Initially when one practises the Hare Krishna meditation, he or she is encouraged to just chant and not worry too much about the various rules. It’s like a person who is unhealthy and is advised by the doctor to jog daily. As the person starts jogging, he isn’t particularly worried about his dress and shoes. However as he gets better in his exercise and discovers a taste for jogging and athletics, he is more particular about his shoes, shorts, and the viscosity and lightness of the sweat bands. Similarly as we begin chanting we are encouraged to somehow connect to the Lord through the Holy Names of Krishna; there are no hard and fast rules for our chanting. However as we progress and desire to improve the quality of our chanting it helps to adjust our lifestyles. One important element of our lifestyle is the diet.
The ancient scripture Bhagavad Gita has scientifically analyzed the various types of consciousness and the book soundly reasons which type of consciousness is most conducive for practising meditation and achieving a peaceful state for the mind. There are three modes in nature which combine to influence us always in various ways; goodness, passion and ignorance. The mode of goodness is most conducive for practising any kind of meditation, particularly the Hare Krishna meditation.
The mode of goodness is characterized by peacefulness, self control, purity, austerity and wisdom. The Supreme Lord Krishna discusses in the Bhagavad Gita that the diet that best helps develop this consciousness is juicy, wholesome, and pleasing to the heart. This type of food purifies one’s existence, and gives strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. As Hare Krishna chanters it helps us be in mode of goodness to help tune in internally to the divine sound vibrations of the Holy Names.
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 stale food or food that’s product of bloodshed, murder and horrible suffering. Then there is food in the mode of passion, which is very hot and stimulating 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 the plants and vegetables are the property of God, and there is some violence involved”, says Radhanath Swami. Violence in a vegetarian diet is far less compared to eating fish, meat, or eggs 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.
You can try an experiment for a month; give up the consumption of meat and increase your chanting. See the difference in your consciousness; you’ll certainly feel more peaceful and satisfied within. The combination of a ‘goodness’ diet and the medicine of Hare Krishna meditation works wonders in the life of a Bhakti Yogi.
Pareshan is troubled by his inability to chant attentively. He feels frustrated as the chanting session leaves him tired and dry. He’s heard in classes that the Holy Names of Krishna is sweeter than the sweetest. 
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17 comments
Udisha Trivedi says:
March 22, 2012 at 8:32 am (UTC 0)
Very nice explanation on Vegetarian Diet… Eating offered food is actually a simpler way to change one’s consciousness.. !
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surekha says:
February 15, 2012 at 10:32 pm (UTC 0)
Thank you Radhanath swami for explaining how the food we take have an immense effect on our consciousness.
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pradeep lalwani says:
February 13, 2012 at 7:35 am (UTC 0)
ITs very wondefull article for the peoples of different levels.
we all can apply this in our life and check where is i am standing.
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suresh says:
February 10, 2012 at 12:51 pm (UTC 0)
very useful information about the type of foods and its consequence on the person who is consuming…,thank you radhanath swami maharaj,
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Tallam Sita Ramaiah says:
February 6, 2012 at 3:00 pm (UTC 0)
This is a very nice article explaining the relation between food and chanting.
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Jitendra Pardeshi says:
February 6, 2012 at 1:31 pm (UTC 0)
The combination of a ‘goodness’ diet and the medicine of Hare Krishna meditation works wonders in the life of a Bhakti Yogi….
Thank you Radhanath Swami Maharaj.
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muraligovinda dasa says:
February 6, 2012 at 11:27 am (UTC 0)
Thousands of Iskcon devotees are the practical examples in front of the world which makes this profound statement very true about the food habits.
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Kalpana Kulkarni says:
February 1, 2012 at 5:01 pm (UTC 0)
Thank you for informing us about we should and what we should not eat. We are what we eat!
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Piyush Singh says:
January 31, 2012 at 3:39 pm (UTC 0)
Feels like an open challenge … but actually it is true and I can vouch for this based on my personal experience … there is nothing to loose and Everything to gain. Thank you very much for sharing this beautiful information with Radhanath Swami’s expert guidance.
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Paramesvara Dasa says:
January 31, 2012 at 8:22 am (UTC 0)
Very nice explanation. A person is nothing but what he eats. All glories to HH Radhanatha Swami Maharaja.
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Jagannath Dham Das says:
January 30, 2012 at 11:28 am (UTC 0)
Radhanath Swami Maharaj so precisely describes the importance of eating only food thats offered to Krishna ! Not just eat Vegeterian !
Hare Krishna !
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Vidya Patham says:
January 29, 2012 at 3:24 pm (UTC 0)
Thank you for emphasising the connection between the food we eat and the consequent consciousness thereof.
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Sumit Sharma says:
January 25, 2012 at 3:58 pm (UTC 0)
Nice article on food habits. I believe many people would get benefited by this. Thanks for sharing it.
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Tallam Sita Ramaiah says:
January 25, 2012 at 2:24 pm (UTC 0)
“The combination of a ‘goodness’ diet and the medicine of Hare Krishna meditation works wonders in the life of a Bhakti Yogi.” This is seen again and again from various participants while starting the chanting process. All glories to Maharaj.
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Arjun K Ramachandra says:
January 24, 2012 at 2:03 pm (UTC 0)
I can surely vouch for that! Although i’ve been a vegetarian throughout my life, ever since i have started offering my food to god first my consciousness has been transformed drastically!
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Arjun K Ramachandra says:
January 24, 2012 at 2:02 pm (UTC 0)
I can surely vouch for that! Although i’ve been a vegetarian throughout my life, eEver since i have started offering my food to god first my consciousness has been transformed drastically!
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muraligovinda dasa says:
January 24, 2012 at 11:21 am (UTC 0)
We are so fortunate to be in this wonderful moment guided by HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj. which will keep us in the association of devotees, hearing about the glories of the Lord, visting the holy dhams, listening from very saintly persons and ultimately taking only Krishna Prasadam which will sanctify all the sins.
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