By Dusyanta Dasa
The concept of Veganism in the secular world is based on two foundational issues.
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Non-violence.
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Desire to not exploit animals in any way.
There maybe some other mitigating individual circumstances that can be genuinely overlooked related to dietary needs and reactions to dairy food especially cow milk. Of course those considerations are no problem. Some people canât even consider the idea of putting a commodity like cows milk into their body from a cowâs body, it makes them shudder. So the mitigating circumstances are a minority of cases in the world. But for devotees of Lord Krishna who follow Srila Prabhupada we find there are much bigger concepts in play than these individual needs.
Because Krishna Consciousness is also a way of life, and in this sense and context the word âwayâ is more like the word âTaoâ rather than just a process or even a choice, then for Vaisnavas part of our mission is to establish and illustrate this way of life. Suffice to say that Iskcon has actually made only a half-hearted effort on this platform of Vaisnava lifestyle in Iskcon. Actually this is the 7th purpose of Iskcon. So it begs the question why on earth has this not been a priority, and why is this purpose not just introduced each time a new community of devotees is founded?
Putting that aside for now then there are two main players in this conflict, which is exactly what we have here. Either we are trying to establish Veganism in Iskcon for whatever reason or we are trying to establish Cow protection. These are the two main players. And although seemingly insignificant in themselves the truth is the relevance bears down on each individual member of Iskcon more than we can say. Essentially the two antithetical âwaysâ of life illustrate the actual meditation and realisation that has gone into each one. This is so important to Iskcon members because of the marrying up of different parts of our spiritual lives.
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Krishna Consciousness.
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Devotional Service.
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Community dynamics and Sannyasis and Brahmacaris.
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Symbiosis with Cows and Land.
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Mode of goodness economics.
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Cottage industries.
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Family life.
In my view these seven items together are based on the Cow protection projects. What we have with Cow protection is a perfectly complete process that needs no importation of other commodities. Which makes the qualities of self-determination and self-sufficiency achievable, although this requires a lot of hard work but the Vegan model cannot afford these facilities.
The cow protection model demands mode of goodness standards at every step. It helps raise awareness and challenges the devotees to find mode of goodness answers to all the economic problems of life. The cow protection project then demands an integrated relationship. Communities symbiotically develop the relationship in the mode of goodness with Cows, Bulls and Land.
And it does not stop here. If we imagine a wheel as an analogy of the model then, the cows, bulls and the land are the hub of that wheel. The individual spokes of that community wheel are the devotees, some families; others Sannyasis, all are included. And then the rim of the wheel binds the whole project together, which makes the relationship of the community closer together and helps teach a simpler way of life.
Because the economic problems of life are solved by cow protection then all the solutions of those economic problems are mode of goodness orientated. They are ecologically friendly, locally sourced and recyclable. Because Veganism has no similar based dynamic there is no community model, no economic model and no symbiosis related to it.
When we look minutely into the Vegan model it offers a very shallow alternative that does not work, it canât actually work on a global level. Veganism does not offer any less violence that is a myth. Veganism is not a healthy option to Cow protection. Veganism does not offer protection to Cows. Veganism does not offer an alternate illustration on how to farm without the use of animal products, essentially Veganism borrows animal products through the back door because Veganism is not itself a vegetarian farming process. To actually farm in a Vegan way means to use all the products that all commercial farmers are forced to use because they cant produce them in a self-sufficient way unlike Cow protection by using Cow manure, Urine, Water and Straw.
Whenever a Vegan eats a bought Vegetable, Grains or Soya product there is a violent animal exploited process behind the growing of the product.
Unless you grow it yourself you are in the same boat as all us consumers in the world market. Do you eat vegetables grown abroad and flown in to your country? What fertilisers do they use in South America, Africa and China? What labour is being exploited in sugar production in South America? How much carbon footprint do you cause just because you buy vegetables from your local supermarket yearlong? Who are the Vegans trying to kid apart from themselves?
