Does what we eat make us a better person?

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Hare Krsna. Yes, it matters. The Supreme Lord or Brahman is situated in the form of fire within the stomach and is digesting all kinds of foodstuff. Chapter 17 : 7 Even food of which all partake is of three kinds, according to the three modes of material nature. The same is true of sacrifices, austerities and charity. Listen, and I shall tell you of the distinctions of these. In terms of different situations and the modes of material nature, there are differences in the manner of eating, performing sacrifices, austerities and charities. They are not all conducted on the same level. Those who can understand analytically what kind of performances are in what modes of material nature are actually wise; those who consider all kinds of sacrifice or foods or charity to be the same cannot discriminate, and they are

foolish. There are missionary workers who advocate that one can do whatever he likes and attain perfection. But these foolish guides are not acting according to the direction of the scripture. They are manufacturing ways and misleading the people in general. Chapter 17 : 8-10 Foods in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one's existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such nourishing foods are sweet, juicy, fatty and palatable. Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, pungent, dry and hot, are liked by people in the modes of passion. Such foods cause pain, distress, and disease. Food cooked more than three hours before being eaten, which is tasteless, stale, putrid, decomposed and unclean, is

food liked by people in the mode of ignorance. Foods in the mode of passion, which are bitter, too salty, or too hot or overly mixed with red pepper, cause misery by producing mucus in the stomach, leading to disease. Foods in the mode of ignorance or darkness are essentially those that are not fresh. Any food cooked more than three hours before it is eaten (except prasadam, food offered to the Lord) is considered to be in the mode of darkness. Because they are decomposing, such foods give a bad odor, which often attracts people in this mode but repulses those in the mode of goodness. I am the fire of digestion in every living body, and I am the air of life, outgoing and incoming, by which I digest the four kinds of foodstuff. Chapter 15: TEXT 14 According to Ayur-vedic sastra, we understand that there is a fire in the stomach which digests all food sent there. When the fire is not blazing, there is no hunger, and when the fire is in order we become hungry. Sometimes when the fire is not going nicely, treatment is required. In any case, this fire is representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vedic mantras also confirm that the Supreme Lord or Brahman is situated in the form of fire within the stomach and is digesting all kinds of foodstuff. Therefore since He is helping the digestion of all kinds of foodstuff, the living entity is not independent in the eating process. Unless the Supreme Lord helps him in digesting, there is no possibility of eating. He thus produces and digests foodstuff, and, by His grace, we are enjoying life. Capil Nanda <nandukother wrote: Om Namoh Narayanaya Sri Krishnadaya Ji, Please I seek your forgiveness if I start another controversy--it is not my intention to do so.Reading your post about People who are non vegetarians, I wondered----does what we eat really make us a better or worse person? Are vegetarians better humans than those who eat meat? Last evening I was given some very awful news

about a Pujari.This fellow had a television program where he lectured on Krsna Bhakti as taught in his Sampradaya. He teaches that one who is a devotee of Lord Krsna cannot eat onions and garlic, must observe Ekadasi,do 16 rounds of Chanting, etc. He was very strict in his observances, has a bona fide Guru etc. Early this year, he started having intimate relations with a devotee from his Mandir while his Dharm Pati was away on a Yatra. This devotee is also married. What I am writing here is what this Pujari has himself admitted. What excuse does he have for committing such a sinful act? He does not eat meat/onions garlic/ does not drink or smoke etc. Why did he do this? He studied the Srimad Bhagwad Gita as it is and Srimad Bhagwatam and knows it by heart too. About 3 years ago, another Pujari-- from the other Sampadaya that has the same rules about Krsna Bhakti and he observed all--no

meat/onions/garlic,did 16 rounds,woke up at 4 am, knew the Bhagwad Gita as it is and Srimad Bhagwatam by heart-- he ran away with the daughter of one of his Chela who was more than 20 years younger than him. I think about the many people who eats meat and still live very decent God loving lives. In our work with Victims of Domestic Abuse, we have found out about an old Pujari who abused his wife, and now his young son is doing same to his young wife. There is a person who portray himself as a Hindu leader, boasts about reading Srimad Bhagwad Gita as it is. The same mouth that he reads Srimad Bhagwad Gita with, the same mouth hurl insults to his wife--who is a devotee of The Lord too. All of these people are vegetarians. What excuse/explanation do we have for people who do not eat meat and still behave in a Demoniac manner? How do we help them to save themselves? Om Tat Sat Sri Krsnapranamastu. In His Service, Nandrani "Non-cooperation with evil is a sacred duty." M.K. Gandhi Ji HARI BOL Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.

