Brahmacaris eating women's cooking, proper or not?

[Guest guest]

So, as a travelling brahmacari often we stay in grhasta's houses for preaching programs. My question is that should we eat the cooking of any women who lives there, as a brahmacari, and is there any sastra to back it up?

 

Thanks.

[Guruvani]

oh god, if you think that is a concern you will never make it off this planet alive.

 

don't think about the woman or who the food is cooked by.

 

just eat and do your service and keep your mind on Krishna and everything will be just fine.

 

sounds like you are already getting polluted with fundamentalist fanaticism that is going to be your undoing.

 

Kali-yuga......................... man, good luck with all that false purity.

it won't last long I can assure you.....

[radhagovind]

 

oh god, if you think that is a concern you will never make it off this planet alive.

 

don't think about the woman or who the food is cooked by.

 

just eat and do your service and keep your mind on Krishna and everything will be just fine.

 

sounds like you are already getting polluted with fundamentalist fanaticism that is going to be your undoing.

 

Kali-yuga......................... man, good luck with all that false purity.

it won't last long I can assure you.....

Correct, dont worry about who made it, just eat it. and if you discriminate by saying just because a woman made it, you wont eat it, is a bad thing since even god respects all the women no matter who they are.

[Guest guest]

Well, I think you are misunderstanding. i don't think its a sign of disrespect, but more a precautionary measure to protect the rigidity of ones consciousness. I think you all are from ISKCON... In Gaudiya Math its common practice to avoid food cooked by women, which is why, for the most part, they aren't really allowed in the kitchen (except on festival days) to cook. I don't see it as disrespect, more as following the precedent set in Sastra. If one were avoiding it to disrespect women, then I will admit it is another issue, but I think the one liberty afforded to brahmacaris, who are certainly trying to stay celibate, is that they ought not to have anything to do with women. Indeed, once that rule breaks... it gives way to all sorts of questions. When does it go too far to interact with a woman.

[Guest guest]

BTW 'false purity'? Does that imply you think I'm only trying to make a show of who I am on the outside just to hide what's going on inside. I can assure that's not the answer, I am trying just as hard on the inside as I am externally to maintain a pure consciousness.. Just trying to get ready for Purusottama masa coming up. I think we all ought to take a vow to maintain our consciousness as pure as possible. And indeed that step begins with controlling your diet, chanting, reading, etc.

 

I'm sure everyone feels different when they eat food cooked by nondevotees as compared to devotees... from that the inference can be made that there is a difference in food cooked by women and men for brahmacaris. That is why, Brahmins used to hire only High Caste Brahmins to cook for them, a practice which continues, in some parts, even today.

[Guruvani]

 

BTW 'false purity'? Does that imply you think I'm only trying to make a show of who I am on the outside just to hide what's going on inside. I can assure that's not the answer, I am trying just as hard on the inside as I am externally to maintain a pure consciousness.. Just trying to get ready for Purusottama masa coming up. I think we all ought to take a vow to maintain our consciousness as pure as possible. And indeed that step begins with controlling your diet, chanting, reading, etc.

 

I'm sure everyone feels different when they eat food cooked by nondevotees as compared to devotees... from that the inference can be made that there is a difference in food cooked by women and men for brahmacaris. That is why, Brahmins used to hire only High Caste Brahmins to cook for them, a practice which continues, in some parts, even today.

 

Well, I am just a little skeptical because i have seen many idealistic brahmacaries, including myself, go down hard.

 

I lived amongst many very strict brahmacaries in my days and I was one of them for several years.

 

I am sure than there will be many idealistic young brahmacaries in kali-yuga take a nose dive into the lap of maya.

 

Hopefully you can be an exception.

 

but, many a stalwart has fallen by the wayside in the history of ISKCON.

[Guest guest]

 

Well, I am just a little skeptical because i have seen many idealistic brahmacaries, including myself, go down hard.

 

I lived amongst many very strict brahmacaries in my days and I was one of them for several years.

 

I am sure than there will be many idealistic young brahmacaries in kali-yuga take a nose dive into the lap of maya.

 

Hopefully you can be an exception.

 

but, many a stalwart has fallen by the wayside in the history of ISKCON.

 

Srila Prabhupada ate food cooked by women. He was the acarya, setting the example for his followers.

 

Srila B.R. Sridhar Maharaj, toward the end of his life, ate food cooked by women. He even ate pizza cooked by a lady disciple of Jayatirtha Maharaj.

 

If you believe you are more pure than these two exemplary devotees, then go ahead and reject food cooked by women.

[Guest guest]

Well, it is well known that lust arises from criticism of pure vaisnavas.