Now all these problems of economy are solved by Cow protection. But Iskcon has not been able to step up to the mark to solve them. So instead of trying to solve the problems the Vegans are just adding to the problems. Just because Iskcon has not reached the goal does not negate the goal. Far from it, infact the Vegan attitude in Iskcon is not just another setback from the 7th purpose of Iskcon, but a positive hindrance that solves no problems. Whether we have personal problems with diet due to allergies and personal preference is of no consequence in Iskcon. Our Iskcon purpose is to protect Cows primarily and then to be able to protect cows using the mandated instructions from Srila Prabhupada. Veganism is just a weak persons copout because they have no alternative, no other vision and no other conclusions.
In Iskcon we must always keep Srila Prabhupadaâs instructions uppermost in our minds even if we fail. Better to fail trying to follow Srila Prabhupada than go against His teachings.
âIn all spiritual affairs, ones first duty is to control his mind and senses. Unless one controls his mind and senses, one cannot make any advancement in spiritual life. Everyone within this material world is engrossed in the modes of passion and ignorance. One must promote himself to the platform of goodness, sattva-guna, by following the instructions of Rupa Goswami, and then everything concerning how to make further progess will be revealed.â Nectar of Instruction Preface by Srila Prabhupada.
Naturally this instruction begs the question how Veganism promotes the mode of goodness?
And positively how important the mode of goodness lifestyle is for devotees that Cow protection provides. The mode of goodness is the key stepping stone to the transcendental world. Unless the devotee has entered into the mode of goodness there is no chance of controlling the mind and senses, which means no advancement can be made. Thatâs how important Cow protection is. And thatâs why Srila Prabhupada wrote the 7th purpose of Iskcon. Not Veganism.
It is encouraging that you have faith in cow protection. We learn that Krsna loves cows and milk and butter, so cow protection is a good and beautiful thing. I personally love cows, and have had many cow friends, however, your presentation has left me cold.
It is not good to attack, as you do, our vegan friends. Veganism is not antithetical to cow protection, not the opposite of cow protection. Cow abuse and slaughter is the opposite of cow protection. What you find in the present dairy industry is the opposite of cow protection.
If a devotee has the ability (land, $, manpower, love) to raise cows in a truly krsna conscious way and offer their milk to krsna, then that is perfect; but if you are a devotee who at this time must buy regular milk from the store, then go vegan and encourage it, and by doing so participate in a different kind of cow protection. There’s no need here to go into what a dairy cow’s life is like in a factory farm.
Do I understand correctly that you say people cannot live in the mode of goodness without cow protection? But how could that be? If suddenly Lord Brahma stole every cow on Earth would we all be necessarily doomed to passion and ignorance? If I live in the desert where no cows can survive, can I not live a fully krsna conscious life? Protecting cows and drinking milk can benefit your spiritual life, but it is not a requirement for a spiritual life. You do not need milk nor a cow to tend in order to please krsna and serve Him with your heart.
You repeat in many ways that a vegan lifestyle is not a viable lifestyle for devotees, or the world. You claim that vegan farmers must use animal byproducts, and cannot be self sufficient. You will be easily defeated by anyone who knows anything about current trends in vegan farming. Have you never heard of green manure? Have you never heard of the Vegan Organic Network (especially nice is Graham Cole’s utube presentation)?
We must be tolerant of people living in different circumstances. Cow protection includes housing and tending and loving cows, but also includes fighting against the demonic dairy factories by encouraging people to put them out of business by becoming vegan.
Dear Dusyanta Prabhu, thank you very much for this article. It makes a strong point!
I also want to give some information to krsnaLH to strengthen the statement of the article.
Milk is considered most sattic food. Sages often are only drinking milk. So yes, without cow protection it is nearly impossible, specially for the majority of people, to live in the mode of godness. This is true as we can see today.
In the progress of this Kali-Yuga there will be no more cows. And yes, you are right, people are then really doomed with ignorance.
Milk is essential for spiritual life. It is indeed so essential that Prabhupada even allowed to offer and drink milk that is contaminated with fish-liver oil. There is even some scientific evidence (keywords: tryptophan, serotonin).
