Ramana Maharshi on Sattvic Diet, Vegetarianism
and Alcohol
Question : What about diet?
Ramana Maharshi : Food affects the mind. For the practice of any kind of
yoga, vegetarianism is absolutely necessary since it makes the mind more
sattvic [pure and harmonious].
Question : Could one receive spiritual illumination while eating flesh
foods?
Ramana Maharshi : Yes, but abandon them gradually and accustom yourself
to sattvic foods. However, once you have attained illumination it will
make less difference what you eat, as, on a great fire, it is immaterial
what fuel is added.
Question : We Europeans are accustomed to a particular diet and a change
of diet affects the health and weakens the mind. Is it not necessary to
keep up one's physical health?
Ramana Maharshi : Quite necessary. The weaker the body the stronger the
mind grows.
Question : In the absence of our usual diet our health suffers and the
mind loses strength.
Ramana Maharshi : What do you mean by strength of mind?
Question : The power to eliminate worldly attachment.
Ramana Maharshi : The quality of food influences the mind. The mind
feeds on the food consumed.
Question : Really! Then how can Europeans adjust themselves to sattvic
food only?
Ramana Maharshi : Habit is only adjustment to the environment. It is the
mind that matters. The fact is that the mind has been trained to think
certain foods tasty and good. The food material is to be had both in
vegetarian and non-vegetarian diet equally well. But the mind desires
such food as it is accustomed to and considers tasty.
Question : Are there restrictions for the realized man with regard to
food?
Ramana Maharshi : No. He is steady and not influenced by the food he
takes.
Question: Is it not killing life to prepare meat diet?
Ramana Maharshi : Ahimsa [non-violence] stands foremost in the code of
discipline for the yogis.
Question : Even plants have life.
Ramana Maharshi : So too the slabs you sit on!
Question : May we gradually get ourselves accustomed to vegetarian food?
Ramana Maharshi : Yes. That is the way.
Question : Is it harmless to continue smoking?
Ramana Maharshi : No, for tobacco is a poison. It is better to do
without it. It is good that you have given up smoking. Men are enslaved
by tobacco and cannot give it up. But tobacco only gives a temporary
stimulation to which there must be a reaction with craving for more. It
is also not good for meditation practice.
Question : Do you recommend that meat and alcoholic drinks be given up?
Ramana Maharshi : It is advisable to give them up because this
abstention is a useful aid for beginners. The difficulty in surrendering
them does not arise because they are really necessary, but merely
because we have become inured by custom and habit to them.
Question : Generally speaking, what are the rules of conduct which an
aspirant should follow?
Ramana Maharshi : Moderation in food, moderation in sleep and moderation
in speech.
Related Ramana Maharshi Talks:
Ramana Maharshi - How shall I
overcome my passions?
Ramana Maharshi - Can one progress spiritually by
Fasting?
Ramana
Maharshi on Obstacles for Sadhaks - Sleep, Sense objects, Thoughts &
Bliss
Ramana Maharshi - Several paths are taught in the
Vedas to suit different Aspirants
Ramana Maharhsi on What is the best way to work
for world peace and Good Conduct
What is the
best way of dealing with Desires and Vasanas with a view to getting rid of them
^Top
Back to Ramana Maharshi
Ramana Maharshi on Sattvic Diet, Vegetarianism and Alcohol
Question : What about diet?Ramana Maharshi : Food affects the mind. For the practice of any kind of yoga, vegetarianism is absolutely necessary since it makes the mind more sattvic [pure and harmonious].
Question : Could one receive spiritual illumination while eating flesh foods?
Ramana Maharshi : Yes, but abandon them gradually and accustom yourself to sattvic foods. However, once you have attained illumination it will make less difference what you eat, as, on a great fire, it is immaterial what fuel is added.
Question : We Europeans are accustomed to a particular diet and a change of diet affects the health and weakens the mind. Is it not necessary to keep up one's physical health?
Ramana Maharshi : Quite necessary. The weaker the body the stronger the mind grows.
Question : In the absence of our usual diet our health suffers and the mind loses strength.
Ramana Maharshi : What do you mean by strength of mind?
Question : The power to eliminate worldly attachment.
Ramana Maharshi : The quality of food influences the mind. The mind feeds on the food consumed.
Question : Really! Then how can Europeans adjust themselves to sattvic food only?
Ramana Maharshi : Habit is only adjustment to the environment. It is the mind that matters. The fact is that the mind has been trained to think certain foods tasty and good. The food material is to be had both in vegetarian and non-vegetarian diet equally well. But the mind desires such food as it is accustomed to and considers tasty.
Question : Are there restrictions for the realized man with regard to food?
Ramana Maharshi : No. He is steady and not influenced by the food he takes.
Question: Is it not killing life to prepare meat diet?
Ramana Maharshi : Ahimsa [non-violence] stands foremost in the code of discipline for the yogis.
Question : Even plants have life.
Ramana Maharshi : So too the slabs you sit on!
Question : May we gradually get ourselves accustomed to vegetarian food?
Ramana Maharshi : Yes. That is the way.
Question : Is it harmless to continue smoking?
Ramana Maharshi : No, for tobacco is a poison. It is better to do without it. It is good that you have given up smoking. Men are enslaved by tobacco and cannot give it up. But tobacco only gives a temporary stimulation to which there must be a reaction with craving for more. It is also not good for meditation practice.
Question : Do you recommend that meat and alcoholic drinks be given up?
Ramana Maharshi : It is advisable to give them up because this abstention is a useful aid for beginners. The difficulty in surrendering them does not arise because they are really necessary, but merely because we have become inured by custom and habit to them.
Question : Generally speaking, what are the rules of conduct which an aspirant should follow?
Ramana Maharshi : Moderation in food, moderation in sleep and moderation in speech.
Related Ramana Maharshi Talks:
Ramana Maharshi - How shall I overcome my passions?
Ramana Maharshi - Can one progress spiritually by Fasting?
Ramana Maharshi on Obstacles for Sadhaks - Sleep, Sense objects, Thoughts & Bliss
Ramana Maharshi - Several paths are taught in the Vedas to suit different Aspirants
Ramana Maharhsi on What is the best way to work for world peace and Good Conduct
What is the best way of dealing with Desires and Vasanas with a view to getting rid of them
^Top Back to Ramana Maharshi

