Food Habits

The eating habits of people depend to a great extent on the climate of their region and on its geography. In the cold, mountain states of India, meat eating is common. Fish is the staple food of the coastal people. People in the plain, since they can grow food grains and vegetables, are not dependent on meat and fish for their survival. Although eating habits generally derive from the climate and nature of the region, they are also influenced by the religious sentiments and values of the people. There are millions of Hindus who consider eating non-vegetarian food a perfectly natural thing to do, but there are many more of them who disapprove of it totally. Muslims are generally non-vegetarian, but they do not eat certain kinds of meat.

It is important to explain why so many Hindus are against fish or meat. Killing animals and fish for food is an act of aggression against those helpless creatures of God. This is a strong belief with many Hindus. Another strong belief of theirs is that the flesh of animals and fish is impure (is not Satwic food) and hence is not good for the body. It is their belief that one’s thoughts, words and deeds are influenced by the quality of the food they eat and that vegetarian food promotes a tranquil temperament and benign qualities (Satwic gunas), which would be especially congenial and beneficial for Spiritual life and pursuits. However, it should be clearly understood that vegetarianism is not the same as devotion or spirituality. The latter are chiefly an attitude of the mind, whereas food habits of people generally and largely depend upon family and community traditions, religious beliefs and geographical conditions and resources, and they have to be understood in such contexts.

[Source: The Path Divine, Sri Sathya Sai Balvikas, Dharmakshetra, Mumbai]