 

Though I may be quite new, I've seen this happen many a time.

 

If you offend pure vaisnavas, or follow someone who offends pure vaisnavas, its a sign of an upcoming falldown.

 

No one's telling to become their disciple but please just don't criticize.

[Guest guest]

 

Srila Prabhupada ate food cooked by women. He was the acarya, setting the example for his followers.

 

Srila B.R. Sridhar Maharaj, toward the end of his life, ate food cooked by women. He even ate pizza cooked by a lady disciple of Jayatirtha Maharaj.

 

If you believe you are more pure than these two exemplary devotees, then go ahead and reject food cooked by women.

 

 

There's a big difference though--they're SIDDHAS and I'm a SADHAKA! I was just watching a DVD of Swami Maharaja ('Prabhupada') and in those early days, while he was performing real sankirtan, all sorts of attractive young women, etc would be dancing in front of him. Was he affected? NO. Would I? Likely so. Thus the distinction between Sadhaka and Siddha.

 

Certainly, I am no where near to being as pure as them, what to speak of being more pure. Sounds like some more words being stuffed in my face.

[yogesh]

It is great to hear someone aspiring to follow the Brahamachari lifestyle..But please becarefull this is Kaliyug.

 

I heard a great little anecdote about two celibate Monks..

 

Two celibate monks one young aspiring monk and one older more learned monk were walking past a stream just outside a Village.

 

They saw a woman who was in despair because she could not cross the small stream. The Young Monk thought to himself..."I am a celibate monk and I dare not even look at the woman and continued to walk on."

 

The older monk without any hesitation picked her up and took her across the small stream. The young monk was speechless.

 

After a few hours walk they returned to the monastary. The young celibate monk than asked the older celibate monk.."Why did you touch, let alone carry that woman across the stream?? We are celibate monks and may not look or touch a woman!!!

 

The older monk calmly replied..."I carried that young woman across the stream and it took me only a few minutes....But You Have carried that Young Woman for so many Hours in your mind."

 

Moral of the story... Well you are so worried about woman cooking the food that In your mind/meditation she has already cooked the meal/prasadam for you.

 

If the bhoga is cooked and offered to my sweet Lord (By Woman/man) Why are you so worried As Lord Krsna states I will protect my devotees HAVE NO FEAR!!!!

 

I say RESPECT THE PRASDAM BRHAMACHARI DUDE & JUST STICK TO YOUR ROUTINE.

 

Hare Krsna

 

Jay Sirla Prabhupada

[Guest guest]

No problem.

 

 

So, as a travelling brahmacari often we stay in grhasta's houses for preaching programs. My question is that should we eat the cooking of any women who lives there, as a brahmacari, and is there any sastra to back it up?

 

Thanks.

[Guest guest]

Awesome post Yogesh prabhu!

 

 

It is great to hear someone aspiring to follow the Brahamachari lifestyle..But please becarefull this is Kaliyug.

 

I heard a great little anecdote about two celibate Monks..

 

Two celibate monks one young aspiring monk and one older more learned monk were walking past a stream just outside a Village.

 

They saw a woman who was in despair because she could not cross the small stream. The Young Monk thought to himself..."I am a celibate monk and I dare not even look at the woman and continued to walk on."

 

The older monk without any hesitation picked her up and took her across the small stream. The young monk was speechless.

 

After a few hours walk they returned to the monastary. The young celibate monk than asked the older celibate monk.."Why did you touch, let alone carry that woman across the stream?? We are celibate monks and may not look or touch a woman!!!

 

The older monk calmly replied..."I carried that young woman across the stream and it took me only a few minutes....But You Have carried that Young Woman for so many Hours in your mind."

 

Moral of the story... Well you are so worried about woman cooking the food that In your mind/meditation she has already cooked the meal/prasadam for you.

 

If the bhoga is cooked and offered to my sweet Lord (By Woman/man) Why are you so worried As Lord Krsna states I will protect my devotees HAVE NO FEAR!!!!

 

I say RESPECT THE PRASDAM BRHAMACHARI DUDE & JUST STICK TO YOUR ROUTINE.

 

Hare Krsna

 

Jay Sirla Prabhupada

[theist]

Why worry about only the women in these homes? The woman very easily could be the great devotee in the house and the man a smarta brahmana type.

 

Remember the story in Krsna Book about the wives of the brahmana's and Krsna with the hungry cowherd boys?

 

If nothing else just accept it as foodstuff cooked by your mother.

[Guest guest]

 

So, as a travelling brahmacari often we stay in grhasta's houses for preaching programs. My question is that should we eat the cooking of any women who lives there, as a brahmacari, and is there any sastra to back it up?

