In Light of Bhagavad Gita By Brahm Bodhi

11/03/2026

Subject: Is Honey a Vegetarian and Non-Violent Food?

Question

Revered Gurudev, respectful salutations.
Is honey produced by bees considered vegetarian or non-vegetarian?

This question arises because when honey is extracted, the bee larvae and eggs may sometimes get crushed.

Answer

The question appears simple, but it actually contains a small philosophical knot involving nature, dietary principles, and the idea of non-violence.

In traditional Hindu dietary thought, madhu (honey) has generally been regarded as a vegetarian substance. In Ayurveda and the dharmic scriptures, it is used both as food and as medicine.

For example, in Ayurveda honey is described as an ingredient of Panchamrita and many medicinal preparations. If it were considered fundamentally non-vegetarian, it would not have been used so widely in the dharmic and Ayurvedic traditions.

The reason is that honey itself is not the flesh or blood of any living being. It is a substance produced by bees by collecting and transforming the nectar of flowers.

Where the Modern Objection Arises

Your question is based on a real issue related to modern large-scale beekeeping.

When honey is extracted on a commercial scale, it sometimes happens that:

• parts of the honeycomb are broken
• eggs or larvae (bee offspring) are destroyed
• some bees may also die

Because of this, some people consider honey to be contrary to the principle of ahimsa (non-violence).

However, the purpose of producing honey is not to kill living beings. Honey is essentially a product derived from plant nectar. A certain amount of unavoidable harm exists in almost every form of agriculture. Even in the processes of breathing, walking, and daily activity, some microscopic organisms inevitably perish.

For this reason, the Bhagavad Gita states that no action in the world is entirely free from some defect, just as fire is covered by smoke:

sarvārambhā hi doṣeṇa dhūmenāgnir ivāvṛtāḥ
(Bhagavad Gita 18.48)

Therefore, in traditional practice honey has not been placed in the category of non-vegetarian food.

Those who wish to follow a stricter standard of non-violence may obtain honey from careful and responsible beekeepers.

They may also choose to avoid honey altogether. However, if one applies that principle strictly, then fruits and most other agricultural products would also need to be avoided, because agriculture itself involves subtle forms of harm, including the destruction of insects through cultivation practices or pesticides.

Thus, abstaining from honey may be a matter of personal discipline or vow, but it is not a mandatory rule of religion.

From the classical and traditional standpoint, honey is therefore regarded as a vegetarian food.

18/02/2026

https://inlightofgita.org/brahmbodhi/blogs/the-need-to-classify-hindu-scriptures-into-three-tiers

Hinduism's vast scriptural corpus can be overwhelming, but a clear hierarchical classification can guide seekers through the intellectual and spiritual richness. This blog explores the need to establish a primary, secondary, and tertiary canon, as in many other faiths.

13/02/2026

https://inlightofgita.org/brahmbodhi/blogs/allegation-against-hinduism-polytheism-part-2

Understand, through scriptural evidence, how Hinduism affirms one Supreme God, with many subordinate deities who serve Him and oversee His creation.

09/02/2026

https://inlightofgita.org/brahmbodhi/blogs/allegation-against-hinduism-polytheism-part-1

Beyond the surface of 'many gods,' the essence of Hinduism reveals a profound understanding of the Supreme Lord. Delve into this thought-provoking examination of the singular Brahman and its diverse manifestations.

07/02/2026

Major Allegations Against Sanātana Dharma and Their Simple Answers

1. Ancestor Worship (Pitṛ-Pūjā)

**The Allegation:**
It is often alleged that Hindus keep photographs of their ancestors, garland them, light incense before them, and thus “worship human beings in place of God,” a practice described as “ancestor worship” (pitṛ-pūjā).

**The Answer:**
The word *pūjā* is derived from the Sanskrit root *pūj*, whose original meaning is respect, honor, and reverential hospitality. Pūjā does not mean “to turn someone into God,” but rather to show respect to one in whom divinity, knowledge, virtue, or excellence is perceived. For this reason, the same word is used for honoring parents, honoring one’s teacher, honoring a guest, and honoring a deity.

When the Bhagavad Gītā states:

“Devadwijaguruprājña-pūjanaṃ śaucam ārjavam
brahmacaryam ahiṃsā ca śārīraṃ tapa ucyate” (17.14)

it uses the word *pūjana* precisely in this sense of honor and respect. This is because the Gītā has already discouraged the worship (*upāsanā*) of anyone other than the Supreme Reality, as it states elsewhere:

“Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti mad-yājino’pi mām” (9.25)

That is, those who dedicate themselves to the gods attain the realms of the gods; those devoted to the ancestors attain the realm of the ancestors; those who worship lower beings attain corresponding states of existence; and those who worship and surrender to Me, making Me their ultimate goal, attain Me and My abode. For this reason, the worshippers of the Supreme do not undergo rebirth.

