Spirituality, Food, and the Body

Spirituality, Food, and the Body (Sri Ramakrishna's Advice)

388. Q: “When Brahman is present everywhere and exists with everyone, what is the objection to eating food from others?”

A: I think you are a Brahmin boy that is why you are asking such a question. Suppose you lit a matchstick and cover (smother) it with a pile of sticks. What happens?

Q: The small fire (of matchstick) will be extinguished quickly.

A: What happens if you throw moist banana plant trunks into a raging hot bonfire?

Q: The banana stems and leaves will turn into ash in a moment.

A: Similarly, when your adhyatmika (related to atma, soul) power is feeble (little) if you accept food from all sundry people without discrimination (hygiene, purity) then your spiritual energy may get suppressed (or extinguished). That is the danger involved in such acts. But if your (spiritual) energy is very powerful, then it does not matter which food you eat. There is no harm (i.e., when you are strong and evolved further in the right adhyatmika path).

389. Once I used to follow the tradition of Islam, after getting initiation from a Moslem guru. I followed their habits of food and chanting. In those days I could not go to the Kali temple. Neither could I chant any sacred Hindu god’s (devata’s) name.

390. Do not eat food offered during the times of wake (funeral). Such meals destroy bhakti and faith. Also do not eat at the home of a priest who earns his livelihood by attending to the last rites and funerals. 

391. “Can we not eat whatever is available?”

A: It depends on our adhyatmika-state (~ evolved spiritual state). In the jnana path, there is no harm; when the jnani eats, (s)he offers the food to the (kundalini) fire as oblation. But the situation of a bhakta is different. The devotee must eat only pious (fresh) food that can be (has been) offered to the Lord (Eswara) without any limitation. Non-vegetarian food is not appropriate for the devotee. Yet, if some one lives on porcine meat (ex: Kannappa of Sri Kalahasthi, Andhra Pradesh*) while devoutly attached to God – then that individual must be counted as a blessed (fortunate) one! Another man even after consuming only properly prepared sacred food, if his mind is caught up with woman and gold (money) matters – then consider that individual to be the most unfortunate one. 

392. Whoever does not long for the “Brahman”, for him even the sattvik food would only be as harmful as beef. Whoever yearns for the “Brahman”, for him even the beef becomes as proper as “ambrosia”.

393. During the day eat till you’re satiated. But consume less during nighttime.

394. For the “bhakta”, only food that does not generate heat or excitement is appropriate. Love for the body means simply “protecting the body”.

395. Q: How to overcome the love for the body?

A: Human body is built with perishable elements of nature. These are: flesh, tissue, bones, and blood. Thus it is just a heap of “distasteful things”, and nothing else. By constantly discriminating (delineating) thus (on the gross body), over indulgence of the body is lessened.

396. Once the bird flies away, the significance of the cage is lost. Nobody cares about the case (enclosure) anymore. Similarly, nobody wants the body once “the bird of life” has flown away! Nobody wants the corpse.

397. When this body is insignificant, worthless, and impermanent why do the saints and bhaktas protect such a body? If a box has nothing then no one will care about the empty shell. If a box contains valuable jewels, gold, and other precious things then everybody will safeguard the “safe”.

(Excerpts translated from the Telugu work: “Sri Ramakrishna Bodhamrutamu” by Sri Chirantanaanda Swami. * Added by the translator) Copyright 2023 by the author