 

Thanks.

 

The question is very legitimate.

 

When staying at grihastha's houses a brahmacari should not think: "Oh, this is such a nice arrangement, the food is good and the woman so kind" as from this thinking a desire will sprout to abandon brahmacarya.

 

Another point. You can accept the food cooked by your host - male or female - but make sure they are real devotees, not materialists. If you are not sure, better cook yourself or only accept non-cooked food.

 

Good luck to you prabhuji in the maintenance of your brahmacarya!

 

y.s

[Guest guest]

 

Why worry about only the women in these homes? The woman very easily could be the great devotee in the house and the man a smarta brahmana type.

 

Remember the story in Krsna Book about the wives of the brahmana's and Krsna with the hungry cowherd boys?

 

If nothing else just accept it as foodstuff cooked by your mother.

 

The original poster is asking about brahmacarya, not about devotion.

 

If he accepts prasadam cooked by an exalted lady devotee, he may indeed become a maha-bhagavata householder devotee.

 

But he doesn't want to give up his brahmacarya. So, by accepting from only kanistha-level males, he can maintain his brahmacharya much more effectively, though he may remain a kanistha brahmacari.

[Guest guest]

It's quite easy to talk and argue with extreme cases.

 

What is more appreciated is advice from brahmacaris (current and/or ex-) and their take on the matter based on experience.

 

Also, for those bringing up previous Maha Bhagavats as examples, HDG Bhakti Pramod Puri Goswami Maharaja rarely, if at all, ate a woman's cooking.

 

-g.b

[theist]

Ok then go hungry. So what's the question?

[brajeshwara das]

In my local ashramas most of the cooking is done by women. I never thought about it when I was a bramachari. They are devotees, not women really, eh? I think we should be more concerned with how do we see these devotees, are they eternal spirit souls or are they the bodies they inhabit? If the foodstuffs are offered and accepted by the Lord, is it just still food or is it Prasadam?

 

Are you talking about taking unoffered foods or Prasadam? If it is unoffered, does it make that much difference if it was cooked by a man or a woman, it isn't Prasadam and as a pucca bramachari you shouldn't eat it. If it is Prasadam it seems a bit offensive to me to try and make any distinction between man or woman who cooked it.

 

Maybe the best thing in this situation is for you to offer to cook and offer the food to the Lord yourself, and your hosts could get some benefit from your service, both in Prasadam and a tasty meal. And of course do the dishes as well

[Guest guest]

Ask your Gurumaharaja or someone senior within your math, why ask for opinions here?

 

Personally if Krishna offers me his mercy (Prasadam), I accept it with great enthusiasm. I am trying to rebuild my relationship with the Lord, I don't want to reject his mercy whimsically because of details.

[Guest guest]

 

Well, I think you are misunderstanding. i don't think its a sign of disrespect, but more a precautionary measure to protect the rigidity of ones consciousness. I think you all are from ISKCON... In Gaudiya Math its common practice to avoid food cooked by women, which is why, for the most part, they aren't really allowed in the kitchen (except on festival days) to cook. I don't see it as disrespect, more as following the precedent set in Sastra. If one were avoiding it to disrespect women, then I will admit it is another issue, but I think the one liberty afforded to brahmacaris, who are certainly trying to stay celibate, is that they ought not to have anything to do with women. Indeed, once that rule breaks... it gives way to all sorts of questions. When does it go too far to interact with a woman.

 

Do the Gaudiyas think, having a woman in teh kitchen will poluute their intricately balanced minds on the edge of sex or no sex?

Did any of these repected people ever eat any food cooked by their own mothers??? Why? Were their own fathers "brahmacharis"?? If so then how did they conceptualise them? or mate and why? Why bother?

 

Apart from the hyped and puffed up purity issues, the question is not of having a woman cook, but what kind of woman cook. It doesn't matter if a woman or man is cooking here. But what Kind! If the person cooking is unclean and impure physically and in thoughts, then such a person should not be allowed to cook food for one who is earnestly persuing higher spiritual goals maintaining purity of mind and body. This is how it should be. Period. Yes, the only purity issue with a woman cooking is when she is undergoing her periods, she should not cook food for the deities, saints and monks.

Nowhere in the shastras is written that a woman is not allowed to cook food! Brahmachari or not. Besides the real meaning of the word "Brahmachari" in these organization is lost and not understood properly.

[omsadhak]

We absorb prana from everything we come in contact with . It is not important that who cooked the food but with what intention it was cooked.

