vegetarian is allowed by Almighty God to be consumed by carnivorous animals. I also paste my article in this connection:-
Vegetarians
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 doesnot. 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.
Anonymous: Swamiji pranam! Swamiji is it the past karmas that God has rewarded me to come and personally meet you few years back? Does it make me special chosen one by God who send me to you to get knowledge? Sorry for such an immature question. I am getting these vibes, I can clearly see things and understand what is happening around human beings. Everybody is involved in pomp and show. Swamiji would it be possible to know how many ashtang yogis who have realised God and are still alive like you.
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you. Yes, please. In Vedas, it is clearly stated that when God blesses anybody based on his own pious deeds of previous life then God inspires him to make contact with learned acharya of Vedas and not elsewhere. So, really it is a blessing of Almighty God on you. This is not an immature question- Even Tulsidas has written the idea of the ved mantras in his Chowpayee:-
“Punnya Punj Bin Milahein Na Santa”
i.e., based on the result of previous life’s pious deeds, the saints are met. I can only say that counting of such Ashtang Yogis is on tips only, please. I appreciate your views and again bless you for a long, happy life.
Ashok K Arya: Should we do PRAYANAM by pressing nose from one side as being taught by some Sanyasis? However, Swami Dayanand Saraswati denied to do Pranayam by pressing nose. He said that it should be done without pressing nose. Please suggest.
Swami Ram Swarup: If some sanyasi has told you to do prannayam then you can carry on, please. Because prannayam and Yoga Philosophy is learnt from a learned acharya in person only.
Yes, you are right that Swami Dayanand Saraswati has denied to do prannayam by pressing nostril but nowadays, I too realise that in the beginning 80 prannayam only can be done i.e., lome and Vilome kriya can be done and thereafter one should stop forever but should start next stage of prannayam wherein nostrils are not pressed.
You see, by doing eighty prannayam arteries and veins are purified and then next prannayam can easily be done by stopping breathing system also whereas in lome-vilome kriya, prannayam as stated above breathing system is not stopped i.e., kumbhak is not done. So. There is no harm to do lome-vilome prannayam.
