Consuming Unoffered Food and Dietary Habits of Vaishnavas

Question: When we eat general vegetarian food without offering it to Kṛṣṇa, are we committing sin worthy of severe punishment? When it is not possible to arrange prasādam and one resorts to general food, does it qualify as sinful activity?

Answer: Śrī Kṛśṇa makes a general statement about offering of food in the following verse:

yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo   mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ
bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ papa   ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt

“The saintly people who partake of the remnants of yajña are absolved of all reactions to misdeeds. But those wrongdoers who cook food just for themselves acquire only bad karma.” ( Gītā 3.13)

Later on, He again stresses it by making a negative statement:

evaṁ pravartitaṁ cakraṁ   nānuvartayatīha yaḥ
aghāyur indriyārāmo   moghaṁ pārtha sa jīvati

“A wrongdoer and sensual person, who does not follow the wheel of creation thus set into motion, lives in vain.” (Gītā 3.16):

The above statements were for people in general. For devotees, He makes a special statement:

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ   yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam   aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

“If a pure-hearted person brings and offers Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I accept it.”

yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi   yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya   tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam

“Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as yajña, whatever charity you give, whatever austerity you perform, O son of Kuntī, do it as an offering to Me.” (Gītā 9.26-27)

But sometimes, when you have to eat outside while traveling or with relatives and friends who are not devotees, then it is not possible to make an offering. In such a situation, make an offering in the mind. You can always offer mentally under any circumstances.

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Meat-Eating Vaiṣṇava Ākharās?

Question: I was going through the internet and found an article which mentioned that:

1. Members of seven Vaiṣṇava ākharās, from all the four Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas, partake of meat and narcotics, whereas smārta ākharās prohibit them.
2. Vaiṣṇava viśvakarmās eat non-vegetarian food, whereas smārta viśvakarmās eat strictly vegetarian food.

I know Vaiṣṇavas emphasize following a sattvic diet and don’t even eat onion and garlic because they are rajasic. Then why do we see something out of the ordinary here? Doesn’t this seeming discrepancy make Vaiṣṇavas inferior to smārtas? Doesn’t it seem like smārtas follow Vedanta philosophy perfectly and wholeheartedly, but Vaiṣṇavas don’t?

Answer: I think the author has not done enough research. I do not know about the past but at present, I do not know any Vaiṣṇavas eating meat. Some Vaiṣṇavas belonging to the Rāmananda sampradāya smoke but no one eats meat. I live amid the ākharās.

Moreover, why do you want to apply this to all Vaiṣṇavas? It is about a particular sect of Vaiṣṇavas, and specifically those who belong to the ākharās. It is not about the normal members of a Vaiṣṇava sect. The ākharā members had to fight. They were soldiers. Basically, they were protectors of Vaiṣṇavas.