Product Description

Hinduism scholar Steven Rosen explores the world of the Hare Krishna movement, which has been instrumental in raising awareness of vegetarianism and the plight of animals in the United States. Holy Cow begins by introducing the Hare Krishna movement and of its colorful singing and dancing, its book distribution program, and especially its restaurants, sacred food distribution, and delicious vegetarian cuisine.

Rosen returns to the early days of Indian culture, to a time when daily life was based on Vedic principles and scriptural wisdom, and shows how vegetarianism and animal rights were endorsed by the Vedic texts. Rosen reveals how a tension was created by a concomitant endorsement of animal sacrifices in ancient Indian culture, a tension that led in part to the beginnings of Jainism and Buddhism.

Rosen then examines the rise of Vaishnavism—the worship of the god Vishnu, or Krishna—and how Vaishnavites were sympathetic to vegetarianism and animal rights, showing the link between the contemporary Hare Krishna movement (ISKCON), founded in the 1960s, and the ancient Vaishnavaites and all that they have accomplished in between. Rosen looks at the "Food for Life" program, the restaurants and cookbooks, and the various forms of writing about vegetarianism and animal rights. The book also includes recipes for those who wish to taste Krishna.

In conclusion, Rosen illustrates how deeply Hare Krishna devotees have influenced the contemporary vegetarian movement and its call for ahimsa, or nonviolence, toward all living beings.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1632907 in Books
• Published on: 2004-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 222 pages

About the Author
Steven Rosen is the author of some twenty books on Hindu-related subjects. He is an initiated disciple of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Vaishnava Studies, a peer-refereed academic journal that focuses on the culture and philosophy of Vaishnava-Hinduism. He lives in upstate New York.

Customer Reviews

Great perspective
If you really want to learn more about the Vaishnava tradition of vegetarianism, this book is for you. It offered a great perspective on the history of vegetarianism in India as well and also compares and contrasts different religions and their thoughts on eating meat. If you're not so much into religion, then this book would also appeal to you as it speaks from the heart on animal kindness and reverence. A great read.

Great book, horrible title...
There is an old saying that "you can't judge a book by its cover". That is a saying because many people do just that: judge a book by its cover. And many people will assume, based on the title of this book, that it is just another book about the stereotypical Hindu reverence for cows (and only cows).

The fact is, the Gaudiya-Vaishnava ("Hare Krishna") cult, an authentic religion stretching back hundreds of years (to 1496), is probably the only religion in the world that not only has true compassion for animals, but is also, clearly, the ONLY religion where there is the possible direct intercession into the spiritual welfare of animals. For example, see the first chapter of the Antya-lila in the Sri Caitanya-Caritamrita, in reference to the glorious deliverance of Sivananda Sena's dog.

Anyway, bottom line, this book is wonderful. If you are doing scholarly research on animal rights and Eastern religions, you will not be disappointed.