1. Vegetarianism is an entirely optional, tapasya, and any well-intended tapasya, sincerely offered, will prove to be of benefit to one, spiritually. We are not all suited for the same tapasyas, and it is not for us to judge which tapasyas are suited to another person.
2. The vast majority of Hindus, whether in India, or elsewhere in the world, eat meat.
3. Gaudiya Vaishnavas misinterpret Sri Krishna's statement in the Bhagavad Gita, of four things that he will accept as offerings, and then present the slanted teaching that God will not accept meat — but Krishna did not at all indicate that the examples he gave were the *only* things he would accept as offerings, he merely used them as examples of how *small* an offering can be, if the offering is truly made from the heart. Also please realize that the so-called "translation" of the Bhagavad Gita that is so widely circulated by the Hare Krishnas or ISKCON members (who will not even call themselves Hindus), is not at all a fair or accurate translation of the scripture, but is instead essentially rewriting the entire scripture only to fit one very narrow (and incorrect) specific viewpoint, and the biased commentary on each mis-translated verse, is extremely misleading. They call it, "Bhagavad Gita As It Is," but a much more honest title would be, "Bhagavad Gita As It Never Was." You do not need to know any Sanskrit to see this. Just compare five or six other versions of the Bhagavad Gita, to their version, and it will instantly be clear to you that they have not produced a fair or accurate translation or commentary.
4. Remember also that, in the actual Mahabharata, right before the Bhagavad Gita commences (see Parva 6, Section 23), Krishna instructs Arjuna to pray for victory, not to him, but instead, directly to our Divine Mother. Arjuna immediately does so, calling Maha Kali one and the same as Brahman, the Supreme Divinity. Our Divine Mother then appears before Arjuna, in the presence of Krishna as well, and grants the boon of victory in the upcoming battle (which represents our own struggles in life). Our Divine Mother tells Arjuna that Krishna will be a reliable guide, a helper to him. When Krishna speaks in the Bhagavad Gita as if he were the Supreme Divinity, it is only because he was then in samadhi with our Divine Mother, so then it was not him speaking to us, but rather, it was really Her. Even the Vaishnava upa-Purana, Kalki Purana, takes a very surprising break from glorifying Lord Hari (Vishnu), when, in Chapter 29, the hearer of the purana finally says to the seer and teller of the purana, you only glorify Lord Hari so far, "but surely you know the truth of the matter" about the Supremacy of Maya-Devi (Kali). In response, the seer of the purana relates to us the tale of a king who was a lifelong devotee of Lord Hari. The king had grown old, and now he was finally seeking liberation. What did the king do? Well, for once, he did not pray to Vishnu. Instead, he went off to solitude in a forest, and, in order to finally gain liberation, he prayed instead to Maya-Devi, Kali, calling Her, "the Cause of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, and the Truth to be known by the Vedas!" We see Lord Rama, too, praying to Maha Kali, for one hundred pages, in the Adbhuta Ramayana. Never anywhere, in any Hindu scripture at all, though, do we either see Maha Kali praying to another deity, or advising anyone else to do so. That would be impossible, because She is in fact the Supreme Divinity. So, do not worry yourself over what some Vaishnava thinks about something or tells you about something, because even their own scriptures actually state that it is Maha Kali Who is the Supreme Divinity. Why join them in praying to deities that are themselves praying to Kali, when you can simply pray directly to Kali, yourself?
5. In Purana after Purana we see references to hunters, and rarely are they ever condemned. Certainly we know that animal sacrifice is part of Vedic tradition.
6. The Devi Mahatmyam itself, the scripture most dear to our Divine Mother, opens with the tale of a king who lost his kingdom and in order to leave it without shame, told everyone that he was going on a hunting expedition.
7. The Srimad Devi-Bhagavata Mahapurana, as well as the Kalika upa-Purana, both very clearly state that the offering of an animal to our Divine Mother, is no killing at all. Of course you should offer any food at all first to Kali, at least by saying a mantra to Her, before consuming it yourself.
8. Manu Smriti, Hindu law, is absolutely clear (see 5:30 and 5:36) that the eating of meat first consecrated to God, is acceptable for every Hindu, including priests, every day. In fact, Manu Smriti directly states that God created some creatures to eat, and others to be eaten.
9. Remember, please, that a goat has absolutely no more chance of attaining Moksha than does an eggplant. Also, Mother's Energy is present in both animal and vegetable, and we engage in destruction whether we eat either — and as Krishna said, everything born must die (including even him, he died; only our Divine Mother is eternal and unborn), and so "the wise grieve neither for the living nor for the dead." If we are not to grieve for our own dead human relatives, then how much more we ought not to grieve over the death of a goat!
10. Ramakrishna Parahamsa, the great Hindu saint, taught that it is better for a man to eat pork, but have love of God in his heart.
11. Some people are starving in the world, not because people are meat, but instead because people are selfish with what they think is "their" money, and they spend it all on gratifying themselves and their egos, instead of living a simple life, and sharing generously all their resources not needed for their own basic existence, with others who are in need.
12. Eating meat gives strength and energy that eating fruits and vegetables does not, and is very much required by people who have low energy levels, depression, and many other illnesses.
13. No consensus exists among doctors regarding the long-term health effects of meat consumption. Dr. Robert Atkins was famous for his work in documenting how the consumption of too many carbohydrates is the primary cause of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease — and how changing our diet to instead consume more meat, reverses all those ill health effects.
14. One of Kali's Thousand Names translates in part as, "She Who Loves Meat."
15. Now go enjoy some good goat curry if you wish! And if you wish to become a vegetarian, as an optional personal tapasya, then of course that would fine as well, but it is not in any way required, and nor is it a tapasya that is appropriate or even suited to the health of most people.
Blessings,
Acharyaji
JAI DEVI MAHA KALI MA
