Hare Krishna
I am from Bangladesh Dhaka .Me and my wife have been practicing Krishna Consciousness for 1 & half years . we have one child of 6 years old. Part of this practice we started to take vegetable and omitted all kind of NON-veg from the month of January of this year. But people around us not accepting to become vegetarian specially my Mother in Law, Sister in law as they frequently stay in our home due to sickness of my wife. But my wife is still strict to be as vegetarian and she never allowed to bring any fish or meat at our home. But her Mother and sister continuously insisting us to take non-veg and last one year they put tremendous mental & physical pressure on us to take non-veg and tried to make us understand that other Vaishnavas who are worshiping Krishna are taking non-veg other than the ISKCON devotee, Krishna never told us to become vegetarian to worship him & Lord is always merciful and also accept our worship . so there is no problem to take non-veg . According to them ISKCON is imposing unnecessary rules which is completely against to our social context and one will be completely separated from the society if we follow them. Even we cant attend any social gathering or any occasion of our relative if we become vegetarian since all of them are non-veg. Apart from these they are trying to explain about health hazard like lack of B12 vitamin & protein of taking only veg. But still my wife is strict in this regard and always there is hue & cry at my home on this issue .
Just to let you know my wife has got SPINE FUSION SURGERY last month in CHennai . Hence she need incentive care and it is must to stay of her mother and sister at my home to look after her. My mother In law already initiated Vaishnava Guru but take non veg regularly and according to her GURU never restrict her to take non veg.
However this hue & cry is become a going concern in this regard and me & my wife becoming upset mentally.
In this circumstances i need to know below things .
1. Is it indeed necessary to become vegetarian to worship Lord Krishna ? Can anybody mention any verse from Vedas & Puranas ?
2. How will we maintain all these rules during our old age any case or during sickness ?
3. How can get rid of lack of B12 vitamins, sea minerals of my family ?
4. What sort of food should i feed my 6 years old CHild to maintain her physical growth and brain development if to continue
5 I heard that ISKCON temples never keep any Old Devotee who are sick and not physically fit & send them back to home who become old & Weak, Is it true?
Replies
OK first thing is you can research macrobiotic because it uses proper food combinations including vegetarian for complete protein.
you can take b12 pills as well if you feel the need
Well as far as establishing an Iskcon retirement program, that would be my service if I were still in Iskcon. It is true that many devotees are kicked out after having served their whole adult lives.... this is not the way though.... we have to take responsibility for the people who surrender their lives to our program, at least as well as you average karmi business. If we provided health care and other support withe the money that THEY bring in anyway, then many more people would surrender and not have to worry about being set out to pasture...
Hare Krishna ,
Prabhuji , I always feel the only way to resolve such issues is by Association ,
Make Devotee friends , Slowly your social Gatherings will be with Vaishnavas
1. Is it indeed necessary to become vegetarian to worship Lord Krishna ? Can anybody mention any verse from Vedas & Puranas ? you try to answer the question yourself why one should be vegetarian , What does it help us do ,
Many will give you Answers like Hitler was vegetarian and he killed Millions and Mother Teresa was Non veg and she was very compassionate . Dont Fall for such Answers
Old saying Jaisa Ann waisa Man
2. How will we maintain all these rules during our old age any case or during sickness ?
you are right , We eat medicines which we dont know Currently ,
3. How can get rid of lack of B12 vitamins, sea minerals of my family ? you can go for alternative food
4. What sort of food should i feed my 6 years old CHild to maintain her physical growth and brain development if to continue u can lot of things to maintain physical growth and brain , Salads , Vegetables , parthas , idli dosa , chapathi etc
5 I heard that ISKCON temples never keep any Old Devotee who are sick and not physically fit & send them back to home who become old & Weak, Is it true? I feel the Children should take care of the Mother and father Ideally . Teach your Children to care of Elders and you also take care of your Elders , Children lean what we do .
A-karma or [0] karma is our positions if you beleave otherwise is to Say Krishna's words stating that Hi's -Association is inadequat to certeal the gradual dominance of karmaMiah?
All shouch talk is simply- PahKappa\nonsence babble.
(Karma is applicable only in the Dhogmah) CULTS PLZ. Plz plz.beleave in the instructions of God HimSelf a become FEARLESS IN THIS REGARD. It's disterbing to see this accuring. Thust the teachings of KRISHNA & not those of the so-call yogies & kinfolk who are still regarding themselves as totally involved & authorized to interact and ingage in any way at all with Hi's creations! This false illusion although-it has no bases in logic, i.e.
How is it, that because one has been born onto the fave of this earth, when & how did it all fall under the ahspisus of ?(their own) sovern -athority? This is the same as eating any (offerable boga) without offering.
It can & probubbly going be/have some subtal-Karmicly negative reaction s. But however, that dosent mean that the years & years of karma that God addresses during our chanting session(s) hasn't been addressed and fully resolved, It has.
As a healer mySelf, O can definitively say that the Karmic & "MioFashel addheasions of mussels to bones, as well as the other Karmicly relevant affects of that past event are full & permanently released & eraced. Whot to speak of the permentcy of God's will & Hi's word. It seems that the earge to chit chat about such bogus yogic speculation & not the redeaming potancies of the Godhead makes me fill a bit like revisiting 1965
Hare Krsna PRabhuji,
PAMHO.
