Hare Krishna: Think These Things Before You Eat Anything

Chant Hare Krishna

 Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare 

Hare Krishna! Food is the source of energy and we need it to fulfil our daily tasks and stay healthy. But do we think the effects of various food items on our body, mind and spiritual life? A famous saying “We are what we eat” is true because food items that we eat affect our thought process, action and consciousness. So before eating anything ponder on following things.

Is it acceptable to Krishna?

Will it help me in my spiritual life?

Is it pure and sattvic?

Is the source of the Food good?

What Does Krishna Accept

Hare Krishna! The food we eat is clad with several impurities and it does spoil our consciousness. But when we offer the food to Krishna it becomes Prasad and boosts our spiritual advancement. So we should always offer the food to Krishna before eating it.

Now the question is can we offer everything we eat to Krishna? The answer is no. Krishna says if you offer me water, a leaf, a flower or fruit with love, I will accept it. So we can only offer sattvic food without garlic and onion. Non-vegetarian food such as meat, egg, and fish is not accepted by Krishna and they are harmful to your spiritual life. Since these food items are tamasic in nature and they will only degrade and make you suffer in this and subsequent lives.

Why Non-Vegetarian Food is Prohibited?

Eating meat is the worst form of cruelty and thousands of animals are slaughter mercilessly every day. Many would argue that plants and trees also have life and eating vegetarian is also a form of violence. 

These people just want to justify their cruelty through illogical arguments. When we pluck fruits or vegetables, they don’t cry and ooze blood. They have life in subtle form and their consciousness is very low level so eating a tomato isn’t equal to eating a goat.

We have experienced several mammoth natural calamities such as flood, earthquake, and drought in the past. These events have resulted from our evil actions and caused immeasurable loss to the world. The world cannot be a peaceful place until all forms of violence and especially killing of animals don’t stop.

Plenty of Options For a Vegetarian

Krishna has given us variety of food item to live on and we can enjoy a healthy life eating them. Meat eating isn’t necessary and common people are fooled on the nutrition facts of non-vegetarian foods. In reality, they are not good for our body, mind, and soul and we should avoid them at every cost.

If you eat Prasad regularly, your mind will be purified in due course of time and you will be engaged in the loving services of Krishna. If you can manage to get it from a temple that is best, however, you can also offer food to Krishna and then have it.

Do Garlic and Onion also come in Non- Vegetarian Category?

Since garlic and onion promote passion we should avoid them. Though they don't fall in the category of non-vegetarian foods, but considered impure. So if you want to advance in your spiritual life your should avoid them.

Many people say that foods without garlic and onion are tasteless which is not true. Krishna devotees prepare and offer several food items that are yummy. You just need to learn the right way to cook such food. For this you can purchase vegetarian food guide from Iskcon temple, further, many cooking videos are available on YouTube and you can easily learn how to prepare delicious foods without garlic and onion.

If you are interested in advancing in Krishna consciousness, follow a strict diet and focus on purity in life. Any unworthy thought should be discarded as soon as it comes in mind and doesn't work on impulses. 

Since the external energy of Krishna, Maya is very powerful; it will try to elude you into material concepts leading towards evil things so you should always keep a guard on your thoughts. The best thing is to remember Krishna all the time and in this way, you will not fall into the trap of Maya. Hare Krishna!