By John Di Leonardo
I recently had the profound honor of attending Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji’s 60th birthday celebration at the newly established Shrimad Rajchandra Spiritual Center in the serene Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Nestled across 400 acres of pristine natural beauty, this magnificent project embodies peace, service, and spirituality. Once complete, it will feature a beautiful mandir and meditation center, along with a wellness retreat dedicated to reflection, rejuvenation, and community care.
This milestone occasion was made even more inspiring by Gurudevshri’s remarkable personal decision to embrace a vegan lifestyle in honor of his 60th birthday. Known for his deep compassion and his mission to spread Shrimad Rajchandraji’s message of nonviolence and universal love, Gurudevshri’s transition to veganism is a natural extension of Jain philosophy. For followers of Jainism—where ahimsa, or nonviolence, forms the cornerstone of daily living—veganism represents the next evolution of that sacred principle.
Acharya Tulsiji (Photo courtesy: Arvind Vora)
Jainism’s central tenet of ahimsa—nonviolence in thought, word, and deed—extends beyond refraining from harming humans and animals; it also calls for awareness of the unseen suffering caused by our everyday choices.
In the dairy industry, mother cows endure immense suffering. To produce milk for human consumption, cows are forcibly impregnated—a process often referred to as “artificial insemination.” When their calves are born, the babies are taken away within hours or days, so that the milk meant for them can be sold instead. The separation is heartbreaking: mother cows often cry out for days, searching for their lost calves. The male calves, unable to produce milk, are frequently sent to the veal industry or slaughtered soon after birth. Even the female calves face the same cycle of exploitation—pregnancy, separation, and eventual slaughter once their milk production declines. Supporting such suffering, even indirectly, cannot align with the Jain principle of compassion.
While not all of the food at Gurudevshri's birthday celebration was vegan, many dishes were plant-based and a key dish—Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji’s birthday cake—was completely vegan and delicious! With his large following, I am hopeful that a great number of Jains in attendance will follow his example over the next year.
Following the celebration, I had the pleasure of meeting Pujya Gurudevshri in person and congratulated him both on turning 60 and going vegan. His decision to embrace veganism at the age of 60 is a beautiful reminder that growth and compassion know no age. After a lifetime devoted to nonviolence, service, and spiritual awakening, Gurudevshri’s choice to forgo all animal products reflects a deepening of his already boundless empathy. His example shows that no matter how far we’ve come on our spiritual or ethical journey, there is always room to expand our circle of kindness. In choosing veganism, Gurudevshri demonstrates that it’s never too late to live a little gentler, to align our daily actions even more closely with love, and to walk the path of ahimsa with renewed purpose and humility.
Gurudevshri’s commitment to veganism serves as a beacon for spiritual seekers everywhere—a reminder that our choices, even in daily sustenance, can become acts of devotion. His life and teachings continue to show that true spirituality is not only about inner transformation but also about extending kindness to every being who shares this planet with us.
For this week’s Anuvrat, or small vow, I invite you to go vegan for a day and see how easy it is to live just a little bit kinder.
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John Di Leonardo is the founding director of Humane Long Island. He was previously the Senior Manager of Grassroots Campaigns and Animals in Entertainment Campaigns for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). He has a Master's degree in Anthrozoology from Canisius College. He also earned a graduate certificate in Jain Studies from the International School of Jain Studies (ISJS) in India. John can be reached at [email protected].
