LORD KRISHNA'S INSTRUCTIONS ON WHAT TO EAT IN BHAGAVAD-GITA
Many people question what Lord Krishna says, or if He says anything at all,about whether to be vegetarian or not. Actually, He provides some importantinsights. Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita: “The devotees of the Lord arereleased from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered firstfor sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verilyeat only sin.” (Bg.3.13)So, food should be first offered in sacrifice, or ritual, but what ritual isthis? He explains quite clearly that all food, as well as anything else, shouldfirst be offered to Him. “If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, aflower, fruit or water, I will accept it. O son of Kunti, all that you do, allthat you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities thatyou may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me. In this way you will befreed from all reactions to good and evil deeds, and by this principle ofrenunciation you will be liberated and come to Me.” (Bg.9.26-28)
Herein it is clear that food should be first prepared for offering the Lord,but with love. You can often see this in temples wherein the food is cookedwith the intention of preparing it with love and then offering it before theDeities of Krishna with love. Thereafter, the devotees take the remnants anddistribute amongst them as offered food. This becomes prasadam, or thespiritually surcharged food that is the mercy of the Lord, and which purifiesour consciousness by honoring it through the process of respectfully eating it.
Furthermore, what is meant to be offered to the Lord is outlined as a leaf(most vegetables consist of leafy substances), flowers or fruits (which consistof grains, nuts, and fruits and juices), and water. Thus, no meat is mentioned.There are a number of reasons for this, one of which is that food that isacquired through cruelty is in the mode of tamas, or darkness and ignorance, orin the mode of rajas, passion, which causes pain and distress to both the eaterand the eaten. This is completely counterproductive to our own well-being, bothin the present and in our future, and certainly causes pain and suffering toothers. So, how can this be beneficial to anyone’s spiritual, mental,emotional, and subtle development? As Lord Krishna explains:
“Even food of which all partake is of three kinds, according to the three modesof material nature. The same is true of sacrifices, austerities and charity.Listen, and I shall tell you of the distinctions of these. Foods in the mode ofgoodness increase the duration of life, purify one’s existence and givestrength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such nourishing foods are sweet,juicy, fattening and palatable. Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty,pungent, dry, and hot, are liked by people in the mode of passion. Such foodscause pain, distress, and disease. Food cooked more than three hours beforebeing eaten, which is tasteless, stale, putrid, decomposed and unclean, is foodliked by people in the mode of ignorance.” (Bg.17.7-10)
Herein, it is clear that pure and wholesome vegetarian foods are what is neededfor our own refinement, health, strength, and happiness, while other kinds offood cause pain, suffering and disease. It does not take much comparative studyto recognize this.
Furthermore, we can see that the process of preparing and eating food is also apart of the Vedic system for making spiritual advancement. As the Vedicliterature explains, what we eat is an important factor in the process ofpurifying ourselves and remaining free from accumulating bad karma. It actuallyis not so difficult to be vegetarian, and it gives one a much higher taste ineating and in one’s spiritual realizations. The level of our consciousness isalso determined not only by what we think and do, but also by the vibrationallevel of what we put into our bodies as food. The more natural and peaceful thefood, the more healthy and peaceful will be our consciousness. If it is furtherblessed and offered to the Lord, then it becomes especially powerful andspiritualized. This vibration goes into our own bodies and is assimilated byour consciousness to assist us in our spiritual upliftment. However, if we eatfoods that are the remnants of animals that were petrified with fear beforebeing slaughtered, or were tortured during the slaughter process, that fear,aggression and suffering will also become a part of our own consciousness,which is reflected back on our own life and the people with whom we come incontact. And people wonder why there is not more peace in the world.
Another reason why no meat is mentioned as being acceptable to Lord Krishna isthat the soul, which is a part and parcel of the Lord Himself, is equallypresent in not only humans, but all species of life.
“The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learnedand gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater .”(Bg.5.18) Thus, a wise person recognizes the value of life, the soul, withinall species of living beings. Because he recognizes the soul in all bodies, hedoes not cause any cruelty to them. Cruelty or suffering inflicted on anyliving being will certainly cause harm to ourselves and regression in our owndevelopment, spiritual or otherwise. Compassion and kindness to all beings ishow we make spiritual progress. Is there anything that is really more importantthat this? As Lord Krishna explains:
“One who is not envious but who is a kind friend to all living entities, whodoes not think himself a proprietor, who is free from false ego and equal bothin happiness and distress, who is always satisfied and engaged in devotionalservice with determination and whose mind and intelligence are in agreementwith Me—he is very dear to Me.” (Bg.12.13-14)
Thus, how can we be kind to all living entities if we are looking at them as ifthey would be our next meal? This is not compassion, concern for others, orkindness. It is no different than the way animals look at each other with theintent to eat another being, or with fear to keep from being eaten. As humanbeings, we should be better than that, certainly more developed than carrying amere animal mentality within ourselves. Meat cannot be acquired withoutviolence to others, and unwarranted violence toward others offers nothingelevating to anyone. It is hardly God’s philosophy to be a friend to humans butan enemy to animals by wanting to slaughter and eat them. What can be morethoughtless and evil than that? Thus, this sort of nonviolence that isexhibited toward others, as when one abstains from eating meat, is a godlyquality, as Lord Krishna further explains in Bhagavad-gita (16.2-3): ahimsa ornonviolence is one of the transcendental qualities that belong to godly menendowed with divine nature.
