Category:Our Eating (Disciples of SP)
Theme Analysis
In the material world, eating is often the center of sensual enjoyment and bodily maintenance. However, in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, Śrīla Prabhupāda elevated this basic necessity into a profound science of spiritual purification. He instructed his disciples that every morsel of food must be offered to the Supreme Lord, transforming it into prasādam. By regulating their intake—eating neither too much nor too little—and vowing to only taste food accepted by Kṛṣṇa, the devotees naturally conquer their senses and remain fit for vigorous preaching.
- The Vow of Prasādam: A strict devotee vows never to eat unoffered food from restaurants or markets; they accept only the pure, spiritualized remnants of food that Kṛṣṇa Himself has eaten.
- Minimizing Material Demands: Eating, sleeping, and mating are the core demands of the physical body. By consciously minimizing these urges, a practitioner avoids laziness and accelerates their spiritual advancement.
- Maintaining Fitness for Service: While artificial starvation is rejected, a devotee must eat only what is required to keep the body and soul together, ensuring they remain healthy and energetic for executing devotional service.
- Controlling the Tongue: The tongue is the most difficult sense to control. By engaging it exclusively in vibrating the holy names and tasting Kṛṣṇa's prasādam, the devotee effortlessly brings all other senses under control.
- Eating as Pure Devotion: Because a devotee cooks and eats solely for the pleasure and service of Kṛṣṇa, the very act of eating becomes a continuous form of yoga and kīrtana.
- Avoiding the Hotel Mentality: The majestic temples provided by Kṛṣṇa are meant to be active preaching bases, not free hotels where individuals simply exploit the facilities to eat and sleep lazily.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Prabhupāda Teaches His Disciples Why They Must Regulate Their Eating.
Subcategories
This category has only the following subcategory.
O
Pages in category "Our Eating (Disciples of SP)"
The following 137 pages are in this category, out of 137 total.
A
- All of us should see that our literatures are profusely distributed. That means that our missionary work is going on nicely. Otherwise we are simply sleeping and eating
- All the devotees connected with the Krsna consciousness movement must read all the books that have been translated (the CC, SB, BG and others); otherwise, after some time, they will simply eat, sleep and fall down from their position
- And it is very easy. And you can do in happy mood. And what is the process? We chant Hare Krsna and eat Krsna-prasada and study Bhagavad-gita philosophy, hear nice musical sounds. Is it very difficult? Is it very difficult? Not at all
- Any moment, any time you spend for thinking of Krsna, working for Krsna, chanting for Krsna, eating for Krsna, dancing for Krsna, that time is saved
- Anyone who cannot collect money, they should go to Mayapur and live there and simply eat and sleep, like women and widows. I shall arrange for their eating and sleeping
- As my initiated disciple you must strictly observe the four restrictions; namely no taking of intoxicants; no eating of meat, fish, or eggs; no illicit sex life; and no gambling. Follow the prescribed regulations for devotional service
- As soon as Krsna accepts, your life is sanctified immediately. Therefore we should eat krsna-prasada, nothing more. Not in the hotel, not in the restaurant. Simply krsna-prasada. That will keep me purified always
B
- Bali Mardan says that taking milk is also the same as eating meat, therefore you can eat meat. Therefore does it mean that because what I eat all turns to stool, then I should eat stool?