There is no way to produce foodstuff without the help of animals. Isn’t the earthworm an animal? And bees? The vegan idea is not thought through the end. Don’t get me wrong. I love the principles of the vegan idea. I love vegans. They have so much compassion for animals. My sister is a vegan. She spends so much time informing people about all the cruelty. But by the end of the day, veganism is the sentimental conclusion of materialistic thinking. It has nothing to do with vaishnavism. It is hard for a vegan to become a devotee. I saw that many times. We had many vegans coming to the temple and they didn’t eat prasadam because there was milk or butter in it of course. So why then encouraging people in becoming vegans to fight against the demons and their dairy factories, when at the end vegans remain demons themselves because they won’t become devotees. Cow protection is the only solution and that’s Prabhupadas solution and that’s the vaishnav solution.
I love you.
Chant Hare Krsna and be happy.
Would Krishna reject milk from a cow that has been cruelly mistreated?
As long as He accepts it we want to offer it.
Vegans can have their own ideas about mercy, we’ll stick with Krishna, His mercy is the most beneficial to all living entities.
We don’t want to deny cows their chance of serving Krishna, it’s not all about us and our food preferences.
+1
hare krsna. Thank you BoloGauranga for your response.
You seem to know that milk is the “most sattvika” food, and I will not doubt you. But it is true that it is not the only food in the mode of goodness: “Sattvika-ahara, foodstuffs in the mode of goodness, are described in the sastras as wheat, rice, vegetables, fruits, milk, sugar, and milk products. (purport: Srimad-Bhagavatam 4:26:13).” Therefore someone eating fresh vegetables and fruits is eating in the mode of goodness.
But this mode of goodness is not what we are striving for. Eating food in the mode of goodness is useless unless it is offered to krsna. Once it is offered to krsna it is not in any mode, it is transcendental to the mode of goodness. Drinking a cup of carrot juice offered to krsna engages you in service, drinking a cup of milk that has not been offered does not engage you in service. The important thing is not whether milk is more sattvic than a vegetable, it is whether the foodstuff has been offered or not.
Vaisnavas, who are the well-wishers of all living entities, want people to become attached to krsna and love Him and find their eternal service. That is the only business. Vaisnavas realize in this world people are attached to material objects, including certain types of food. Since eating ANY offered foodstuffs helps one become attached to krsna, a devotee does not care what particular vegetable, fruit, grain or milk is consumed by a forgetful person. It doesn’t matter if someone coming to the temple eats a carrot, a potato, or a cup of milk, just so long as it is offered. If someone comes to the temple and is so nonviolent in their thinking so as to give up eating meat (rare in our world) then why not say “Oh yes, I understand why you do not want to eat milk, so here, here you are, a nice vegetable dish with no milk at all. Please eat. Eat more. And see here is another preparation without milk, try this. Oh yes, please eat more.” That is our only business.
Please forgive me for inspiring you to say “at the end vegans remain demons themselves because they won’t become devotees,” I am sure you do not really mean this.
Hare krsna, and thank you again for engaging me in thoughts of krsna.
Your servant, krsnaLH
There is no reason whatsoever that a vegan cannot become a devotee of Krishna.
Scripture says that Krishna is fond of milk products. Still, one does not have to drink milk or offer milk to Krishna in order to be a devotee. Bhagavad-gita says, patram puspam phalam toyam—that if one offers to him with devotion a leaf, flower, water, or fruit, then he will accept it. The main ingredient mentioned in this verse is devotion, bhaktya prayacchati. It is the bhakti in the offering that satisfies Krishna. Therefore, if someone refrains from offering milk to Krishna because of conscientious objections over inhumane dairy farming methods, there is no harm.
On the other hand, I donât believe that all devotees should be mandated to boycott milk in opposition to the terrible cruelty factory farming; rather they should follow their conscience in this regard. However, whenever possible devotees should avoid buying milk from companies that grossly mistreat cows, even if milk from more humane companies is costlier. Fortunate are those who can alter their lifestyle in this regard.
Otherwise, one does not need to offer and consume milk in order to practice devotional service. A person can be vegan and still be a devotee of Krishna, but he or she should aspire to be a bhakta first and foremost, and a vegan, vegetarian, fruitarian, or whatever second. A bhakta is a person who values devotion to Krishna above all else.
