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Question: Can Eating Vegetables Also Be Sinful?

While discussing with one of my friends I got confused. According to the four regulative principles of Krishna consciousness, I gave up meat eating a long time ago as I wanted to refrain from killing. When I told my friend I left meat because I don't want to kill, he said that even the plants have life and therefore eating them would also be killing. So I told him that since we are offering food to Krishna it's not sinful. He then asked, "If you offer meat to Krishna wouldn't that also be free from sin, just as when you offer vegetables to Krishna?" 

Somewhere I got angry inside and did not talk to him any more.  But after thinking about it, this question comes to my mind: Am I sinning by eating vegetarian food? 

Also it is said in scriptures that God is present in everything. Prahlada Maharaja insisted upon this, and God came out of the pillar to prove His devotee's words. Is it sinful then to eat anything since God is present everywhere?

One point that is given in Bhagavad-gita is that meat is tamasic, in the mode of ignorance. So to advance spiritually one must be sattvic, that is, in the mode of goodness. Could this be the answer of my question? Kindly clear my doubts.

Sushant

Answer: Yes, If You Don't Offer Them to Krishna

Your understanding from Bhagavad-gita that meat eating is in the mode of ignorance is a fact. The more one eats meat, the more he becomes ignorant.

It is a fact that eating vegetables is also killing. Therefore our vegetables must be offered to Krishna before eating. Meat cannot be offered because when Krishna specifies which types of foods are offerable, He does not include meat in the list. He only includes foodstuffs from the category of fruits, vegetables. dairy products, and grains.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari