Is the devotees being addicted to Junk & Other foods bad & sinful?
A Girl devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare Krishna Prabhuji. Prabhuji I am very guilty and feeling very sinful and just feeling that I am totally useless. I have committed an apradh. Few weeks ago I swear and promised with Krishna that I won’t eat anything from outside and will follow satvik diet till Diwali. But, today I got carried away. I was guided that I shouldn’t eat but I end up eating maggi and pizza. Now, I am feeling that I broke my promise made to Krishna. I am very guilty but I did it twice today despite my consciousness saying no to me. Prabhuji I am very addicted to food. My mother often says that your biggest obstacle on the path of bhakti is your addiction to junk food. I too feel the same. I haven’t even chanted for two days. I wasn’t well yesterday and today due to guilt and shame. Prabhuji how can I repent and be firm not to eat anything but satvik food offered to Krishna. Sorry for this sin. Pls guide me. Feeling very shameful and guilty too.”
REPLY:
Definitely, devotees being addicted to Junk & Other foods is not directly sinful for devotees.
But, eating Junk & other foods from outside is karmic; It is able to affect or contaminate our gunas (modes);
Eating Junk & other foods from outside will give rebirth; It can’t liberate us from material pains.
When the gunas change dominated by Rajo and tamo gunas, we tend to commit sins. It is sinful.
So, Junk foods indirectly make us commit sins.
(Is Offering the morning food again at night for dinner correct? READ HERE!)
That is why, we are advised to avoid eating Junk & other foods from outside.
Though it is Prasadam, it is advisable to avoid highly spicy foods.
Let me explain why.
A devotee should adopt only the things, persons and situations favourable to follow devotion.
He should avoid the things, persons and situations that may affect their devotional growth.
We have to approach this matter in this angle.
A devotee acquires more domination of satva guna (i) when he reads the Scriptures like Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatham, etc, (ii) when he chants Hare Krishna and (iii) when he associates with the sincere devotees.
(Can a woman cook & offer food to Krishna during menstruation? READ HERE!)
Day by day, he becomes a humble person who fears to commit sinful acts.
The satva guna is gained one side thru the above sadhanas & practices. So, our Rajo and Tamo gunas will not disturb us more as satva guna will make us fear for violations.
However, when we take more Junk foods and Spicy foods outside, they increase our rajo and tamo gunas.
So, the domination of Rajo and tamo gunas will be more than the impact of Satva guna in our nature & character.
So, day by day, our nature starts to change. The emotional agitations and Sense disturbances will be more because of more Rajo guna and tamo guna.
Satva guna gives fear to violate, whereas tamo and rajo gunas catalizes our sense agitations that lead to violations.
Therefore, we are expected to avoid foods that gives the domination of tamo and rajo gunas.
This is Guna based explanation for whether devotees being addicted to Junk & Other foods.
Then comes karmic exchange. When we take foods from outside, the thoughts and the vibrations of the person who cooked the food get transferred to us thru food.
(EKADASI RECEIPS – THE FOODS TO BE PREPARED ON EKADASI! READ HERE!)
That is why, it is advised to take only uncooked items from outside, not the cooked items.
We can take milk, fruits, raw vegetables, water, uncooked grains, etc from others after paying the right price for them.
But taking cooked food involves karma and the vibrations/ thoughts of the seller or donor though you pay and eat.
That is why, we offer cooked rice as Pinta for deceased persons during annual rituals.
If a cook cooks the food by scolding someone, those negative vibrations are carried by that food.
But, if we cook for Krishna with a good heart and offer the same to Krishna, all the karma and vibrations present in that food gets cleared and the food becomes clean Prasadam.
Moreover, our body’s digestive systems are not like that of the Lion or Tiger or Elephant. They are very soft and sensitive. Our body can’t digest tough food stuff easily.
(10 FOODS KRISHNA DEVOTEES SHOULD EAT AND AVOID! READ HERE!)
Therefore, taking light food after offering to Krishna is always safe.
You have eaten it only twice. It will not be a sin. Don’t worry. It is a forgivable violation.
Just chant 4 rounds praying to Krishna to forgive that.
Simple. You will get rid of that small violation.
Encouraging?
Yes, but do not eat twice or thrice daily in hotels and don’t try to clear that violation by chanting 4 rounds every time.
This is for unplanned violations only. Not for willful violations.
Always keep it in mind.
Hope now you are very clear and relieved.
(FOODS THAT SHOULD NOT BE OFFERED TO KRISHNA! READ HERE!)