In the beginning of May I had an opportunity to visit Karuna Bhavan, a rural community in Scotland. I had heard a lot about this temple embedded in the beautiful nature of Scotland and always wanted to come here....
The devotees arranged a program for me in the nearby cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow which were very nice and well attended. I refreshed my memory of the fact that Srila Prabhupada had come here - to this hidden corner of the world - to give Krishna consciousness to the fallen conditioned souls...!
At Karuna Bhavan, the devotees kept me busy with morning and evening programs, a ladies' sanga and the Sunday feast. I enjoyed my time in the association of the serious and dedicated devotees here. The atmosphere was sweet and affectionate - surcharged with loving exchanges of giving and accepting gifts and prasadam and inquiring confidentially. By Krishna's mercy I managed to reach a few hearts....
Srila Prabhupada so much emphasized the importance of farm communities and self-sufficiency. To grow our own food becomes more and more important as the fruits and vegetables commercially grown are often tasteless, and also expensive.
At Karuna Bhavan, the devotees kept me busy with morning and evening programs, a ladies' sanga and the Sunday feast. I enjoyed my time in the association of the serious and dedicated devotees here. The atmosphere was sweet and affectionate - surcharged with loving exchanges of giving and accepting gifts and prasadam and inquiring confidentially. By Krishna's mercy I managed to reach a few hearts....
Srila Prabhupada so much emphasized the importance of farm communities and self-sufficiency. To grow our own food becomes more and more important as the fruits and vegetables commercially grown are often tasteless, and also expensive.
Nowadays, we are bombarded and enticed by commercials to enjoy all kinds of foods - the variety and choices are unlimited. In Kali-yuga, eating has become the main source of satisfaction and happiness, which reflects a rather low level of consciousness - almost that of the animal species of life. Packaged foodstuffs are loaded with chemical ingredients and taste enhancers leading to addictions - people can't stop eating those foods. People live to eat, rather than eat to live; thus falling victim to their tongue's demands of always craving for newer and newer tastes, in bigger amounts.
As we all know, the tongue is a most ferocious sense organ, always demanding satisfaction by tasting something palatable. In The Nectar of Instruction, Verse One and Two, Rupa Gosvami instructs us of the importance of controlling the tongue and not eating more than necessary.
The tongue, belly and genitals are arranged in one line, and controlling them has to begin with the tongue; once the tongue is tamed, the demands of the other two senses will also be subdued. Krishna is kindly helping us in this endeavour once old age is approaching, as our fire of digestion is becoming weaker, and as a result our digestion becomes poorer. We can no longer digest rich and opulent food - deep-fried and oily pakoras or samosas, subjis with lots of deep-fried vegetables, heavy cheese and cream, sweets loaded with sugar, etc. I distinctly remember thinking when I was young, 'My God, these old people always talk about their diet - thank God I can eat anything!' Now I find myself to be one of them, and I carefully avoid heavy foods.
Unless we voluntarily cut down on rich foods, we may get diseased and as a result are forced to accept a restricted diet. Either voluntarily or forced - we can't escape having to simplify our eating in old age. Every kind of sense gratification has its price - the bill comes, sooner or later. In regards to enjoying the tongue, the reaction often hits us many years later, when we are faced with diabetes, liver- and kidney problems, heart problems and so forth. At last, an elderly body is not designed to enjoy life any longer - especially when it comes to the tongue.
In addition, as we are aging, we may move around less and thus will not burn up so much energy. As a result, unless we reduce our eating, we will gain weight and become outright fat. This in turn will burden the body even more and will lead to further physical problems manifesting in back- and joint aches and other maladies and complaints. Besides, an elderly body does not afford many opportunities to enjoy life in other ways, and therefore people may compensate for the need for enjoyment by eating - putting sweets into our mouth, all day long.
In the purport to verse 4.28.35-36, Srila Prabhupada chooses weighty words:
"We can definitely see that to advance in Krishna consciousness one must control his bodily weight. If one becomes too fat, it is to be assumed that he is not advancing spiritually. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura severely criticised his fat disciples. The idea is that one who intends to advance in Krishna consciousness must not eat very much. Devotees used to go to forests, high hills or mountains on pilgrimages, but such severe austerities are not possible these days. One should instead eat only prasada and no more than required. According to the Vaishnava calendar, there are many fasts, such as Ekadashi and the appearance and disappearance days of God and His devotees. All of these are meant to decrease the fat within the body so that one will not sleep more than desired and will not become inactive and lazy. Overindulgence in food will cause a man to sleep more than required. This human form of life is meant for austerity, and austerity means controlling sex, food intake, etc."
His words are to the point and almost blunt - cutting our false ego into pieces, especially if we are over-weight. He does not offer esoteric reasons for fasting on our Vaishnava holidays; rather, it should be observed to reduce the fat in the body. For an aspiring vanaprastha, to observe a stricter fast on Ekadashis - not only fasting from grains, beans and peas, but fasting for at least half a day or more - may be a recommended process in order to increase one's austerities. In the purport to verse 4.23.20, Srila Prabhupada gives another warning not to become overweight:
"Becoming fat is not a very good qualification in spiritual life because a person who is engaged in spiritual life must reduce the comforts of the body - namely eating, sleeping and mating - to a minimum."