Sanskrit employs several distinct terms, and in this context it is essential to understand the difference between *pūjā* and *upāsanā*. Pūjā is an act of offering and respect—offering flowers, lamps, incense, garlands, or cloth. Upāsanā, on the other hand, is devotion and surrender—complete inner self-surrender to God.

Placing a garland on an ancestor’s photograph or lighting incense in a Hindu home is therefore not upāsanā or worship of God. It is a cultural gesture of respect, just as one may garland a teacher, place flowers before the statue of a great person, light a lamp before the photograph of a martyr, or salute the national flag. In all these cases, the act expresses reverence, gratitude, and remembrance, not worship.

Every culture has its own ways of expressing respect—joining the hands in greeting, bowing, saluting, kissing the hand, or offering flowers. Thus, placing a garland or incense before an ancestor’s photograph is not equating them with God, but a cultural expression of gratitude and respect toward one’s family lineage.

Śrāddha and tarpaṇa are not forms of ancestor worship, but **rituals of welfare and well-being**. They are religious rites performed for the peace, upliftment, and auspicious progress of departed ancestors. Just as a person gives medicine to a patient in a hospital, śrāddha involves prayers and ritual actions performed for the benefit of the souls of ancestors. For example, tarpaṇa is a very simple act in which water is offered with joined palms for deceased ancestors, with the intention that they may attain satisfaction and peace.

The cultural significance of this practice is often illustrated by a statement attributed to Emperor Shah Jahan, in which he is said to have remarked to his son Aurangzeb: “Look at the Hindus— even after death, they perform śrāddha and tarpaṇa for the welfare of their ancestors, whereas you imprison your father during his lifetime and subject him to various forms of suffering.
Brahm Bodhi
Head, Bhagavad Dharma Spiritual Order
President, Gita Global Family
gitaglobalfamily.org
bhagavaddharma.org

Gita Global Family, led by Sri BramhBodhi, shares the Bhagavad Gita's timeless teachings to inspire selfless service, uplift communities, and empower underprivileged lives through education.

27/01/2026

https://youtu.be/-qA4Dj66XYg

The Forgotten Power of Rural Hindu Temples

Footfall in rural temples has decreased considerably. Yet how abandoned or underutilised temples can play a crucial role in strengthening and revitalising the Hindu faith has to be understood. Sriyut Brahm Bodhi reveals this secret and presents a new vision for Hindu temples. Watch till the end to grasp the full vision.
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Footfall in rural temples has decreased considerably. Yet how abandoned or underutilised temples can play a crucial role in strengthening and revitalising th...

27/01/2026

Subject: Destiny, Free Will, and the Bhagavad Gītā: Do horoscopes define destiny?

Question:

Revered Gurudev,
Pranam🙏🏻
Are horoscopes meant only to guide us or do they actually define our destiny? Can we go and achieve our goals and dreams even if it is not destined in our charts?

Answer (by Brahm Bodhi)
How precise predictions based on one’s horoscope are is a debatable issue. Experience shows that a horoscope is **not an infallible guide** to one’s future.

Jyotiṣa-śāstra has two well-known divisions:

* Gaṇita Jyotiṣa— mathematical astronomy, which is precise and scientific
* Phalita Jyotiṣa — predictive astrology, which often fails in accuracy

Two explanations are traditionally offered for this uncertainty:

1. Even if the science is precise, **the interpreter may not be perfect**.
2. Even when a jyotiṣī is highly accomplished, **destiny itself can be altered** through human effort and, above all, through **the grace of God**.

Thus, astrology may *indicate tendencies*, but it does not function as an unchangeable decree.

---

2. Does the Gītā accept destiny?

Yes, the **Bhagavad Gītā clearly acknowledges destiny**, but with a profound nuance.

(a) Certain events are already determined

When Arjuna hesitates to fight, Śrī Kṛṣṇa declares that the warriors standing before him are **already slain by Divine Will**, and Arjuna is only an instrument:

**निमित्तमात्रं भव सव्यसाचिन् ।**
*nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savyasācin*
**(Bhagavad Gītā 11.33)**

**Meaning:**
“O Arjuna, become merely an instrument.”

This verse unmistakably affirms that **some events are preordained**.

