Commensality, the act of eating together with others, is one
of the commonest relaxing and rejuvenating activities. While our body gets
necessary nourishment through good food, our heart gets comfort amidst our
loved ones.
Unfortunately, commensality has nowadays become hostage to
the corporate-controlled media, whose relentless propaganda has distorted our
definition of good food. Get-togethers aren’t considered cool unless they
feature fast foods and other glamorized, but unhealthy, foodstuffs. While we
are eating such food, little do we realize that we are setting ourselves up for
being eaten by obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. And these are just the
toppers in a crowded field of food-induced maladies, which are often
life-threatening. Pertinently, the Bhagavad-gita (17.09) cautions that food
which hyper-stimulates our senses is in the mode of passion – such food leads
to misery.
If we don’t want to be thus deluded, we need to rescue our
definition of good food from materialistic captivity. The most holistic way to
redefining good food is to redefine the good life. The Gita explains that our
present existence is three-dimensional: physical, mental and spiritual. That
life is truly good which nourishes all three dimensions of our being.
For such all-round nourishment, Gita wisdom introduces us to
a beautiful bhakti culture wherein good food plays a vital part, as does good
association. We can prepare healthy vegetarian food and offer it prayerfully to
God, Krishna, thereby acknowledging that he is our sustainer. When we honor
such sanctified food in the company of loving devotees, we are not just
nourished physically and sheltered emotionally. We are also uplifted
spiritually, because the food, the association and the whole setting are
centered on Krishna, the highest spiritual reality.
Ultimately, spiritual commensality forms the heart of the
potent bhakti process that propels us towards the best life – the life of
eternal spiritual love.
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