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Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! All glories to Srila Bhaktivinoda, Srila Prabhupada, my most beloved Srila Gaurangapada and all Vaisnavas. Please accept my humble obeisances and blessings. I pray that this meets you well and in the service/mercy of Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga.My Dearest Nandari Prabhuji;There is no clear cut explination to your inquiry concerning the behavior of one individual and the next. Yes, there are those who claim to be devotees of the Lord, boast of their accomplishments in the reading of Sastra, observances of diet and religious observance days, fast and keep all the outward appearances, and then there are those devotees who are servants of the servant of

the servant of the Lord who never say a word concerning their sadhana or seva.Sastra tells us from the teachings of Lord Caitanaya that those who claim to be the devotees of the Lord are not true devotees, but those that are His true devotees are the servant of the servant of the servant of His devotees. There is a true humility to a devotee of the Lord, one that cannot be explained in words, but is shown in deed and action. Their actions are not hypocritical, but reflect was truly exists in their spirits.Yes, it is true that the Vaisnavas do not eat onions, garlic nor mushrooms. We do not consume our animal brothers and sisters, but live according to the laws of ahimsa. We do this both in private and in public, desiring not to draw attention to ourselves, but to quietly serve the Lord in the manner inwhich our Sampradhaya teaches. One must follow Guru in all respects without quesiton, to do so is more deadly than living

without Guru and Gauranga.While there cannot be a clear-cut explination why one who is advanced in spiritual knowledge takes such a fall, it is indeed true that Maya Devi uses sex life as Her greatest weapon against all of creation. All manner of life is subject to the desires and bindings of the lure of sex life. This is normal in all species, so as a Vaisnava Brahman one has to be always on the guard of desires of the flesh. We are called to a much higher callings than others in religious life, but that does not mean that we are immune to the lures of desires of the flesh. Devotees can still be dis-illusioned into lust, greed and envy just as anyone else, but the greatest safeguard is the chanting of the Holy Names without offense.It has been proven in the western world that the eating of red meat greatly increases one's natural aggression, what lies inside of all individuals is what is true in their behavior. While one may

eat meat, they may continue to follow their Faith (Christian, Muslim, Judism) without difficulty, because these religions do not condemn the eating of meat. All men may act in demonic mannerisms is that is what resides in their hearts, and they have not surrendered fully to the Lord's lotus feet. The only salvation that they are to find is at the Lord's lotus feet, and they must come to this realization.All we can do is plead the mercy of Sri Sri Nitai-Gaurahari in instances such as this. When a devotee runs off with a young girl, the community of devotees should councel him in a loving manner to bring him back into full fellowship with the devotees. One that beats his wife should have professional councelling so that he learns proper behavior. There are many reasons why a man may behave in this manner, but whether it is immproper sex life or abuse the behavior cannot be condoned among the devotees. Sometimes we are dealing with

karma, but this also is no excuse for a devotee to act in such a manner since the Lord removes the result of karma through the offensless chanting of the Holy Names.As I have said, there is no clear cut reason why one behaves in such a manner, but for you, you should take the shelter of a bonafide Guru and seek his instructions in such a situation. While we are told that we should not have association with such individuals, sometimes our association is what is needed to pull them out of such offensive behaviors and bring them back to the Lord's lotus feet. I pray that you will seek the advise of Sri Guru in this situation and not allow it to repel you from your sadhana and seva to the Lord.Your eternal servant;Nitaipada Maharaja

Nanda <nandukother Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 6:47:30 AM Does what we eat make us a better person?