---

(b) Destiny is formed by one’s own past actions

The Gītā explains that actions yield results that must be experienced, even across births:

**अनिष्टमिष्टं मिश्रं च त्रिविधं कर्मणः फलम् ।
भवत्यत्यागिनां प्रेत्य न तु संन्यासिनां क्वचित् ॥**
**(Bhagavad Gītā 18.12)**

**Meaning:**
“The threefold fruit of action — undesirable, desirable, and mixed — accrues after death to those who are attached to action, but never to renunciates.”

This shows that **destiny is nothing but crystallized past karma**, from this life and previous lives.

---

3. Is God responsible for our actions and destiny?

Here lies the **greatest hope for humankind**. The Gītā categorically denies that God creates our actions or their fruits:

न कर्तृत्वं न कर्माणि लोकस्य सृजति प्रभुः ।
न कर्मफलसंयोगं स्वभावस्तु प्रवर्तते ॥**
**(Bhagavad Gītā 5.14)**

**Meaning:**
“The Lord does not create agency, actions, or the connection between action and its fruits. All this arises from one’s own nature.”

Thus, **destiny is self-created**, not divinely imposed.

---

4. Can destiny be altered or overcome?

Yes — **to varying degrees**.

Saints traditionally classify destiny into three categories:

1. **Mild** — arising from minor misdeeds
2. **Moderate** — arising from serious but not extreme wrongdoing
3. **Severe** — arising from grievous sins (violence, cruelty, grave injustice)

(a) Mild destiny

Can be erased by **personal effort and ethical living**.

(b) Moderate destiny

Can be mitigated by **devotion, prayer, and the grace of saints and deities**.

(c) Severe destiny

Cannot usually be erased, but **its intensity can be reduced** through:

* God’s grace
* Good deeds
* Sustained *paropakāra* (selfless service)

Just as an umbrella does not stop the rain but prevents us from being drenched.

---

6. ⁠5. Knowledge and devotion destroy sins

The Gītā repeatedly affirms that **spiritual knowledge and surrender** can burn accumulated sins:

**यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन ।
ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा ॥**
**(Bhagavad Gītā 4.37)**

**Meaning:**
“As a blazing fire reduces fuel to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn all karmas.”

---

अपि चेत्सुदुराचारो भजते मामनन्यभाक्।साधुरेव स मन्तव्यः सम्यग्व्यवसितो हि सः।। 9:30क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं निगच्छति।कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि न मे भक्तःप्रणश्यति।। 9:31

Even if a person of the most reprehensible character begins to worship Me with unwavering dedication, they should be regarded as having a noble heart, as they have cultivated a virtuous determination. (9:30)
By nurturing this virtuous determination, one swiftly transforms into a righteous soul, attaining lasting peace and serenity. O Son of Kunti, understand that my devotee shall never encounter downfall or destruction. (9:31)

---

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज।अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः।। 18:66

**Meaning:**
“By My grace, you shall be freed from all sins; do not grieve.” (A very clear statement)

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6. The highest protection against suffering

One supreme method requires **no external grace at all**:

* **Study the Bhagavad Gītā**
* **Assimilate its vision**
* **Cultivate detachment (vairāgya)**

Even if destined events occur, **their power to cause suffering disappears**.

Pain may arrive, but **sorrow does not arise**.

---
Śaraṇāgati: the final word

If one truly practices:

* Complete surrender (*śaraṇāgati*)
* Consistent good deeds
* Regular compassion and charity (*paropakāra*)

Then destiny itself **loses its power**.

The story of **Prahlāda** stands as living proof. Read that in the Bhagavat Purana.

Good deeds increase one’s **puṇya-balance**, gradually neutralizing accumulated **pāpa**, just as financial prudence corrects a negative account.

---

**Conclusion**

* Destiny exists
* Destiny is self-created
* Destiny can be mitigated
* Destiny can be transcended
* And ultimately, destiny dissolves in **knowledge, devotion, philanthropy and surrender**

25/01/2026

(From the Hindi group)

The Meaningfulness of Ekadashi and Other Fasting-Vows (Upavas-vratas)

Question:
🙏🙏 Om Hari Sharanam, Gurudev.
Fasting is considered necessary for both the mind and the body. What should a person who observes the Ekadashi vow do on that day? Kindly guide us. 🙏🙏

---

Answer (Brahm Bodhi):

In this group, a detailed discussion on the Ekadashi vow has already taken place, in which scriptural references were also given. Please read that discussion once again. You will find the direct answer to your question there.

Here, I am adding a few general points about the relationship between vestas (vows), fasting, and spiritual growth, which were not included in that earlier post.

The Relationship between Vow, Fasting, and ‘Tapas’

All vows connected with fasting—including Ekadashi—traditionally fall under the category of tapas. In the Puranas, many fasting-oriented vows are described, and it is appropriate to understand all of them as forms of traditional tapas.

