सभी को नमस्कार
Sabhī kō namaskāra

I know I probably mangled that beyond all repair and redemption, but I tried (that's what on-line translators get you).

As some of you may know me from over the years I've tried repeatedly to move to vegetarian, with little to (less than no) no success. The excuses are as numerous as the stars in the sky.

But something is really prompting me to do it. I've always known of Lord Shiva's epithet "Lord/Protector of Animals", Paśupati. I can't watch an ASPCA or HSUS tv ad without crying, seeing dogs, cats, horses, cows, pigs, baby seals and other animals suffering. I don't want to be party to that. In fact, just thinking about this, I'm fighting back tears.


I'm not one for "conversational prayer"... I'm not a "pray-er", never have been, never will be. I get tongue-tied and sound stupid. And though my primary, though not exclusive worship is of Krishna I've been feeling an urge to pray to Paśupati, in rounds of nāma japa and gāyatrī (my signature indicates my belief):

oṃ paśupataye namaḥ

om paśupataye vidmahe
mahādevāya dhīmahi
tanno paśupati pracodayāt

I think doing this as a routine will help me keep the Lord, in this aspect or form in mind, and maybe he will give at least this one enlightenment, though preferably the whole world. I don't know if this is overthought, overkill, or maybe not even proper or correct.

So what do you think?