Guest guest Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Is eating Onions prohibited ? i mean, if i take onions along with other vegetables in cooking; is it wrong. i dont need a terse discussion on the Dharma Shastras, but a practical answer. Thanks & Regards, Venkat. Sadgurubhyo Namah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Reply to the letter of Shri Venkata Subramanian, He wrote: Is eating Onions prohibited ? i mean, if i take onions along with other vegetables in cooking; is it wrong. i dont need a terse discussion on the Dharma Shastras, but a practical answer. Shri Venkata Subramanian, Namaskar, Our Shastra-s say that a person who eats onion is a "Pretavat". ( living corpse). Ayurved admits that it is a Tamasi Ahar though the onion preparations are prescribed on certain diseases. Saints say that onion eating makes one idle, more prone to sleeping and increases Kam Wasana badly. My experience is that once you achieve the Naadi Shuddhi, you immediately start understanding the bad results of eating onion, and not till that. You yourself get the smell of rotten thing (may be like corpse) from your body, which could be stopped by giving up onion eating. Astonishingly, people around you do not understand this change like you understand yourself, after Shuddhi. So our Dharmashastras are right. Anil Music Unlimited - Access over 1 million songs. Try it free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Namaste Sri Anil: We should be very careful while answering this delicate question about eating/avoiding foods such as onion, garlic, etc. It is a matter of fact that food preparations using Onion and especially garlic will likely generate distasteful odor. This is the major reason for avoidance of food preparations using onion or garlic during major religious festivals especially during large gathering of people. Every food that we eat has both positive and negative sides - all that is very tasty may not necessarily good for maintaining good health. At the same time all that which makes us to smell bad may not necessarily bad for maintaining good health and/or good medicinal value. For example, my son does not want to eat ginger even though it is very good for health point of view, but he does not seem to appreciate its tastes. We often hear news about how children hate vegetables and fruits, instead go out for tasty ice-cream and other non-nutritious food items. Just like the religion, food is one's personal choice but the person who makes the choice should weigh carefully the benefits/damages and act accordingly. Purely on the nutritional point of view and on medicinal value basis, both onion and garlic are good for the person who enjoys them but those eat should take responsible remedies for spreading the odor when they are with the company of others. In the case of cigarette smokers both the smokers and the innocent peoples near the smokers get the bad effects. At least in the case of onion/garlic, the enjoyer of the food may not have any bad health effects. If you ask nutritional experts, they will likely provide a list goodies about onion/garlic for maintaining good health. I recommend everyone to read the following objective article in the Hinduism magazine, July 1994 edition which is posted at the URL: http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/1994/7/1994-7-12.shtml Here is the excerpts about Garlic & Onion: "Garlic and onion have been used for centuries as both food and medicine. They help increase digestive secretions, promote proper fat metabolism, and aid in liver detoxification. Though they have similar action, garlic is much more potent than onion. They can be eaten either raw or cooked. Garlic and onion help relieve abscesses, asthma, atherosclerosis, coughs, diabetes, digestive disorders, dysentery, earaches, hemorrhoids, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hysteria, inflammation and parasitic conditions. Dosage: A medium sized raw onion can be chopped and eaten as a salad with lemon juice. 10-30 cc of raw onion juice can be mixed with honey. This is an especially helpful remedy for asthma. Onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon twice a day, can also be taken. Onions and garlic can be used in cooking and stir frying for their many therapeutic effects. Cooked onion is particularly good for vata people. 