A pedestrian at Chandni Chowk offered Richard (now Radhanath Swami) food at a roadside restaurant. While eating his dinner Richard saw a white cow nuzzling its calf. Richard’s heart melted upon seeing the gentle and graceful movements of the calf and the cow. The innocence that shone in the eyes of the animals touched him and Richard thought how the loving exchanges they shared with each other is so similar to those of a human mother and her child. Just then the host pointed out to Richard the chunks of meat on his plate. Richard suddenly felt pained to realize that meat meant innocent animals are slaughtered in organized slaughterhouses. For the first time Richard made a connection between his diet and suffering of animals; he realized how humans are insensitive and cruel towards these innocent children of God. That night he vomited the meat and repeatedly dreamt of the cows. He then took a vow to never again eat meat.
While meat eating is not advisable for spiritual advancement, cow meat is certainly destructive. It takes a person away from God, says Radhanath Swami. Radhanath Swami personally served cows for over a decade in a farm in America. He points out that in the Indian culture cow is referred to as ‘go mata, ‘mother cow’. It’s abominable for a cultured person to kill and eat the flesh of his own mother. In India thousands of places are named after mother cow (‘go’): Gauhati, Gorakhpur, Goa, Godhra, Gondiya, Godavari, Goverdhan, Gautam, Gomukh, Gokarna, Goyal, and Gochar besides many others. These names signify reverence for the cow, and the abiding faith that cow is to be respected as mother.
The arguments for cow slaughter are no more uncontested. There are better sources of protein than beef. Any dietician’s chart shows that beef with 22 per cent protein ranks below soya-bean (43), groundnut (31) and pulses (24 per cent). One kilogram of beef takes seven kg of crops and 7,000 kg of water to produce. Thus cow protection makes economic and ecological sense. Non-vegetarianism indirectly contributes heavily to greenhouse gases and other pollution. The UN report (2006) states, “Raising animals for meat as food generates more greenhouse gases than all the cars and trucks in the world combined”.
’Radhanath Swami explains that we can tell a person’s consciousness by what they eat and how they eat. There are people in mode of ignorance who like to eat all kinds of stale food or food that’s product of bloodshed, murder and horrible suffering. That is the food in the mode of ignorance. Then there is food in the mode of passion, which is very hot and simulating to the senses and the mind. The vegetarian food is in the mode of goodness because it minimizes violence as far as possible. “But even if you eat vegetarian food, it’s still sinful because it’s the property of God, and there is some violence involved”, says Radhanath Swami. Violence is far less compared to eating fish, meat, eggs and similar things. but it’s still sinful because it’s not completely free from violence. Therefore the best food, Radhanath Swami says is a vegetarian food cooked and offered with love and devotion to God; that makes it free of all bad karma.
“Go to India” a sweet but commanding voice; spoke up in the heart of young Richard (later Radhanath Swami) who was immersed in meditation, his search for meaning in life has brought him to the Isle of Crete. Today he was ordered to go to India. Born and raised in the middle class suburbs of Chicago, Radhanath swami grew up in the 1950’s and 60’s era when popular musicians protested war, prejudice and social injustice. Radhanath swami would listen to these songs again and again, but their lyrics referring to God stirred his soul. Peter, Paul and Mary- the folk trio from Greenswich village sang in their debut album
“Early in the morning, about the break of day
I ask the Lord, to help me find my way”
This simple prayer was to guide Radhanath swami in the coming years of his life........
‘The Journey Home - Autobiography of an American Swami’ Book is an engaging, humorous and heart-warming account of a young nineteen year old’s quest for spiritual enlightenment. The reader follows Richard Slavin (Now Radhanath Swami) from the suburbs of Chicago to the caves of Himalayas as he goes through a variety of exciting adventures; some near-death encounters and many spiritual experiences. Regular reading of this all-time classic has helped me draw spiritual lessons and seek constant inspiration in my own spiritual journey.
’Radhanath Swami explains that we can tell a person’s consciousness by what they eat and how they eat.Really its very much true.Thank you so much Maharaj.
there is nothing like prasadam….
Very informative article
amazingly clarity in his vision …and great direction to this dark world where sinning has become part of daily life..
Thank you maharaj for sharing this.
Thank you very much maharaj for clarifying what to eat, what not to eat and how to eat.