![Sixth Sense of Cow @[100186463391452:274:Bhagwad Geeta]
Cow has a sharp sixth sense. As per an epic story, the cow could once talk. It predicted an impending accident to its master and helped him avoid it. The God then made the cow dumb for changing what was destined.
Cows respond to the joy and suffering of people. There are many examples of cows shedding tears and even refusing food empathising with their masters.
Sensing Danger :
Lathur in Maharashtra had a devastating earthquake on 30 September 1993. Devani breed of cows in that place had been behaving strange, crying and jumping around a few days before this as a warning to the people. We could not decipher the message.
Similar things happened before Tsunami in 2004 too. Then, Baraguru, Amblacheri and Kangayam breed of cows behaved strangely. We could not get the message again.](https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s480x480/47030_559913267359787_1770082959_n.jpg)

![@[135805523239514:274:Swami Vivekananda] Quote
एक बार एक विदेशी ने स्वामी जी से कहा- यदि आप अच्छे वस्त्र नहीं पहनते है, तो आप कभी भी सभी नहीं बन सकते..
इस पर स्वामी जी ने कहा- आपकी संस्कृति में वस्त्र व्यक्ति को सभी बनाते होंगे, परन्तु हमारी संस्कृति में व्यक्ति का चरित्र उसे सभी बनाते है...](https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/s480x480/535452_426769200742314_157046190_n.jpg)



![@[248887481864475:274:·٠•ılılı•ღ shiv shakti ღ•ılılı•٠·] @[248887481864475:274:·٠•ılılı•ღ shiv shakti ღ•ılılı•٠·] @[248887481864475:274:·٠•ılılı•ღ shiv shakti ღ•ılılı•٠·] @[248887481864475:274:·٠•ılılı•ღ shiv shakti ღ•ılılı•٠·] @[248887481864475:274:·٠•ılılı•ღ shiv shakti ღ•ılılı•٠·] @[248887481864475:274:·٠•ılılı•ღ shiv shakti ღ•ılılı•٠·] @[248887481864475:274:·٠•ılılı•ღ shiv shakti ღ•ılılı•٠·] @[248887481864475:274:·٠•ılılı•ღ shiv shakti ღ•ılılı•٠·] @[248887481864475:274:·٠•ılılı•ღ shiv shakti ღ•ılılı•٠·]
Tag nd share
@[248887481864475:274:·٠•ılılı•ღ shiv shakti ღ•ılılı•٠·]](https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s480x480/602120_427926207293934_1058874210_n.jpg)






