Question: Whose consciousness are you eating today???

krsna · May 29, 2008

Why don't Hare Krishnas eat meat?

Hindus believe that animals are children of Krishna, created by God with a soul. Therefore, to eat an animal is an affront to God. Moreover, it's bad for your consciousness: Because the slaughter of animals is violent, when you eat meat, fish or fowl, you are subjecting yourself to more violent thoughts and, perhaps, violent behavior.

In Hinduism, cooking is intertwined with spirituality. Hare Krishnas believe they are cooking for the pleasure of God. They never sample the food they are cooking, since it must be offered to Krishna first. Moreover, Hindus believe that food absorbs the consciousness of the cook.

If you are angry and elbow deep in the lentils or kneading dough for chapattis (unleavened bread), Hindu philosophy claims that your emotions are transferred to the food — and then to the person who eats the meal. It is one reason monks don't go to restaurants, because it raises the question,

"Whose consciousness are you eating today?"

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Who cooks for you?

Do you ever stop and think about the 'consciousness' of the cook that you are eating? :confused:

bhaktajan · May 29, 2008

Bravo! So well said! :namaskar: Bravo! So well said!

So so nice. Just see!

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Eight Wounded in Harlem Shootings

By ERIC KONIGSBERG and CHRISTINE HAUSER

</NYT_BYLINE>Published: May 27, 2008

<NYT_TEXT>Eight people were shot late Monday night along a stretch of Lenox Avenue north of 125th Street in Harlem, the police said.

The police said they believed that the shootings stemmed from a disturbance nearby at Marcus Garvey Park, where gunshots rang out in a large crowd.

According to an Emergency Medical Services spokesman, the first shooting was reported to authorities at 10:14 p.m., with another at 10:17, two more at 10:19, and two more still at 10:24.

The spokesman said the reports appeared to have come from different locations in the vicinity, including one at 131st Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard.

The victims were picked up along Lenox Avenue at 125th, 126th and 128th Streets.

Officers were checking with hospitals in the area to see if anyone else sought treatment.

The police said that one of the victims, an 18-year-old, had been shot in the chest and was in critical condition.

The other seven appeared to be in stable condition, the authorities said.

The police said that all of the victims were male, one of them appeared to be 13 and another appeared to be 16.

Another 18-year-old man was either shot or stabbed in the back and was found lying on a bench, the authorities said.

They said that they did not know what prompted the shootings, and had not captured anyone as of early Tuesday.

The Police Department ordered scores of officers into the area to hunt for any assailants and to control crowds that had formed on the streets.

<NYT_AUTHOR_ID>

Andrew Tangel contributed reporting for THe New York Times Newspaper.

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Bhaktajan's comment:

The day after this occurance in New York City there was protest marches by parents seeking "Parents to be Responsible for their kids" and thus, "Stop-the-Violence".

<< Simularly, there have been recent protests by parents against police [not brutality] but for 'police constraint' --so as not to shoot civilians before arresting them. >>

ergo,

If you read this, please try the following:

Contact anybody in a position of authority in New York City [esp., the minority community] and explain in your own words, "How the prolifiration of fast food flesh eateries" are the common denominator in violent acts.

The demographics have not yet been surveyed, but, I will be amongst the first to say this, "100% of violent criminals are not vegetarians, and are not raised & bred by vegetarians"

Please note that it is a known fact that nation wide the majority of crimes occurs at fast food outlets [book source: 'Fast Food Nation'].

These poor confused inner city people are struggling in maya and are used to sell newspaper with out royalties credit reimbursment--while their wild "crazy" kids think civilization is something that columbus won in a lottery.

Stupid within stupid.

Help the leaders of the stupid ones see a path that avoids more "senseless" violence --and write a letter expressing the sentiment of the opening Post of this thread.

Bhaktajan

</NYT_AUTHOR_ID><NYT_UPDATE_BOTTOM></NYT_UPDATE_BOTTOM></NYT_TEXT>

</NYT_HEADLINE>

krsna · May 30, 2008

Krsna Prasadam

BY: HAREKRSNA.COM

Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. </B></CENTER>

May 29, CANADA (SUN) — A four-part series on the glories of Sri Krsna Prasadam.

Spiritual vegetarianism can be viewed from various angles. Some practice karma vegetarianism in order to avoid the karmic burden that results from causing suffering to other living entities who are killed simply in order to satisfy the senses. The Vedic understanding of dharma puts vegetarianism in the context of civilized human society, wherein the practices of different classes of people are regulated according to varna and asrama.