- Be self-sufficient so that these rascals may see that how one can live very peacefully, eating the food grains and milk, and chant Hare Krsna. This is our mission
- Because Krsna says: "If somebody offers Me fruits, flowers, grains, milk with devotion and love, I eat," so we are pledged to Krsna, I offer these things to Krsna, and we eat. That is our process
- Because we are surrendered to Krsna we are confident about eating, sleeping. We don't bother about that. That is not our problem. Our problem is how to serve Krsna honestly
- Because we have to eat some other living entity, it does not mean that I shall eat my sons and daughters. "Discrimination is the best part of valor." So far we are concerned, we are eating certainly vegetable, but not directly. We eat krsna-prasadam
D
- Difference is generally we should not eat before the Deity. But there is another injunction, prasadah praptir matrena bhoktavyah. As soon as we get prasada you should immediately eat
- Don’t eat anything which is not eaten by Krsna - your tongue becomes your most intimate friend. And don’t talk anything except Krsna. If you follow these two principles, Krsna will be within your grip
E
- Eat Krishna Prasadam, but be careful that we may not indulge in luxury. For Krishna we can offer the most beautiful preparations, but for us Prasadam should be very simple
- Eating and sleeping should be minimized - not a single moment should be misused
- Eating should be minimized. Too much eating leads to too much sleeping, and then sex desire. So, management should be done very carefully to see that there is not easy-going, lazy attitude which will only end in fall down
- Eating, sleeping, mating, all these are material demands; the more we minimize, then that is good, but not at the risk of health. Because we have to work for Krishna, so we must maintain our health nicely
- Especially for devotee, too much eating is very, very bad
- Even they are going to jail daily, but still they will not stop their chanting and distributing. When they go to jail, they refuse to eat the food, and in this way so much public sympathy is there
- Everything should be regulated in devotional service. Just like eating. Eating is necessary to remain fit, but too much eating means disease and too little eating means starving. One must adjust things properly, that is the program of Krsna Consciousness
F
- First of all produce your own food grain, milk and vegetables, eat as much as absolutely necessary, don't eat more, and in this way keep your health
- Following all of our principles; rising early, chanting 16 rounds, attending classes, eating only Krsna prasadam, etc. This simple formula will make everything perfect
- Forget sleeping, eating, mating. This is all material necessities. If you increase these things, then you cannot make any progress in spiritual life
- From your letter it appears you have found a nice place for a center there. Yes, we can use everything in Krsna's service and when Krsna gives us a nice big house that does not mean we use it for our eating and sleeping, but we work harder in His service
I
- I don't imitate the Gosvamis. That try to avoid. And avoid sleeping means if we eat less, then we'll avoid. Eating, sleeping. After eating, there is sleeping. So if we eat more, then more sleeping. If we eat less, then less sleeping
- I have always instructed my disciples to eat only healthy foodstuffs which will be beneficial for the body and mind. Not only that, but I have also instructed that whatever they eat must be first offered to the Supreme Lord Krishna for His pleasure
- I have received one letter from Sucarudev das, a devotee there who has some complaint, that he is left in charge when Mahamsa Swami goes out on tour, and no one cooperates with him, just sleeping and eating
- If Krishna would have eaten meat, we would have also eaten His meat Prasadam. We are concerned with Krishna Prasadam
- If Krsna says that, "Give Me dog" or "Give Me cow flesh," we shall give and eat. But not before that. So we have no quarrel with these fish-eaters or cow-eaters. We are concerned Krsna says, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati
- If required you can take raw cereals soaked in water overnight that is also good. The thing is you must accept such food as will keep you fit. Not more nor less that is the injunction of Lord Krishna in the B.G.
- If the water supply is sufficient, there is no question of insanitation. Disease comes when there are dirty conditions. Also, don't eat more than necessary. As soon as palatable food is offered, they eat. That is the disease
- If we are cooking, it is for Krsna, not that we are cooking for our purpose. Ultimately, although we shall eat the prasadam, but when we cook, we don't think that we are cooking for ourself. We are cooking for Krsna
- If we are there so many months and we cannot do anything, simply eat and sleep and fight amongst ourselves, then where is our credit?
- If we take this vow, that "I shall not eat anything which is not offered to Krsna..." Naturally Krsna does not take any chop cutlet, so you cannot offer it. Krsna personally says, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati
- If you are so much addicted to sleeping, you simply chant sixteen rounds and whole day sleep. But don't take food also. Don't get up taking prasadam
- If you are taking service from your car, so you don't identify yourself with the car. But you take care of the car to take service from it. Similarly, we are taking service from this body because we are living, so I must eat or I must sleep
- If you cannot finish sixteen rounds, then you must not sleep on that day, you must not eat. Why don't you forget to eat, forget? Why do you forget chanting Hare Krsna? This is negligence, aparadha, offense
- If you continue this (chanting, dancing and eating prasadam), then some day will come, even in this life, that you will understand what is Krsna. As soon as you understand Krsna, then after leaving this body you go back home, back to Godhead, directly
- If you eat and if you distribute that sort of prasadam to the public, you are doing great service and the public is getting spiritual consciousness, God consciousness
- If you eat krsna-prasadam, then you infect Krsna consciousness. This is our process. We don't take anything directly. We offer to Krsna. Then we take krsna-prasadam. That helps us
- If you have only attachment for Krsna, then you are in samadhi. You don't require certificate from others. You know yourself. Just like while eating you can understand whether you are satisfied or not
- If you make it a vow that "I shall not eat anything which is not offered to Krsna," that means it is a surrender. You surrender to Krsna, that "My dear Lord, I shall not eat anything which is not offered to You." That's vow. That vow is surrender
