Carrots, onions and garlic

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> Can any devotee please reply to this question?

>

> Q. As per the references below how is it that we eat carrots? I know

> Srila Prabhupada made Carrot Halavah on ekadasi...How is it different from

> the garlic and onions? Is there any specific reference in any of our

> scriptures (like Hari-bhakti-vilasa for eg) regarding not to eat carrots,

> onions or garlic? Do they eat carrots at all in Gaudiya Math or did Shrila

> Bhaktisiddhanta allow eating carrots or red lentils as per his strict

> standards?

 

Hari Bhakti Vilasa 8.158,159 (quoting from Kurma Purana) lists carrots among

the foods forbidden to a dvija. This translation of gr.n~jana seems to be

questionable. Capeller dictionary says that it refers to garlic.

 

A few related quotes:

 

"According to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, the regulative

principles of devotional service compiled by Gopala Bhatta Gosvami do not

strictly follow our Vaisnava principles. Actually, Gopala Bhatta Gosvami

collected only a summary of the elaborate descriptions of Vaisnava

regulative principles from the Hari-bhakti-vilasa. It is Srila

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami's opinion, however, that to follow the

Hari-bhakti-vilasa strictly is to actually follow the Vaisnava rituals in

perfect order. He claims that the smarta-samaja, which is strictly followed

by caste brahmanas, has influenced portions that Gopala Bhatta Gosvami

collected from the original Hari-bhakti-vilasa. It is therefore very

difficult to find out Vaisnava directions from the book of Gopala Bhatta

Gosvami. It is better to consult the commentary made by Sanatana Gosvami

himself for the Hari-bhakti-vilasa under the name of Dig-darsini-tika. Some

say that the same commentary was compiled by Gopinatha-puja Adhikari, who

was engaged in the service of Sri Radha-ramanaji and who happened to be one

of the disciples of Gopala Bhatta Gosvami." (CC Madhya 1.35p.)

 

"Sanatana Gosvami wrote his Vaisnava smrti, Hari-bhakti-vilasa, which was

specifically meant for India. In those days, India was more or less

following the principle of smarta-vidhi. Srila Sanatana Gosvami had to keep

pace with this, and his Hari-bhakti-vilasa was compiled with this in mind."

(CC Madhya 23.105)

 

"This Hari-bhakti-vilasa, also Vaisnava-smrti, that is also imitation of

smartaism. It is called smrti. So at least in Europe and America, they will

never be able to take all these things. The things should be made shortcut;

at the same time, they should be successful. So that is chanting of Hare

Krsna maha-mantra, depending on..." (Room Conversation -- July 16, 1973,

London)

 

As we know, Srila Prabhupada was more lenient than his guru and previous

acaryas not only in this but also in other cases.

 

More quotes about garlic/onion from smrti at our site www.veda.harekrsna.cz

 

Hope this helps.

 

Your servant, bh. Jan

 

www.veda.harekrsna.cz (Bhakti-yoga Vedic Encyclopedia Vedic Library)