While some individuals may be expected to eat meat, others are strictly forbidden from eating meat except under the most dire of circumstances. In all cases, the protection of cows is of absolute importance. Here in the West, one of the most popular motivations for vegetarianism is health and fitness. While all these approaches to vegetarianism produce certain benefits, Krsna Conscious vegetarianism is on the topmost platform. The devotee of the Lord is naturally vegetarian because he only takes the remnants of foodstuffs that have first been offered to Krsna - and Krsna is the Supreme Vegetarian.

So anyone who is chanting Hare Krsna, he is in samadhi.

Anyone who is cooking for Krsna, he is in samadhi.

Anyones who is typing for Krsna, he is in samadhi. Anyone who is working in the field for Krsna, he is in samadhi. Because his consciousness is that "I am doing here for satisfaction of Krsna."

Anukulyena krsnanusilanam. Anusilanam

, cultivation of Krsna knowledge favorably, not unfavorably. Then it is perfection.

Bhaktir uttama. Anukulyena. Anyabhilasita-sunyam.

When you cook, if you think, "Oh, this nice thing is being cooked. I shall eat it very nicely," then it is not Krsna. But while cooking, if you think, "Let me do it very nicely so that Krsna will taste it," it is Krsna consciousness. The same thing. Activities is the same, but the consciousness is different. That is samadhi. So samadhi is not very extraordinary thing. One has to become simply serious and sincere to Krsna. Then he is in samadhi. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita..."

Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam, 06-13-69, New Vrindaban

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"No India, of India, don't talk of India. Talk of the philosophy. If there is no devotion, Krsna does not accept anything, either in India or in your country. It is not... Krsna's not obliged to accept anything costly because it is very tasteful. Krsna has many tasteful dishes in Vaikuntha. He's not hankering after your food. He accepts your devotion. That out of... Bhaktya, tad aham asnami. Bhaktya upahrtam, real thing is devotion. Not the food. Krsna does not accept any food of this material world. But He accepts only the devotion. Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati, tad aham asnami bhaktya upahrtam. "Because it has been offered to Me with devotional love," that is required. One who has no devotional love, from his hand... Therefore we do not allow anyone to cook who is not a devotee. Krsna does not accept anything from the hands of a non-devotee. Why should He accept? He's not hungry. He does not require any food. He accepts only the devotion. That's all. That is the main point. So one has to become a devotee, not a good cooker. But if he's a devotee, then he'll be a good cook also. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. Automatically he'll become a good cook. Therefore one has to become devotee only; then all other good qualification will automatically be there. And if he's a nondevotee, any good qualification has no value."

Srila Prabhupada Conversation, 02-27-72, Mayapur

"A good example of how we commit sins unknowingly is cooking. In the Bhagavad-gita (3.13) Krsna says that His devotees are freed from sin because they eat only the remnants of food that has been offered to Him. But, He says, those who cook for themselves eat only sin. The difference between cooking here in this temple and cooking in some ordinary house is that our cooking and eating are relieving us from sin, while the cooking and eating of a nondevotee are simply entangling him more and more in sin. The cooking appears to be the same, but this cooking and that cooking are different. Here there is no sin because the food is being cooked for Krsna.

Anything you do outside the field of Krsna conscious activities entangles you in the modes of nature. Generally, you are being implicated in sinful activities. Those who are a little more cautious avoid sinful activities and perform pious activities. But one who performs pious activities is also entangled. If a man is pious, he may take birth in a family that is very rich or aristocratic, or he may be very beautiful or get the opportunity to become very learned. These are the results of pious activities. But whether you are pious or impious, you have to enter into the womb of some mother. And that tribulation is very severe. That we have forgotten. Whether you take birth in a very rich and aristocratic family or from an animal womb, the pangs of birth, old age, disease, and death continue.

The Krsna consciousness movement is meant to give you an opportunity to solve these four problems--birth, old age, disease, and death. But if you continue to act sinfully and eat sinfully, then these miseries will continue."

Laws of Nature, Chapter 1

"To practice the regulative principles of bhakti-yoga one should, under the guidance of an expert spiritual master, follow certain principles: one should rise early in the morning, take bath, enter the temple and offer prayers and chant Hare Krsna, then collect flowers to offer to the Deity, cook foodstuffs to offer to the Deity, take prasadam, and so on. There are various rules and regulations which one should follow. And one should constantly hear Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam from pure devotees. This practice can help anyone to rise to the level of love of God, and then he is sure of his progress into the spiritual kingdom of God. This practice of bhakti-yoga, under the rules and regulations, with the direction of a spiritual master, will surely bring one to the stage of love of God."

Bhagavad-gita 12:9 Purport

Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.