Do you know why?

[Guest guest]

DEar Mahatma Prabhu. Jaya Prabhupada.

 

> << Any list of such greens that are permissable during the first month?

> Any list of the vegetables that are totally avoided during the four

> months? >>

>

> Hey, my man, do you know the reason that we don't eat specfic foods during

> specific months? Is it just a general tapasya or is there a deeper

> meaning to it?

 

Here's the deepest meaning I've found:

 

FRom Bhaktayloka:

 

"One should carefully give up attachment for material assets. People in

general have spontaneous attachment for house, household paraphernalia,

clothes, ornaments, wealth, wife and children's health, their own health,

eatables, trees, and animals. Some people are so addicted to smoking,

chewing pan, eating fish and meat, and drinking alcohol that their practice

of spiritual life is obstructed. Many people do not respect the Lord's

remnants out of great attachment to eating things like fish. Because of the

desire to constantly smoke, many people's study of devotional scriptures,

relish for hearing and chanting, and remaining long in temples is

obstructed. Attachment for these things is averse to the constant practice

of devotional service. If one does not carefully give up these things then

he cannot get happiness from his devotional service. Attachment for these

things is easily destroyed by the association of devotees. Still, one should

try to destroy these petty attachments by fully engaging in devotional

service. By observing vows approved in devotional service, those attachments

are vanquished.

By properly observing hari-vasara, Ekadasi, and appearance days of the Lord,

those attachments are vanquished. The rules of such vows are the provisions

for diminishing one's attachments. There are prescriptions for practicing

devotional service while giving up all types of enjoyment on those days.

There are two types of eatables-those which sustain one's life and those

which gratify the senses. Eating grains and drinking are life sustaining.

Fish, meat, pan, intoxicants, and smoking are all for gratifying the senses.

On days of vows, unless one totally gives up sense gratifying items, it is

not a vow. As far as possible, life sustaining items should also be given

up. According to the prescribed needs of one's bodily condition one must try

as far as possible to reduce the acceptance of life sustaining eatables.

There is no prescription for acceptance of sense gratifying items, the only

prescription is to reject them. One of the limbs of a vrata is to diminish

the devotee's propensity for enjoyment. If one thinks, "Today somehow or

other I will renounce, but tomorrow I will enjoy profusely," then the

purpose of the vow will not be successful. The reason is that vows have been

prescribed to give up the association of such items by gradual practice.

Vows are usually for three days. First by practicing vows for three days,

then by practicing for one month, then by practicing for four months

(Caturmasya)-in this way gradually one should completely uproot the

attachment for sense gratifying items and leave them forever. For those who

cannot remember the statements of Bhagavad-gita: ksipram bhavati

dharmatma-"He quickly becomes righteous," in regard to the observance of

vows, their renunciation is temporary like the bathing of an elephant."

============ REF. Sanga-tyaga Sri Bhaktyaloka.

 

of course like ekadasi vrata, Chaturmasya may be done with a fruitive

motive, like Jaiva dharma writes:

 

"Babaji: I have already said that the goals are different according to the

different desires of the living entities. They who yearn after material

sense pleasures do not accept liberation as the final goal. To these persons

the scriptures advise (Apastamba Srauta-sutra 2.1.1):

"They who perform the caturmasya-yajnas attain immortality."

 

============ REF. Chapter Twelve Jaiva dharma

 

"Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara decided to stay in Jagannatha Puri for

caturmasya. After hearing about the rasas from the mouth of Sri Gopala-guru

Goswami, they both decided to follow the path of worshipping the Lord

according to the rasas. Hearing from him the glories of observing

caturmasya, Vrajanatha's grandmother accepted his suggestion to stay in

Jagannatha Puri."

 

============ REF. Chapter Twenty-nine Jaiva dharma.

 

Pancharatra pradeep 1.13 writes:

 

"A devotee may offer bona fide foods considered delicacies by the local

people or preferred by him or his family.* In commenting on a sloka stating

that one may offer his own or local favorites, Sanatana Gosvami writes that

this means that even though people in general may not like a certain food,

if a person prefers it he may offer it. But this refers to foods the

scriptures approves, not those they forbid. Thus if one is fond of a

forbidden food, one cannot offer it to the Lord. And thus one cannot eat it.

Also, one should not offer even permissible foods that are tasteless,

unpalatable, inedible, impure for any reason, or eaten by insects, animals,

or people."