Brahma dasa (ACBSP)
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Veganism is simply another ‘ism’ concoction. This idea of introducing all these new fangled ideas among devotees is a disease. Why don’t we just follow the system instead of introducing all these smart ideas. This is what happens when we stop reading SP’s books and give priority to karmi books. This is also what happens when we start to take association of non-devotees (rather than giving association). Srila Prabhupada wanted us to take milk as it is very important for good health and intelligence.
…if you want to have good brain, then you have to take milk. If you don’t want to remain dull, then you have to take milk.
[Srila Prabhupada, Conversation – September 23, 1971, Nairobi]
So we should offer the milk to Krishna and take it as His divine remnants. Who says so? His dear devotee and Senapati Preacher; Srila Prabhupada (krsna sakti vina nahe tare pravartan). He also took milk wherever he went. So are we know smarter than our founder acarya? Thats factually what is implied when an ISKCON devotee decides to become a Vegan. If you think he is wrong, then you are wrong. In other words we are in maya for trying to correct the Guru.
According to the Visnu Purana and more importantly, according to Srila Prabhupada, whoever isn’t a devotee is a demon, fullstop. Vegan or non-vegan. Its black and white. There is no grey area.
Simply by blinking we kill so many living entities, by breathing we kill living entities, so what about saving them? What about not wearing anymore clothes from the west as they are mostly stitched by exploited workers in the developing countries. In this way Veganism is not a complete way of solving problems of life but Krishna consciousness is.
In reality it is just another avenue for subtle sense gratification and trap for devotees whereby one cheats himself into thinking that ‘ I am so charitable and merciful and I am doing a good deed’. It is just another way that one lords over nature by thinking that ‘I’ am the controller and maintainer and ‘I’ decide like this.
Of course if Vegans come to our temples we can entertain their nonsense a little to gradually bring them to Krishna and needn’t tell them all this immediately. But devotees should understand the position clearly. And we should eventually tell them all these points for their benefit.
Your servant,
The principle of Krishna consciousness transcends humanity and even the diet of humans. Krishna is the supreme creator of everything, and the proprietor of everything. He is the Lord of all living beings (animate) and things inanimate (earth air water, etc.) I want to remind you that vegetarianism does not equate with piety, since, I have heard, that Hitler was a vegetarian.
It may be a natural inclination when under higher guidance that bhaktas with naturally become lacto-vegetarians. Patram Puspam phalam toyam (leaf, flower,fruit, water…) these are acceptable offerings by Krishna Himself so saying. One should not therefore disrespect vegans for their diets, as they are indeed trying to elevate their consciousness to a level of doing less violence. Certainly, Srila Prabhupad, and Krishna, love milk products, but some people have lactose intolerance also. They must not be considered ungodly or demons if they do not take milk. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur Prabhupad as a young boy felt that he had sinned by eating a mango which had not first been offered to Krishna. His vow never to eat mangoes for the rest of his life was an austerity that he voluntary chose as a penance for this. So, bhaktas…please place things in perspective.
On the other hand, if vegans come to the temples, they should not be dishonored, even if they are egotistical or proud of their veganism. They must be cultivated. If they go away because of your harsh treatment, then you are to blame. Many much more deeply ignorant than the vegans have come to the shelter of Krishna and grown into very fine Vaishnavas. We ourselves must not be egotistical ourselves to think that everyone must be like me in order to become Krishna conscious. Hare Krishna . Pusta Krishna das
Hare krsna. Thank you murari das for engaging me in thinking about krsna and cows.
The point of discussion is to help enlighten each other on how we can, all of us, please krsna more. Sometimes our understanding of a subject is different and so there seems to be “sides,” but we are all on the same side, endeavoring to increasingly please guru and krsna. It is bad form to so harshly criticize devotees not in agreement with you. It misses the point and is a terrible risk.