![Story- कहानी- शुल्क में भेद क्यों ? @[100186463391452:274:Bhagwad Geeta]
वैदिक संस्कृति में अर्थोपार्जन के माध्यम को 'उपजीविका' कहते हैं , उपजीविका अर्थात जो जीविका को सहाय्य हो , तो जीविका क्या है ? ईश्वर प्राप्ति ही मनुष्य की मुख्य जीविका है और जो उसमें सहाय्य करे वह उपजीविका है अतः पहले जीतने भी उपजीविका थे वे सब शास्त्र सम्मत थे , ईश्वरप्राप्ति में सहायता करते थे और उसके माध्यम से अर्थ प्राप्त कर धर्म के आधार पर काम ( इच्छाओं ) की पूर्ति करते थे मोक्ष की ओर अग्रसर होते थे , अतः सभी क्षेत्र के उपजीविकाके माध्यम से अर्थोपार्जन करने वाले को समाज में योग्य सम्मान प्राप्त था |
वैद्य को आचार्य कहा जाता था और आयुर्वेद को तो पंचम वेद का स्थान प्राप्त है, पूर्वकाल के वैद्य मात्र शारीरिक और मानसिक स्तर रोगों को विश्लेषण नहीं करते थे अपितु आध्यात्मिक स्तर पर यदि कष्ट हो तो उस हेतु भी अपनी साधना के बल पर औषधि में मंत्र अभिमंत्रित कर देते थे | योग्य धर्माचरण करने वाले ऐसे ही एक वैद्याचार्य की प्रेरक प्रसंग साझा कर रही हूँ जिसमें आपको हमारी संस्कृति कैसे वर्णानुसार ( योग्यता और क्षमता ) आधारित थी इसकी एक झलक मिलेगी |
मथुरा के पास किसी गांव में एक वैद्य रहते थे। उनके पास दूर-दराज से रोगी आते, इसलिए उनका आश्रम सदैव भरा रहता था। एक बार उनके पास एक ही रोग से पीडि़त दो रोगी उपचार के लिए लाए गए। उनमें से एक धनी व्यापारी का पुत्र था और दूसरा दरिद्र किसान का बेटा। वैद्याचार्य ने दोनों रोगियों को गंभीरता से देखा फिर व्यापारी से बोले,' आपके पुत्र के उपचार में सौ मुद्रायेँ लगेंगी।' यह सुनकर किसान घबडा गया। वह विचार करने लगा कि वह इतना अधिक शुल्क कैसे दे पाएगा? किसान को चिंतित देख वैद्याचार्य उससे बोले, ' तुम्हें यह नहीं देना है। जब तक तुम्हारा पुत्र ठीक नहीं हो जाता तुम आश्रम में रहकर दूसरे रोगियों की सेवा करोगे! यही तुम्हारे पुत्र के उपचार का शुल्क होगा।' इससे किसान को तो शांति मिल गई, किन्तु व्यापारी सोचने लगा कि वैद्याचार्य उसे ठग रहे हैं। उसने अपनी आशंका जताई तो वैद्याचार्य बोले, 'मेरे लिए दोनों रोगी बराबर हैं पर तुम लोगों की क्षमताएं अलग-अलग हैं। मैंने तुम दोनों की क्षमताओं के अनुसार ही शुल्क मांगा है। इस आश्रम को धन और सेवा दोनों की आवश्यकता है। तुम्हारे पास धन है जो औषधि मंगाने के काम आ सकता है, जबकि इस दरिद्र किसान के पास सेवा करने के अतिरिक्त और कुछ नहीं है। यह अपनी सेवा से आश्रम के रोगियों को लाभ पहुंचा सकता है। इसी को ध्यान में रखकर मैंने तुम दोनों के लिए भिन्न भिन्न शुल्क तय किए।'](https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s480x480/551379_559544634063317_1693392334_n.jpg)



![★ Krsnstu Bhagwan Swayam_/\_★
★ Click On @[245178262271653:274:Krishna Conscious World] & Like Please★
★ Chant Hare Krishna & Be Happy ★
★ Like + Comments + Tag Your friends + Share★](https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/s480x480/71767_312778745511604_499782365_n.jpg)






![कल फुर्सत न मिली तो क्या करोगे
इतनी मोहलत न मिली तो क्या करोगे
रोज कहते हो कल से साईं नाम लेंगे...
कल सुबह अगर आँख ही न खुली तो क्या करोगे ???
साईं साईं बोल तेरा क्या बिगड़े..तेरा क्या बिगड़े ?????
_▂▃▅▇█▓▒░ @[223124424383702:274:श्री शिर्डी साईं बाबा] ░▒▓█▇▅▃▂_](https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s480x480/188273_571914899504651_1754290340_n.jpg)