“Energize your mind, body, and spirit. Go vegetarian!” says Guruji in a new public service ad for PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. “If animals died to fill my plate,” the ad reads, “my head and my heart would become heavy with sadness. Becoming a vegetarian is the way to live in harmony with animals and the planet.”

Certified Iyengar Yoga teacher Suzie Muchnick remembers how the ad came about. “Last year at a book signing event, Ingrid Newkirk, President of PETA, told me PETA had an office in Pune, in Koregaon Park. The last week I was in Pune, I finally connected with the Director of PETA India, who invited me to come by. The office staff, university students or graduates interning with PETA, were not yogis, and the only thing we had in common was our love for animals and the practice of ahimsa. I was excited to learn more about these young peoples’ lives; then they asked me if I would ask my teacher to create a public service announcement (PSA) for vegetarianism.”

Muchnick, Intermediate Junior III of Naples, FL, says, “I told them how busy Guruji is, but they implored me, saying his stature in the global community could really make a difference. As succinctly as I could, I told Guruji of my visit to PETA and made my request. He reminded me that he is a lifelong vegetarian. Here are the wonderful results of his PSA.”