Acharya Prashant explains that the reason India has the largest population of vegetarians in the world is the same reason why milk is given a high status in the country. He suggests that one can either fight this reason or make good use of it. He observes that the vegan movement in India is not a single, organized movement but rather a collection of small, scattered groups. He argues that these groups often do not consider why India has been so deeply vegetarian, which is not due to any vegetarian movement or activism, but because of spirituality. He posits that if this spirituality deepens, India will also give up milk. The speaker elaborates that India has historically been a tolerant, liberal, and compassionate country. He notes that while there has been subtle violence, there is also a deep-seated generosity and maternal affection (mamta) towards animals, with many stories of people treating animals like their own children. He advises that the same spirituality that made Indians vegetarian can, if taken a step further, inspire them to show even more compassion towards animals and become vegan. He suggests that the vegan movement should connect with this indigenous culture, using the language of the land and citing figures like Kabir Saheb and scriptures that speak against cruelty. Acharya Prashant points out that there is a lack of information among the general public about the cruelty inherent in the modern dairy industry and its intrinsic link to the meat industry. He introduces the concept of 'Kaal Dharma,' or the duty appropriate to the times. He explains that while offering milk from a family cow might have been acceptable in a past era, the context has changed with industrial farming, a large population, and environmental degradation. Therefore, the dharma of today is different. He criticizes the current vegan movement in India for often appearing as a foreign, elitist concept, a fad for the English-speaking and the rich, which alienates the common person. For the movement to succeed in India, he asserts it must be a homegrown, grassroots movement that rises from the country's own spiritual and cultural soil. It must speak a language that connects with the hearts of the people, using indigenous idioms, ancient stories, and spiritual aphorisms. When people are approached in this manner, they will understand and willingly give up dairy.