 

Om Namoh Narayanaya Sri Krishnadaya Ji, Please I seek your forgiveness if I start another controversy- -it is not my intention to do so.Reading your post about People who are non vegetarians, I wondered---- does what we eat really make us a better or worse person? Are vegetarians better humans than those who eat meat? Last evening I was given some very awful news about a Pujari.This fellow had a television program where he lectured on Krsna Bhakti as taught in his Sampradaya. He teaches that one who is a devotee of Lord Krsna cannot eat onions and garlic, must observe Ekadasi,do 16 rounds of Chanting, etc. He was very strict in his observances, has a bona fide Guru etc. Early this year, he started having intimate relations with a devotee from his Mandir while his Dharm Pati was away on a Yatra. This devotee is also married. What I am

writing here is what

this Pujari has himself admitted. What excuse does he have for committing such a sinful act? He does not eat meat/onions garlic/ does not drink or smoke etc. Why did he do this? He studied the Srimad Bhagwad Gita as it is and Srimad Bhagwatam and knows it by heart too. About 3 years ago, another Pujari-- from the other Sampadaya that has the same rules about Krsna Bhakti and he observed all--no meat/onions/ garlic,did 16 rounds,woke up at 4 am, knew the Bhagwad Gita as it is and Srimad Bhagwatam by heart-- he ran away with the daughter of one of his Chela who was more than 20 years younger than him. I think about the many people who eats meat and still live very decent God loving lives. In our work with Victims of Domestic Abuse, we have found out about an old Pujari who abused his wife, and now his young son is doing same to his young wife. There is a person who portray himself as a

Hindu leader, boasts about reading Srimad Bhagwad Gita as it is. The same mouth that he reads Srimad Bhagwad Gita with, the same mouth hurl insults to his wife--who is a devotee of The Lord too. All of these people are vegetarians. What excuse/explanation do we have for people who do not eat meat and still behave in a Demoniac manner? How do we help them to save themselves? Om Tat Sat Sri Krsnapranamastu. In His Service, Nandrani "Non-cooperation with evil is a sacred duty." M.K. Gandhi Ji HARI BOL Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger .

[Guest guest]

Dear all,

Radhe Krishna!

Sri Krishnadaya will answer this question. But I am only giving my

views on this---- that a real Panditha should think, talk and act in

the same wave-length. If he behaves differently, he is not worth

following. If he does bad things, of course, he will get his

"Karma-phalas" as dispensed by the Lord. But so far as humanity is

concerned, one should be able to discriminate between a good person and

a bad person, and if we find one bad, please ignore him. Punishment

is the policeman's job. We can only report to Him. (He knows even

without our reporting!)

 

Regards

KVG.

 

 

 

Nanda wrote:

 

 

Om Namoh Narayanaya

 

Sri Krishnadaya Ji,

 

Please I seek your forgiveness if I start another controversy--it

is not my intention to do so.Reading your post about People who are non

vegetarians, I wondered----does what we eat really make us a

better or worse person? Are vegetarians better humans than those who

eat meat?

 

Last evening I was given some very awful news about a

Pujari.This fellow had a television program where he lectured on Krsna

Bhakti as taught in his Sampradaya. He teaches that one who is a

devotee of Lord Krsna cannot eat onions and garlic, must observe

Ekadasi,do 16 rounds of Chanting, etc. He was very strict in his

observances, has a bona fide Guru etc. Early this year, he started

having intimate relations with a devotee from his Mandir while his

Dharm Pati was away on a Yatra. This devotee is also married. What I am

writing here is what this Pujari has himself admitted. What excuse does

he have for committing such a sinful act? He does not eat meat/onions

garlic/ does not drink or smoke etc. Why did he do this? He studied the

Srimad Bhagwad Gita as it is and Srimad Bhagwatam and knows it by heart

too.

 

About 3 years ago, another Pujari-- from the other Sampadaya

that has the same rules about Krsna Bhakti and he observed all--no

meat/onions/garlic,did 16 rounds,woke up at 4 am, knew the Bhagwad

Gita as it is and Srimad Bhagwatam by heart-- he ran away with the

daughter of one of his Chela who was more than 20 years younger than

him.

 

I think about the many people who eats meat and still live very

decent God loving lives. In our work with Victims of Domestic Abuse, we

have found out about an old Pujari who abused his wife, and now his

young son is doing same to his young wife. There is a person who

portray himself as a Hindu leader, boasts about reading Srimad Bhagwad

Gita as it is. The same mouth that he reads Srimad Bhagwad Gita with,

the same mouth hurl insults to his wife--who is a devotee of The Lord

too. All of these people are vegetarians. What excuse/explanation do we

have for people who do not eat meat and still behave in a Demoniac

manner? How do we help them to save themselves?

 

Om Tat Sat Sri Krsnapranamastu.

 

In His Service,

Nandrani

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Non-cooperation with

evil is a sacred duty." M.K. Gandhi Ji

 

HARI BOL

 

Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.