You (the questioner) have used two words in the context of Ekadashi—‘vow’ (vrata) and ‘fasting’ (upavasa). First, it is necessary to understand the difference between the two.

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‘Vow’ and ‘Fasting’: Difference and Meaning

A ‘vow’ and ‘fasting’ are not the same thing.

A ‘vow’ means a sacred discipline undertaken with a pious resolve. For example, in the Bhagavad Gita, the Lord refers to celibacy as a ‘vow’:

“With a tranquil mind, free from fear, established in the vrata (vow) of celibacy, controlling the mind and fixing it on Me, the disciplined yogi should sit, devoted to Me.” (6:14)

That is, a practitioner with a disciplined mind, established in the vow of celibacy, should remain fearless and calm, with the mind fixed on God.

In the vow of celibacy, there is no fasting. Here, ‘vow’ means a moral and spiritual discipline adopted with firm resolve, although the rules of celibacy differ for householders and renunciants. Similarly, a ‘truth-vowed’ person is one who undertakes, with sacred resolve, the discipline of speaking truth. A ‘single-spouse vow’ is also such a resolve. Lord Rama undertook this vow toward Sita, and it was so firm that even after Sita’s departure from the world, he did not take another wife, even though multiple marriages were not considered unrighteous for kings in that era.

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Ekadashi as a Vow (vrata)

From this perspective, Ekadashi is generally a vow undertaken with resolve. One who adopts it as a vow should observe it continuously and according to discipline until it is formally concluded through its prescribed completion rite (uddyapan)

Therefore, those who wish to undertake the Ekadashi vow should first observe a few Ekadashis without formally taking the vow. This helps determine whether the body and mind are ready for it. Once clarity is achieved, it should then be formally adopted as a vow, and the rules prescribed in the principal Puranas should be followed.

This is a Vaishnava vow. Therefore, it is not considered appropriate for those who consume meat. Those who ordinarily consume garlic and onion should also refrain from them on the day of Ekadashi.

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Ekadashi without Formal Vow

Those who observe Ekadashi without formally undertaking the vow should not expect fulfillment of worldly desires through it. Even so, devotion to Lord Vishnu gradually becomes stronger—and that itself is a significant achievement.

Observing a scripturally prescribed complete or partial fast twice a month also benefits the body by aiding detoxification. From the standpoint of health as well, this is useful.

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Fasting and the Nature of ‘Tapas’

Now let us understand Ekadashi as tapas.

The basic meaning of tapas is ‘to heat’ or ‘to discipline through restraint’. In a one-day fast, the body and mind are disciplined through controlled hunger.

There are two kinds of tapas.
One kind increases the endurance of the body and mind, develops self-discipline, and purifies the consciousness. The fast of Ekadashi belongs to this category.

The other kind consists of fast and austerities that the Lord calls self-torturing. Such fasts and austerities are described in the Gita as tamasic (un-noble) tapas:

“That austerity which is performed with foolish stubbornness, causing pain to oneself or intended to harm others, is declared to be tamasic.” (17:19)

That is, austerity performed through ignorance, by inflicting pain upon oneself or intending harm to others, is tamasic.

The Puranas recommend taking one meal on the day of Ekadashi. Therefore, it does not involve self-torture. It is a sattvic, traditional form of tapas.

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Reinterpretation of Tapas in the Gita

In the Bhagavad Gita, the Lord fundamentally redefines tapas. He does not place fasting at its center, but divides tapas into three categories—the tapas of the body, speech, and mind.

“Worship of the divine, the learned, teachers, and the wise; purity, straightforwardness, celibacy, and non-violence—this is called austerity of the body.” (17:14)

“Speech that does not cause agitation, that is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial, and the regular practice of self-study—this is called austerity of speech.” (17:15)

“Serene cheerfulness of mind, gentleness, silence, self-control, and purity of emotions—this is called austerity of the mind.” (17:16)

In these verses, fasting is nowhere stated to be the core of tapas.

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Conclusion: What Is Real Tapas

The Lord’s intention is clear—observe Ekadashi, but do not turn it into a self-torturing austerity. Stay away from self-punishing practices.

God is of the nature of sat-chit-ananda—existence, consciousness, and bliss—and you too are a part of that same nature. God does not rejoice in seeing you in pain.

If one wishes to practice tapas, one should speak gently to others and regularly study knowledge-bearing scriptures like the Gita, Ramkatha and Bhagavat Purana. The purity of mind and character that develops through such self study is greater than that produced by fasting alone. Therefore, along with Ekadashi, one should also practice the austerities of speech, mind, and body. Maintain serene cheerfulness of mind. According to the Gita, manah-prasada—inner cheerfulness—is a higher form of tapas.

