In this article, we discuss the subject of vegetarianism and non-vegetarianism. Consistent with the spirit of AskKrishna, we put on the scriptural lens to arrive at an authentic conclusion. This implies an analysis with Gita and the Upanishads as a baseline. The intention here isn’t one of taking sides.

There isn’t a formal definition of vegetarianism in the scriptures. The focus of the Gita and Upanishads is to realize oneself and through that realize the supreme. To achieve this realization, they prescribe food suitable for spiritual contemplation.

The Taittiriya Upanishad traces the nutrition and source of the body to be food, defined as herbs. The scripture asserts, from the earth, grow the herbs or plants, these then become a source of food for the human.

There are one or two verses in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad that reference the meat of a young bull. In reviewing the verse and its context, it is rather odd to randomly include a verse on consumption of a young bull. This appears to be a later addition deviating from the original source.

Gita focuses on the characteristics and flavors of food and puts them in modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance. Persons in the mode of goodness prefer healthy, naturally tasteful, and nourishing foods. Foods that are sour, salty, hot, pungent, and dry are dear to persons in the mode of passion. They cause anger, grief, and diseases. Overcooked, stale, and impure food is the forte of individuals in a mode of ignorance.

Gita’s view is to associate mental tendencies with the type of food a person consumes.

Traditional beliefs aligned with the Upanishad and the Gita would, of course, promote eating only plant-based foods. Any variation in food eating habits than those prescribed by the scriptures then becomes an individualistic choice.

Krishna, the preceptor of the Gita says:

नात्यश्नतस् तु योगोऽस्ति न चैकान्तम् अनश्नतः ।
न चाति-स्वप्न-शीलस्य जाग्रतो नैव चार्जुन ॥ 6.16 ॥

nātyaśnatas tu yogo’sti na caikāntam anaśnataḥ |
na cāti-svapna-śīlasya jāgrato naiva cārjuna || 6.16 ||

Spiritual attainment cannot be perfected by one who abstains from eating or by one who eats excessively, nor by one who sleeps too much or one by who sleeps too little.