In addition to the answers already given, I would like to add a few points:
1) Yes, it is necessary to become vegetarian to please Krsna. One cannot please the father by killing his other children, right? All jivas are children of Krsna. How can He be happy with us, knowing that we have harmed His other children? Reference from puranas/ vedas already given.
2) If you start from now, daughter is 6 years old means you are young. By the time you become old, this lifestyle will become a way of life. You would have developed your consciousness so much that you would not want to live any other way. What are the "all these rules" - simply to be vegetarian, right? For old and sick, fasting is optional. Chanting one can do in any state, reading books or hearing lectures can be done at any age. With technology at our fingertips, one neednt even go anywhere for association - it is simply possible with only online association.
3) Already answered by others.
4) Please make her completely veg, no onion or garlic. Give her offered food to develop her consciousness.
5) ISKCON is not an old age home. It is a place where devotees come together to render service to the Supreme Lordships. So if someone is old/ sick, typically they are taken care of by family and/or congregation. Depends on what you have cultivated when you were young/ fit.
Your mom in law and sis in law are taking advantage of your wife's illness to get these doubts in your head. My brother in law also had lower spine surgery (2nd surgery infact) last year and recuperated in Chennai before going back to Kolkata. We are vegetarians from birth, so the question of taking non veg doesnt arise for us. Dont get bewildered by temporary setbacks. These are just tests to help us grow.
I must congratulate you and your wife to withstand the whole year and not take non-veg despite all pressure from family, taht too in illness. Please keep the faith and keep it up.
I am in Chennai. If you need any help, I will try my best. Please contact.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Hare Krishna
Mataji, Thanks from my heart for your feedback . I have read all Provuji's explanation on my query.
I tried to make them understand with all verse and details but failed . Now thing is while i stay at home everything calm and cool but while i leave for office they again start to SING THEIR OWN SONG . Now they are saying my wife that only widow take VEG but married women don't take VEG & at least we should take ONION and GARLIC as My Father in Law found in Chennai that people of Veg are taking Onion and Garlic in their plate . Actually in Bengali society every one belief that only widow can take veg .
i understood that they will never been changed unless feel this from their heart. Hence decided to allow them to take non -veg at my home but me & my wife will strict not to take any non veg.
However we have plan to visit Chennai in the Month of March via Mayapur. While i will be there surely will see you.
Hare Krishna Debashish Prabhuji! Whatever description made by Bharat Prabhuji is absolutely correct. You must stick on Krishna Consciousness and leaver it.
Hare Krishna.,
All have already answered perfectly.
I just want to say-
Narada muni asked Ratnakar hunter ( Valmiki's old name) to find out if his wife and children or anyone would be ready to take burden of the sins he incur. You say you are doing sins to feed your wife and children. The hunter went to his house and asked his wife and children the same. They said NO we cannot take the burden of the bad karma which you do. You alone have to face the karma which you do. Only you are responsible for your acts.
Ratnakar's heart broke and returned back to Narad muni.
What do you infer?
YOU ALONE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR SINFUL ACTIVITIES AND KARMA.
Tomorrow your mother in law or your sister in law is not going to come rescue you and share the burden of the sins you commit.
If you disturb nature the nature will rebound and disturb you. You kill an animal for your taste buds...you will face the same in next birth.
There are many people who are living hale and healthy for long being vegan and vegetarian also.
maybe until your wife recovers from the present illness if doctors say she needs to take such a high protein diet for quick recovery she may take for sometime.
But it is not necessary we have so many pulses , chickpea, kidney beans, mung daal and milk, butter.. cheese.. dates, nuts and green leafy veggies and all colorful vegetables and if you carefully choose foods and maintain health proportions in meals like 70% protiein, 20% carbs 10% fats and fruits in every meal it is quite sufficient.
Hare Krishna.
Hare Krsna
This is also very important point presented by Mataji. By avoiding non-veg we are avoiding so much of sinful activity & suffering for ourselves & entire family.
Hare Krsna
Hare Krsna
Congratulations for beginning your Krsna consciousness. It is great good fortune that a soul comes in contact with the Krsna consciousness movement and begins/continues his journey towards our eternal&true father Sri Krsna. What you are facing is a typical challenge of change in some habits after becoming serious in KC. Almost every devotee faces this. The confusion you have is gone through many devotees especially those who are closely connected with their relatives. Below are some clarifications to your questions.
Krishna never told us to become vegetarian to worship him & Lord is always merciful and also accept our worship .
