namahatta.org - Congregational Development Ministry

This is the findings of a joint study by research universities in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Although the link in looking at how diet influences virus activity is in many ways the initial outcomes strongly points to the fact that a simple vegetarian diet does reduce risk.

You can read it here (source BBC News/Health).

by Vasu Murti das

In 261 B.C., the Indian emperor Ashoka witnessed firsthand the innumerable casualties he caused during one of his many military campaigns. His heart was filled with grief. He converted to Buddhism. 19th century scholar and writer H.G. Wells considered Ashoka's conversion to Buddhism one of the most significant events in world history.

Ashoka, formerly a bloody and ruthless emperor, became a remarkably kind and gentle leader. Ashoka established some of the first animal rights laws. He stopped the royal hunt, stopped the sacrifice of animals in his capital city, stopped the killing of animals for food in the royal kitchens, and gave up the eating of meat. Ashoka made it illegal to kill many species of animals, such as parrots, ducks, geese, bats, turtles, squirrels, monkeys and rhinos. He forbade the killing of pregnant animals, or animals that were nursing their young. He declared certain days to be "non-killing days," on which fish could not be caught, nor any other animals killed. He established wells and watering holes, places of rest and hospitals for humans and animals alike.

This is an interesting article found on the BBC news on the effects of diet on health, especially the western diet and it’s affects on the heart which remains one of the biggest killers here in the UK:

Western diet raises heart risk

So we can understand that our efforts to bring high quality vegatarian food to the whole world in the shape of Krishna Prasadam has many good effects, so to everyone keep up this valuable work.

Over the past two months I have been looking into the eating habits of the small cohort of under 6 year olds looking into their eating habits in relation to meat eating or vegetable preference.

This is an observational study allowing the child to chose the eating place and type of food they wish to eat, the study is also over a small cohort of 8 as wider studies was not available. The purpose of the study was to see if children under 5 years were more inclined to vegetables than meat.

by Vasumurti das

In his book, Holy Cow, author Steven Rosen (Satyaraja dasa) does an expert job of explaining the philosophy and history of the sankirtana movement to nondevotees. He begins by quoting Srila Prabhupada as saying, "Real philosophy is nothing more than this: 'friendliness to all living entities.'"

Rosen explains that devotees do not artificially renounce the material world, but rather engage it in Lord Krishna's service. Offering one's food to Krishna is a standard Vaishnava practice, which Rosen compares to the Eucharist in Christianity—sacramental food.

Pandu das shared the following on Pariprashnena.com:

I just composed the following e-mail in response to a "hot dog sale," which I intend to send to my office of about 200 people during lunchtime today:

I am starting to spread the news, promoting the concept of if you aren’t a vegan, and you drink milk from commercial sources, you are contributing to a system that slaughters cows. To offset that, you need to donate regularly to cow protection programs.

Visitors to my blog may have noted that I have added a widget in my sidebar where the connection to my fundraising page for GEETA ( an organization that protects cows) can easily be gotten to. GEETA is one of many cow protection programs that will accept your donations.

By Bhakta Jerry

I remember a particular day in freshmen biology class very well. We were informed of our next assignment: a bug collection. Here I am, studying the science of life, surrounded by dead animals stuffed and hanging on the walls, surrounded by many species petrified in jars, smelling the aroma coming through the window of cooked animals from the Burger King down the street, and now I am being forced to partake in the study of life by killing more creatures. Is it any wonder why vegetarianism, based on the principle of non-violence, is a shock to Westerners?

Reprinted from The Spiritual Scientist
By Radheshyam Das (M Tech IIT, Mumbai, Director, IYF),
Chaitanya Charan Das (BEE &TC, Editor, The Spiritual Scientist)

A two inch tongue can kill a six foot man. This traditional saying is being confirmed by modern obesity statistics. The prosperity of the Indian middle class is showing up - in a not-so-pleasant way in the burgeoning waistline, of over 25% of urban Indians. Obesity is the cause of diabetes, hypertension, heart attacks, strokes and a variety of other chronic diseases. Unlike infectious diseases which are curable, chronic diseases need lifelong care, leading to enormous expenditure.

The same trend is seen globally. Obesity, if left unabated, is set to overtake smoking as the number one cause of preventable death in USA.