Through daily, contemplative study of the Bhagavad Gita, desires gradually diminish, attachments weaken, and suffering begins to lessen. By remaining connected to sat-chit-ananda, divine joy naturally blossoms within the mind.

This is the teaching of the Gita—and this is the true meaning of vow, fasting, and tapas.

23/01/2026

Visit the post for more.

16/01/2026

(A question raised in he Hindi Bhagavaddharma WhatsApp group)

Question:

🙏🙏 Om Hari Sharanam, Gurudev.
Human life is filled with virtues and vices. Among these, humility is regarded as a firm pillar of human virtues. I wish to learn about this from your own lips. Along with this, please kindly give a detailed explanation of love and compassion as well. Please shed light on all human virtues and vices. 🙏🙏

Answer (BrahmBodhi)
Topic: Human Virtues and Vices | Love, Compassion, and Humility

Hari Sharanam.

Today we shall reflect on three themes which may appear separate,
but in truth are three forms of a single reality—

human virtues and vices,
love and compassion,
and humility.

If these three are understood,
a person can recognise within oneself
both Rama and Ravana.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna presents a profound analysis of human nature.

Especially in the sixteenth chapter,
the Lord classifies human qualities into two categories—

the divine endowment (daivi sampad),
and the demonic endowment (asuri sampad).

It is very important to understand that
within the same human being,
both divine and demonic qualities exist.

Both are given by nature.
The Lord does not say that
anyone is born a complete god
or a complete demon.
A human being is judged on the basis of predominance.

One who restrains demonic tendencies
and allows divine qualities to grow
comes to possess a divine disposition.

And one who suppresses divine qualities
and promotes demonic tendencies
is said to have a demonic disposition.

In the first three verses of the sixteenth chapter,
the Lord gives a clear list of divine qualities
(Bhagavad Gita 16.1–3).

Here, note carefully—
fearlessness, non-violence, compassion, forgiveness, freedom from excessive pride—
these are not mere words;
they are signs of a higher human consciousness.

The Lord calls them divine endowment,
but in simple language
you may call them noble virtues.

The Lord does not merely offer philosophical classifications;
He also describes the qualities of the practical human being.

The qualities of devotees are described in Bhagavad Gita 12.13–19.

The Lord says—

One who harbours no hatred towards any being,
who is friendly and compassionate,
free from possessiveness and ego,
balanced in joy and sorrow, and forgiving—

Note carefully—
“karuna eva cha” — compassion indeed.
The Lord places compassion at the forefront of a devotee’s qualities.

The meaning is clear—
devotion without compassion
is still incomplete.

The qualities of the wise are described in Bhagavad Gita 13.8–11 as well—

absence of pride, absence of hypocrisy, non-violence,
forbearance, and simplicity…

Here the Lord says—
amanitva—the absence of ego—
is the first means to knowledge.
Only one who is free from ego
can truly be humble and compassionate.

Now let us turn to the Ramcharitmanas.

Goswami Tulsidas expresses the highest human virtue in a single couplet
(Ramcharitmanas, Uttarakanda):

“There is no religion equal to doing good to others,
and no sin equal to causing suffering to others.”

Without compassion,
the very thought of doing good to others cannot arise.

These are the same divine qualities
that elevate a human being to the rank of a saint.

The scriptures are very clear—
humility is born from the absence of ego.

The Lord Himself says—

“Free from possessiveness and ego… such a one is dear to Me.”
(Gita 12.13)

One who is free from ego
is dear to the Lord.

And further, in Gita 12.15:

“One by whom the world is not disturbed,
and who is not disturbed by the world—
who is free from joy, anger, fear, and agitation—
such a one is dear to Me.”

One who neither agitates others
nor is agitated by others—
only such a person is a true human being.
Only a humble person can be like this.

Virtues make a human being Rama;
the excess of vices makes one Ravana.

The Gita and the Manas teach us this very truth:

Without compassion, devotion is incomplete;
without humility, knowledge is hollow;
and without virtues, power becomes destructive.

Therefore—
the highest duty of a human being
is to awaken the divine qualities within oneself.

Hari Sharanam!

03/01/2026

http://brahmbodhi.co.in/2026/01/03/gross-subtle-and-causal-bodies/

Revered Gurudev, pranam 🙏🙏 What are the gross body, the subtle body, and the causal body?And what is the relationship of the soul with these bodies? Kindly provide a detailed explanation of this. 🙏…