The question before us is not whether milk develops intelligence to understand spiritual life, and it’s not whether we should ideally drink lots of milk every day–these are evident truths if you trust guru. The question is should we get milk from demonic dairy factories? Should we give laksmi for that business to continue? Does krsna want milk that is gotten in such a way and is additionally filled with genetically engineered hormones, antibiotics, pus from the suffering cow, etc. etc? After all, Srila Prabhupada said, after briefly describing the horrors of the kali yuga dairy industry, “These greatly sinful acts are responsible for all the troubles in present society.” (sb 1.17.3) That’s what he said. The present condition of the dairy industry is responsible for ALL the troubles in present society. It is not impossible to understand why a thoughtful devotee could encourage people not to eat this milk.
In a class in 1972 Srila Prabhupada said that everyone should be a sanatanist, that sanatana-dharma is meant for all classes of men. And then in sb1.17.3 purport,”For a Sanatanist (a follower of Vedic principles) it is the duty of every householder to have cows and bulls as household paraphernalia…” I don’t know if you are a householder or if you spend 100% of your time preaching as a brahmacari, but if you are a householder, I believe Prabhupada is saying you and all householders should own a cow.
Srila Prabhupada says in sb 8.6.12 purport, “The cows should be protected, milk should be drawn from the cows, and this milk should be prepared in various ways. One should take ample milk…” “This” milk. “WE can give protection to the cows; while giving protection to the cows, we can draw from them abundant milk….we can happily eat this food.”
The solution is for every householder in the line of Srila Prabhupada to own a cow and make the extra milk available to the brahmacaris. Are devotees willing to do this? Or is there some excuse?
Your servant,
krsnaLH
Vegans can, of course, be devotees, but I think we are talking about vegans who come to ISKCON temples and leave without honoring any prasadam because it’s “tainted” with milk and ghee.
What kind of devotion is that?
Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya once took prasadam right after rising from bed, before performing any morning duties, because under no circumstances Lord’s prasadam can be refused.
So yes, vegans can be devotees, but why should we encourage this clearly apa-siddhantic proposition in ISKCON itself?
Why do we bring these outside influences in instead of pushing shuddha siddhanta out onto the world? Why do we allow vegans to preach to our congregation instead of us defeating them and converting them into prasadam eaters? Why do some of our devotees try to overwrite our siddhanta and promote opponents of pure devotion instead?
And these people accuse us of abandoning ISKCON goals such as cow protection!
Seeing that the MÄyÄvÄdÄ«s and others were fleeing, Lord Caitanya thought, âI wanted everyone to be immersed in this inundation of love of Godhead, but some of them have escaped. Therefore I shall devise a trick to drown them also.â (Adi 7.31-32)
Purport: Here is an important point.âŠ.spread KáčáčŁáča consciousness by adopting ways and means that are favorable for this purpose.
The Sunday Feast was established to introduce people to Krsna consciousness–so rather than of turning off vegans to Krsna bhakti why not accommodate them by offering plainly marked Vegan options at the Sunday feast? (Vegan fare offered to Krsna is just as much prasadam as milk products offered to Krsna.) Thus vegans would be encouraged to chant and associate with devotees–which would certainly satisfy Mahaprabhu’s desire to inundate everyone (even Vegans) in love of God as expressed in (Adi 7.31-32).
And there is nothing appasiddanta about being a vegan–so unless you can provide a cruelty-free alternative there is no necessity to preach to vegans to consume animal products.
AGAIN: There is absolutely no reason that a Vegan cannot practice Krsna consciousness and make a complete spiritual success of his life.
Brahma dasa
Dear Brahma Prabhu, please accept my obeisances,
I’m not in a position to tell you what is shuddha siddhanta and what is apa-siddhanta, nor am I in the position to argue with you about proper understanding of Srila Prabhupada’s intentions.
In regards to introducing clearly marked vegan preparations for Sunday feasts we do not have Srila Prabhupada’s direct instructions, and I am not in the position to say that “your guess is as good as mine”.
I deeply respect your desire to please Srila Prabhupada by attracting as many souls as possible to Krishna Consciousness and do not wish to argue with you in public.
To explain my position – devotees offer Krishna what He likes to eat as instructed by our acharyas. Anything else is apa-siddhanta, though there’s obviously some leeway in accommodating taste preferences of our visitors.