You have misunderstood the paragraph.
“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, aflower, fruit or water, I will accept it. O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities thatyou may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me. In this way you will befreed from all reactions to good and evil deeds, and by this principle ofrenunciation you will be liberated and come to Me.” (Bg.9.26-28)
This paragraph doesn't speak of food alone. It speaks of Actions and How to free oneself from action by giving "away" everything you do (as sacrifice) to God. Which is why He said - a leaf, flower, fruit or water. It doesn't matter what you give, as long as you offer it to God as sacrifice first, thus freeing you from reaction (Karma).
As for meat and violence, I have no comments. You have misunderstood the paragraph.
This paragraph doesn't speak of food alone. It speaks of...
Sephiroth Post at 16-4-2012 13:30 http://mforum.cari.com.my/images/common/back.gif
eating meats isok...must be moderate
i like beef eating meats isok...must be moderate
i like beef
Truth.8 Post at 3-5-2012 11:49 http://mforum.cari.com.my/images/common/back.gif
This is not according to what Krishna said...he strictly said that who ever likes meat or flesh of other creations automatically will be held to Hell...no one will escape...No matter what religion n faith he has... :) This is not according to what Krishna said...he strictly said that who ever likes meat or flesh...
kirhmuru Post at 9-5-2012 00:18 http://eforum2.cari.com.my/images/common/back.gif
Good reply. :C This is not according to what Krishna said...he strictly said that who ever likes meat or flesh...
kirhmuru Post at 9-5-2012 00:18 http://mforum.cari.com.my/images/common/back.gif
where is the verses to support ur claimed?
hindus are good in story telling than supporting with proof
another hindu fella says eating beef is consider pariah....
so many version in hindusim where is the verses to support ur claimed?
hindus are good in story telling than supporti ...
Truth.8 Post at 9-5-2012 15:27 http://eforum2.cari.com.my/images/common/back.gif
Good article about meat-eating from Jane Srivastavawho holds a bachelor's degree from Vilnius State University, Lithuania, and a degree from the Albany Law School, Albany, New York. She now lives in South Carolina.
Source : http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=1541
They who are ignorant, though wicked and haughty, kill animals without feelings or remorse or fear of punishment. In their next lives, such sinful persons will be eaten by the same creatures they have killed. Shrimad Bhagavatam, (11.5.14),
Another good article. Source : http://www.faithandfood.com/Hinduism.php
“Having well considered the origin of flesh-foods, and the cruelty of fettering and slaying corporeal beings, let man entirely abstain from eating flesh.”
The Manu-smrti (5.49) Source : http://berita.cari.com.my/news.php?id=31115
CANBERRA: Doktor di Australia memberi jaminan kepada pesakit mereka akan mendapat manfaat jika mengamalkan diet yang bebas daripada daging.
Satu kajian penyelidikan saintifik pertama, diterbitkan dalam Jurnal Perubatan Australia, mendapati pengamal diet sayuran menerima banyak manfaat kesihatan berbanding risiko daripada diet berasaskan tumbuhan. Jurnal itu memeriksa kekurangan zat yang secara tradisi dianggap menjejaskan mereka yang mengamalkan diet sayuran dan mendapati mereka menerima cukup protein, zat besi dan zink. Pakar nutrisi Rosemary Stanton, yang menulis satu ruangan editorial terhadap kertas penyelidikan itu berkata, bukti saintifik menunjukkan satu diet terancang berasaskan tumbuhan dapat memenuhi keperluan nutrisi golongan dewasa dan kanak-kanak.
“Bukti menunjukkan mereka yang mengikuti satu diet sayuran kemungkinan kurang mendapat penyakit jantung, kurang kanser usus, kurang mendapat diabetes jenis-2 dan kurang obes,” katanya. – Agensi
Stupid westerners. We already know this over 5,000 years ago, lah. {:1_550:} Reply 8# Sephiroth
Hindus knew that through Vedhas already...but now only they (westerners) notice this through research...but the fact is...our Indians also doesnt wanna be vege...even Hindus...not realising the power of being vege...n the holy of Vedhas...on scientific reasons...hmmm
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