Angry person cooking food will pass that anger through food to those who consumes it. If a person consuming it is an advanced sadhak then he can overcome those effects as easily as he has established himself in brahmacharya.

Even it has been proved by 'Pranic healing' that a practioner can impart pranas through hand to any thing else.

Any one who is still on the path of becoming a true sadhak should avoid known troubles.

Our ancestors used to eat food in silver and copper utensils. This was not to in order to show off their royalty, but due to the therapeutic value and property of these metals. Depending on the frequency at which each Dhatu vibrates, it has different properties and these are useful in curing different kinds of ailments.

[mahak]

Haribol. The very first understanding, rudimentary and a prequisite for any advancement in Krsna Consciousness, is that we are not these bodies, aham brahmasmi. What is this discussion, anyway?

 

It seems that we always get into this gender problem, and all the dudes line up to send our sisters upstairs, out of site, out of mind. Problem, our vaisnava sisters are not maya devi at all. They are not lust, greed and envy. This is entirely a creation of a mind falsely identifying with his maleness. In doing so, we just show off our ignorance and inability to even go to the first step necessary to even approach Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

 

So, in answer to this topic, there is no need to worry. There are never any women cooking for Krsna. Srila Prabhupada has no women as his disciple. All cooking under his guidance is perfrormed by vaisnavas, some advanced, some neophyte, but all vaisnavas.

 

As vaisnavas are the only ones allowed to cook for krsna, we understand from the teachings of Srila Krsnadas Kaviraja that it is not only wrong to consider the material surroundings of a vaisnava and how the world has played on the temporary form that vaisnava has assumed, it is offensive. Gender is considered practically, but never as a qualifier or a factor to deem one unworthy.

 

One should eat all foodstuffs cooked by devotees for the Supreme Lord, period. If there are fantacies going on while a brahmacari eats, this is something for the brahmacariumust work on, not the fault of the Vaisnava who has made Krsna the object of her worship.

 

(Note: I write in reference to my guru maharaja, Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. I defer to those who may have taken shelter of another Vaisnava, and ask that they put this question before them. I have little doubt that concurrence of these points made herein will be forthcoming.)

 

Hare Krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

 

PS All glories to my sisters (on mothers day, no less) who have suffered needlessly because of discrimination against them by those who fail to get the idea that all vaisnavas are worshippable.

[theist]

 

PS All glories to my sisters (on mothers day, no less) ...

 

Yes, and to the motherly spirit all the way from Radharani on down the Radha tattva line.

 

This brahmacari is just trying to be careful that's all. And he is right to be cautious. As Mahak already said the problems are in our conceptions of ourselves as male bodies and not the woman in the room.

 

We saw in the seventies leading sannyasi's develop a practical hatred of woman devotees. They did protest too much and we saw the result. Krsna teaches us that attraction AND aversion are felt by embodied beings. So the attraction and aversion states of mind will be with us for a considerable time perhaps. We must be on guard to just witness these desires as they appear and disappear and not dive into either of them. Diving into them is tantamount to diving deeper into bodily (un)consciousness.

 

Oh yeah and there is something to be said about being polite to your host.

[Guest guest]

Thanx much for your insight, theist. Attraction by lust and distraction by anger are the same nonsense, we must become equalminded about all things. In the seventies, it wasnt just the sex thing, it was also the intoxication. Some became overly aggressive to get others to be sober and straight, but they were not coming off as helpers, rather as frustrated because they had a guru who denied them the right to get high. In fact, the anger thing was so great that they came off like they didnt like the principles, not understanding that everything must be voluntary for it to even work.

 

So we give up our lust (for sex and intoxicants, meat and gambling), but if it is replaced by anger for sex, intoxicants, meat eaters, and gamblers, we havent gained anything at all. We had a coin that said heads, now we got the same coin that says tails. Throw the whole coin away, lust and anger ruins everything equally.

 

Hare Krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

 

ps, careful is good, sorry if Im misunderstood.

[Guest guest]

Yeah, I see where you're coming from Mahak and theist and all those who've responded. I'm no stranger to those lust and anger issues you've brought up. And I would say I try to be fairly sober about all these things. I do have quite a strong background in psychology and alternative counseling, BTW them having to do with my previous asrama.

 

I decided to be loose for today and just eat whatever prasadam cooked by whoever. What I realized is that it does indeed affect your consciousness. Although it wasn't to such a gross extent, there certainly is a difference for someone who is quite sensitive to those more subtle energies. So although I do agree that the whole issue is dependent on our consciousness and realizations which are in turn affected by the food and contacts we keep. I had realized this before actually, but I was just hoping if some of you could provide me with some sastrik references.