HORROR OF SLAUGHTER
It is with horror and much sadness that 11 million cows will be murdered in Great Britain, the land of Shakespeare. What is going to be the karmic consequence of this heinous act which they are going to sow? It seems to me that years of eating dead flesh have finally caught up with them. The message comes loud and clear and beyond the slaughterhouses that says "no-more." Stop eating meat and stop the killing.
Mukesh H. Mehta, San Diego, California, USA
RESULT OF ILLITERACY
I thought the article on selective abortions was very enlightening [April '96 issue]. I completely agree with the author when she states that literacy is the key to wiping out most of these evil practices. I recently read in official figures compiled by the US and Indian governments that India's literacy rate is 52% and climbing, but much work needs to be done to attain 100% literacy. The lion's share of illiterates in India are women.
Venkateshkumar P. Setty, Southfield, Michigan, USA, 0AS3@mts.cc.wayne.edu
WATCH OUT!
Of late, the Pentecostal sect of the Christian religion has been very active in Singapore and Malaysia condemning and ridiculing Hinduism. The Pentecostal group has been circulating damaging literatures entitled The Traitor.This pamplet originated with the International Mukti Mission located at Buffalo, New York, USA. I feel that if immediate action is not taken to stop such publications, even staunch Hindus like us might have second thoughts about our own religion.
Rethinasamy, Singapore
AGAINST THEIR NATURE
Now a days people are talking about liberating women and then trying to equate them with men! As far as I think, the modern women are undergoing degeneration by exposing their bodies–like in beauty contests and doing things which are inherently against their nature. I request our superior Bharatiya women to start a crusade against this degeneration of women all over the world and teach mankind the profound values of Bharatiya women–motherhood and dedication to the household and hence to the entire human race. By copying men they are fast losing their femininity, sweetness and delicacy and becoming masculine and mechanical. This way they are losing their uniqueness and their identity!
N. C. Khanduri, Nagpur, India
SAVE MIRACLES
The fact that the milk miracle took place in front of cynics, cameras and all over the world is a matter of great pride for all Hindus. I have stored the copies of your papers very safely for my future generations to hold and be proud of. It is the duty of all Hindus to keep this miracle alive forever.
Shashi H. Dave, Flushing, New York, USA
RESCUE OF SACRED SPECIES
Some of the most inspiring environmental stories that I have heard of have taken birth in India. The story on Dr. Reddy's sacred plants resort tops the list [April '96 issue]. One of the greatest tragedies of this century is the loss of genetic diversity (plant and animal species). It has taken millions of years to create this garden of Eden but a few hours and a bulldozer to put them on the brink of extinction. How wonderful that Dr. Reddy is helping to save the bio-diversity of those plants that are sacred to the Vedic tradition. I pray the Gods bless his efforts.
Mark Rosen, Boonton, New Jersey, 75144.677@compuserve.com
WEB SITE NEWS
Having visited numerous sites on the World Wide Web, Hinduism Today has set a high standard which others will have to follow. Anyone visiting Hinduism Today will be impressed with the beautiful graphics and the information concerning different aspects of Hinduism. Professor Panikkar's The Vedic Experienceshows humility and a sincere desire to share the knowledge of the Vedas.I'm also happy to see Dancing with Sivaon board.
Marc Edwards, New York, New York, USA, marced@inch.com
Readers of Hinduism Today will be delighted to know that a new internet publication has started to serve the needs of people of Indian origin all over the world. The theme of Hinduism is a major highlight of this service, as well as regular column by Rakesh Mathur. It will supplement the needs of Hinduism Today readers, especially based in Europe.
Amar Joshi, http://www.innotts.co.uk, /~ukindia
NEW HOPE
Great expectations have arisen in Santo Domingo from the recent four-day visit of V. B. Soni, High Commissioner for India to Jamaica. There is great potential for economic and cultural exchange between both nations. Dominicans have considerable interest in Vedic knowledge, and followers of several Indian spiritual masters have established centers in this country such as Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Parahamsa Yogananda, Sathya Sai Baba and Swaminarayan.
Miguel A. Santos, Santo Domingo, Dominican Rep., msavinon@tricom.net
COMMON BONDS
My thanks to you and your staff for publishing the recent article, America's Krishna-conscious Second Generation[March '96 issue]. It highlighted the challenges that confront our youth in their attempts to maintain their spiritual ideals in the midst of a larger, materialistic society. Hinduism Today has done an excellent job addressing key issues for many years. The family edition brings to the fore common bonds that link us as members of the human family. It is an important service to educate people of diverse backgrounds about each other's customs, traditions and beliefs. Without this dialogue, conflicts inevitably develop.
Thank you also for your recent letter of concern, and for your prayers for our members after the recent assault on them in Bosnia. Later reports I have received demonstrate a genuine remorse from the Bosnian people and the government that this attack occurred against peaceful devotees in their city. As you know, our members there have been distributing food for life meals throughout the entirety of the war. They have made many friends and helped many people in need. Clearly, this brutal attack was unwarranted.
Anuttama Dasa, Iskcon Communications, Potomac, Maryland, USA
TIME COMPARISON
It is interesting to compare Vedic dating of the history of the Earth and the radioactive decay studies. One can interpret the beginning and end of one Kalpa (one day of Brahma) as the creation and destruction of the physical planet. A kalpa is 4.32 billion years. Radioactive decay studies currently place the age of the earth at about 4.5 billion years and the earliest life forms at 3.5 billion years ago.
Dr. K. P. Goyal, Santa Rosa, California, USA
ADDITIONAL BOOKS
With regard to the complaints of our readers regarding the dearth of Hindu materials for youths and adults, in addition to books mentioned in Hinduism Today, I offer the following books. Ten Saints of Indiaby Prof. T. M. P. Mahadevan and Ministers of Godby Bombay Behar. Both are published by Bhavan's Book University, Bharatya Vidya Bhavan, Charpatty, Bombay-7, India.
S. Nadarajah, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
If you send us your letters via e-mail (which we welcome), please also include your postal, i.e. "snail-mail," address. Thank you.