Why Onion and Garlic is prohibited in KC

Following information was sent via email sometime ago by HH Janananda Gosvami Maharaj. This in itself is a lot of research. Since there were many questions why No onion and Garlic in KC, I thought of shearing this information in a blog.

 

ONIONS AND GARLIC PROHIBITED AND AGITATING

Indian man: Relieving high blood pressure, best is garlic.

Prabhupäda: Garlic.

Indian man: Garlic, you don't want it. (laughter)

Prabhupäda: Garlic, onions, prohibited.

(Room Conversation -- October 9, 1976, Aligarh)

 

Reporter (6): What about onions...?

Prabhupäda: Yes, onions is also very agitating.

(Conversation with News Reporters -- March 25, 1976, Delhi)

 

(Srila Prabhupada mentioned many times to his disciples they should refrain from using Onions and garlic)

Many people ask the question why is it that in the Hare Krishna movement we do not eat onions and garlic. After all they vegetables are they not. Of course it is not only us who keep them out of our diets but Jains, many Buddhists, many Hindus, and even some Christians apparently.

Several years ago the question was raised in the Back to Godhead magazine

 

Question:

I can understand the prohibition against meat-eating. But what's wrong with eating garlic and onions? Surely there's no more violence committed when we eat an onion than when we eat a potato. Is it considered sinful to eat garlic and onions?

Ranjeet Sharma, Durban, South Africa

 

Answer:

"Eating onions and garlic adversely affects one's consciousness. Why? Because the modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance influence every living thing -- human, animal, or plant -- and we learn from the Vedic literature that onions and garlic are in the lower modes of nature: passion and ignorance. In spiritual life one should cultivate the mode of goodness and avoid the lower modes. Sin in its broadest sense is any activity that hinders our spiritual advancement. Since eating foods in the modes of ignorance and passion hampers our Krsna consciousness, Vaisnava spiritual masters teach their followers to give up onions and garlic. Most important, as aspiring devotees of Krsna we eat only what we offer Him. And His great devotees tell us He doesn't eat onions and garlic." The foul breathe and sweat of anyone who has consumed garlic is enough to turn many off. Not only the breathe but the whole body may reek.

 

CONSCIOUSNESS

Eating onions and garlic adversely affects one's consciousness. Why? Because the modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance influence every living thing-human, animal, or plant-and we learn from the Vedic literature that onions and garlic are in the lower modes of nature: passion and ignorance. They cause a disturbance, and even pain and sickness to those who eat them. In spiritual life one should cultivate the mode of goodness and avoid the lower modes.

 

In Bhagavad Gita (17.9) Krsna states that 'Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and burning are dear to those in the mode of passion. Such foods cause distress, misery and disease.' Onion and garlic fall in this category. They excite the baser instincts and make it difficult for one to control the senses. The prohibition on onion, garlic etc. is implicit, by virtue of their characteristics.

 

HISTORY

There are several stories about the actual appearance of onions and garlic in this world - here are a few:

 

(The following story was kindly provided by HH Bhakti Purusottama Swami) One ayurvedic doctor had told me that this description is there in Ayurveda: When Lord Vishnu in His Mohini form was distributing nectar to demigods two Demons named Rahu and Ketu sat down along with the line of Demigods. By mistake the Lord served them nectar into their mouths. Immediately the lord was informed by the Sun and Moon that those two were demons. As soon as the Lord came to know of this He cut off the heads of both demons. By that time nectar had not passed through their throats. It was still in their mouths. When the Lord cut of their heads , the heads were separated from their bodies. Thus nectar did not pass to the stomach but fell on the ground . (That is the reason why Rahu and Ketu's head are still alive but their bodies were finished.) When their heads were cut off garlic and Onions manifested from this nectar which fell on the ground from the mouth of the two demons. Thus Garlic and Onions are regarded as nectar but not used for the Lord because these are remnants of demons having touched their mouths. Even the nectar touched the mouths of these two demons still garlic and onions act like nectar in curing the diseases. But they are not meant for Vishnu or Vaishnavas. The doctor told me that whoever will eat garlic and Onion, their body will Be very strong like demons body and at the same time their intelligence also will be contaminated like the intelligence of demons.