Hopefully this message of Radhanath Swami is heard by meat eaters to understand the benefits of vegetarianism and not make their stomachs a graveyard.
This article is specially meant for the people who eat non vegeterian food,which is in-digestable to the stomach.I hope after reading this article atleast the person,reading it will stop eating this stale food
Thanks to the inspiring words of Radhanath Swamy, so many thousands of devotees have taken to vegetarian food.
The connection between what we eat and what our thoughts are is well documented. Radhanath Swami touches the essence of everything.
Thank you for sensibly, scientific reavelation of the truth Y.H.Radhanath Swami,
The last line is the most important because it gives us the crux of pure living: even if we eat vegetables it is still sinful unless we offer the food to God.
Maharaj is showing us the way to live a peaceful, happy and healthy human life
Eating santified food is a rich source of mercy of the Lord. Thank u Maharaj.
Radhanath swami has wonderful & amp;loving heart which feel something for others.
http://www.radhanath-swami.info
Great message. We have to understand the fundamentals of nature and human life.
Nice explanation about eating habits. I have been a vegetarian through out my life and sometimes had been proud of being so, thinking myself to be saintly. Hence the last line struck me deeply – “But even if you eat vegetarian food, it’s still sinful because it’s the property of God, and there is some violence involved”, says Radhanath Swami… but it’s still sinful because it’s not completely free from violence. Therefore the best food, Radhanath Swami says is a vegetarian food cooked and offered with love and devotion to God; that makes it free of all bad karma.”
Just Superb scientific way of explanation, why one should eat veg food. IF you see the trend nowadays, it is West which is going Veg and ourselved going the other way (western culture)
Thank u Maharaj…
Bhoga offered to the Lord becomes sanctified food.
Hari Bol, thanks very much for sharing
Wonderful article
Thankyou Maharaj for the pearls of wisdom.
Surely, eating only prasad always keeps us in constant touch of Krishna Consciousness.
Thanks for sharing Radhanath Swami’s words “A vegetarian food cooked and offered with love and devotion to God; that makes it free of all bad karma and makes our heart purified as it is the remnant of God”
Thank you radhanath swami
Science has proof that eating meat can cause various types of cancer and neoplastic disorders. We can relate it directly to the bad karma caused due to eating meat
Eating only prasadam is a step forward towards Lord Krsna & always keeps us in constant touch of Krishna Consciousness.
Living without causing any pain to others is good. Living for one’s purification is the best. Vegetarian food be offered to God and accepting it as His mercy makes one free from all sins. All glories to Radhanath swami.
Vegetarian Food which is offered to the Lord is so very satisfying to the body as well as soul. By this we come to the mode of goodness & therefore whatever acts we perform are for the welfare of the society. Thank u Radhanath Swami for giving us this understanding.
Single incident made Maharaj think deeply and change his food habits (Ref: ‘…made a connection between his diet and suffering of animals’), whereas in India, so sadly, it is still style statement of ‘being a non veg’ despite Western studies also advising to become vegetarian and economical reasons indicate the same
Thank you Maharaj. You have revealed to us the most perfect understanding of vegetarianism and non-violence.
Swamiji, thank you so much for explaining the benefits of eating a healthy vegetarian diet which has been offered to Lord krishna with love.
Eating non-vegetarian food definitely causes a lot of violence to cow & many other innocent animals. Human beings should not be so insensitive to the pains of innocat animals who cannot defend themselves.
Thank you for guiding us.
Hare krishna!!! Thank You Maharaj.
Now we understand that eating only vegetarian food is not enough. But offering veg food to the lotus feet of Lord is more important because only prasadam (offered food) is sinless and connecting us to the LORD.
Thank you Radhanath swami for giving us the knowledge on how to eat and what to eat.
Thank you Maharaj!
Such wonderful wisdom that it is difficult for anyone to ignore.
Vegetarian Diet With Offered To Lord First & Then Taking It As Prasad Is Must For Person Who Wants Spiritual Advancement On Path Of Devotion.
Very enlightening article – Thanks a lot Maharaj for showering the wonderful realizations.
Convincing facts for a person to give up meat eating and lead a healthy life-karma free life! Thanks for sharing!
Satvik food takes the person towards God.The non vegetarian food takes towards ignorance. because that it shows non piteous
mentality.Killing is killing whether it is animal or tree or human.Thanks to maharaj.