- If you write books about Krsna, if you read books about Krsna, if you talk about Krsna, you think of Krsna, you worship Krsna, you cook for Krsna, you eat for Krsna - so that is krsna-kirtana
- In our Krsna consciousness movement, fashionable persons are taught to adopt one fashion - the dress of a Vaisnava with a shaved head and tilaka. They are taught to be always clean in mind, dress and eating in order to be fixed in Krsna consciousness
- In our Mayapur center daily one hundred men are being fed. And in our Bombay center . . . similarly, in our Los Angeles . . . in all centers our temple is open. Any man can come and eat and live with us
- In the morning you can give them (devotees in New Mayapura) this puffed grains, then fruits and milk, very good breakfast. I mean to say all self-dependent
- In this temple, they are worshiping the Lord, so they are enjoying in this life. In this life they are seeing God, they are feeding God, they are offering prasadam to God, they are eating prasadam, they are chanting, glorifying - Krsna conscious life
- In this temple, what is this difference between these temple activities and other activities? Here the center is Krsna. We are working for Krsna, we are eating for Krsna, we are walking for Krsna, we are talking for Krsna
- In Western countries when ordinary men - storekeepers and workers - see our devotees living and eating sumptuously and yet not working, they become very eager to know where they get the money
- It is a question of love that sometimes I cook, you eat and sometimes you cook, I eat
- It is medical advice, that there are two kinds of mistakes in eating. Over-eating and under-eating. So under-eating mistake for old man is very good. And over-eating mistake for boys, that is good. So you can overeat. I cannot
- It is not that we are not eating or not sleeping, but our eating is different from ordinary eating
- It is up to you to decide whether you are going to get a body which will be able to dance with Krsna, to talk with Krsna, to play with Krsna. You can get it. And if you want a body how to eat stool, urine, you will get it
- It is very difficult to satisfy a woman by a person who has no good income, neither very good health. The woman as a class wants sufficient means to eat, and decorate and at the same time full satisfaction of sex
K
- Kirtana is our first duty. The Deity worship should be simple and the eating should be as meager as possible
- Krsna consciousness does not mean sitting idly. The whole pastimes of Krsna is full of activities. When you go to spiritual world Krsna is always dancing. You have to 24 hours dance there and eat there.There is no question of sit down
- Krsna consciousness means, as Krsna instructs, you must be very, very busy, twenty-four hours. That is Krsna consciousness. Not to become a lazy fellow, eat and sleep. No
L
- Less disease (in the country). Less brain-taxing. Everything is less. So balance time, utilize for Krsna consciousness. And if you have got temple, it is very happy life. Just for your food work little, and balance time engage yourself in K.C.
- Let them come (to New Mayapura) and work little, grow food, eat and chant. Why should they bother going to the factory, running at five o'clock. Horrible life, horrible civilization
O
- One should carefully avoid eating food offered by nondevotees. Indeed, a devotee should be very strict in not accepting food from a nondevotee, especially food prepared in restaurants or hotels or on airplanes
- Our buildings are not for our sleeping in and eating like hotels, but whoever wants to join us should understand the philosophy of regulated devotional service
- Our business is to conquer over the demands of the body. The demands of the body is eating, sleeping, sex and defense. So spiritual life means make it almost nil
- Our Krsna consciousness movement, we accept what is eaten by Krsna. So Krsna wants these things: fruits, flower, vegetable, grains, milk. So we offer them and eat
- Our point is we take foodstuff offered to Krsna, and whatever Krsna eats, that is our foodstuff
- Our principle is that we are kind, merciful, to everyone. But we have to eat, so we eat Krsna prasadam. Because after all, Krsna is the SG. So if He eats something, the responsibility is His. But we are not advocate of vegetarianism or nonvegetarianism
- Our principle is that we can eat only what is offered to God. So we cannot eat things in the restaurant, because it is not offered to God
S
- See that they do not make it a free hotel for eating and sleeping. Don't allow this
- Sleeping and eating, this is the material disease. Sleeping, eating, mating... So they should be reduced as much as possible
- So far as controlling "kam" or lust, best thing is don't eat any highly spiced food stuffs and always think of Krishna. Chant regularly and get yourself married as soon as possible, and live a peaceful householder's life in Krishna Consciousness
- So far as eating only two chopaties and a little vegetables daily, I never said that. I do not know why such news has spread without my written authority
- So far we are concerned, Krsna conscious men, we are not animals. We are perfect beings. We don't eat any living entity
- So far we are concerned, we are not killing anybody for eating purposes. We are eating krsna-prasada, foodstuff which is offered to Krsna, and then we eat. The remnants of foodstuff we eat
- So I am very glad that you have all taken. Continue this Krsna consciousness. Read books, chant, dance, eat nicely and be happy
- So please see that all the members of our Temple are following the rules and regulations which are very simple namely to chant Hare Krishna 16 (sixteen) rounds, attending the classes, reading the books, going out for Sankirtana and taking prasadam
- So we must be careful. We should not eat more or less. Better eat less than eat more. You'll not die by eating less. But you may die eating more
T
- The ayurvedic system is to take ½ of what you can eat only, the fill ¼ with water and leave ¼ for air. That will make for proper digestion. Little rice, dahl, some vegetables, some chopaties, like that, but eat right to the point to keep health steady
- The beginning of service is chanting. Therefore it is said, jihvadau. Jihvadau means, jihva means tongue. Tongue. Your service begins by the tongue. How? By the tongue you can chant Hare Krsna, and by the tongue you can taste Krsna's prasadam
- The idea is that dress has to be accepted according to the taste of others and foodstuffs are to be accepted according to the eater's taste. So if you think this kind of dress will attract more people, you can dress yourself in that manner
- The less a person is concerned with material enjoyment such as eating, sex and sleeping, the more he is spiritually advanced. If the "devotee" himself lives like a hog or dog how can he preach?