 

One of the vows of chaturmasya is to give up a favorite item one accepts

normally throughout the year. The vows are accepted gradually one by one as

one is able to do them, the improtance is to continue one's bhajana (along

with the vrata as assistant) with a happy heart.

 

>From Bhajana Rahasya

 

"The Bhagavat-nama-kaumudi quotes the Puramas as follows:

naktam diva ca gatabhir jita-nidra eko

nirvinna iksitapatho mita-bhuk prasantah

yady acyute bhagavati sva-mano na sajjen-

namani tad rati karani pathed vilajjah (36)

If your mind is not fixed in rememberance of Krsna, then chant those

principal names (such as Krsna and Govinda) which increase one's attachment

to Him. Chant day and night without fear or shame, conquer sleep, be

detached from worldly affairs, eat frugally, and in a tranquil mood always

seek the path of spiritual truth."

 

============ REF. Sri Bhajana-rahasya

 

Prathama yama Sadhana

 

Engage in hearing and chanting Krsna's name, form, and attributes with

undivided attention, and at the same time try to destroy your anarthas. Then

the creeper of devotion will quickly bear fruit.

According to the Padma Purama, one should not be agitated by scarcity or

loss of desired objects:

alabdhe va vinaste va bhaksyacchadana-sadhane

aviklava-matir bhutva harim eva dhiya smaret (7)

The mind of one who has taken shelter of the holy name is undisturbed even

if food and clothes are not easily obtained or if they are obtained but then

lost. Leaving behind all material attachments, he takes complete shelter of

Govinda.

 

============ REF. Sri Bhajana-rahasya

 

The procedure for giving up grief is explained in the Padma Purama:

sokamarsadibhir bhavair akrantam yasya manasam

katham tasya mukundasya sphurttih sambhavana bhavet (8)

Within the heart of one who is full of anger or pride, or lamentation on the

state of his wife or sons, there is no possibility of Krsna being manifest.

One should accept only those things necessary for his devotional life, as

stated in the Naradiya Purama:

yavata syat sva-nirvahah svikuryat tavad arthavit

adhikye nyunatayanca cyavate paramarthatah (9)

If the devotee accepts those things necessary for the maintenance of his

life, it does not mean he is a sense enjoyer. The devotee neither accepts

too much nor too little, for that hampers his progress towards his goal.==

REF. Sri Bhajana-rahasya

 

As one progresses in this way he offers prayers similar to Prahlada

Maharaja's in the Srimad Bhagavatam (7.9.39):

naitan manas tava kathasu vikuntha-natha

sampriyate durita-dustam asadhu tivram

kamaturam harsa-soka-bhayaisanartam

tasmin katham tava gatim vimrsami dinah (11)

My dear Lord of the Vaikuntha planets, where there is no anxiety, my mind is

extremely sinful and lusty, being sometimes so-called happy and sometimes

so-called distressed. My mind is full of lamentation and fear, and it always

seeks more and more money. Thus it has become most polluted and is never

satisfied in topics concerning You. I am therefore most fallen and poor. In

such a status of life, how shall I be able to discuss Your activities?

O Krsna! How will I get attachment for topics concerning You? And how will I

meditate on Your pastimes?

The Srimad Bhagavatam (7.9.40) explains how a living entity attracted to

sense objects such as form and taste is completely vanquished:

jihvaikato 'cyuta vikarsati mavitrpta

sisno 'nyatas tvag-udaram sravanam kutascit

ghrano 'nyatas capala-drk kva ca karma-saktir

bahvyah sapatnya iva geha-patim lunanti (12)

My dear Lord, O infallible one, my position is like that of a person who has

many wives, all trying to attract him in their own way. For example, the

tongue is attracted to palatable dishes, the genitals to sex with an

attractive woman, and the sense of touch to contact with soft things. The

belly, although filled, still wants to eat more, the ear, not attempting to

hear about You, is generally attracted to useless talks. The sense of smell

is attracted to yet another side, the restless eyes are attracted to scenes

of sense gratification, and the active senses are attracted elsewhere. In

this way I am certainly embarrassed.