I’ve heard that some ISKCON devotees have taken to veganism as well but their position is clearly not as that of Sunday feast vegan guests that need to be attracted to Krishna. It’s their reasoning that I consider apa-siddhantic.
Thumbs Up!
Brahma das Prabhu has offered an intelligent and compassionate alternative. Even the ISKCON restaurants respect the sensibilities of the vegan preferences on the menus. Note that the vegan diet is highly promoted as a diet that can “reverse” the effects of coronary artery disease. If you do not consider that relevant, then…wake up. The effects of this diet is free of medications with many side-effects, and can indeed promote a heart healthy life-style (Dr. Dean Ornish) Now, please do not try to twist words, as I know that the heart disease that is spoken of in the Srimad Bhagavatam, hrid-rogam, is the spiritual disease that has captivated the conditioned souls to lording over matter in the illusory environment.
Truly, many many meat-eaters, chicken eaters, fish eaters, frequent the sanctuaries of Krishna’s temples throughout the world. We must be able to see the spark of Krishna within them, and fan it with Sravanam-Kirtanam. It is not diluting the potency of Krishna consciousness to debate these individuals about their diet. But, as Brahma das has suggested, foods acceptable for offering to Krishna many be offered to the Lord before partaking of the remnants…and that, if offered with love, will be accepted by Krishna and will be His prasadam. This is scriptural truth revealed in the Bhagavad-gita, by Krishna.
Remember, Srila Prabhupad gave the example of someone drowning. If one goes out into the water to save the drowning person, and only takes his clothes to shore, leaving the person to drown, then what is the benefit. Hence, we want to provide the opportunity to others to revive their inherent Krishna consciousness. And, if such people are brought to the temple, by Krishna (Who else?), then care for them as an ambassador of Srila Prabhupad. It is easy to do, and you will not become disturbed your self by looking at the person’s external likes and dislikes, but rather see the drowning person…whom you have been given the capacity to save. Best wishes, Pusta Krishna das
Here is something of interest for those who castigate vegans and the shunning og milk products as âdemoniacâ and the rest. Notwithstanding genuine health reasons as with lacto-intolerance and so on, we see the same one-sweep simplistic Intolerance of things that appear not to conform to our standards.
We shall read in this purport: âBut preparing nice, simple vegetable dishes, offering them to the picture or deity of Lord Krishna, and bowing down and praying for Him to accept such a humble offering enables one to advance steadily in life, to purify the body, and to create fine brain tissue which will lead to clear thinking.â (BG 9.26 purport)
Let us note that âsimple vegetable dishesâ offered with love and devotion leads to the spiritual benefits derived from prasada, the Lordâs mercy. There is no mention of milk or milk products used to âcreate fine brain tissue.â We generally accept that milk and milk products nourish the brain enabling âclear thinking,â but this is not exactly the case if there is no devotion to the Lord.
What really leads to âclear thinkingâ is that which actually purifies our consciousness. How we chant, how we hear, how we respect, how we tolerate all have a bearing on our consciousness. An elevated soul who barely feeds his or her body will be nourished by prasada, or the Lordâs mercy â not by merely being a lacto-vegetarian.
Was Bhima a vegetarian? Was Hanuman a vegetarian? These are eternally liberated souls. What does being lact-vegetarian or vegan mean to them? They subsist only upon the Lordâs mercy alone. The Lordâs mercy can enter that food item, whether vegan or not, and purify the consciousness leading to âclear thinking.â
Before we cast aspersions on vegans or none-milk consumers, let us first examine what is really beneficial for our spiritual well-being. Having done so, one will realise that it does not matter if one is vegan or none-vegan.
Ys Kesava Krsna Dasa.