Actually Krsna tells in BG. Acaryas like Srila Prabhupada make us understand the words of Krsna and advise us to lead a life that is conducive to our spiritual progress. Here is what Sri Krsna says
yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo
mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ
bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā
ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt
The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin. (BG 3.13)
What to speak of non-veg, even vegetarian food not offered to Krsna causes bondage and increases our sin. But there is a solution to this
patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ
If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it. (BG 9.26)
One who loves Kṛṣṇa will give Him whatever He wants, and he avoids offering anything which is undesirable or unasked. Thus meat, fish and eggs should not be offered to Kṛṣṇa. If He desired such things as offerings, He would have said so. Instead He clearly requests that a leaf, fruit, flowers and water be given to Him, and He says of this offering, “I will accept it.” Therefore, we should understand that He will not accept meat, fish and eggs. Vegetables, grains, fruits, milk and water are the proper foods for human beings and are prescribed by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. Whatever else we eat cannot be offered to Him, since He will not accept it. Thus we cannot be acting on the level of loving devotion if we offer such foods. (Purport 9.26)
According to them ISKCON is imposing unnecessary rules which is completely against to our social context and one will be completely separated from the society if we follow them.
Relatives generally speak many such things to make us fearful. No need to take them seriously. All the rules and regulations are only to help us come closer to Krsna. No need to explain to them, but it is important to understand it ourselves and firmly fixed on it.
Even we cant attend any social gathering or any occasion of our relative if we become vegetarian since all of them are non-veg.
There maybe practical ways to overcome these obstacles. Like you may attend but not take non-veg. Initially it may be awkward, but slowly they will understand and accept it. They will eventually stop opposing it.
My mother In law already initiated Vaishnava Guru but take non veg regularly and according to her GURU never restrict her to take non veg.
This is impossible, because no vaishnava sampradaya allows their followers to consume meat and give initiation. It is impossible. But that said there are many apa-sampradayas or bogus sampradayas that allow many other sinful activities to gather followers. No need to get into these, but it suffices to understand that no vaishnava sampradaya/ vaishnava guru allows non-veg. If any sampradaya/guru does, then it is not genuine.
Is it indeed necessary to become vegetarian to worship Lord Krishna ? Can anybody mention any verse from Vedas & Puranas ?
If a person is serious about Krsna consciousness, like attaining pure devotional service, reviving our eternal relationship with Krsna and being freed from the cycle of repetitive & miserable birth and death then it is necessary to give up consuming non-veg. There are many instructions in scriptures on this. you can find them here
Rig Veda:
“One who partakes of human flesh, the flesh of a horse or of another animal, and deprives others of milk by slaughtering cows, O King, if such a fiend does not desist by other means, then you should not hesitate to cut off his head.”
Rig-veda (10.87.16)
“By subsisting on pure fruits and roots, and by eating food fit for ascetics in the forest, one does not gain so great a reward as by entirely avoiding the use of flesh. Me he [mam sah] will devour in the next world, whose flesh I eat in this life; the wise declare this to be the real meaning of the word ‘flesh’ [mam sah].” (Manu-samhita 5.54-55)
“The purchaser of flesh performs violence by his wealth; he who eats flesh does so by enjoying its taste; the killer does violence by actually tying and killing the animal. Thus, there are three forms of killing. He who brings flesh or sends for it, he who cuts off the limbs of an animal, and he who purchases, sells, or cooks flesh and eats it–all these are to be considered meat-eaters.” (Mahabharata, Anu.115.40)
How will we maintain all these rules during our old age any case or during sickness ?
If we take shelter of Krsna, serve Krsna then Krsna will empower us to any extent. Krsna is supremely powerful, if He wishes anything is possible. We need to depend on Krsna with faith.
I heard that ISKCON temples never keep any Old Devotee who are sick and not physically fit & send them back to home who become old & Weak, Is it true?
As far as I know in most temple only celebate brahmacaris are fully dependent on temple. Others are dependent on Iskcon temple spiritually or they work in temple for salary.
For celibate brahmacaris, they are taken care of throughout lives. For others who work at temple, it is just like any other job, they retire from job in old age. Specific arrangements need to be clarified at the time of work.
As far as spiritual dependence for service, attending programs etc is concerned, there are no age restrictions in Iskcon. In fact there may be special arrangements for old people.
Kindly do not be discouraged by relatives. But no need to take them seriously. As formality we may listen but we cannot follow them. We follow the acaryas because they take us back home back to godhead.
Hare Krsna
Hare Krishna
It will be hard to get your answers from Vedas and Puranas. Answers will differ as puranas were classified in different modes and classes of people. Dharma/Principles in general has been changing in each yuga.
1,Animals also have consciousness, emotions and feelings,so one has to think is it necessary to kill animals to survive? Lot of westerners have changed to vegan/Vegetarian to stop cruelty.
2. It is not the meat but body need to absorb minerals and vitamin. Vegetarian food provides more than enough nutrients and vitamins to nurture the body where as meat is hard to digest and not environmental friendly.
3. In case medical test suggest that you need B12, then you get tablets.
4. As parents we think, but Vegetarian food provides all necessary supplements for the body. In some cases Iron levels are low but they can be substantiated by tablets.
5. Association of devotees is good for one to progress in devotion but not compulsory. ISKCON is the medium but you can always use internet and keep in constant touch with temple and devotees. ( I don't know your answer)
I was lucky to born in vegetarian family and presently living in Australia, but my determination and knowing the facts helped me to be Vegetarian.
Lord will show his mercy and find his own way but have faith in Lord.
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