Moreover, it shows that we have not reached a higher taste, but are rather hovering on a lower level of pleasure, centred on enjoying the tongue. People sometimes try to find excuses by making their health responsible for their heavy weight. However, being over-weight simply means we eat more than necessary to keep body and soul together. It's as simple as that. To be overweight causes a lot of other problems - as if walking around with a heavy back-pack of 10, 15 or even 20 kilos. It burdens the whole body - the joints, the back, the liver and heart, the lungs - simply the entire body.
As our age advances, it will become more crucial to simplify our food; coming closer to death, we may only be able to accept liquids and very small amounts of solid foods. Unless we comply with this, the body will reject it by vomiting - Krishna teaches us the hard way. We gradually come to the point where we lose our appetite - our taste and attachment to eating palatable foods. Krishna's perfect system to teach us that we can't enjoy.
On the 16th of May I flew to Munich to travel out to Simhachalam....
Your servant, Devaki dd
Please visit www.theholynameretreat.net
www.therootsofspiritualculture.net
https://www.facebook.com/instituteforspiritualculture/
As we all know, the tongue is a most ferocious sense organ, always demanding satisfaction by tasting something palatable. In The Nectar of Instruction, Verse One and Two, Rupa Gosvami instructs us of the importance of controlling the tongue and not eating more than necessary.
The tongue, belly and genitals are arranged in one line, and controlling them has to begin with the tongue; once the tongue is tamed, the demands of the other two senses will also be subdued. Krishna is kindly helping us in this endeavour once old age is approaching, as our fire of digestion is becoming weaker, and as a result our digestion becomes poorer. We can no longer digest rich and opulent food - deep-fried and oily pakoras or samosas, subjis with lots of deep-fried vegetables, heavy cheese and cream, sweets loaded with sugar, etc. I distinctly remember thinking when I was young, 'My God, these old people always talk about their diet - thank God I can eat anything!' Now I find myself to be one of them, and I carefully avoid heavy foods.
Unless we voluntarily cut down on rich foods, we may get diseased and as a result are forced to accept a restricted diet. Either voluntarily or forced - we can't escape having to simplify our eating in old age. Every kind of sense gratification has its price - the bill comes, sooner or later. In regards to enjoying the tongue, the reaction often hits us many years later, when we are faced with diabetes, liver- and kidney problems, heart problems and so forth. At last, an elderly body is not designed to enjoy life any longer - especially when it comes to the tongue.
In addition, as we are aging, we may move around less and thus will not burn up so much energy. As a result, unless we reduce our eating, we will gain weight and become outright fat. This in turn will burden the body even more and will lead to further physical problems manifesting in back- and joint aches and other maladies and complaints. Besides, an elderly body does not afford many opportunities to enjoy life in other ways, and therefore people may compensate for the need for enjoyment by eating - putting sweets into our mouth, all day long.
In the purport to verse 4.28.35-36, Srila Prabhupada chooses weighty words:
"We can definitely see that to advance in Krishna consciousness one must control his bodily weight. If one becomes too fat, it is to be assumed that he is not advancing spiritually. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura severely criticised his fat disciples. The idea is that one who intends to advance in Krishna consciousness must not eat very much. Devotees used to go to forests, high hills or mountains on pilgrimages, but such severe austerities are not possible these days. One should instead eat only prasada and no more than required. According to the Vaishnava calendar, there are many fasts, such as Ekadashi and the appearance and disappearance days of God and His devotees. All of these are meant to decrease the fat within the body so that one will not sleep more than desired and will not become inactive and lazy. Overindulgence in food will cause a man to sleep more than required. This human form of life is meant for austerity, and austerity means controlling sex, food intake, etc."
His words are to the point and almost blunt - cutting our false ego into pieces, especially if we are over-weight. He does not offer esoteric reasons for fasting on our Vaishnava holidays; rather, it should be observed to reduce the fat in the body. For an aspiring vanaprastha, to observe a stricter fast on Ekadashis - not only fasting from grains, beans and peas, but fasting for at least half a day or more - may be a recommended process in order to increase one's austerities. In the purport to verse 4.23.20, Srila Prabhupada gives another warning not to become overweight:
"Becoming fat is not a very good qualification in spiritual life because a person who is engaged in spiritual life must reduce the comforts of the body - namely eating, sleeping and mating - to a minimum."
Moreover, it shows that we have not reached a higher taste, but are rather hovering on a lower level of pleasure, centred on enjoying the tongue. People sometimes try to find excuses by making their health responsible for their heavy weight. However, being over-weight simply means we eat more than necessary to keep body and soul together. It's as simple as that. To be overweight causes a lot of other problems - as if walking around with a heavy back-pack of 10, 15 or even 20 kilos. It burdens the whole body - the joints, the back, the liver and heart, the lungs - simply the entire body.
As our age advances, it will become more crucial to simplify our food; coming closer to death, we may only be able to accept liquids and very small amounts of solid foods. Unless we comply with this, the body will reject it by vomiting - Krishna teaches us the hard way. We gradually come to the point where we lose our appetite - our taste and attachment to eating palatable foods. Krishna's perfect system to teach us that we can't enjoy.
On the 16th of May I flew to Munich to travel out to Simhachalam....
Your servant, Devaki dd
Please visit www.theholynameretreat.net
www.therootsofspiritualculture.net
https://www.facebook.com/instituteforspiritualculture/
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