âIn the bright fortnight of the month of Phalguna [February and March], for
twelve days ending with Dvadasi, one should observe the vow of subsisting
only on milk and should worship the lotus-eyed Supreme Personality of Godhead
with all devotion.â–SB 8.16.25
âWorshiping Lord Visnu with great faith and devotion and living only by drinking milk, one
should follow this vow. One should also offer oblations to the fire and feed the brahmanas
as mentioned before.â–SB 8.16.46
âLet many different kinds of food be cooked, from sweet rice to vegetable soups! Many
kinds of fancy cakes, both baked and fried, should be prepared. And all the available milk
products should be taken for this sacrifice.â–SB 10.24.26
naham tathadmi yajamana-havir vitane
scyotad-ghrta-plutam adan huta-bhun-mukhena
yad brahmanasya mukhatas carato ‘nughasam
tustasya mayy avahitair nija-karma-pakaih
SYNONYMS
na — not; aham — I; tatha — on the other hand; admi — I eat; yajamana — by the sacrificer; havih — the oblations; vitane — in the sacrificial fire; scyotat — pouring; ghrta — ghee; plutam — mixed; adan — eating; huta-bhuk — the sacrificial fire; mukhena — by the mouth; yat — as; brahmanasya — of the brahmana; mukhatah — from the mouth; caratah — acting; anughasam — morsels; tustasya — satisfied; mayi — to Me; avahitaih — offered; nija — own; karma — activities; pakaih — by the results.
TRANSLATION
I do not enjoy the oblations offered by the sacrificers in the sacrificial fire, which is one of My own mouths, with the same relish as I do the delicacies overflowing with ghee which are offered to the mouths of the brahmanas who have dedicated to Me the results of their activities and who are ever satisfied with My prasada.
The devotee of the Lord, or the Vaisnava, does not take anything without offering it to the Lord. Since a Vaisnava dedicates all the results of his activities to the Lord, he does not taste anything eatable which is not first offered to Him. The Lord also relishes giving to the Vaisnava’s mouth all eatables offered to Him. It is clear from this verse that the Lord eats through the sacrificial fire and the brahmana’s mouth. So many articles — grains, ghee, etc. — are offered in sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Lord.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 3.16.8
——————————————————————————————————————-
One who loves Krsna will give Him whatever He wants, and he avoids offering anything which is undesirable or unasked. Thus meat, fish and eggs should not be offered to Krsna. If He desired such things as offerings, He would have said so. Instead He clearly requests that a leaf, fruit, flowers and water be given to Him, and He says of this offering, “I will accept it.” Therefore, we should understand that He will not accept meat, fish and eggs. Vegetables, grains, fruits, milk and water are the proper foods for human beings and are prescribed by Lord Krsna Himself.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bg 9.26
Let us examine more reasons why there are limitations to some of our small versions of Krishna consciousness. For those who say that one can only be a lacto-vegetarian or else one is a demon, here are other points to consider:
(1) How many lacto-vegetarians are pancopasana mayavadis? If milk is meant to give good brainpower, where has their brainpower gone â because they take milk like we do?
(2) How many lacto-vegetarians are none-devotees?
(3) How many lacto-vegetarians see their diet as the all-in-all to ultimate love of Godhead, and that anyone who does not share the same diet are hell bound â pride and prejudice?
(4) How many lacto-vegetarians are apa-sampradayis or offenders to the holy name?
Although Srila Prabhupada set our standard diet and praised the power of milk, he also knew that sincere devotion to the Lord was the difference in attaining love of Godhead.
When Hiranyakashipu tried one of various ways to kill his son Prahlada, he fed him a meal laced with poison. Sri Prahlada offered that poisoned foodstuff. Did the Lord become fussy because Prahlada did not offer pure bhoga, or that it wasnât lacto-vegetarian? Whatever it was, the Lord accepted â Prahladaâs devotion was the difference â not whether he was a vegan or not.
Once Srivas Thakur praised a âpureâ brahmana in front of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, imploring that he was qualified to witness the Lordâs nocturnal pastimes. Srivas Thakur said that the brahmana drank only milk for sustenance. How did the Lord respond? He said that no one attains perfection just by drinking milk.
So let us broaden our outlook and recognise that there is a big world out there besides ours. Offerings made to Their Lordships must strictly be â anukula â what the Lord wants â milk products. That stays. Yet we must extend our friendship and share the jewels of Krishna consciousness with others who may differ in dietary terms. Who knows if they have a genetic disposition to cholesterol, like many Jewish and Gujarati people have?
