Pariprashnena — Q&A Archive

In my opinion, its okay for medicinal purposes, but I personally wouldnt eat it anyway.

There are those who say that Chicken soup is medicinal. We are taught no garlic. So IMHO there are no exceptions.

Chicken soup is "medicinal" in the western medical system, but not in Ayurveda.

Garlic is only recommended for spiritualists for medicinal purposes, not for the healthy. Meat is never recommended for spiritualists.

Regardless, I still dont recommend it. A spiritualist can take haritaki if he wants a garlic alternative, and there are plenty of other ways to cure problems that garlic can, but whatever you want. Just dont get hooked on it.

Garlic is a strong aphrodisiac and intoxicant. Not like drugs or anything, but itll slap you around. Best to just chant Hare Krsna and find an alternative.

[quote][cite] Kyros:[/cite]In my opinion, its okay for medicinal purposes, but I personally wouldnt eat it anyway.[/quote]
I always heard the same, but... any real quotes to substantiate that or is it another legend?

By real quotes, you mean from the past acaryas? Then no, but they obviously based all of their food preferences off of Ayurveda, which categorizes various foodstuffs in the three modes.

Meat (fish and eggs), garlic, onions, chocolate, and some others are specifically placed in tamasic/rajasic modes, and therefor, should not be eaten normally. Its the general rule that many spiritualists in India use. The more advanced ones wont take any of it even in emergencies, which is why I personally wouldnt take it because Id like to follow in their footsteps.

Im pretty sure the past acaryas wouldnt recommend it, and would probably agree with me and use spiritual alternatives, like hing or haritaki.

I had one devotee friend who took them. He smelled really bad for a while. I guess you can take if your doctor tells you but better to stay away from others, its really stinky and gross!

In the eighth chapter of Hari-bhakti-vil'e4sa, verses 64-65, there is a list of forbidden foods which includes things such as onions and garlic. (laSunam-garlic)

However these are some mild indication in BSST "Vaisnavism - Real and Apparent?" that it can be used as medicine or a heat source -- he writes: "mere effects of the cause; and the effects disappear as soon as the cause is withdrawn, as the fever-looking heat disappears from the body as soon as it is withdrawn from the burning rays or the garlic is removed from the arm-pit."

In HBB it is listed along with other things that we do eat (but they do not smell:)

VRNTAKAM JALISAKAM KUSUMBHA SMANTAKAM TATHA
PALANDU LASUNAM SUKLAM NIRYASAN CAIVA VARJAYET
GRJANAM KINSUKAN CAIVA KUKUNDANCA TATHAIVA CA
UDUMBARAM ALAVUN CA JAGDHVA PATATI VAI DVIJAH

(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 8/158, 159 KURMA PURANA)

"One should not eat eggplant, banana leaves, sunflower leaves and asmantaka leaves, onions, garlic. One should not eat sour gruel (a thin watery pouriage) or the juice of the tree. One should also give up turnips and beetroots, carrots, kinsuka, forest figs, and white pumpkin. If the twice born persons eat these things, they all become fallen."

According to this it seems its only forbidden for brahmanas.

It is interesting to note that there is a Nyaya maxim about it:

bhakSitepi laSune na S'e4nTo vy'e4dhiH

The maxim of garlic and ilness.

It takes its origin from one'92s eating garlic, an unholy and prohibited thing, as a remedy of an ilness, but unforunately the ilness is not thereby remedied; and is used to denote the regrettable condition of one who does an unworthy act to gain an end, though unhappily the end is not gained thereby. Similar to the story of the brahmana: "I have lost my cast, but I am still hungry". I have eaten garlic, but I am still sick:-)

i had one schoolmate who ate a lot of potato chips with garlic. When he opened his mouth everyone ran away.

What about odorless garlic tablets?

Is the badness removed with the odor, or does it stay in the pill?

Taking something has an effect, your reason for taking it notwithstanding.

In other words, whatever your reason for taking it is, it will have the same effect.

I know this because I once took some garlic medicine to fight a cold I had.

Cured my cold, but yeah - its garlic and it has the effect of taking garlic. Increases rajas - like I need that.

Another way to look at it is this
Will my suffering vanish with a medicine. If so, my reliance will be more on medicines..not Krishna.

Suffering is usually a result of my past karma. If I try to escape it this way, it will come in another way.

So better, I stick to the right way and cross over - (as much as my mind will permit)

By the same logic, one may argue - I need money....let me get it from any source....any way.

Hence, I think rules apply.