- The members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness must take a lesson from the life of Bharata Maharaja to be very cautious and to see that not a single moment is wasted in frivolous talk, sleep or voracious eating
- The more you can reduce your sleep and eating, you keep good health, especially for spiritual purposes. But not artificially. But when you advance, naturally you'll not feel, just like Raghunatha dasa Gosvami
- The people must eat sumptuously - not voraciously and make them fit for working and chanting. In this way, they will be purified and everything will be nicely organized
- The production of food is dependent on the rain and the rain of course is dependent on chanting Hare Krsna. Therefore let everyone chant Hare Krsna, eat nicely and keep their bodies fit and healthy. This is ideal life style
- The real business is that you produce enough food grains, as much as possible, and you eat and distribute. That's all. This is business. He does not require any so high technical education. Anyone can till the ground and grow food. Is it difficult?
- The standard practices for initiated devotees: Must attend evening and morning classes. Should not extensively mix with non-devotees. Should not eat food cooked by non-devotees
- The temple is a place not for eating and sleeping, but as a base from which we send out our soldiers to fight with maya
- These two places will be reserved for those who cannot collect. For them I am making provision. Only the active members who can collect, they shall live in the city. Eating, sleeping members, they shall live in Mayapur, that's all
- They could go out and make thousands of dollars a month as educators and skilled professional men, still they prefer to live with me and eat only a little rice from the floor, and sleep on the cold ground without cover
- They want to sleep twenty-four hours. That is their desire in Kali-yuga. But, no. Then you'll be wasting time. Minimize eating, sleeping, mating and defending. When it is nil, that is perfection
- This process is very pleasant: we chant the Hare Krsna mantra, we dance rhythmically, and we eat nice prasada. While enjoying this life, we are preparing to enter into the kingdom of God in our next life. This is not a fabrication - it is all factual
- This service is unimpaired, unchecked by any material condition. So Sukadeva Gosvami, he gives us some definition how you can be completely independent to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now our problem is eating-sleeping
- To rise early in the morning and do whatever is needed. Then at nine, half-past nine, I will go to his apartment and begin cooking. Then, after finishing, I'll take my bathing, and then we shall eat together
- Tongue has got two functions, namely to vibrate to speak something, and to taste something. So you engage. You simply engage your tongue for chanting and glorifying Krsna, and eat prasadam, then the two tongue's business will be finished
- Try to deliver these innocent persons who are suffering. Everyone is suffering. That should be the motto. Do not sit idly, eat and sleep. No. Either loitering, wandering... I know, our men in Krsna consciousness, they are bold enough
- Tulasi leaf eating is good. You can eat leaf, especially palatable with water. Water, that is good. But you make it, imitation tea, that means I remember tea-drinking
W
- We are also human being. We cannot lie down on the street. We have got some house, some protection. We are also eating, we are also sleeping, and we are also mating, and we are also defending. But it is in a different way
- We are chanting, dancing, and eating nicely. What you are doing? You are simply talking nonsense. There is no peace in your life. And see our devotees in Krsna consciousness. This is the proof, practical proof
- We are conscious that "I am not this body." This is Krsna consciousness movement. Otherwise how it would accommodate Indians, Africans, Americans? They are chanting, they are dancing, they are eating
- We are conscious that, "I am not this body." This is Krsna consciousness movement. Otherwise, how we could accommodate Indians, Africans, Americans, others; they are chanting, they are dancing, they are eating
- We are constructing our temple in Vrndavana. We require fifty lakhs. That is required. But I shall not collect more than fifty lakhs even one cent. This is atyahara. Similarly, if your body can consume foodstuff one kilo or half kilo, you can eat
- We are dancing, we are chanting, we are eating, and we have love also between husband and wife, between boys and girls. We allow everything. But everything is targeted to achieve to the highest goal of life, Visnu, or Krsna
- We are living in a nice house, we are eating nice foodstuff, we have got nice dress, and the devotees look very nice, bright-faced. What is the wrong there?