Srila Prabhupada did not intend that we be proud judgemental followers of his.
Ys Kesava Krsna Dasa.
We are seeing some further bona-fide quotes given by Murari Prabhu, this time about how everything offered to the Lord must have ghee. Yes, that is the standard for us â no argument. But should we be surprised to learn that even unofferable things are also accepted by the Lord?
How can something unofferable be offered? While we have our standards, we should not limit Krishna or the power of Bhakti to remain within the confines of those standards. How can this be? The answer is that Krishna and Bhakti operate beyond logic. An example of this is the Supreme Lord being Arjunaâs chariot driver. Mayavadis and others cannot understand this.
Are we sure that Krishna will ONLY accept offerings made with ghee? We need to think again. In my previous comment I already mentioned how Sri Prahlada offered an unofferable poisoned meal to the Lord, who gladly accepted.
Can the Lord not accept an offering of an unofferable banana skin instead of an actual banana? Will the Lord not accept the banana skin because there was no ghee plastered over it? Or was the key ingredient â Devotion?
Raghunatha Dasa Goswami rummaged through discarded leftover food that even cows wouldnât eat. One day Lord Chaitanya caught him and asked for some of that ânectarâ unofferable stale rice grain. The Lord took one morsel and was about to take another, but Svarupa Damodar prevented Him. How highly the Lord glorified that offering⊠Yet Raghunatha Dasa Goswami felt ashamed that what the Lord took was unofferable.
5000 years previously a similar incident took place with Sudama Brahmana. Lord Krishna took the what was brought. In spite of Sudama Brahmana feeling ashamed, the Lord ate his âunofferableâ offering. Did the Lord reject it because no ghee was present?
We have standards to follow but we will be mistaken if we miserly think that Krishna and Bhakti are restrained by those standards. Otherwise we develop limited conceptions of Krishna consciousness, and while wearing our blinkers, we shun all other âbeyond logicâ possibilities with a smarta-like orthodoxy. Let us expand our thinking.
Ys Kesava Krsna Dasa.
This world is filled with wondrous phenomena that have kept us amused for millions of births and will keep us amused for millenia to come, too. Those desiring to leave it, however, have only one way out – strictly following the footsteps of our acharyas.
One sweep simplistic rejection of everything not prescribed by our gurus is a very wise and mature decision. We are not in business of broadening our horizons, life is too short to examine errors of every mundane phenomenon that pops in our view.
Srila Prabhupada didn’t teach us veganism and so for us there’s no such thing as veganism in Krishna consciousness. It doesn’t exist anywhere in available scriptures nor in our recorded history, too.
Vegans can be devotees of sorts but devotees can’t be vegans because as soon as we refuse to serve Krishna his favorite foods due to our own reasoning and against prescriptions of our acharyas we choose a different path for ourselves, not the path of unalloyed devotion.
I guess it’s okay to tell visiting vegans which preparations are made without milk products but if we keep cooking for them and marking their food as vegan we are not preaching anymore, we are validating and enforcing their misconception of things like mercy, prasadam, and Krishna’s unique position among all other living beings.
There’s no higher mercy than to take milk produced by a suffering cow and offer it to Krishna. In fact refusing these cows their chance of service is the ultimate cruelty towards them as living souls.
As long as milk is not ruled out as ritually impure it must be offered, it’s meant for Krishna’s pleasure. Sometimes we hear that all women are meant for Krishna’s enjoyment but it’s hard for us to take it literally. In case of cows, however, this is literally true because Krishna accepts milk from any and all cows unconditionally.
Refusing to offer milk is like refusing to go on harinam to some neighborhoods because people living there are poor and need improvement in their material conditions first. We’ve hear these arguments before from mayavadis but we didn’t accept them, now they are offered with regards to cows’ well-being.
Maybe these erroneous understanding of cow protection is a step up form serving God through serving humanity but ordinary meat eaters deciding to subsist on Krishna prasadam without any reservations are making real progress by comparison.