Hindus have asked Burger King Corporation to publicly apologize and immediately withdraw a poster seen in Spain, which shows the Hindu goddess Lakshmi promoting a meat burger.

American Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said, “It was highly disturbing to see goddess Lakshmi modeling for a meat sandwich. Lakshmi was meant to be worshiped in temples or home shrines and not for pushing meat sandwiches in the streets for mercantile greed of a global corporation.”

The poster is titled “La Merienda Es Sagrada”, which roughly translates as “Snack is sacred” and shows a meat-cheese sandwich with few other products for 1.75 Euros. What was so ‘sacred’ about a meat sandwich, Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, asked.

Rajan Zed pointed out that Hinduism promoted strict vegetarianism insisting on ahimsa (not harming living creatures) and non-killing, and renouncing animal slaughter and meat eating. It suggested taking of sattvik (vegetables, fruits, etc.) and avoiding rajasik (eggs, etc.) and tamasik (meat, intoxicants, etc.) foods.

Zed argued that there was extensive protection of life in Hinduism and ahimsa was a command. It was a clear denigration showing a Hindu goddess patronizing a meat sandwich.

Burger King should clear all such publicity material before it went to the public. If Burger King wanted its executives to learn about world religions, he was willing to help, Rajan Zed added.

Last week, we began a new short series specially created for children with help from the Himalayan Academy and Kauai's Hindu Monastery in Hawaii. This week, read about the 5 practices in this feature on the basics of Hinduism for kids.

The Five Practices or 'Pancha Kriya' outline the minimal Hindu practices, also known as 'Pancha Nitya Karmas' that parents should teach their children in order to nurture future citizens who are strong, secure, responsible, tolerant and traditional and thereby pass the dharma to the next generation.

Written by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami and illustrated by A Manivel, these first appeared in the book Dancing with Siva.

Sadguru Swami Sadhanananda Giri will lecture on the subject of Kriya Yoga, an ancient yoga form and a path to the Divine, for the first time in the US - in New Jersey and California this August. Swami Sadhanananda Giri comes from the lineage of Babaji Maharaj, Lahiri Mahasaya, Sri Yukteswar Giri, and Swami Bhabananda Giri.

Arguably, the last such discourse in the US on Kriya Yoga of the Lahiri Mahasaya lineage was delivered in the early 20th century by Swami Yogananda, whose book Autobiography of a Yogi was embraced by people of all religions across the world.

This event, which promises to provide a rare glimpse into the mysterious world of Kriya Yoga by Swami Sadhanananda Giri, will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2009 from 3:00 pm to 6:30 pm at Ananda Mandir, 269 Cedar Grove Lane, Somerset, NJ 08873. A similar event will be held at the East West Bookstore, 324 Castro Street, Mountain View, CA 94041, the following Sunday, August 30, 2009 from 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm.

To register, and for more information click here.

The full moon day in the Hindu month of Ashad (July-August) is observed as Guru Purnima, an auspicious occasion to celebrate the guru. This year it falls on July 7.

Guru Purnima is a day sacred to the memory of the great sage Vyasa, the guru of gurus and 'father of our scriptures'. All Hindus are indebted to this ancient saint who edited the four Vedas, wrote the 18 Puranas, the Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavata.

Learn more about its significance and how to celebrate this auspicious moment.

Related Articles:

• The Meaning of Guru
• Gurus & Saints of India
• The Power of Satsanga or Holy Company