1-2 cloves of raw garlic can be eaten once or twice a day. 500 mg of garlic powder or 1- 2 drops of garlic oil can be taken one to three times a day. Precautions: Neither onions nor garlic should be consumed by those with gallbladder problems or kidney stones. These foods have a contracting action and could increase the pain caused by such conditions. Also, pitta people should be very cautious with garlic as it can aggravate gastritis and other pitta disorders. Garlic and onion decrease vata and kapha and increase pitta." The objections stated by orthodox Hindus regarding the cooking of onion/garlic except for medicinal purposes have certain valid reasons. For example, a Hindu family is a large joint-family where one ore more members (especially elders of the family) observe strict dietary restrictions. The members of the family have lots of respect for those elders and they generally avoided foods that were not eaten by them. It is also true that scriptures do encourage Hindus to eat Satvik food (odorless healthy food that keeps the mind, body and intellect alert and vigilant). What foods could fall into this category again depend on many factors including age, sex and health background. Interestingly Vedantins use the peeling of the layers of an onion to illustrate that the Atman is invisible like the innermost element of the onion. The sadhak (seeker) would unravel the Maya (illusion) of being and the cosmos to find nothing within just like what we witness after peeling all the layers of skin of an onion. In other words, onion is a very good example for illustrating the meaning of moksha! Harih Om! Ram Chandran advaitin, Anil Bharatey <selfanil> wrote: > Shri Venkata Subramanian, Namaskar, > > Our Shastra-s say that a person who eats onion is a "Pretavat". ( living corpse). > > Ayurved admits that it is a Tamasi Ahar though the onion preparations > are prescribed on certain diseases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Hari OM! Yes, if you are doing intense Sadhana, then Onion is prohibited, because Onions makes our senses more aggressive, and are more prone to sensual pleasures. With Love & OM! Krishna Prasad On 10/17/05, venkata subramanian <venkat_advaita wrote: > > Is eating Onions prohibited ? i mean, if i take onions along with other > vegetables in cooking; is it wrong. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Hari OM! Dear Ramachandraji, Ultimately, what is the conclusion, whether we can eat onion or not, when we are doing our intense Sadhana??? With Love & OM! Krishna Prasad Note from Moderators Please do not include the entire previous mail in your post. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Namaste Sri Krishna Prasad: Each of us should follow our 'Swadharma' and follow it with discipline. When we declare 'intense sadhana' it requires definition and it will certainly vary from person to person. In Hindu Tradition, eating of onion/garlic is forbidden on major religious occasions with greater attendance of people who do not like to eat/smell onions. In community oriented activities and with the presence of priests and orthodox audience, we should avoid cooking/eating onions to keep everyone happy. In families quite often, meals are prepared separately for youngsters and elders so that no one is offended. In otherwords while cooking/eating/serving onions/garlic, the hosts should enquire about eating habits of the guests. During religious rituals, generally onions/garlic are avoided to keep the atomosphere acceptable to all people. In religious activities, democracy is never a rule and customs/traditions take higher precedent over people's likes/dislikes. In conclusion, we should be cautious while cooking/eating/serving when others are present. If there noone else is present, follow one's 'swadharma.' Once we define our 'swadharma' it should be followed strictly without violation and that is 'intense sadhana.' The rule of 'swadharma' is quite simple - You should treat others better than how you expect others to treat you!" Harih Om! Ram Chandran advaitin, Krishna Prasad <rkrishp99@g...> wrote: > > Hari OM! > Dear Ramachandraji, > Ultimately, what is the conclusion, whether we can eat onion or not, when > we are doing our intense Sadhana??? > With Love & OM! > Krishna Prasad > > Note from Moderators > > Please do not include the entire previous mail in your post. Thanks. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Sri Venkat Subramanian wrote: > Is eating Onions prohibited ? i dont need a terse discussion on the Dharma Shastras, but a > practical answer. Then again.. > Ultimately, what is the conclusion, whether we can eat onion or not, when > we are doing our intense Sadhana??? Namaste Venkat-ji As Ramchandran-ji has already clarified, shishTAchAra is as much a part of vedic dharma as dharma shAstras. Normally, there should not be any need to consult a book to know the appropriate dietary practice for the member of a living tradition. However for most of us who have lost touch with our roots, traditions are not something that are remembered but something that are discovered in books-- hence the confusion. Your very first question itself contains the answer. Yes, you do not need a terse discussion on dharma shAstra to find out what is appropriate for you. Look at the conduct of your elders who have not yet lost touch with the roots. If you do not find one, look at the learned members of your community and find out. If you are doing some intense sAdhana or advanced yogic practice, you will be told in advance of any dietary restrictions. If not specifically told, presume that there are none and follow the routine