- We are vegetarian. We are also eating some... Not killing, but eating. We are taking fruit. That means we are not killing the tree. We are taking grains. We are not killing the cow. We are eating milk, but we are not drinking the blood
- We cannot eat anything not offered to Krishna, and we cannot offer anything to Krishna which is not cooked by a devotee
- We discriminate eating. We don't eat so many things. We simply eat things which may keep my body just fit for understanding and executing this mission of life. That's all
- We do not give any credit to the vegetarians than the meat-eaters. Because one has to eat. But our proposal is, Krsna conscious men, that we shall eat remnants of foodstuff offered to Krsna. That is our philosophy
- We don’t say that "Don’t eat, don’t sleep, don’t have sex, don’t defend." We don’t say that. But regulate. Regulate. You see?
- We have been given such a nice big facility at Bhaktivedanta Manor so it is not for our eating and sleeping. Rather, on receiving such a nice place from Krsna we should take it as an indication that we must now work harder
- We have got so many duties to do. Don't waste time, a single moment. And don't eat more and don't sleep more. Then you'll be able to work
- We have to execute this twenty-four-hours' Krsna business, Krsna consciousness, always absorbed in thought of Krsna - in sitting, in walking, in eating, in sleeping, everything. In working. That is first-class yoga
- We have to take prasadam, eat Krsna prasadam. Then naturally the other things will be negativated. This is the position
- We have to work. That is preaching. You don't think preaching is so easy going. Eating, sleeping, and sometimes chanting, "Haribol," that's all. That is not preaching
- We must be educated how to control the senses, how to control the senses. Therefore while eating, we are reminded that this eating is... If you do not take it as prasadam, then eating is sense enjoyment
- We should be careful not to eat anything which is not offered to Krsna, prasadam. That should be determination. We cannot purchase things from the market and eat. No. That is not possible. We cannot eat
- What are the general program for eating (in New Mayapura)?
- What is the significance of the food that is eaten at ISKCON kirtanas? - The significance of our food - not exactly vegetarian or nonvegetarian. Don't mistake. We simply take what is offered to Krsna. That's all. So Krsna can be offered anything? No
- What we have renounced? We have renounced... We are using the motorcar, we are using this machine, we are eating, we are sleeping in nice room - what is the renouncement? Only renouncement is no connection with woman
- Why do you forget chanting Hare Krsna? This is negligence, aparadha, offense. Rather, you should forget your sleeping and eating and must finish sixteen rounds. This is called determination
Y
- You are my initiated disciple, and I must instruct you to be sure to always follow the regulative principles like chanting 16 rounds on the beads daily, reading my books, eating only prasadam, and in every way trying to serve Krsna
- You ask: "You said when you gave me the name Tusti dasi, 'Now you can be satisfied without eating.' Do you mean that I should eat very little?" Yes in spiritual life one must be careful not to eat more than is required to keep body and soul together
- You can forego your sleeping and eating
- You cannot sleep more than six hours, seven hours, that's all. So two hours chanting and seven hours sleeping. Sleeping is a very important thing in your country, but reduce it. As much as you reduce sleeping and eating, you will become advanced
- You don't find all these things in our Society. We don't drink Coca-cola. We don't drink Pepsi-cola. We don't smoke. So many things which are selling in the market in huge quantity by advertisement, by victimizing the poor customer
- You eat, you sleep, have regulated sex and try to defend. That is necessary so long the body is there. But the more you decrease these propensities, that means you are advancing, and if you increase these propensities, then you are going to hell
- You get gur, you get this . . . fry this oats or corns, and mix with gur and little milk - it will be very good for breakfast, very nutritious. In this way grow your food, and eat nicely, keep your health nicely
- You yourself must be ideal in following the rules and regulations, rising early, and restricting eating and sleeping. The less a person is concerned with material enjoyment such as eating, sex and sleeping, the more he is spiritually advanced
- Your tongue asks you, "Go to the restaurant and eat some nice thing." But if you are a Vaisnava, if you have this vow that "I shall not allow my tongue to eat anything except prasadam," it is already controlled. That means, to control the senses