Hare Krishna,
I have one question about the food. In ISKCON some type of food isn't allowed for people to take, like the meat, eggs, onion, garlic, and others.
I was thinking about that and ... if some devotee is eating onion is the same offense then eat the meat? Or even in this food restriction some are more allowed then others? For exemple, its better eat onion and garlic and drink alchool then eat meat or eggs?
Thank you,
Hare Krishna.
Replies
Hare Krishna!
Foods are categorized into three categories as per the three modes of material nature i.e. Goodness, Passion and ignorance. On the spiritual path those that are most inclined to lead a peaceful existence that respects the value of all life often adopts the vegetarian lifestyle. It is in accordance with the yogic principle of ahimsa, which is to observe nonviolence and abstain from injuring any being in any way. However, in the process of bhakti-yoga, devotion goes beyond simple vegetarianism, and food becomes a method of spiritual progress. In the Krishna temples, food is offered to the Deities in a special sacrament, after which it becomes prasadam. This means the mercy of the Lord. Thus, the food we eat after it is offered to the Lord becomes a means for our purification and spiritual development.
Devotional service or Krishna consciousness is often described as a process of singing, dancing and feasting. But the feasting is done with spiritual food, Krishna prasadam.
In the Bhagavad-gita Lord Krishna says, “All that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.” So offering what we eat to the Lord is an integral part of bhakti-yoga and makes the food blessed with spiritual potencies. Then such food is called prasadam, or the mercy of the Lord.
The Lord also describes what He accepts as offerings: “If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.” Thus, we can see that the Lord does not need anything, but if one offers fruits, grains, and vegetarian foods, He will accept it. The Lord does not accept foods like meat, fish or eggs, but only those that are pure and naturally available without harming others. So we offer what Krishna likes, not those items which are distasteful to Him. We also do not use garlic, onions, or mushrooms when we prepare food for Krishna.
The Lord is fully satisfied in Himself. He is the creator of all so everything is already His. He supplies us with food through nature, but we give thanks to Him by offering it back in a mood of loving devotion. So if His devotee offers something with love, out of His causeless mercy Krishna accepts it. The Lord is never hungry for our food, but for the love and devotion we offer. And then He reciprocates with that love.
So on the spiritual path eating food that is first offered to God is the ultimate perfection of a vegetarian diet. The Vedic literature explains that the purpose of human life is reawakening the soul’s original relationship with God, and accepting prasadam is the way to help us reach that goal.
So we see that out of the 4 regulative principles 2 are strictly related to food viz. intoxication and meat-eating. This shows the importance given to what we consume and its importance on our spiritual advancement. Foods like onion, garlic, all non-veg. dishes like meat, fish, eggs etc. come in the mode of passion and darkness. They cannot be offered to the Lord. Further, they are detrimental to health of our spiritual consciousness. Hence, we must refrain from consuming them.
Ys,
Mathura Vasi Devi Dasi.
Hare Krishna, I just wanted to know if red lentils( masoor dal ) are allowed of forbidden ?
Thank you
QUESTIONS ASKED TO SRILA PRABHUPADA. PART 101. ON FOOD, DIET AND COOKING.
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QUESTIONS ASKED TO SRILA PRABHUPADA. PART 102. ON FOOD, DIET AND COOKING.
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QUESTIONS ASKED TO SRILA PRABHUPADA. PART 103. ON FOOD, DIET AND COOKING.
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QUESTIONS ASKED TO SRILA PRABHUPADA. PART 106. ON FOOD, DIET AND COOKING.
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QUESTIONS ASKED TO SRILA PRABHUPADA. PART 107. ON FOOD, DIET AND COOKING.
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QUESTIONS ASKED TO SRILA PRABHUPADA. PART 113. ON FOOD, DIET AND COOKING.
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QUESTIONS ASKED TO SRILA PRABHUPADA. PART 115. ON FOOD, DIET AND COOKING.
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I think its same.Onion i has been derived from Cow leg.
http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/group/krishnaconsciousness/forum/to...
ONION, GARLIC, EGG, MUSHROOM, LIQUOR, MEAT,
http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/group/krsna-conscious-links/forum/t...
LINKS ON..THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROTECTION OF COWS
Hare Krishna Devotees. Dandavat Pranam. All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Onion and Garlic influence the lower modes of material nature namely passion and ignorance in our system. when a living entity is in these base modes (passion and ignorance) there is no chance of becoming a Dhira or self controlled man, and without being Dhira how can one become Krishna Conscious ?
When we are representing ourself as Krishna Conscious to the public, we must follow the rules and regulation set by our Acharyas, Onion and Garlic are strictly prohibited in KC because of scientific reason. If we don't set examples by following the Acharyas then we are disobeying Acharyas. Simply eating what we like is not Bhakti , it is Bhoga.
Don't do anything that people get wrong impression of this glorious movement.
Your aspiring Servant
Hari Bol
In Our families since the very beginning, we have not cooked food with onion and garlic. As bhog has too be prepared and offered. Our food is very delicious and we have never felt that we are missing anything. But now if we go out we eat out and those meals have onions and garlic.. its okay we cannot change them so we are okay with it.
I would say onion garlic is still okay in minimalistic quantities. but when preparing bhog we have to make sure that the area is clean and our hands and everything else is clean and "Succhaa" but meat and alchohal would be the lowest I would believe.
monica ji first of all ur saying about eggs and meat which has no place in krishna consciousness bcoz meat is done my himsa i.e murder and all non-veg things create material and thamoguna thoughts which are very low-level and separates us from lord. so be practical in staying away from them and it will be very much helpfull if u also want to not eat onions. then u can get peace to ur mind and keep ur mind and soul on lord krishna always. eating onions(veg) is different from meat. hare krishna.
Better to follow the established principles of what to eat and what not to eat than to speculate if one bad food is better than another bad food...you can rationalize any unwanted behavior and that is very easy to do. Better to take the safe way of following the great acaryas and teachers who have left behind the list of do's and don'ts. It is very easy to follow the merry road of Maya, and often it happens that a little deviation from established principles will lead to further, and more serious devation. Maya is very strong and can trip you up in many ways. Best to follow guru, sastra, sadhu...
Hare Krishna Mataji,
It is not about what is allowed and what is not allowed or more allowed. It's about changing our consciousness and staying in Krishna's service. Eating onion or garlic affects our consciousnesses since these foods are in lower modes of nature such as ignorance and passion. As aspiring devotees we should cultivate the mode of goodness and avoid the lower modes. Onion and garlic contains enzymes which cause reactions of repulsive breath, extra-foul odour from perspiration and bowel movements, and lead to lewd indulgences, enhance agitations, anxieties and aggressiveness. These will not help us control our senses and to advance in Krishna Consciousness sense control is a must. So point is not whether onions and garlic is better than meat or not but rather all these foods are bad for those who want to advance in Krishna Consciousness so we should be sincere and try to avoid.
Your servant.
Hari Bol.
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