diet. praNAm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 List Moderator's Note: List wants to thank the members for their continued support to list policies and guidelines. Please do not include the previous posters' messages in the tail end (or in the beginning) of your message while sending your replies. Both the new members and other members do seem to continue to repeat doing this. The list appreciates your cooperation in keeping the message crisp and clear by removing all unnecessary parts of previous messages. (As it was done in this message!) Hari OM! Dear Ramachandraji, One who follows Swadharma really should always follow it, not when others are not present or anybody else is not there swadharma, and somebody is there then not swadharma, will they become confirmed hypocrites??? if they do their swadharma when no one else around. Then will we become a door mat???? only very nice because what others will think??? Treating others and getting ego hurt comes only in the vyvaharic plane. Ultimately, whatever we eat that becomes our real mind is it not?? correct me if I am wrong with all due respects to you sir. With Love & OM! Krishna Prasad On 10/17/05, Ram Chandran <RamChandran wrote: > > Namaste Sri Krishna Prasad: > > Each of us should follow our 'Swadharma' and follow it with discipline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Namaste Sri Krishnaji: The term 'swadharma' is even more difficult to define than 'dharma' and that may partly the problem. As Vedantins, we should be Truthful and we should always apply our 'discriminating intellect' and make sure to do what we truly believe as 'right.' Please note that eating is an act at vyavaharika level and the 'Atman' does not eat or sleep or dream or worry or analyze or worry! All that I was trying to say is that we should be considerate toward others feelings (those who like and dislike onions). Scientifically, Onions are considered good for the heart (physical heart) and physical health. For vedantic philosophy, 'eating onion' is a non-issue and the question is really raised in the context of religion (Hinduism). The historical facts along with the health and nutritional side of onion is provided in the URL: http://www.onions-usa.org/about/history.asp According to this site, Onions grew in Chinese gardens as early as 5000 years ago and they are referenced in some of the oldest Vedic writings from India. In Egypt, onions can be traced back to 3500 B.C. This site also provide the following health benefits of eating onions: " Higher intakes of fruits and vegetables have been associated with a variety of health benefits. Research shows that onions may help guard against many chronic diseases. That's probably because onions contain generous amounts of a flavonoid called quercetin. Other sources are tea and apples, but research shows that absorption of quercetin from onions is twice that from tea and more than three times that from apples. Studies have shown that quercetin protects against cataracts, cardiovascular disease, and cancer." Harih Om! Ram Chandran advaitin, Krishna Prasad <rkrishp99@g...> wrote: > > > Hari OM! > Dear Ramachandraji, > One who follows Swadharma really should always follow it, not when others > are not present or anybody else is not there swadharma, and somebody is > there then not swadharma, will they become confirmed hypocrites??? if they > do their swadharma when no one else around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Onions, garlic , peanuts are foods for the lower chakras and nourish the endocrine glands of muladhar and assist in release of those voluntary hormones. The release of those hormones makes the body and mind work on the muladhar (selfish ) mind set. Milk, ghee, fruits, nuts etc are sahasrara nourishing foods and help in spiritual growth due to release of pituatary and pineal gland hormones. We could discuss diet and spirituality if you all desire. Love Mayank Visit your group "advaitin" on the web. advaitin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 thanks for all the responses. Thanks & Regards, Venkat. Sadgurubhyo Namah. Music Unlimited - Access over 1 million songs. Try it free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2005 Report Share Posted October 18, 2005 dear venkatasubramanian, do the following simple exercise: subsist only on fruits plus milk /curds/buttermilk for about a week. you will find in yourself a marked change accentuated towards sattva. at this point, eat a full course of onions in cooked as well as salad forms. now see how your kaama desire has shot up. with this much raw passion rising within you [ in addition to what is already latent in you ], do you think you can succeed in any type of sadhana?. rerspectfully yours, a.v.krshnan. --- Anil Bharatey <selfanil wrote: _________ Messenger - NEW crystal clear PC to PC calling worldwide with voicemail http://uk.messenger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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