 

By taking shelter of the holy name, attachment develops. The symptoms of

this attachment are described in the Srimad Bhagavatam (10.29.34):

cittam sukhena bhavatapahrtam grhesu

yan nirvisaty uta karav api grhya-krtye

padau padam na calatas tava pada-mulad

yamah katham vrajam atho karavama kim va (19)

Until today our minds were absorbed in household affairs, but You easily

stole both our minds and our hands away from our housework. Now our feet

won't move one step from Your lotus feet. How can we go back to Vraja? What

would we do there?

In this condition all good qualities and peacefulness manifest in the

devotee.

 

============ REF. Sri Bhajana-rahasya

 

Prabhupada mentions it to be done (in cc Madhya as an austerity offered to

the lord.

 

another deep meaning that I personally realised (for what it's worth to you)

is that like Ekadasi vrata, it is meant to reduce the bodily conception of

life. as per BG 16.1-3, sattva samshuddhi, (for..Jnana yoga vyavasthiti..

sense gratification is opposite of those goals, so to promote it during the

heavy rainy season where sadhus can't go out and preach freely in India it

was done.

 

I remember when I was residing in Vrndavana for the summer of '94 and I did

it at that time. I realised also that eating green boiled papaya mixed with

mung dhal rice kitchri with whole black pepper and only cumin seeds with

ginger root once a day was very sattvic and very healthy.

 

The papaya (locally available in Vrndavana) ginger root and black

peppercorns boiled inside helped digestion which is weak during the rain. No

doubt it also protected my health too.

 

It was so sattvic It really mellowed out the passion in me. These were side

benefits I realized.

 

Of course it's tough (but not impossible) to follow it while you travel

around the world during Chaturmasya instead of staying at one place.

It's also a test on your resolve to stick to your vows.

Especially if you remain strict with it even on the festival days like

Janmastami, SP Tirobhava, Radhastami, when all the other devotees feast like

anything.

 

"Caturmasya should be observed by all sections of the population. It does

not matter whether one is a grhastha or a sannyasi. The observance is

obligatory for all asramas. The real purpose behind the vow taken during

these four months is to minimize the quantity of sense gratification. This

is not very difficult. In the month of Sravana one should not eat spinach,

in the month of Bhadra one should not eat yogurt, and in the month of Asvina

one should not drink milk. One should not eat fish or other nonvegetarian

food during the month of Kartika. A nonvegetarian diet means fish and meat.

Similarly, masura dhal and urad dhal are also considered nonvegetarian.

These two dhals contain a great amount of protein, and food rich in protein

is considered nonvegetarian. On the whole, during the four-month period of

Caturmasya one should practice giving up all food intended for sense

enjoyment.

Madhya 4.169 purport"

 

Text 398

 

tatra caturmasya-mahatmye

catur-varam bhramibhis tu

jagat sarvam caracaram

krantam bhavati vipragrya

tat tirtha-gamanadhikam

tatra-there; caturmasya-mahatmye-the glories of Caturmasya; catur-varam-four

times; bhramibhih-with circumambulation; tu-indeed; jagat-the universe;

sarvam-entire; caracaram-with moving and unmvoing beings; krantam-passing

through; bhavati-does; vipragrya-O best of brahmanas; tat-that;

 

In the Skanda Purana, Caturmasya-mahatmya, it is said:

"O best of brahmanas, a person who four times circumambulates the Lord

attains the result of circumambulating the entire universe filled with

moving and unmoving beings. He attains a result better than going on all

pilgrimages."

 

Text 399

 

tatraivanyatra

pradaksinam tu yah kuryat

harim bhaktya samanvitah

hamsa-yukta-vimanena

visnulokam sa gacchati

 

tatra-there; eva-indeed; anyatra-in another place;

pradaksinam-circumambulation; tu-indeed; yah-who; kuryat-does; harim-Lord

Krsna; bhaktya-with devotion; samanvitah-with; hamsa-yukta-vimanena-flying

on a swan; visnulokam-to Visnuloka; sa-he; gacchati-goes.

 

In the Caturmasya-mahatmya it is also said:

"A person who with devotion circumambulates Lord Hari flies on a swan to

Lord Visnu's world."

 

Hari bhakti vilasa eighth vilasa

 

Of course if you travel and preach a lot at least the month of Kartika in

Mathura district should be observed.

 

I have a 200 verse file of 16th vilasa from Hari bhakti vilasa about from

Kartika mahatyma about the values and benefits of following it.

 

ys MMDAsbr