Personal Narrative

Wait! Don’t drop your jaw after what I’m going to reveal. In our society for Krishna Consciousness, we are very peculiar about our food. Yes you heard it right. There are numerous foods that we refrain from consuming. I guess most people are aware we don’t include onions and garlic in our foods. But the list does not stop here. Before you have a negative opinion that it is some sort of exaggeration, I believe that refraining from consuming those foods made me develop a sense of control and it demands willingness and faith. I like it that way, no matter what other people might say when I go out. The list is as follows, we don’t consume onions, garlic, mushroom, vinegar, tea and coffee and coke. Many people think that vegetarian means that eggs are allowed. Well no, eggs, sea food and certainly meat are not favorable for PURE vegetarians. I was not vegetarian before, but I was taking fasting seriously and I didn’t mind for how many days it would last. So when I joined Krishna Consciousness, fasting was not challenging. It’s in Iskcon that I learnt the real meaning of fasting. Fasting is certainly not for weight-loss and diet purposes! I still remember before I became vegetarian, I would never miss adding onions and garlic while cooking. I always liked it’s scent and flavor but now thinking about it and having the slight smell of it simply turns me off. When my mum told me that gradually we should stop putting onions and garlic in our food, I was at first worried that the food would not turn out tasty. But later I thought Krishna doesn’t eat these foods and if I sincerely want to please Him by cooking for Him and offering Him food that HE likes, then I should surrender rather than thinking about myself. Cooking without these foods became easier, quicker and tastier. The main ingredients that Krishna actually prefers in His food are Love, devotion, that special care in choosing the vegetables and I shall not forget, at the end Tulsi leaf on each preparation, else Krishna might not accept the offering. Our mind is so conditioned that we always think of our stomach. I learnt that vegetarian food offered with love to Krishna is in the mood of goodness and food containing too much spices is in the mood of passion.